Larry Dobkin

Larry Dobkin was an Emmy-nominated actor, television director, and occasional writer and producer who directed the first season episode , where he was credited as Lawrence Dobkin. 
, he guest-starred as in the fourth season episode . Dobkin filmed his scenes for "The Mind's Eye" between Wednesday and Thursday on Paramount Stage 8, 9, and 16.
He is the only person to have both directed an episode of TOS and to later appear on a Star Trek spin-off. In addition, Dobkin, Richard Compton, Andrew Robinson, Rainn Wilson, Lea Thompson and Leslie Hope are the only six non-regular performers to have both appeared in and directed Star Trek.
==Biography==
Hailing from New York, New York, Dobkin voiced characters on numerous network radio plays from the 1940s through the 1960s. Perhaps most notable of these was The Saint, for which he played the title character's sidekick, cab driver Louie. He made his feature film debut in the 1949 drama Not Wanted, starring Leo Penn, who directed the Original Series episode . He amassed over 150 film and television appearances.
Some of Dobkin's early film credits include (1949, co-starring Kenneth Tobey), D.O.A., and an uncredited role in The Day the Earth Stood Still, directed by Robert Wise (who later directed ). He made uncredited appearances in many other films throughout the 1950s, including (1951), (1952, starring Jeffrey Hunter), (1954, featuring an uncredited Leonard Nimoy), (1957, with John Fiedler), and (1959, co-starring Stanley Adams, Bill Catching, Robert Ellenstein, and Ken Lynch). However, Dobkin did have a credited supporting role in films like (1952), (1955, starring DeForest Kelley), (1958, co-starring Theodore Bikel and Whit Bissell), and (1956).
Dobkin's later film work include major roles in (1962, with ) and (1962) and a supporting role in (1970, co-starring Michael Strong). He later played Patton himself in (1988, co-starring Ian Abercrombie, Steven Berkoff, Richard Lineback, Byron Morrow, Glenn Morshower, George Murdock, Charles Napier, John Rhys-Davies, and William Schallert). His last film was (1991, co-starring James Avery).
It was during the mid-1950s that Dobkin began shifting his attention more towards television. Throughout the 1950s and '60s he made multiple appearances on programs such as , Space Patrol, Studio 57, , , and The Untouchables. In addition, he was the narrator on the ABC crime drama Naked City during the show's entire run (1958-1963). In 1968, he received an Emmy Award nomination for his performance in the CBS Playhouse production of Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, which co-starred Original Series guest actor Warren Stevens.
Dobkin's later television acting credits include an episode of Mission: Impossible (with Leonard Nimoy, Robert DoQui, Rex Holman, and Jason Wingreen), the pilot for , and episodes of such shows as , , , Night Court, , The Practice, and . He also had recurring roles on (starring Corbin Bernsen and Larry Drake) and , playing a judge on both.
Dobkin began directing television programs in 1958. Besides Star Trek, the numerous shows he worked on as a director include The Rifleman, , The Munsters, , Emergency!, , , , , , and the Ricardo Montalban series . 
Dobkin retired from directing in 1985, but continued acting until his death from heart failure in 2002. Both of Dobkin's twin daughters followed their father into television. Kaela, among other projects, appeared on the short-lived spin-off Models, Inc. working routinely with Robert Beltran, and Kristin became a writer, writing a episode that guest-starred Megan Gallagher, Ellen Geer, and Ed Lauter.
== External links ==
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Category:Directors
Category:Performers
Category:TNG performers