The fourth and final installment of our round up of guest talks from Creation's Star Trek Grand Slam convention in Pasadena, California (3/31-4/2)

Michael Dorn (Worf) drew a warm response when he talked about how he enjoyed being back in his hometown of Pasadena. He went on to compare and contrast the shooting of Star Trek: The Next Generation to the shooting of a recent movie he made on location. It's no secret which one he prefers as the film shoot made him "yearn for the nice, comfy [Enterprise] bridge." Dorn said he misses going to work with people he knows well and laughing and giggling with them. What he doesn't miss, though, is wearing the Klingon makeup.

Describing the last day on the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Dorn said it was very bittersweet -- while it was sad that the cast and crew were breaking up, doing the show was such hard work that "we couldn't wait to get outa there," Dorn said. "When I heard 'Cut' I just RIPPED off my makeup. People told me, 'You look so happy!' And I said, 'Oh, am I smiling?'"

He added that on the first non-Star Trek movie he did after Deep Space Nine, he spent only 10 minutes in the makeup chair before he was told, "You're done." "That's it??" he answered in shock.

Michael mentioned that the glue that held his makeup on was very unpleasant and that he nearly quit in the second year of TNG because of it. However, he admits to loving the character of Worf, which he played for 13 years. "I couldn't have done that makeup for so many years if I didn't love the character." He even surprised himself by so readily accepting the offer to reprise Worf on Deep Space Nine, in spite of the fact that he would again have to endure that makeup on a daily basis, Dorn said.

Dorn talked about why he made Worf into a rather dour, humorless character. "I was the last one cast on TNG. I saw that the other characters had this great comradeship among themselves, and I decided then to do the opposite, to have something different. That way, it makes the 'fun' moments he would have later that much more special." He said that he and Gene Roddenberry both had a hand in creating the character.

Casey Biggs (Damar) and Salome Jens (Female Shapeshifter) appeared together on stage, and talked about their ally-turned-enemy characters, and how they were cast. Jens had performed a speech in a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode show called "The Chase," which she said "captured the imagination of the producers," who then asked her to audition for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Biggs recounted that producer Ira Steven Behr was "obsessive" about the story of the Alamo, and saw the actor playing Travis in the 1988 movie "Alamo: The Price of Freedom." Behr was looking for someone for Marc Alaimo to bounce off of, and thought Biggs would make an excellent lackey. The producers liked what Biggs did with the character, and decided to expand Damar's role in the storyline.

Jens said that the makeup she had to wear in the role of the Female Shapeshifter--particularly the mouth--did not restrict her acting abilities, but in fact enhanced it. "It gave me a sense of character, of the other-worldly quality of this person," she said. She described the complex nature of her character's relationship with Odo, as being a mother, lover and mentor all at once. "She was all things to him."

Biggs said that Ira Behr thought the secondary cast members were so outstanding that he called them "his repertory company." And went on to add, "The reason why Star Trek is such a legacy is that it takes actors of Shakespearean proportions to make this stuff work. With the heightened language they write, you've really got to rise to the material."

Scarlett Pomers (Naomi Wildman) came on stage and wowed the audience with a song called, "I'll Do Anything to Play This Part," with a very big, showy voice. The fans were so impressed that one asked if she has sung on Broadway. She hasn't, but would like to.

Scarlett says she enjoys working with Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), because "she does this Valley Girl voice that makes me laugh." She has also made friends with the new child actors on the set (Marley McClean, Kurt Wetherill and Cody Wetherill, who were also in attendance), and they have fun together, even though they haven't had too many scenes together yet.

When asked how she likes putting on the Ktarian makeup, Scarlett responded, "Makeup? I'm a method actor! I grow my horns every time!"

Scarlett, who is 11, responded to questions regarding the age of Naomi Wildman. She explained that Naomi is 3 years old, but Ktarians age faster than humans, and Naomi is half Ktarian, so she appears much older.

Scarlett then closed her appearance with another song, "When You Wish Upon a Star."

Next, George Takei (Hikaru Sulu) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) appeared together on stage. The first fan to come to the mike told the pair, "You're our heroes." Takei responded, "Well, you're ours."

In response to another fan's question, Nichelle said she would love to do a guest spot on any new Star Trek series. Even though her character was never very strongly developed in the series or the movies, Nichols said she has never regretted being part of the Star Trek family, "being part of Gene's dream that we are better than we think we are."

