MovieChat Forums > Benson (1979) Discussion > Odo and Neelix

Odo and Neelix

posted 19 years ago by ShadowsouL
2 replies | jump to latest

Was it a coincidence that both Rene Auberjonois (Clayton Endicott III) and Ethan Phillips (Pete Downey) each later ended up as regular cast members on two separate Star Trek TV shows at the same time?

And not only that, but they both played aliens on their respective Star Trek shows. So both of them pretty much spent the '90s in heavy makeup.

And on top of that, they each appeared in one Star Trek film: Rene in Star Trek VI and Ethan in Star Trek: First Contact.

I still think that's a hoot.

[–] emberstorm-1 19 years ago

I noticed that too!

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Dancing is forbidden.

[–] richard.fuller1 19 years ago

If I recall correctly, Rene got DS9 first. I think the feeling was he, now not Ethan, but Rene himself was too typecast as Clayton and this was about his best shot to get away from Clayton and "Benson", by working as a shape-changing alien.

As to Ethan, I suppose somebody was just having fun. Ethan seemed like a gentle little alien anyway.

No one commented on it back then, perhaps because they both were under the makeup but people who had watched Benson knew who they were.

Now the surprising thing seems to be that Inga Swenson or Didi Conn never turned up with either of them.