The Search for Spock began a new Trek tradition - letting the people from in front of the cameras have a go behind them.

Since 1966 Star Trek has been a springboard for the careers of a surprising variety of household names - not just on the screen but behind it too. Many of the stars that have contributed to the Star Trek legacy over the years went on to sit in the director�s chair or contribute elsewhere behind the scenes.

It's a trend that's continued right up to today, with Data actor Brent Spiner lending a hand on the scriptwriting for Star Trek: Nemesis. Out of the ten films, no fewer than five have been directed by actors from the long-running series.

So why have so many Star Trek actors gone on to direct on both the small and big screens?

When talking about directing Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Leonard Nimoy said, "People have asked me over the years what I thought the ingredients that have made Star Trek so doable and so successful [are]. And there are many, but one of them... was the performers, the chemistry between this group of people."

Given this, allowing one of the actors to direct seems to make a great deal of sense. Who would understand the �chemistry between this group of people� more than someone who has spent many years working with them?

The first movie to be directed by a Star Trek actor was Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Leonard Nimoy asked for the opportunity to direct, and was given it. He's said about this opportunity "I thought, 'Well this is easy; ask to direct a movie and they say yes.' It didn�t turn out to be quite that easy, but that was the beginning of it."

Other actors who have turned their hands to directing Star Trek movies include William Shatner on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Jonathan Frakes, who directed Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection.

Then there's the TV series. Patrick Stewart, (Captain Jean Luc Picard) directed many episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, like his co-star LeVar Burton (La Forge). Burton's Trek directing career continued on Voyager and now Enterprise, like that of former colleague Michael Dorn (Worf), who has also directed on Deep Space Nine.

Following their experience with Star Trek, many have proceeded into directing away from the show. The most successful has been Jonathan Frakes, who went on to produce and direct on cult teen alien drama Roswell High, as well as timewarp movie Clockstoppers. In the pipeline is his film update of classic puppet TV show Thunderbirds.

Leonard Nimoy followed The Search for Spock with one of Star Trek's best loved films The Voyage Home, then moved away from Trek with Three Men and a Baby, while LeVar Burton is currently directing a movie called Blizzard, starring Brenda Blethyn and Whoopie Goldberg.

As Nimoy said, "I had the good fortune of starting in movies with a cast that knew their characters." For those that worked on Star Trek, the cast and crew have always been a family. And where better to enter into a new career than with your family around to support you?