20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
10. Roddenberry's Original Starring Ship And Its Tennis Connection
One of the ships affected by the Whale Probe's signal is the USS Yorktown. The Yorktown was, of course, the original name for Gene Roddenberry's starship in the pilot for Star Trek, originally titled The Menagerie, before being renamed The Cage.
The captain of this ship is played by Vijay Amritraj, who was at the time a champion Tennis player. Born in Madras, India, he enjoyed significant success in Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Cincinnati Masters. By the time he appeared in Star Trek, he had also appeared in another long-running franchise.
In 1983, he played the role of Vijay, an MI6 intelligence operative in the James Bond film Octopussy. He would go on to appear in another couple of productions, but these two films have remained his highest-profile acting appearances to date. These days, he is a sports commentator and activist, working with his foundation to bring aid to victims of disease, tragedy, and circumstance in India.
On 9 February 2001, Vijay was appointed a United Nations ambassador for peace. He has also raised funds to fight the spread of AIDS worldwide.