If it's one thing the original Star Trek series teaches us, it's that con men and swindlers still exist in the 23rd century.
While Captain Kirk and his crew run into more than their fair share during their missions, none are more memorable than Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd (Played by the unforgettable Roger C. Carmel). He is, in his own mind, the galaxy's Most Interesting Person, so let's take a closer look at the life of this "entrepreneur" and why he left such an indelible mark on the Star Trek franchise.
Life as a child and into young adulthood
Mudd began his life on Antares Pi V, circa 2219. Little is known about his parents, but Mudd would tell people he'd been the target of misfortune his whole life, so he cheats people to gain the wealth he feels he's always been denied (If only he'd gone to space therapy!)
When Harry Mudd grew into a young adult, he fell in love with Stella Grimes, the daughter of an arms dealer; however, Stella's father did not approve of Mudd because he had nothing to offer Stella. To impress her father, Mudd borrowed money from questionable sources to buy Stella a moon. Unfortunately, Mudd couldn't keep up the payments and fled the area to avoid his creditors' stern late fee penalties.
Life as a Klingon prisoner
Mudd claims that his creditors pursued him into Klingon space (although Starfleet believes he only wanted Stella's dowry) and was captured. This led to imprisonment on a Klingon ship, where Mudd was the target of beatings but managed to survive by snitching on his fellow inmates. A small insectile alien that Mudd names Stuart eventually helps him escape--only to face marriage to Stella and her angry father once again.
Unfortunately, Mudd and Stella's reunion was short-lived. Whether due to her nagging nature (as Mudd claimed) or because his desire for wealth and his greed drove him to leave, Mudd abandoned his wife and ventured into space to chase his avaricious dreams.
Whether it was continued misfortune or his poor choices, Mudd eventually found himself with a suspended and invalid pilot's license when he first encountered Captain Kirk and Enterprise. Ever the con man, Harry tries to talk his way out of trouble when introducing lonely miners to women who want husbands. While this seems like noble work, Mudd has the three beautiful women with him take an illegal substance called the Venus Drug, which makes them appear more beautiful and flawless than they truly are. Kirk reveals the truth, the miners and the women are happy, and he hauls Mudd off to jail.
Mudd's second encounter with Kirk and Enterprise
Captain Kirk and his crew meet up with Mudd again when he manages to take over the Enterprise with a large contingent of androids. Kirk later learns that the androids have all but imprisoned Mudd because they want to learn about humans so they can serve them until they're content and controlled. Kirk and the crew devise several tricks to confuse the lead android, Norman, until he breaks down.
In one of the funniest scenes of the series, it's revealed that the android Stella Mudd had been made to boss around now has 499 copies. They all start nagging him as Kirk and the crew return to the ship. Mudd is left behind with the reprogrammed androids, who work to build a new society with the complaining con man, who is now an example of a "flawed human."
Harry Mudd is a fine example of the con man archetype, but Roger C. Carmel made the character his own.