Robert Lansing Robert Lansing was an actor who played Gary Seven in the episode . This episode was actually to serve as a pilot for a possible television series that would have starred Lansing as the Gary Seven character , but the series was not picked up . Lansing filmed his scenes between Tuesday and Wednesday at Desilu Stage 9 , Stage 10 , Paramount Stage 5 and on location at the Paramount lot . Nonetheless , Lansing was the star of three other series during the 1960s : " 87th Precinct " in 1961 , " Twelve O ' Clock High " in 1964 , and " The Man Who Never Was " ( which was produced and directed by John Newland ) in 1966 . Of those three , " Twelve O ' Clock High " was the most successful , lasting three seasons ( compared to the one season of the other two ) . However , Lansing left the show after only one year . This series also co - starred fellow TOS guest actor Frank Overton and guest actor Bert Remsen . Just after " Twelve O ' Clock High " , Lansing shot a pilot for a series called " The Long Hunt of April Savage " which was created by Sam Rolfe and produced by Gene Roddenberry . The unsold pilot also featured Charles Dierkop . Lansing has also made guest appearances in a number of shows , including " Bonanza " , " Gunsmoke " , " Ironside " , , " The Mod Squad " ( with Clarence Williams III and Tige Andrews ) , " Murder , She Wrote " , " Simon & Simon " , " Thriller " , ( with Mariette Hartley ) , and " The Virginian " . In 1983 , he starred in the short - lived science fiction TV series " Automan " . In 1985 , he again became part of a regular cast in a TV series , this time as a co - star , on " The Equalizer " . He remained with this show until its end in 1989 . and guest actor Keith Szarabajka co - starred in this series . Both Lansing and Szarabajka also co - starred in the 1988 " Equalizer " TV movie called " Memories of Manon " , which also featured Anthony Zerbe and Mark Margolis . In 1959 , Lansing co - starred with fellow TOS guest star Lee Meriwether in the science fiction film " 4D Man " . Guy Raymond also starred in this film . Lansing and Meriwether co - starred again in " Namu , the Killer Whale " ( 1966 ) . In 1963 , he had a supporting role in the war drama " A Gathering of Eagles " , which featured DS9 actress Louise Fletcher in an uncredited role . The following year , he appeared in the romantic comedy " Under the Yum Yum Tree " , which also featured Gloria Calomee and Bill Erwin . In 1971 , he co - starred with fellow TOS alumni Kim Darby , Hal Baylor , and Don Keefer in " The Grissom Gang " , and in 1977 , he co - starred with Joan Collins and Robert Pine in the cult sci - fi film " Empire of the Ants " . Lansing ' s other film credits include " An Eye for an Eye " ( 1966 , with Paul Fix and Clint Howard ) , " Namu , the Killer Whale " ( 1966 , with John Anderson and Lee Meriwether , and fearturing a score by Samuel Matlovsky ) , and " Bittersweet Love " ( 1976 , with Gail Strickland ) . Lansing has also appeared in a number of made - for - TV movies and specials , including " Killer by Night " ( 1972 , with Theodore Bikel and Jason Wingreen ) , " The Astronaut " ( 1972 , with Monte Markham , James B . Sikking , and Paul Kent , written by Harve Bennett ) , " Crime Club " ( 1975 , with David Clennon ) , " The Deadly Triangle " ( 1977 , with Diana Muldaur ) , " Bionic Showdown : The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman " ( 1989 , with Jeff Yagher ) . In his later years , Lansing served as president of The Players , the New York City theatrical and literary club on Gramercy Park , where his portrait still hangs . In 1993 , he became a recurring cast member on " Kung Fu : The Legend Continues " . Sadly , his role only lasted until the following year , when he died of cancer at the age of 66 . Lansing was married to Emily McLaughlin , who married Jeffrey Hunter after she and Lansing divorced .