Merritt Butrick
Encyclopedia
Merritt R. Butrick was an American
actor
, known for his roles on the 1982 teen sitcom Square Pegs
, in two Star Trek feature films, and a variety of other acting roles in the 1980s.
and was an only child. He graduated in 1977 from Tamalpais High School
in Mill Valley, California
. He attended the California Institute of the Arts
for acting, but was dismissed from the school.
His first screen role was as a rapist in two 1981 episodes of the police drama Hill Street Blues
.
He was cast as "Johnny Slash" Ulasewicz, a major supporting character in the 1982 teen sitcom Square Pegs
, which received critical praise but was cancelled after 20 episodes (one season).
While Square Pegs was in pre-broadcast production, Butrick was cast to play David Marcus, the physicist son of James T. Kirk
(William Shatner
) and his former lover Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch
), in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
. He continued the role in the follow-up film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
, in which the character was killed. He later appeared as T'Jon, the captain of a cargo vessel rescued by the crew of the Enterprise in "Symbiosis", a 1988 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
Meanwhile he appeared in the 1982 comedy film Zapped!
, the 1988 horror film Fright Night II
, and as Barbara Hershey
's hillbilly son in the 1987 drama Shy People
. He had a variety of guest roles in episodic television and in TV movies.
He received critical praise from Time magazine for his performance at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in the play Kingfish, in which he played a ditzy, petulant muscle-boy prostitute. It was his last acting role.
toxoplasmosis
on March 17, 1989, at the age of 29. He has at least two panels dedicated to him as part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
, both referencing his role as David Marcus.
The 2008 release of Square Pegs on DVD included a featurette dedicated to Butrick, in which his co-stars, including Jami Gertz
and Sarah Jessica Parker
, and show creator Anne Beatts
, paid tributes to and recounted anecdotes about Butrick.
Butrick's Star Trek III costar Robin Curtis
offered similar praise on the DVD commentary for that film. Director Nicholas Meyer, who had directed him in Star Trek II, included a scene in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
(filmed after Butrick's death), in which Captain Kirk puts a photograph of his murdered son on his desk.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, known for his roles on the 1982 teen sitcom Square Pegs
Square Pegs
Square Pegs is an American comedy series that aired on CBS during the 1982–1983 season. The series follows Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson , two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School....
, in two Star Trek feature films, and a variety of other acting roles in the 1980s.
Early life and career
Butrick was born in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
and was an only child. He graduated in 1977 from Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School is a public secondary school located in Mill Valley, California. It is named after nearby Mount Tamalpais, which rises more than above Mill Valley....
in Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
. He attended the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
for acting, but was dismissed from the school.
His first screen role was as a rapist in two 1981 episodes of the police drama Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
.
He was cast as "Johnny Slash" Ulasewicz, a major supporting character in the 1982 teen sitcom Square Pegs
Square Pegs
Square Pegs is an American comedy series that aired on CBS during the 1982–1983 season. The series follows Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson , two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School....
, which received critical praise but was cancelled after 20 episodes (one season).
While Square Pegs was in pre-broadcast production, Butrick was cast to play David Marcus, the physicist son of James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
(William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
) and his former lover Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch
Bibi Besch
Bibiana "Bibi" Besch was an Austrian/American actress.-Early life:Besch was born in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of theater actress Gusti Huber, who starred in German films during World War II and left Austria in the mid 1940s. Besch had a stepfather, Joseph Besch, a radio executive and former...
), in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
. He continued the role in the follow-up film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
, in which the character was killed. He later appeared as T'Jon, the captain of a cargo vessel rescued by the crew of the Enterprise in "Symbiosis", a 1988 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Meanwhile he appeared in the 1982 comedy film Zapped!
Zapped!
Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...
, the 1988 horror film Fright Night II
Fright Night II
Fright Night Part II is the 1988 sequel to Fright Night. William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall both reprised their roles from the first movie. The sequel was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Composer Brad Fiedel also returned with another distinct synthesizer score...
, and as Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
's hillbilly son in the 1987 drama Shy People
Shy People
Shy People is a critically acclaimed 1987 American drama about two branches of a family that reunite with tragic results, starring Barbara Hershey, Jill Clayburgh, and Martha Plimpton. It was directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, written by Konchalovsky, Marjorie David and Gerard Brach, and features...
. He had a variety of guest roles in episodic television and in TV movies.
He received critical praise from Time magazine for his performance at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in the play Kingfish, in which he played a ditzy, petulant muscle-boy prostitute. It was his last acting role.
Death and legacy
Butrick died of AIDS-relatedAIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat that has itself...
on March 17, 1989, at the age of 29. He has at least two panels dedicated to him as part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt, is an enormous quilt made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes...
, both referencing his role as David Marcus.
