Joseph Pevney Star Trek Series Director Dies

Pevney, a former Broadway actor who played supporting roles in several notable films noir in the late 1940s before directing movies such as Man of a Thousand Faces and Tammy and the Bachelor, died May 18 of age-related causes at his home in Palm Desert, said his wife, Margo.He was 96.

Focusing on television from the early 1960s to the mid-1980s, when he retired, Pevney directed episodes of numerous television series such as Wagon Train, The Munsters, The Fugitive, Bonanza, 12 O'Clock High, The Virginian, Adam-12, Marcus Welby, M.D., Emergency, The Incredible Hulk, Fantasy Island, Medical Center and Trapper John, M.D.

But Star Trek, the classic science-fiction series that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969, was Pevney's most enduring television credit as a director and made him a familiar name to Trekkers.

As has been noted on Star Trek fan sites since his death, Pevney directed 14 episodes of the original series, tying with the late Marc Daniels as the credited director of the most episodes.

Pevney directed some of the top fan-favorite episodes, including “The City on the Edge of Forever," “Amok Time," “The Trouble with Tribbles" and “Journey to Babel."