Asked about their experience in auditioning and winning their roles on Star Trek, they both talked about "being in the right place at the right time." Takei recalled that he had just come back to Los Angeles (his hometown) from New York in a "strategic retreat" from his acting career there. "If I had been strong and tenacious and had stuck it out in New York, I would've missed the call." Takei said he was "overjoyed" to land the part of Sulu, because Star Trek represented a very exciting philosophy, and because it was an opportunity to reverse the stereotyping of Asians in film and TV.

Nichols noted that when she first went in to read for Star Trek, the character wasn't written yet -- she actually read the Spock role in her audition. Gene Roddenberry later developed the Uhura character with her in mind. When Nichols gets excited, she said, she expends her energy cleaning house. After learning she got the part, "I had the cleanest house in Woodland Hills." George retorted, "Nichelle, you can come to my house anytime, and I'll be glad to make you excited!"

Takei and Nichols shared a fan's dismay that DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy) was not mentioned during the Academy Awards in a retrospective of actors who had passed away in the last year. "It was a glaring omission," Takei said. "I was outraged." Nichols noted that Kelley had performed in numerous films for decades prior to his role as Dr. McCoy, and was equally outraged by the oversight.

Takei concluded by saying that if he gets a chance to play Sulu again, "We intend to knock your socks off." Nichelle added, "Thank you for loving us over the years." George then assured the fans, "We will live long and prosper!"

William Shatner (James T. Kirk) arrived on stage to a standing ovation. He informed the audience that he just did two more episodes of the NBC comedy 3rd Rock from the Sun as "The Big Giant Head." "I don't know WHY they asked me to play The Big Giant Head," Shatner commented facetiously, "but I play The Big Giant Head." He revealed that his character turns out to be Dick's father. "I'm John Lithgow's father!" he exclaimed.

Shatner talked about some of his diving experiences, commenting somewhat ironically, "I love to dive -- it's a strange, alien world." He also recounted a one-hour movie he shot with a whale shark and the experience he had trying to communicate with the animal. He segued into a story about also meeting Coco the Gorilla, and trying to use sign language to communicate, "I love you Coco." The gorilla's response? "Coco reached out and grabbed me by the crotch." Shatner concluded these nature-oriented stories with a plea for fans to get involved with and support environmental causes. "We're at a crossroads," he said. "We're destroying the environment, and getting to the point of no return. So it's important that we do what we can while we can." The audience applauded his sentiment.

Shatner plugged the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which he is spearheading in Burbank, California, on April 27-30. The event will raise funds to benefit handicapped children and afterschool programs, and features a Saturday night bash called "Star Trek Goes Country!" Details about the affair can be found at http://www.horseshow.org.

On the subject of charity, Shatner came prepared to auction off an item of particular interest to Star Trek collectors -- his personal shooting script for "Where No Man Has Gone Before," with his own handwritten notes. An audience member offered $4000 for the script. The money Shatner raised from auctioning off the script and the set visits was earmarked for either the Ahead With Horses organization for disabled children, or the Nerine Shatner Foundation -- bidder's choice. Several thousand dollars were raised in those few minutes.

Shatner noted that the Nerine Shatner Foundation was formed to help women addicted to alcohol and drugs. Shatner spoke about his life and his feelings since his wife's death: "I have discovered a great deal about myself. I have been learning first-hand about grief these past eight months. Grief is a palpable condition that is part of the human experience. What a journey I'm on." Shatner praised his wife for her attempts to overcome her own alcoholism. "Although the disease overcame her, she very courageously tried."

Later, Shatner got word from the convention organizers and announced that the Star Trek Grand Slam had raised a total of $33,000 for charity in its various auctions during the three-day event.

Garrett Wang (Harry Kim) closed the show, but opened his appearance with impersonations of George Takei and William Shatner singing "Kung Fu Fighting." Wang is famous among his cast mates for doing impressions of them, including Kate Mulgrew.

Wang described a number of practical jokes that the cast members have played on each other since the show started. The first time he met Robert Beltran (Chakotay), he told Garrett that he was a founding member of the rock band Los Lobos. It was "an out-and-out lie," but Garrett believed him and proceeded to tell his friends. His friends set him straight, though, and Garrett was embarrassed by his gullibility.

What episodes would Garrett like to see for Harry Kim? Since Ensign Kim has yet to gain a promotion on the show, one idea Garrett has for an episode involves Kim sleepwalking around the ship and stealing all the other crew members' pips (the collar pins that indicate rank). "And Kim shows up on the bridge, from head to toe wearing everybody's pips."

Garrett added on a somewhat more serious note, "We'd like to see a Voyager film, wouldn't we?" The audience cheered that notion.

Story by: Sandy Stone
Pictures by: Nick Saul