Edward J. Paskey (August 20, 1939 – August 17, 2021) was an American actor. He was best known for playing Lieutenant Leslie on the television series Star Trek from 1966 to 1968.

Early life Paskey was born in a small farming town in Delaware but was raised in California. He moved with his family to Santa Monica in 1952. In his youth he was immersed in automobiles by working at his father's garage, and developed an interest in hot rods from a young age. His first car was a 1941 Ford coupe but was later replaced by a 1955 Ford Thunderbird that he purchased while earning $1.25 per hour.

Career Paskey's first credited television role was in the drama Ben Casey (1966) after meeting series producer Irving Elman while working at a service station in Pacific Palisades. In it he was credited as "Policeman." For the next five or six years he continued to act while working at the service station on weekends. He appeared on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mission: Impossible in the 1966 pilot episode and in the 1966 episode "The Ransom," The Lucy Show, Twelve O'Clock High, The Wild Wild West and Please Don't Eat the Daisies. He also appeared in uncredited roles in the films What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? and Mister Buddwing.

Star Trek: The Original Series Paskey first appeared on Star Trek as a "crewman" on the second pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and was first identified by name in "Mudd's Women" in an early scene where Doctor McCoy refers to him as Connors. In subsequent episodes, he was cast regularly as a crewman, but also appeared as a security officer, a helmsman, an engineer station officer, even an alien, all to create a sense of continuity on Star Trek during the series' run. Amazon.com Paskey had scripted lines in four episodes and was credited in two. His character, Mr. Leslie, appeared in more episodes than principal characters Sulu or Chekov. William Shatner gave the character the name Leslie after his eldest daughter. To pay homage to the character of Leslie, a fan based website created an 8" action figure in Paskey's likeness.

Paskey credits the longevity of his character to his sense of caution. Since he was on the set most of the time and knew the script well, he made sure that he was always elsewhere when an episode called for someone to die. When his character does die in the episode "Obsession," Paskey explains his mysterious return in the next episode by describing a lost scene in the script, where Dr. McCoy administered a miracle potion that saves Leslie's life. Paskey mentioned that this scene was never filmed. Episode director Ralph Senesky also confirmed that he did not film it.

In "This Side of Paradise" his is the only character to mutiny openly against his superior, Captain Kirk, and even disobeys orders again in "And the Children Shall Lead," although under an alien influence. In "The City on the Edge of Forever," Paskey was the driver of the truck in the scene where character Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) is struck down and killed.

Paskey also appeared occasionally as a stand-in for Shatner in certain long scenes. He was the hand-double for James Doohan, who was missing a finger, in "Wolf in the Fold" and "That Which Survives." He appeared in most of the episodes from the first two seasons of the original series. A bad back and cluster headaches from an old injury, which worsened from the set lighting, led to his leaving the show in the third season. Paskey admitted in a July 1988 Starlog Magazine interview that once the pain had gone, he tried to return to acting but had lost many of his Hollywood contacts while working on Star Trek, and eventually retired from the profession.

