History of George Takei in Timeline
George Takei, born Hosato Takei, is an American actor, author, and activist, widely recognized for his portrayal of Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek franchise. Beyond his acting career, Takei is a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice. His personal experiences, including his family's internment during World War II, have fueled his activism and storytelling, making him a significant voice on issues of equality and historical awareness. He has authored books and used social media to share his experiences and advocate for human rights.
7 hours ago : George Takei Trolls Trump Administration Amid LGBTQ+ Policy Backlash; IDW and Webtoon Collaboration
George Takei mocked the Trump administration for allegedly wearing makeup amidst LGBTQ+ policy backlash. Takei, a Star Trek star, is known for his activism. IDW and Webtoon announced collaboration on vertical scroll comics.
April 20, 1937: George Takei Born
On April 20, 1937, Hosato Takei, later known as George Takei, was born in Los Angeles, California. He is known as an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise.
1955: Voiceover in Godzilla Raids Again
In 1955, George Takei provided voiceover work for characters in the English dubbing of the Japanese monster film Godzilla Raids Again.
1956: Voiceover in Rodan
In 1956, George Takei began his career in Hollywood, providing voiceover work for characters in the English dubbing of the Japanese monster film Rodan.
1957: US Release of Rodan
In 1957, the movie Rodan was released in the US, featuring voice over work by George Takei.
1959: Appearance in Perry Mason
In 1959, George Takei appeared in "The Case of the Blushing Pearls" episode of the television series Perry Mason.
1960: Appearance in Hell to Eternity
In 1960, George Takei appeared alongside Jeffrey Hunter in the film Hell to Eternity.
1960: Appearance in Hawaiian Eye
In 1960, George Takei appeared in Hawaiian Eye during the 1960–61 season, including an eponymous episode as Thomas Jefferson Chu.
1960: Graduation from UCLA
In 1960, George Takei received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
1961: Appearance in A Majority of One
In 1961, George Takei appeared alongside Alec Guinness in the film A Majority of One.
1964: Master's Degree from UCLA
In 1964, George Takei earned a Master of Arts degree in theater from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
1964: Starring in Twilight Zone Episode 'The Encounter'
In 1964, George Takei starred as a landscaper of Japanese descent in "The Encounter", an episode of the Twilight Zone, which was later deemed "too disturbing" to be included in syndication due to its theme of US-Japanese hatred.
1965: Appearance in Red Line 7000
In 1965, George Takei appeared alongside James Caan in the film Red Line 7000.
1965: Cast as Sulu in Star Trek
In 1965, George Takei landed the role of Sulu in the original Star Trek television series.
1966: Appearance in Walk, Don't Run
In 1966, George Takei appeared alongside Cary Grant in the film Walk, Don't Run.
1966: Guest Starred in Mission: Impossible
In 1966, George Takei guest-starred in an episode of Mission: Impossible during the show's first season.
1967: Appeared in The Big Mouth
In 1967, George Takei made an uncredited appearance in the Jerry Lewis comedy The Big Mouth.
1968: Role in The Green Berets
In 1968, George Takei's role in The Green Berets as Captain Nim caused him to miss some episodes of Star Trek's second season, leading to Walter Koenig joining the cast.
1969: Narrated The Japanese Sword as the Soul of the Samurai
In 1969, George Takei narrated the documentary The Japanese Sword as the Soul of the Samurai.
1970: Appeared in Which Way to the Front?
In 1970, George Takei appeared in the Jerry Lewis comedy Which Way to the Front?.
1972: Alternate Delegate and City Council Campaign
In 1972, George Takei was an alternate delegate from California to the Democratic National Convention. He subsequently ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council, finishing second in the special election.
1973: Star Trek: The Animated Series
From 1973 to 1974, George Takei reprised his role as Sulu in Star Trek: The Animated Series.
1973: Appointment to Southern California Rapid Transit District Board
In 1973, George Takei was appointed by Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley to the board of directors of the Southern California Rapid Transit District, which spearheaded the planning for the Los Angeles subway system.
1974: Star Trek: The Animated Series
From 1973 to 1974, George Takei reprised his role as Sulu in Star Trek: The Animated Series.
1978: Tie-Breaking Vote for Los Angeles Subway System
In 1978, George Takei was called away from the set of Star Trek: The Motion Picture to cast the tie-breaking vote for the creation of the Los Angeles subway system, as part of his role on the board of directors of the Southern California Rapid Transit District.
1979: Co-authored Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe
In 1979, George Takei co-wrote the science fiction novel Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe with Robert Asprin.
