Sci fi trope origin?

[breakinglight11]

Here's a random wondering for all you lovely geeks out there-- does anybody know where that trope, usually used humorously, of the "classically trained actor playing a part in a sci-fi show who is way above the material but can't be taken seriously anymore" came from? What made me think of this now is I recently saw a fantastic episode of Frasier where this former Shakespearean actor, brilliantly and hilariously played by the wonderful Derek Jacobi, was stuck by typecasting because he played an android on a popular Star Trek-like TV show. It turned out he was actually just a terrible actor, but it was extra funny to see Jacobi act badly. :-) Another example that comes to mind is the Alan Rickman role in Galaxy Quest, for whom that was basically his character's whole shtick. I feel like I've seen it other places as well, though I can't think of them right now.

But where does this joke come from? Was there actually somebody on Star Trek or something along the lines of Star Trek that came from a classical background but got tied down by the role on the sci fi show? Does anybody have any idea?

Comments

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

It's hard to imagine now, but William Shatner was trained as a classical Shakespearean actor. He played a number of parts at the Stratford Festival, the giant annual Shakespearealooza that the one in 'Slings & Arrows' is based on.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, the main female character in 'S&A' quits the stage at the end of Season 2 to be a space cop on a sci-fi show, and has to be lured back in Season 3. I can't believe I never made that connection before.

[lisefrac.livejournal.com]

There's a show that features an event like the Stratford Festival? Ohgawd I have to see this.

[lisefrac.livejournal.com]

Ohgawd and Stephen Ouimette (who is an actual Stratford Festival performer) is in it...