James Cawley James M . Cawley II is best known as the senior executive producer and star of the fan - made internet series " Star Trek : Phase II " , formerly " Star Trek : New Voyages " , in which he plays Captain James T . Kirk . For the canon " Star Trek " franchise , however , he appeared as a Starfleet officer on the bridge of the in , directed by J . J . Abrams . He can be seen standing next to and holding a clipboard when Spock returns to the bridge for the first time after relinquishing command of the " Enterprise " . Cawley ' s " New Voyages " co - star , Jeffery Quinn , also appeared in the movie as a Vulcan . An Elvis Presley tribute artist from Ticonderoga , New York , Cawley is a huge Trekkie who has been collecting props and costumes from since 1997 . His attention to detail earned him an internship under costume designer William Ware Theiss on . Theiss provided Cawley with many TOS original source materials , including costume patterns and blueprints for the set of the original starship " Enterprise " in the early 1990s . He used these blueprints to construct near - flawless recreations of the original series sets in an abandoned car dealership in Port Henry , New York , spending more than US $ 100 , 000 of his own money . Fans who are part of the production help with the costs to continue to maintain and update the sets . The new sets were soon put to good use . Cawley and other " Star Trek " fans came together to begin filming " Star Trek : New Voyages " , a non - profit internet series taking place during the fourth year of the USS " Enterprise " s five - year mission under Captain Kirk . The pilot , " Come What May " , was filmed in 2003 and released in January 2004 . Pieces of the sets , and some of the costumes , have been borrowed by Paramount for their " Enterprise " series . Cawley ' s set was later moved to the site of a former supermarket at 112 Montcalm St . in downtown Ticonderoga . In July of 2016 , the set was open to the public for tours on Saturdays . It is officially licensed by CBS Consumer Products . Cawley produces " New Voyages " under The Retro Films / The Cawley Entertainment Company , funding the project using money he earns from his successful career as one of the country ' s top Elvis impersonators . CBS Studios , which currently owns the rights to " Star Trek " , allows the show ' s production ( and that of other fan - created material ) so long as the series does not make a profit . The popularity and quality of " New Voyages " have led alumni from official " Star Trek " productions to contribute their talents to the series . TOS actors Walter Koenig , George Takei , Grace Lee Whitney , and William Windom have appeared on the series , reprising their roles as Pavel Chekov , Hikaru Sulu , Janice Rand , and Commodore Matt Decker respectively . TNG performer Denise Crosby also guest - stars as the grandmother of Natasha Yar . Majel Barrett - Roddenberry also reprised her role as the voice as the " Enterprise " computer in one episode . In addition , TOS writers D . C . Fontana and David Gerrold have each written an episode of the series . Fontana and Gerrold are also consulting producers on the series , as is Eugene " Rod " Roddenberry , Jr . , son of " Star Trek " creator Gene Roddenberry . A host of " Star Trek " production staffers too , have lent their talents to Cawley ' s production , including among others Doug Drexler , Dan Curry , Mike Okuda , Andrew Probert , Steve Horch , and Gregory Jein , to name but a few . As a testament to the project ' s success , its third episode , " World Enough and Time " ( guest - starring Takei and Whitney , written by Michael Reaves and directed by Marc Scott Zicree ) , earned the series the " TV Guide " s 2007 Best Sci - Fi Webisodes Award . In addition to his work on " New Voyages " , Cawley appeared as Captain Mackenzie Calhoun in the " Vigil " episode of the " Star Trek : Hidden Frontier " fan series . He also played Peter Kirk opposite Walter Koenig , Nichelle Nichols , and Alan Ruck in the long - awaited internet mini - series " Star Trek : Of Gods and Men " , directed by Tim Russ . " Star Trek : Of Gods and Men " used Cawley ' s sets and costumes to film their shipboard scenes . The Earth Starfleet freighter " Ticonderoga " referenced in the episode was a subtle nod to Cawley ' s hometown of Ticonderoga , New York . Cawley was given a background part in the new " Star Trek " movie following a chance encounter with director J . J . Abrams on the Paramount lot . Abrams invited a group of people , including Cawley , to visit the set of the bridge of the movie ' s " Enterprise " , which Cawley describes as " spectacular " and " absolutely stunning . " Cawley had the chance to be a background extra in the film as an officer working aboard the " Enterprise " , which began filming , a chance that later created controversy in the fan community when it was discovered that Cawley convinced J . J . Abrams to let him have a role in the film by giving Abrams an actual " Star Trek " captain ' s uniform worn by William Shatner . It was later revealed by the CBS / Paramount legal department that the uniform was not an actual captain ' s uniform worn by William Shatner , as originally claimed by Cawley . It was a uniform given to Cawley by another " Star Trek " fan film production . Although he was initially skeptical of the new film , he now supports it after talking with Abrams and after seeing the sets , the costumes , and the performers in action . Cawley continues to produce episodes for the now - renamed " Star Trek : Phase II " and is currently in pre - production on both a continuation of the 1960s TV series " The Wild Wild West " , and an internet version of " Buck Rogers in the 25th Century " , which has been licensed by the Dille Family Trust and will star both Bobby Quinn Rice and Gil Gerard , the original Buck Rogers from the 1979 - 1982 television series . Cawley was also interviewed for the " Collecting " Star Trek " s Movie Relics " featurette on the / release of . Cawley ' s interview was shot on the bridge of the " Enterprise " used on " New Voyages " / " Phase II " , and focused on the costumes he owns that were originally created for the ill - fated " " canon TV series .