Today in Star Trek history: Jerry O’Connell born (1974)

(Left) "Jerry O'Connell" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0; (Right) "Temporal Edict" -- Pictured Jerry O'Connell as Commander Jack Ransom of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS. Photo Cr: Best Possible Screen Grab CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It was today, February 17th, back in 1974, that Star Trek: Lower Decks star Jerry O’Connell was born. O’Connell plays the first officer of the U.S.S. Cerritos, Commander Jack Ransom.

However, Lower Decks is very much not O’Connell’s first starring role; he started acting professionally at the age of 12, in 1986’s Stand by Me, with fellow Star Trek alum Wil Wheaton. Since then O’Connell has had steady work in Hollywood, including leading roles in series My Secret Identity, Sliders and Carter. O’Connell is also married to Rebecca Romijn, the actor who currently portrays Number One in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Please join me in wishing Jerry O’Connell a very happy 47th birthday!