Appearances No. Episode name Role Talks Credit Remarks 1 The Man Trap Lt. Ryan no no in prologue bridge scene as helmsman Ryan; later as unnamed medical assistant in sickbay after Spock is attacked 2 Charlie X crewman no no seen among other crewmembers in the rec room while Uhura is performing a song 3 Where No Man Has Gone Before crewman no no seen behind Kirk and Spock while they engage in Tri-D Chess; brig guard on Delta Vega 4 The Naked Time Lt. Ryan yes no escorted, for being drunk, away from bridge station seen in red shirt as navigator 5 The Enemy Within crewman no no on planet freezing along with Sulu and the landing party unable to beam up 6 Mudd's Women Conners no no caught, and reproached by Dr. McCoy, for ogling Ruth Bonaventure 7 What Are Little Girls Made Of? crewman no no as bridge engineer 9 Dagger of the Mind crewman no no as bridge engineer & wayward eavesdropper 10 The Corbomite Maneuver crewman no no as bridge engineer, also seen on the lower decks 11 The Menagerie, part 1 crewman no no as bridge engineer, he witnesses Spock's arrest 13 The Conscience of the King Lt. Leslie yes no as helmsman, without rank insignia 14 Balance of Terror Mr. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 15 Shore Leave Mr. Leslie no no as helmsman in opening prologue only 16 The Galileo Seven crewman no no on bridge and in transporter room, always faceless 17 The Squire of Gothos Lt. Leslie no no in captain's seat, now with Lt's. insignia 18 Arena Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 19 Tomorrow is Yesterday Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 21 The Return of the Archons Lt. Leslie no no joins landing party, seen being awakened by Kirk 22 Space Seed Lt. Leslie no no dines at "Welcome to the 23rd Century" dinner for Khan 24 This Side of Paradise Lt. Leslie yes yes as "crewman", first time Leslie disobeys Kirk's orders, by mutinying 25 The Devil in the Dark Lt. Leslie no no as security officer, later a possible horta target 27 The Alternative Factor Lt. Leslie yes yes as "Lesley"; helmsman, later in command seat at beginning of epilogue 28 The City on the Edge of Forever Lt. Leslie no no as science officer 29 Operation -- Annihilate! Lt. Leslie no no as transporter chief, gets Vulcan nerve pinch 30 Amok Time Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer and medical assistant 31 Who Mourns for Adonais? Lt. Leslie no no Sulu and Leslie scan for Apollo's power source 32 The Changeling Lt. Leslie no no as navigator wearing braided yellow command shirt 33 Mirror, Mirror Lt. Leslie no no briefly in prologue and epilogue 34 The Apple Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 35 The Doomsday Machine Lt. Leslie yes no as bridge engineer 36 Catspaw Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer and as helmsman 38 Metamorphosis Lt. Leslie no no with Scotty when Kirk checks in 39 Journey to Babel Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 40 Friday's Child Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 41 The Deadly Years Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 42 Obsession Lt. Leslie no no "dies" in cloud creature attack, by asphyxiation; revived in unfilmed scene when Dr. McCoy administers a life saving injection 43 Wolf in the Fold Lt. Leslie no no on bridge, gets tranquilized along with crew 44 The Trouble with Tribbles Lt. Leslie no no bridge and security; adopts a tribble from Uhura 45 The Gamesters of Triskelion Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer and as science officer 46 A Piece of the Action Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 47 The Immunity Syndrome Lt. Leslie no no also security officer in transporter room, later a "yellowshirt" on lower decks 48 A Private Little War Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer 49 Return to Tomorrow Lt. Leslie no no also as security officer in transporter room 50 Patterns of Force Ekosian no no as Nazi officer; also a second character with mustache 51 By Any Other Name Lt. Leslie no no dehydrated into a polyhedron 52 The Omega Glory Lt. Leslie no no on Bridge; and as a guard, arresting Tracy 53 The Ultimate Computer Lt. Leslie no no escorts a stunned Dr. Daystrom to sickbay along with another security officer 54 Bread and Circuses Lt. Leslie no no 55 Assignment: Earth Lt. Leslie no no stunned by Gary Seven. Leslie actually appears wearing a red-shirt, later a gold shirt. 57 The Enterprise Incident Lt. Leslie no no a most happy Leslie, when seeing that Kirk is alive 59 And the Children Shall Lead Lt. Leslie no no second episode where Leslie disobeys Kirk's direct orders 60 Is There in Truth No Beauty? Lt. Leslie no no as security officer 61 Spectre of the Gun Lt. Leslie no no as bridge engineer, prologue only 68 Elaan of Troyius Lt. Leslie no no kindly offered his seat to the Dohlman, even though he needed it to work

Deep Space Nine No. Episode name Role Talks Credit Remarks 503 Trials and Tribble-ations Lt. Leslie no no in footage incorporated from The Trouble with Tribbles, as a security officer

Star Trek: New Voyages

In 2004, he appeared in the Star Trek: New Voyages episode "Come What May" as Admiral Leslie, a character established as Lieutenant Leslie's father.

Later years After retiring from acting, Paskey went into business for himself in Santa Ana, California, owning and operating an auto-detailing service called The Air Shop with his wife Judy. He sold the business in 2004. He and his wife were members of Hot Rods Unlimited, a Southern California auto club. They have four children.

Paskey admitted that he considered auditioning for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) but later reconsidered. He remained a fan of the film series but not the television follow-up Star Trek: The Next Generation, as he explained that "he went to sleep on it".

Paskey died on August 17, 2021, three days before his 82nd birthday.Star Trek's Lt. Leslie - Eddie Paskey - Dies at 81

References

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