Pilot Episode Guest Stars Quiz / Test | Characters and Actors

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This "Witness" actor appeared in the first and second episodes of "Criminal Minds" in flashbacks as The Footpath Killer.

Answer: Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas was only 9 years old when he starred as the young Amish boy Samuel in "Witness" (1985). It was only his second movie appearance. Since then, he has appeared in over 50 movies and almost 28 TV shows, either as a guest star or recurring character.

2. In the first episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", this "Star Trek" (TOS) actor made a cameo as a 137-year-old admiral who was inspecting the newest ship to be named "Enterprise".

Answer: DeForest Kelley

Admiral McCoy (Kelley) was only seen as LCDR Data was escorting him to his shuttle, after he had inspected the new Enterprise's medical facilities. His advise to Data was: "You treat her [the Enterprise-D] like a lady... and she'll always bring you home."

Besides "Star Trek: TNG", "Star Trek" (TOS) and "Star Trek" (animated), Kelley appeared in 87 other TV shows, going back to the 1940s.

He also starred in 27 non-"Star Trek" movies, also going back to the 1940s.

Of the other choices, Doohan and Nimoy also made appearances on "Star Trek: TNG", as the featured character, not just cameos.

Shatner didn't appear on "Star Trek: TNG", but he had a key role in the first "TNG" movie, which was considered a cross-over, since it starred him, Doohan, and Walter Koenig in a scene from the 23rd century before transitioning to the 24th century.

3. In the short-lived TV show "Police Squad!", this parent-figure from a 1960s and 1970s TV show "guest starred" in the first episode. However, this star was murdered during the credits, just after their name was announced.

Answer: Lorne Greene

As this show was a parody of police procedure dramas of the era, there were many recurring jokes. Lorne Greene (along with Georg Stanford Brown, William Conrad, Robert Goulet, Florence Henderson, and William Shatner) were instrumental in the first such joke: the special guest star of each episode would be introduced by the narrator (Marvin Miller) during the opening credits, then their murdered body (stabbed, shot, executed, poisoned, or squished under a safe) would be shown shortly after being killed. They wouldn't appear any later in the episode.

Another recurring joke: the narrator would say the title of the episode, but a completely different title would be written on the title card.

4. In the 1978 version of "Battlestar Galactica", this rock star/actor appeared in the first episode as Lieutenant Zac, the first casualty of the Cyclon attack on the human colonies. Zac was also the youngest son of the Galactica's commander, Adama.

Answer: Rick Springfield

Zac was a colonial pilot, who saw the Cylon invaders, and was hurrying back to warn the fleet. After the initial attack, only the Battlestar Galactica survived to gather the civilian survivors and lead them away from the Cylons.
(Later it was revealed that the Pegasus also survived.)

Rick Springfield (both Richard Lewis Springthorpe), besides having a relatively successful acting career, is a iconic rock star of the 1970s and 1980s. His hits include "Speak to the Sky", "Jessie's Girl", "I've Done Everything For You", "Don't Talk to Strangers", and "Affair of the Heart".

5. This star was only supposed to make occasional appearances on "The West Wing". But after the pilot was filmed, the decision was made to make him a regular actor.

Answer: Martin Sheen

Sheen has played US presidents four times: Jed Bartlett "The West Wing", in the TV movie "Medusa's Child", as John F. Kennedy in the miniseries "Kennedy", and as the future president Greg Stilson in "The Dead Zone".

6. This then-up-and-coming comedian was the first host of "Saturday Night Live" (October 11, 1975).

Answer: George Carlin

He only hosted "SNL" twice.

7. On the first episode of "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", this former Playboy Playmate played an aspiring actress that Eddie (Brandon Cruz) invited to stay at his home, much to his father Tom's (Bill Bixby) consternation.

Answer: Victoria Vetri

Vetri was the September 1967 Playmate of the Month, and also the 1968 Playmate of the Year. Her pictures were smuggled into the Apollo 12 by mischievious ground crew members.

In her 60s, she was convicted of murder/manslaughter, serving nine years in state prison.

8. This "Back to the Future" star guest starred in both versions of the "Two and a Half Men" pilot.

Answer: Thomas F. Wilson

Thomas Wilson started out as a stand-up comedian. He paints and also writes humorous songs about his experiences as a movie villain, sci-fi celebrity, father, and an aging American.

9. This star of the TV version of "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" appears on seven of the first 12 episodes of "Soap" as Peter "The Tennis Player" Campbell.

Answer: Robert Urich

Peter was Burt's philandering son from his first marriage. He used his position as a tennis instructor to pick up women. He was having an affair with both Jessica Tate and Corinne Tate (Burt's sister-in-law and niece from his marriage to Mary).

He was murdered in the first season, and Jessica was convicted at the end of the first season for it. The cliffhanger was that she was innocent, and one of five family members (Chester, Corinne, Burt, Jodie, or Benson) was the actual murderer.

"Confused? You won't be, after this week's episode of...Soap."

10. This star from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" appeared in the first episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". (Commander Sisko despised the character, because he/she was the cause of his wife Jennifer's death.)

Answer: Patrick Stewart

Sisko's wife died at the Battle of Wolf 359, when the Borg invaded the Federation. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) had been assimilated by the Borg, and his knowledge of Starfleet tactics no doubt led to the massacre of ships and personnel at Wolf 359.

Source: Author TonyTheDad

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Pilot Episode Guest Stars Trivia Quiz

Often, to get a TV show off the ground, a special guest star (from movies or TV) will make a cameo appearance. Can you identify the famous guest stars that appeared in these shows' pilot or first episodes?

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