Michael Forest, Star Trek's Apollo and anime dub voice, dies at 97
Representative image: we-o_rd35rxy0spjt42vbd / Pixabay
Michael Forest, who played Apollo in Star Trek and later voiced dozens of anime roles, died on October 14, 2026, in Sparks, Nevada, aged 97.
What Happened
Michael Forest, the American actor who played the Greek god Apollo in a 1967 episode of Star Trek and later became a prolific voice in English-language anime, died on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at a senior living facility in Sparks, Nevada. He was 97. His death was announced by his friend James A. Brown in a social media post that gave Forest's birth name, Gerald Michael Charlebois, and his dates as April 17, 1929, to October 14, 2026. Forest's career ran from low-budget films for producer Roger Corman in the 1950s and guest roles on classic American television to more than a decade of film dubbing in Rome and, late in life, voice work for anime series watched around the world.
Key Facts
- Michael Forest died on October 14, 2026, aged 97, in Sparks, Nevada.
- He was born Gerald Michael Charlebois on April 17, 1929, in Harvey, North Dakota, and grew up in Seattle.
- His best-known role was Apollo in the Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" (1967); he played the part again in the fan series Star Trek Continues in 2013.
- He starred in Roger Corman films including Beast From Haunted Cave, Ski Troop Attack and Atlas, and guest-starred on The Twilight Zone and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
- While living in Rome from 1968 to 1978 he dubbed more than 500 films, according to obituaries.
- His anime voice credits, some under the name Alfred Thor, include The Big O, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Samurai Champloo and Trigun.
Why It Matters
Forest's life spans several eras of screen entertainment. He began in the American B-movie world of the 1950s, where Corman's quick, cheap productions gave young actors steady work. He then became a familiar guest face on television in the 1960s, including an episode of The Twilight Zone, "Black Leather Jackets", in 1964, in which he played one of a group of alien bikers.
His Star Trek appearance is the one fans remember. In "Who Mourns for Adonais?", from the show's second season, Apollo seizes the starship Enterprise and demands that its crew worship him, while falling for one of its officers, Lt. Carolyn Palamas. The episode has remained a fan favourite for decades, and Forest's willingness to return to the role in a fan production nearly half a century later showed his affection for it.
The second half of his career is less well known but reached a different audience. After a decade in Italy, where obituaries say he dubbed hundreds of films, he became one of the busiest voices in English-language anime dubs. Series such as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Samurai Champloo are watched well beyond Japan, so many people who have never seen Star Trek may have heard his voice.
| Period | Work |
|---|---|
| 1950s | Roger Corman films such as Beast From Haunted Cave |
| 1964 | The Twilight Zone, "Black Leather Jackets" |
| 1967 | Apollo in Star Trek, "Who Mourns for Adonais?" |
| 1968-1978 | Film dubbing in Rome |
| Later decades | Anime voice roles including Samurai Champloo and Trigun |
Impact
Short-term: News of his death has brought renewed attention to an actor whose work crossed classic American television and anime.
Long-term: His career is a reminder of the often unseen voice and dubbing work that carries films and series across languages and borders.
Who is affected: Fans of classic American television and Star Trek, anime audiences, and the dubbing and voice-acting community.
Key Takeaway
Michael Forest, remembered as Star Trek's Apollo, also built a long second career as a dubbing and anime voice actor, and died at 97 on October 14, 2026.
Questions and Answers
Who was the Star Trek actor who played Apollo?
Michael Forest played Apollo in the 1967 Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" and returned to the role in the fan series Star Trek Continues in 2013. He died on October 14, 2026, aged 97.
Where and when did Michael Forest die?
He died on October 14, 2026, at a senior living facility in Sparks, Nevada, according to reports citing his friend James A. Brown.
What anime did Michael Forest voice?
His credits include The Big O, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Samurai Champloo and Trigun, sometimes under the name Alfred Thor.
What else was he known for?
He starred in Roger Corman films such as Beast From Haunted Cave, appeared on The Twilight Zone and The Dick Van Dyke Show, and dubbed more than 500 films while living in Rome.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
