If you’ve ever watched a show and thought, "Hey, I know that guy," there is a 90% chance you were looking at Clint Howard. He’s the ultimate "that guy." But in the world of phasers and warp drives, he’s actually something much more significant. Clint Howard has a weirdly specific, almost supernatural tether to the final frontier.
He didn't just guest star once. He’s been in five different series across six decades. Honestly, the math on that is staggering. He was there when Captain Kirk was still figuring out how to sit in the chair, and he was there when Strange New Worlds was redefining what modern Trek looks like.
He is the only actor to have appeared in the original 1960s run and the current Paramount+ era. Think about that. Most actors are lucky to get a SAG card. Clint got a lifelong pass to the galaxy.
The Tranya of it All: Balok and the 1966 Debut
It all started with a bowl-cut and a very suspicious glass of orange juice.
In 1966, Clint was just seven years old. He landed the role of Balok in "The Corbomite Maneuver," which was actually one of the first episodes ever filmed for Star Trek: The Original Series. For most of the episode, the crew is terrified of a giant, scary puppet head. But then, Kirk beams over and finds... a kid.
A kid with a deep, dubbed voice (provided by Walker Edmiston) who wants to share a drink called Tranya.
Kinda funny story—Clint actually hated that juice. It was just pink grapefruit juice, and the prop department made him drink it over and over. He’s said in interviews that he still can’t stand the stuff. Whenever you see that scene and he’s smiling while sipping, that’s just pure, professional acting from a first-grader. He was already a pro, having spent his toddler years on The Andy Griffith Show.
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The Weird Mid-Career Roles
Star Trek has a way of calling its legends back home. But they didn't bring him back as Balok. That would be too easy.
Instead, they hid him.
By the time Deep Space Nine rolled around in the 90s, Clint was a seasoned character actor. In the two-part episode "Past Tense," he played Grady. Grady wasn't an alien. He was a homeless man in a 2024 San Francisco "Sanctuary District" who was convinced aliens were coming for him. Given the show's context, he probably wasn't even wrong. It’s a tragic, gritty role that showed he wasn't just a gimmick casting choice.
Then came the prosthetics.
In Star Trek: Enterprise, Clint disappeared under layers of latex to play Muk, a Ferengi pirate. If you haven't seen "Acquisition," it’s a trip. He’s part of a bumbling crew that tries to rob the Enterprise-NX-01. Watching Clint Howard play a greedy space-goblin alongside Trek vets like Jeffrey Combs and Ethan Phillips is basically nerd heaven. He brought this weird, twitchy energy to the Ferengi that felt totally different from the Next Generation versions.
The Modern Era and the Secret Callback
When Star Trek: Discovery launched, fans were looking for any connection to the old school. They got Clint.
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He popped up in the Season 1 finale, "Will You Take My Hand?", as a "Creepy Orion." He’s basically a drug dealer on the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS. He hands Sylvia Tilly a hit of volcanic vapors that knocks her flat.
Here’s a bit of trivia that most people missed: there was a scene filmed where his character offers Tilly a drink and says, "Tranya?"
The producers cut it. They thought it was "too close to the bone" or maybe just too meta. Honestly, they should have kept it in. We’ve been waiting 50 years for that drink to come back.
Strange New Worlds and Commander Buck Martinez
Clint’s most recent appearance in Strange New Worlds felt different. It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a "creepy" cameo.
In "Under the Cloak of War," he plays Commander Buck Martinez. He’s the Chief Medical Officer at a Starfleet Mobile Combat Hospital during the Klingon War. He’s jaded. He’s tired. He’s seen too much death.
It’s a heavy episode, and Clint carries a lot of the emotional weight in the flashbacks. Seeing the kid who played Balok now playing a war-torn veteran is a poetic circle that you just don't get in any other franchise. It’s 57 years of history in a single performance.
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Why Clint Howard Still Matters to Trek
People like to joke about "nepotism" because his brother is Ron Howard. That’s nonsense.
Ron Howard hasn't directed a single episode of Star Trek. Clint gets these jobs because he’s a "first-take" actor. He shows up, he knows his lines, and he understands the specific, slightly theatrical tone that Star Trek requires.
He bridges the gap between the campy 60s and the cinematic present. When you see him on screen, you aren't just seeing a guest star. You’re seeing the DNA of the franchise. He’s the living embodiment of the "Five Year Mission" that somehow turned into a sixty-year legacy.
What to do if you're a fan:
- Watch "The Corbomite Maneuver" (TOS): Pay attention to his eyes. For a seven-year-old, his presence is actually pretty commanding.
- Check out "Under the Cloak of War" (SNW): Contrast that kid with the man he became. It’s the best acting of his Trek career.
- Look for the "Tranya" roast: Clint reprised the Balok character for the William Shatner Comedy Central Roast in 2006. It’s hilarious and a bit mean-spirited in the best way possible.
The next time you’re binge-watching, keep an eye out for that familiar face. Whether he’s green, orange, or just a tired human doctor, Clint Howard is the secret glue holding the Star Trek universe together.
Actionable Insight: To truly appreciate Clint Howard's range, watch his Deep Space Nine episode ("Past Tense, Part II") immediately followed by his Enterprise episode ("Acquisition"). The jump from a grounded, tragic human to a cartoonish, greedy Ferengi highlights why he’s stayed employed in Hollywood for over half a century.