17 Star Trek Actors Who Died In 2023

J. Patrick McNamara appeared in one episode of The Next Generation, though his legacy spanned several. He played Captain Taggert, Dr. Pulaski's former commanding officer, and the captain of the USS Repulse. In the episode Unnatural Selection, he was contacted by Picard in an attempt to save Pulaski's life.

McNamara, who was born Patrick John but changed his screen name to J. Patrick, may be best remembered as Mr. Preston, appearing in both Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. He had begun his career with the certainty that he would be a lawyer. However, almost immediately after stepping foot on stage, he knew that acting was for him.

He was directed by Steven Spielberg twice - one in Close Encounter's Of The Third Kind and also in 1941. Though he attempted to launch his own theatre company, it didn't pick up as expected, thus encouraging him to return to acting.

With many credits both in front of and behind the camera, he retired from acting in 2016. He died in January 2023, at 80 years of age.