3. 'The Corbomite Maneuver'
Ted Cassidy also provided the voice of the eerie Balok puppet in the Star Trek: The Original Series season 1 episode “The Corbomite Maneuver." Balok was an alien ambassador whose strange appearance initially unnerved the USS Enterprise crew. Long before the episode’s tonal shift, Cassidy’s vocal performance helped sell Balok as a genuine threat, underscoring how much The Original Series relied on sound as much as visuals in its early science fiction storytelling.
Taken together, these three episodes highlight how The Original Series used Cassidy's performances to elevate even its most outlandish concepts. Cassidy’s voice gave texture to alien characters that might otherwise have been remembered only for their makeup, costumes, or special effects. In an era when television budgets were tight, casting an actor with Cassidy’s vocal presence paid dividends.
For viewers revisiting The Original Series today, realizing that the voice behind Balok, Ruk, and the Gorn came from the same performer who once lumbered through The Addams Family’s sets adds a fun layer of trivia. It’s a reminder that some of Star Trek’s most memorable villains weren’t defined solely by what audiences saw — but by what they heard.
Do you believe Ted Cassidy's must-see episode "Arena" rises above the rest of his contributions to TOS? Do you prefer his work in "The Corbomite Maneuver" or "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.