Bob Herron, legendary stuntman and Star Trek's Kahless the Unforgettable, has passed away at 97

Bob Herron as Kahless the Unforgettable in Star Trek “The Savage Curtain”

OCTOBER 14, 2021 - Legendary Hollywood stuntman and Star Trek veteran Bob Herron, who in his 60+ year career doubled screen giants such as Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Warren Beatty, died on October 10th after suffering complications from a fall, according to an article on Variety.com. He was 97 years old.

Herron, a high school track star and U.S. Navy veteran who was also a champion boxer, began his film career wrangling horses for westerns in the 1940s, but his natural athleticism led him to stunt work starting in 1950. Although he mostly featured in westerns, Herron also doubled in such classic films as 1956’s The Ten Commandments and the 1960 epic Spartacus. He was also a founding member of the Stuntman’s Association.

Herron had a number of connection points to the Star Trek universe, first serving as Jeffrey Hunter’s stunt double in the pilot episode, “The Cage,” and then playing a crew member in the first season episode “Charlie X.” Herron is best known, though, for originating the role of Kahless the Unforgettable (or at least an alien recreation of him) in the TOS episode “The Savage Curtain.” 

Following his work on Star Trek, Herron continued in the industry until the age of 86, providing stunt services for TV shows like Mission: Impossible, Batman, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Wonder Woman. He also did stunts for films such as Diamonds are Forever, The Black Hole, and Poltergeist.

The Roddenberry Podcast Network’s own Larry Nemecek offered an appropriate warrior’s tribute to Herron on Twitter with “Qapla, original Kahless.”

Please join with all of us at Daily Star Trek News in offering our best thoughts and wishes to the family of Bob Herron.