Best known for playing Ambassador Sarek, father of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek: The Original Series, prolific guest actor Mark Lenard almost added a beloved US President to his list of credits, too. Mark Lenard played Sarek in four episodes of Star Trek between 1967 and 1991, as well as three out of the six TOS movies. However, before he took on his important role in Spock’s family tree, Mark Lenard made his Star Trek debut as the Romulan Commander in the classic TOS episode “Balance of Terror”.

Star Trek: The Original Series was just one of several network shows in which Mark Lenard appeared during the mid to late 1960s. As well as appearing in cowboy series like Gunsmoke and Cimarron Strip, Lenard also played four different characters in Mission: Impossible. Due to Lenard’s existing relationship with the Star Trek: The Original Series cast and the production staff at Desilu, he was the first choice for what would have been his third TOS role. However, a positive career development prevented Mark Lenard from playing the role of President Abraham Lincoln in TOS season 3, episode 22, “The Savage Curtain”.

Sarek Actor Mark Lenard Almost Played Abraham Lincoln in Star Trek

Mark Lenard was the first choice to play the Excalibans’ President Abraham Lincoln lookalike in “The Savage Curtain”. Had Lenard been available to play the former President, Lincoln would have been the only character that he played who wasn’t a Romulan or Vulcan in Star Trek up to that point. It’s likely the similarities between Sarek and the Romulan Commander meant Mark Lenard was never considered to play the Excalibans’ replica of the legendary Vulcan, Surak (Barry Atwater). Mark Lenard explained his reasons for turning the Lincoln role down in a 1981 interview with Starlog #41, saying:

“The Lincoln segment came up about Christmas time when we had a slight hiatus, and I thought I could work it in […] But it turned out we just couldn’t work it in. I think we went back to work on the other series too soon, and instead of having the six or seven days I would have needed to do the role, I only had three or four days.”

Based on his performance as Sarek, it’s easy to see why Mark Lenard was the first choice to play Lincoln in “The Savage Curtain”. The statesmanlike dignity he projected as Sarek in “Journey to Babel” would be interesting to see applied to an iconic American historical figure like Abraham Lincoln. Alas, it was not to be, and Lee Bergere was cast in the role instead, providing his own memorable take on the former US President.

Abe Lincoln’s Star Trek Appearance Has A Weird Legacy

Airing weeks before TOS was canceled, “The Savage Curtain” is about an alien species that pits various icons representing “good” and “evil” against each other. While this simplifies a historical character like Abraham Lincoln, somewhat, it still gave the character a chance to deliver a speech about the nature of violence, stating there is “no honorable way to kill”. Lincoln’s speech, written by Arthur Heinemann and Gene Roddenberry, has been taken as fact in some corners of the internet. Model and TV host Bar Refaeli attributed the quote to “Honest” Abe on Instagram back in 2014:

Bar Refaeli’s quoting of Space Lincoln isn’t the only example of the weird legacy of “The Savage Curtain”, however. The living Lincoln Memorial floating through space was briefly seen in in the Star Trek: Short Treks episode “Ephraim and Dot”. However, the wildest reference to Star Trek: The Original Series‘ Abraham Lincoln predictably comes in Star Trek: Lower Decks. “Kayshon, His Eyes Open” revealed that Excaliban Lincoln’s skeleton is held by an alien antiques collector. While Mark Lenard may have missed out on this bizarre legacy, he can rest assured that Sarek lives on in the Star Trek universe.