Star Trek and The Twilight Zone are remembered as two of the most iconic TV series of the 1960s, and they also featured many actors who appeared in both. The Twilight Zone began airing in 1959, and it immediately made waves with its anthology-style stories that often included surprise twist endings and strong moral lessons. Like Star Trek, The Twilight Zone was an incredibly progressive sci-fi show, and many of the lessons imparted by the episodes reflected real-world problems. Both series were groundbreaking in their own way and launched ongoing franchises that persisted through the decades including movies and additional TV series.
The anthology style of The Twilight Zone necessitated a slew of actors, and each episode featured an entirely different cast. As such, the best episodes of The Twilight Zoneoften included guest stars who were some of the greatest 1960s TV actors. The Twilight Zone ended in 1964 and Star Trek began just a few years later in 1966, and many of the roles played by Star Trek actors were some of the earliest in their careers. Even if they only played bit parts on The Twilight Zone, it wasn't hard to see the star power that would eventually land them starring roles in Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future.
