Occupation Actor, attorney Role Actor Years active 1987–1998 Spouse Laurie Menyuk | Website www.site.menyuklaw.com Name Eric Menyuk Movies The Babysitter | |
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Similar People Stanley Kamel, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, Herta Ware, Guy Ferland | ||
Eric Menyuk (born November 5, 1959) is an American attorney and former actor. He gained renown for his brief appearances in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation as "The Traveler". He was originally considered for the role of the android Data which was eventually given to Brent Spiner. After retiring from his acting career, he retrained to become an attorney and represents children with disabilities and specializes in children's education rights.
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Acting career
Menyuk was in the running to play the android character Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation. A memo from John Pike to John Ferrard dated April 13, 1987, listed Menyuk as one of several actors who were in contention for the role, also including Mark Lindsay Chapman, Kevin Peter Hall and Kelvin Han Yee. Brent Spiner was eventually chosen for the role over Menyuk.
He was subsequently cast in the role of the Traveler, first appearing in the first season in the episode "Where No One Has Gone Before" and returning in the fourth season episode "Remember Me" and season seven's "Journey's End". In order to portray the character, he had to undergo a three-hour make-up process on each day of shooting, including prosthetics applied to his face and to both hands in order to reduce the number of fingers shown. He later remarked that although he respected the work of Michael Westmore, he disliked the prosthetics on his hands and would go out of his way during shooting to hide them. Following his appearances on Star Trek, he has appeared on the convention circuit, including Star Trek themed cruises on Carnival Cruise Lines.
Personal life
He is an attorney, having graduated from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1998 after he retired from film and television. He and his wife Laurie have two children, a son and a daughter.
Due to his son's special needs he has moved into the field of law involving children's education rights. He was admitted to the State Bar of California on July 12, 1998. He earned his undergraduate degree from Vassar College in 1981.