Star Trek Cast: Where Are They Now?

10. Ricardo Montalbán

Star Trek The Original Series Khan Noonien Singh
CBS

Ricardo Montalbán is of course Khan Noonian Singh, the genetically engineered super-man, who almost defeated Kirk twice in battle. Montalbán's voice simply oozed menace and class, making him one of easiest foes to ever listen to in the history of Star Trek.

Outside of Star Trek, Montalbán was a truly prolific actor, remaining active well into his 80s. He was the grandfather in the Spy Kids franchise and provided a voice in Family Guy, though these were simply some of the last roles he performed.

He appeared for seven years as Mr. Roarke on the TV show Fantasy Island, from 1977 - 1984. Back in 1951, he suffered a terrible injury to his back. He was thrown from the horse he was riding and was then trampled by another horse. He managed for years, though was eventually forced undergo a grueling 9 hour surgery that left him paralysed from the waist down.

Despite this, Montalbán was well known for his physique and strict fitness regime. It has been said many times that he wore a chest plate in Star Trek II but nope - that's all, pure, Khan!

He was an outspoken activist for the accurate portrayal of Latino people on screen, co-founding the Nosotros Foundation in 1970.

He was married to his wife Georgina Young for 63 years, until she died in 2007. She predeceased him by just over a year, as he died from congestive heart failure in 2009.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"