Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Brian Tochi, Star Trek actor

Brian Tochi, born in Los Angeles to Japanese parents who survived the WWII internment camps, has appeared on Star Trek (original series) as a child, and Star Trek: The Next Generation as an adult, the only actor to do so.

He played Ray in the episode And the Children Shall Lead in 1968.  He then appeared in the TNG episode Night Terrors as Ensign Kenny Lin. 

Tochi is best known for his appearances in three popular film franchises of all time: Revenge of the Nerds (as Takashi), Police Academy (as Nogata), and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, starring as Leonardo. He also appeared for the entire run of Space Academy, with fellow And the Children Shall Lead actress Pamelyn Ferdin.  Wow!

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Night Terrors" airs 1991

The seventeenth episode of the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation Night Terrors aired March 16, 1991.  The Enterprise locates the USS Brittain, which sent a distress call a month earlier and finds the crew all dead, killed at each others' hands.

Soon the crew of the Enterprise realize they are caught in a Tyken's Rift, a rift in space that absorbs energy and cannot escape.  Then they begin to experience hallucinations and paranoia, like the crew of the Brittain. 

Brian Tochi appeared as Ensign Kenny Lin.  He appeared in the original Star Trek series episode And The Children Shall Lead.

I liked this episode even though the cast and crew considered it the weakest of the fourth season.