Wondering what role Tom Troupe played in Star Trek: The Original Series? Following news of the actor’s death, fans are curious about the character he played. The series focuses on Captain James Kirk and his team’s journey to explore space and protect the United Federation of Planets.
Here is everything you need to know about Troupe’s character in the science fiction series.
Tom Troupe’s role in Star Trek: The Original Series explained
Tom Troupe played the role of Lieutenant Harold in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Lieutenant Harold was a male Human Starfleet officer in the mid-23rd century. He is known for working as a communications officer under the command of Commodore Travers. He had served at the Earth observation outpost on Cestus III in 2267. Harold’s name was not shown on the screen but was revealed in the final draft script and dropped in the end credits.
The series showcased Harold facing a Gorn attack that ended up destroying the outpost. For the unversed, Gorn were a walking reptile species from the Beta Quadrant. Following the attack, Harold tried to get things under control by communicating with the attacking ship. He requested the attackers to back off as there were children and women, but his efforts were ignored. The next day, Harold was found in a serious condition by a landing party from the USS Enterprise. Doctor Leonard McCoy realized that Harold’s condition was critical, from shock to internal injuries.
Later, the Gorn ended up attacking the landing party, and they decided to escape. Soon, McCoy realized that Harold had only half an hour to survive. Further, things finally came under control, and Harold was teleported along with the landing party. Later, the team decided to treat his injuries in the Sickbay.
After he became stable, he made an important revelation to McCoy, Spock, and Kirk. He told them about the events at the outpost and how it had never sent a signal to the Enterprise.
Tom Troupe, who played the iconic role, died on Sunday morning at the age of 97.
