
Jonathan Frakes
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Jonathan Scott Frakes (born August 19, 1952) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Commander (later Captain) William T. Riker in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent films and series. He has also hosted the series Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, voiced David Xanatos in the Disney animated series Gargoyles, and narrated the History Channel documentary, Lee and Grant. His other well known TV roles are as Stanley Hazard on the miniseries North and South, Sandy Parris on ABC's Paper Dolls, Marcus Marshall on NBC's Bare Essence, and Damon Ross, a recurring character on Falcon Crest. He began directing episodes of The Next Generation during its third season, and went on to direct the feature films Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and episodes of the later Star Trek series Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and Picard. He later directed the feature films Clockstoppers (2002) and Thunderbirds (2004). He has since directed prolifically for television, including for The Librarian television films and series, Leverage, Burn Notice, and Roswell (of which he is also a producer). He is the credited author of the novel The Abductors: Conspiracy, which was ghostwritten by Dean Wesley Smith. He has been married to actress Genie Francis since 1988 and they have 2 children.
Known for
Credits

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
as Commander William T. Riker

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
as Commander William T. Riker

Clockstoppers (2002)
as Bystander

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
as Commander William T. Riker

The Sixty Year Mission: How Star Trek Changed Television and the World (2026)
as Self

Star Trek: Generations (1994)
as Commander William T. Riker

The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines (2006)
as Debra's Husband

The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice (2008)
as Trombone Player in Marching Band (uncredited)

The Captains (2011)
as Self

Catwoman: Hunted (2022)
as King Faraday / Boss Moxie (voice)

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification (2013)
as Cmdr. Will Riker

Camp Nowhere (1994)
as Bob Spiegel (uncredited)

Trekkies (1997)
as Self

Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken (1995)
as Xanatos (voice)

Devil's Gate (2018)
as Sheriff Gruenwell

A Grand Biltmore Christmas (2026)
as Winston
Make-Up Man: The Michael Westmore Documentary (—)
as Self

Alien Autopsy: (Fact or Fiction?) (1995)
as Self - Host

Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things... (2014)
as Cmdr. Will Riker

Brothers of the Frontier (1996)
as Ben Frye

Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief (1989)
as Self

Alien Autopsy (2006)
as Self

A Biltmore Christmas (2023)
as Winston

The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next (1988)
as Self

50 Years of Star Trek (2016)
as Self

Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event (2023)
as Captain William Riker

Butterfly in the Sky (2024)
as Self (archive footage)

Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier (2007)
as Self

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption (2013)
as Cmdr. Will Riker

Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond (1996)
as Self
Holograms All the Way Down (—)
as Commander William T. Riker

Chaos on the Bridge (2014)
as Self

The Night the City Screamed (1980)
as Richard Hawkins

Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1994)
as Host / Self

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command (2014)
as Cmdr. Will Riker

The Cover Girl and the Cop (1989)
as Joshua Boyleston

Heroes Manufactured (2017)
as Self (archive footage)

Star Trek: The Captain's Summit (2009)
as Self

Lee & Grant (2011)
as Narrator (voice)

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special (1991)
as Self

Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds (2013)
as Cmdr. William Riker (archive footage)

Dying to Live (1999)
as Will

Truth Be Told (2011)
as Radio Sound Engineer
Star Trek: The Next Generation Viewer's Choice Marathon (1994)
as Self - Host

Your Guide to Star Trek: Generations (1993)
as Self

Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation (2012)
as Self

How William Shatner Changed the World (2005)
as Self

Beach Patrol (1979)
as Marty Green
No Strings Attached: The Making of Thunderbirds (2004)
as Self

Time Travel Through the Bible (1995)
as Time Traveler
Roswell: Coverups & Close Encounters (1992)
as Narrator (voice)

Ghosts Caught on Tape: Fact or Fiction? (2000)
as Narrator (voice)

Phish: Tracking (1994)
Actor

Megaquake 10.0 (2012)
as Narrator (voice)





