Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Started With The Muppets
Star Trek isn’t the first thing you think of when you hear Muppets, but the two properties have more in common than you think. Starting with Pigs in Space, a recurring sketch on the original Muppet Show, the Muppets have always had a soft spot for Starfleet. So strong is the bond between felt and Federation that Dr. Beverly Crusher herself, Gates McFadden, got her first Hollywood break courtesy of the Muppets.
Gates McFadden In The Muppets Take Manhattan
The plucky redhead started doing television in the early ’80s, but it was The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) that finally put Gates McFadden on the big screen. Three years before Star Trek: The Next Generation made her a star, McFadden played the secretary of one Martin Price … or should we say Murray Plotsky? Along with Kermit and Co., McFadden’s scene also features the late Dabney Coleman as a sleazy con man posing as a Broadway producer under a fake name.
A Short, But Effective Scene
In what might be the film’s funniest scene, a gaggle of frogs, pigs, bears, etc. burst into Martin Price’s reception area, begging Gates McFadden for a chance to pitch him their musical Manhattan Melodies. Price hears the commotion and asks McFadden what’s going on over the intercom. “Just a frog with a musical Mr. Price,” she answers, deadpan.
Gates McFadden doesn’t do much else as the scene switches to the Muppets pitching their show to Dabney Coleman as he tries to swindle them out of a sizable chunk of cash. The future Dr. Crusher makes one more short appearance when she leads the police into Price’s office, and that’s it. That’s all she wrote.
Gates McFadden’s Off-Screen Contributions With Henson
As movie debuts go, it’s not the most glamorous first outing, but it beats Nicolas Cage’s 30-second debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as a glorified extra. At least Muppets Take Manhattan gave Gates McFadden a couple of lines. Interestingly this wouldn’t be McFadden’s last job for The Jim Henson Company.
Sadly, Gates McFadden wouldn’t appear with the Muppets again after the Muppets Take Manhattan. Instead, the actress would put on her choreographer hat for Jim Henson’s next film, Labyrinth. With all of the amazing talent involved in Labyrinth, it’s easy to miss McFadden’s contribution. Her official credit on Labyrinth is “director of choreography and puppet movement.”
McFadden’s Other Work Outside Of Star Trek
So if, like many Labyrinth fans, you were enamored with the beautifully elaborate ballroom scene, you have Dr. Crusher to thank. Gates McFadden was also a choreographer on Dreamchild, another Henson project sans Muppets. So far, McFadden’s only other choreography credit to date is an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation titled “Data’s Day.”
While Gates McFadden hasn’t cameoed in another Muppet movie (yet) she has continued to do small one-off parts in other fan-favorite projects. McFadden recently played Cable’s adopted mom, Mother Askani, in an episode of this year’s smash hit X-Men ’97. She had a slightly bigger role as He-Man’s mom, appearing in four episodes of Masters of the Universe: Revolution as Queen Marlena.
Waiting For Another Muppets Collab
Gates McFadden will always be Beverly Crusher to most people, but it’s still fun to look back on her humble roots in The Muppets Take Manhattan. Who knows, if Disney ever achieves their goal of assimilating every other entertainment IP in existence, maybe we’ll get another McFadden/Muppets collaboration someday.
