The U.S.S. Enterprise
crew investigates the mystery surrounding the
disappearance of an earth colony in the Omicron Theta
star system 26 years earlier, which coincidentally
happens to the exact same time when Lieutenant Commander
Data was discovered.
While visiting Data's home planet, the away team
discovers a laboratory containing android body parts.
When Dr. Crusher and Chief Engineer Argyle assemble the
parts, they bring to life a duplicate of Data! The real
Data learns that the look-alike, named Lore, was once
"alive," but was disassembled by the colonists on the
planet who were jealous of Lore's perfection. As a
result, a less-than-perfect android, Data, was
constructed.
Unbeknownst to the
crew, Lore gained revenge on the planet's inhabitants
before being disassembled. He unleashed a ravenous
crystal entity onto the colonists — an entity which
feasts on intelligent life forms — thereby erasing all
life on the planet.
As part of his scheme
to turn the entity loose on the Enterprise, Lore renders
Data unconscious and impersonates him. Just when he's
about to succeed in his plan, Wesley Crusher recognizes
Lore and urges his mother to find Data. Once back on his
feet, Data beams Lore into space during a spectacular
android skirmish. |
Biography for Brent Spiner
Birth name: Brent Jay Spiner
Height: 5' 11" (1.80 m)
Brent Spiner, whose primary claim to fame is his
portrayal of the beloved android Data on the television
series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987), was born
and raised in Houston, Texas. His parents, Jack and
Sylvia Spiner, owned and operated a furniture store.
Jack died of kidney failure at age 29, when Brent was 10
months old. When he was 6 years old, his mother married
Sol Mintz, who adopted Brent and his older brother Ron.
Although his mother divorced Mintz after 7 years of
marriage, Brent retained his adopted father's last name
until 1975 when he took back his birth name.
Spiner first began pursuing his
interest in acting while in high school. There his
inspirational drama teacher, Cecil Pickett, gave a great
start to the careers of a remarkable group of aspiring
young actors (and directors), including Spiner, Cindy
Pickett (Cecil's daughter), Randy Quaid, Dennis Quaid,
Trey Wilson, Robert Wuhl and Thomas Schlamme, all of
whom later attained success in Hollywood. After
graduation, Spiner followed his mentor to the University
of Houston and other local colleges, while also
launching his professional acting career in theater (The
Houston Music Theater and other regional theater) and in
film (My Sweet Charlie (1970) (TV), which was shot on
location in Texas). After a couple of false starts in
New York and Hollywood, Spiner eventually established
himself as a stage actor in New York, appearing in a
number of off-Broadway and Broadway plays, such as 'A
History of the American Film' (1978), 'Leave It to
Beaver Is Dead' (1979), 'Sunday in the Park with George'
(1984), and 'Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn' (1985). While in New York, he had a bit part in
Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980) and starred in an
independent film called Rent Control (1984). The play
'Little Shop of Horrors' brought Spiner to Los Angeles
in 1984, where he eventually took up permanent
residence.
In 1986, after a number of
character parts in television series and movies, such as
"Robert Kennedy & His Times" (1985) (mini), Crime of
Innocence (1985) (TV), Manhunt for Claude Dallas (1986)
(TV), and Family Sins (1987) (TV), Spiner snagged the
role that would bring him international fame: Data, the
endearing android, whom Spiner played "by tapping into
his inner child." "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
(1987), the sequel to the original television series
"Star Trek" (1966), became hugely popular, moving to the
big screen for four films (so far) after its 7-year run
on television. Aside from these films, Spiner has made
cameo appearances in a number of films directed by his
friend and old schoolmate Thomas Schlamme, such as Miss
Firecracker (1989), Crazy from the Heart (1991) (TV),
and Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long (1995) (TV), and
has appeared in small roles in more recent films, such
as Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) and Master of Disguise,
The (2002). Arguably his most popular film portrayal was
Dr. Brakish Okun in Independence Day (1996), a role that
elicited his unique eccentricity and sense of humor. |