Are there any frustrations in appearing in a very long running TV series?

The obvious pitfall is if it happens to sort of consume your career to the point where you are unable to break out of that. I have been lucky, you know. I came to Star Trek already having been a part of a major piece of television history and portrayed a huge cultural icon in Kunte Kinte in Roots and had already had some experience of sort of staying one step ahead of that.

I�ve had a terrific career that has spanned twenty years and I think the key to that sort of longevity is being able to continually re-invent yourself and the work that I do in children�s television and having hosted and produced a children�s series for 18 years in this country, the work that I�ve done on Star Trek and now producing and directing and writing. It all, you know, goes toward helping me stay ahead of the box.