The 2008 release of Square Pegs on DVD included a featurette dedicated to Butrick, in which his co-stars, including Jami Gertz
Jami Gertz
Jami Beth Gertz is an American actress. Gertz is known for her early roles in the films Sixteen Candles, Crossroads, The Lost Boys, Less Than Zero, the 1980s TV series Square Pegs with Sarah Jessica Parker, and 1996's Twister, as well as for her role as Judy Miller in the CBS sitcom Still Standing...
and Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, and show creator Anne Beatts
Anne Beatts
- Early life:Born to parents Beatts describes as "beatniks", Beatts grew to have what has been called an "aggressive, dark sensibility" which she later put to use in the world of comedy. Growing up in Somers, New York she later attended McGill University....
, paid tributes to and recounted anecdotes about Butrick.
Butrick's Star Trek III costar Robin Curtis
Robin Curtis
Robin Curtis is an American actress, most notable for playing Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik in the Star Trek films.-Film & television work:...
offered similar praise on the DVD commentary for that film. Director Nicholas Meyer, who had directed him in Star Trek II, included a scene in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
(filmed after Butrick's death), in which Captain Kirk puts a photograph of his murdered son on his desk.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T... |
Dr. David Marcus | |
| Zapped! Zapped! Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney... |
Gary Cooter | ||
| 1984 | Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:... |
Dr. David Marcus | |
| 1985 | Head Office Head Office Head Office is a 1985 American comedy film, produced by HBO Pictures in association with Silver Screen Partners. It stars Judge Reinhold, Eddie Albert, Lori-Nan Engler, Jane Seymour, Richard Masur, Michael O'Donoghue, Ron Frazier, Merritt Butrick and was directed and written by Ken... |
John Hudson | |
| 1986 | Wired to Kill | Reegus | Alternative title: Booby Trap |
| 1987 | Shy People Shy People Shy People is a critically acclaimed 1987 American drama about two branches of a family that reunite with tragic results, starring Barbara Hershey, Jill Clayburgh, and Martha Plimpton. It was directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, written by Konchalovsky, Marjorie David and Gerard Brach, and features... |
Mike | |
| 1988 | Death Spa | David Avery | Alternative title: Witch Bitch |
| Fright Night II Fright Night II Fright Night Part II is the 1988 sequel to Fright Night. William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall both reprised their roles from the first movie. The sequel was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Composer Brad Fiedel also returned with another distinct synthesizer score... |
Richie | ||
| 1991 | Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and... |
Dr. David Marcus (Picture only) | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues Hill Street Blues Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ... |
Rapist | 2 episodes |
| Splendor in the Grass | Glenn | Television movie | |
| CHiPs CHiPs CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol... |
Kevin Whalen | 1 episode | |
| 1982–1983 | Square Pegs Square Pegs Square Pegs is an American comedy series that aired on CBS during the 1982–1983 season. The series follows Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson , two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School.... |
Johnny Slash | 20 episodes |
| 1983 | When Your Lover Leaves | Aaron Scott | Television movie |
| 1984 | Fame Fame (1982 TV series) Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although... |
Billy Christiansen | 1 episode |
| Sweet Revenge | Captain Paul Dennison | Television movie | |
| 1985 | Promises to Keep | Reg | Television movie |
| 1986 | Blood & Orchids Blood & Orchids Blood & Orchids is a 1986 made-for-TV crime-drama film. Written for the screen by Norman Katkov, it was an adaptation of Katkov's own novel which, in turn, was inspired by the 1932 Massie Trial in Honolulu, Hawaii... |
Duane York | Television movie |
| Stagecoach Stagecoach (TV film) Stagecoach is a 1986 made-for-TV film.It is a remake of the classic 1939 film Stagecoach andstars Kris Kristofferson as the Ringo Kid, the part originally played by John Wayne. Willie Nelson portrays famous gunslinger and dentist Doc Holliday. Johnny Cash portrays Marshal Curly Wilcox and Waylon... |
Lieutenant Blanchard | Television movie | |
| When the Bough Breaks | Tim Kruger | Television movie | |
| 1987 | Vietnam War Story | Siska | 1 episode |
| Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast (TV series) Beauty and the Beast is an American drama series which first aired on CBS in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent , a mythic, noble man-beast, and his Catherine , a savvy assistant District attorney in New York; and a... |
Shake | 1 episode | |
| The Law & Harry McGraw The Law & Harry McGraw The Law & Harry McGraw is an American TV series that ran on CBS from September 27, 1987 to February 10, 1988. It is a spin-off from the mystery series Murder, She Wrote.... |
1 episode | ||
| 1988 | Why on Earth? | Oscar | Television movie |
| Jake and the Fatman Jake and the Fatman Jake and the Fatman is a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to 1992. Diagnosis: Murder was a spin-off of this series... |
Taylor Fleming | 1 episode | |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production... |
T'Jon | 1 episode | |
| Hooperman Hooperman Hooperman is a U.S. television series starring John Ritter. It ran for two seasons on ABC, from 1987 to 1989. A comedy-drama, the series was created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher who were the team responsible for creating L.A. Law.... |
1 episode | ||
| 1989 | From the Dead of Night | Rick | Television movie |