By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
One of the most important directors in Star Trek history is someone you’ve likely never heard of: James L. Conway. He made a splash by directing some major TNG episodes like “The Neutral Zone” and “Frame of Mind,” and he later became one of DS9 showrunner Ira Steven Behr’s favorite directors for helming killer episodes like “Duet,” “Way of the Warrior,” and “Apocalypse Now.” In fact, he was so important to the franchise that he nearly directed First Contact, and he only lost that gig because Patrick Stewart personally pushed for having Jonathan Frakes in the director’s chair.
While Conway didn’t get to direct a major Star Trek picture, he did get to do the next thing by directing “Broken Bow,” the movie-length premiere of Enterprise. He did an excellent job, and many (including beloved franchise writer Brannon Braga) consider it the best pilot from the Golden Age of Star Trek. However, one Enterprise actor had a less-than-stellar time making this episode: John Billingsley, who got humiliated by Conway on set during his very first scene!
The Galaxy’s Most Quirked-Up Doctor
On Enterprise, John Billingsley plays Dr. Phlox, a genial alien physician with a very warm bedside manner. However, the doctor isn’t without his quirks, including a creepy, CGI-enhanced smile that has haunted Star Trek fans for years. But it turns out that the actor wanted his character to be far, far quirkier than anyone could have imagined. While performing in his very scene, Billingsley began squawking like a bird. Malcolm Reed actor Dominic Keating happened to be on-set, and he later reported how the squawking sounds sent director James L. Conway into an angry tailspin.
In the special feature on the Enterprise Season 1 Blu-Ray, Keating claims that Conway, when he heard the squawking noises, began repeatedly and immediately screaming out “Cut!” The director had been inside the video control room, but he allegedly stormed out and stood directly in front of Billingsley. Keating claims the director looked the actor directly in the eye and asked a brutally humiliating question: “Are you sh*tting me?!” All Billingsley could do was mutter, “Listen, I’m not married to it.” They finished the scene as written, and Billingsly never again squawked when playing Dr. Plox.
Humiliation: Star Trek Style
It’s wild to imagine an acclaimed Star Trek director humiliating an actor on set like this. Still, you might be on Conway’s side: the squawking really does sound goofy, and it would have made every scene with Dr. Plox distractingly weird. But here’s the thing: John Billingsley had made those bird-like noises throughout his entire audition process, which included performing them in front of Conway. The director seemingly decided in the moment that the squawking didn’t work for this performance. Again, this was probably the right call, but he made it in such a way that Billingsley was left downright mortified.
This bizarre tale is a reminder of the paradox at the heart of every Star Trek series. These shows are all about “seeking out new life and new civilizations,” but audiences have trouble relating to anything that’s a little too alien. That’s why Trek is filled with so many not-so-exotic species that look mostly human: it’s easier for those of us watching to relate to. In the case of Dr. Phlox, James L. Conway decided that Enterprise audiences were ready for weird head bumps and even an alien smile straight out of a creepypasta. But a doctor who squawks like a really loud bird? That, sir, is a starship bridge too far!