1980: Withdrawal from California State Assembly Race
In 1980, George Takei withdrew from his campaign for California State Assemblyman (District 46) after a dispute over the airing of Star Trek episodes and concerns about interrupting his acting career.
1981: Alleged drugging and groping incident
In 1981, according to a later allegation made in November 2017, George Takei allegedly drugged and groped Scott R. Brunton in Takei's condo when Brunton was 23 years old. Takei denied these allegations.
1984: End of Term on Southern California Rapid Transit District Board
George Takei's term on the board of directors for the Southern California Rapid Transit District ended in 1984, after serving since 1973 and contributing to the planning of the Los Angeles subway system.
1986: Induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 1986, Takei was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, receiving a star at 6681 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to television.
1989: Role in 'Return from the River Kwai'
In 1989, George Takei appeared as a sadistic Japanese POW camp commander in the World War II film 'Return from the River Kwai'.
1992: Release of 'The Encounter' on Video
In 1992, the 1964 Twilight Zone episode "The Encounter", starring George Takei, was released on video as part of the Treasures of the Twilight Zone collection, after being unseen since its initial airing.
1994: Publication of Autobiography
In 1994, George Takei's autobiography, To the Stars, was published. He also had plans to adapt chapters about his internment experience into a film.
1996: Guest Appearance in Star Trek: Voyager
In 1996, George Takei played Captain Sulu in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek.
1997: Voice Acting in Star Trek: Captain's Chair
In 1997, George Takei lent his voice to the video game Star Trek: Captain's Chair, reprising his role as Captain Hikaru Sulu.
2004: Comments on William Shatner
In 2004, George Takei commented on William Shatner in the DVD set for the second season of Star Trek, praising his portrayal of Captain Kirk.
October 2005: Coming out as gay
In October 2005, George Takei publicly revealed that he is gay and has been in a committed relationship with Brad Altman for 18 years. He announced the news after Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of same-sex marriage legislation.
December 2005: Interview with Howard Stern
In December 2005, George Takei discussed his sexuality and relationship with Brad Altman during an on-air telephone interview with Howard Stern, emphasizing the diversity within the gay community and describing Altman as 'a saint'.
2005: Coming Out and LGBT Activism
In 2005, George Takei publicly came out as gay and became a prominent advocate for LGBT rights, also becoming involved in state and local politics.
2006: Appeared on Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner
In 2006, George Takei appeared alongside William Shatner on the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner, where they humorously mocked each other, indicating a resolution of past tensions.
2006: Equality Trek Speaking Tour
In 2006, George Takei embarked on a nationwide 'Equality Trek' speaking tour, where he shared his experiences as a gay Japanese American, his relationship with Brad Altman, and his involvement with Frontrunners and Star Trek. He encouraged others to share their personal stories as well.
January 2007: Appeared on Heroes
In January 2007, George Takei began appearing on Heroes as Kaito Nakamura, a successful Japanese businessman. The first episode featuring Takei included a Star Trek reference.
November 2007: Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Diego Asian Film Festival
In November 2007, Takei received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
2007: Mock PSA and Appearance at San Francisco Pride
In 2007, following Tim Hardaway's homophobic comments, George Takei recorded a mock public service announcement that aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Takei also appeared on the Google float at San Francisco Pride 2007.
May 16, 2008: Announcement of Marriage
On May 16, 2008, George Takei announced that he and Brad Altman would be getting married. They were the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license in West Hollywood.
September 14, 2008: Marriage to Brad Altman
On September 14, 2008, George Takei married Brad Altman at the Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, with Walter Koenig as his best man and Nichelle Nichols as 'best woman'.
2008: Marriage at a Buddhist Ritual
In 2008, George Takei and husband Brad Altman were married in a Buddhist ritual performed by the Reverend William Briones.
2008: Participation in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
In 2008, George Takei appeared on the British reality TV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, finishing in 3rd place due to his politeness and calmness.
October 13, 2009: Appearance on The Newlywed Game
On October 13, 2009, George Takei and Brad Altman appeared on a celebrity edition of The Newlywed Game TV show, aired on the GSN cable network. They were the first same-sex couple to be featured on the show and won $10,000 for the Japanese American National Museum.
2009: NASA Animated Short
In April 2009, George Takei voiced a fictitious version of himself in NASA's "Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Gravity and the Great Attractor".
February 2010: Appearance on All Star Mr & Mrs
In February 2010, George Takei and Brad Altman appeared on the British game show All Star Mr & Mrs, losing to rugby player Phil Vickery and his wife Kate.
November 2010: PSA Blasting Clint McCance
In November 2010, George Takei released a PSA calling Clint McCance 'a douchebag' in response to McCance's homophobic remarks. McCance subsequently resigned from his position.
2010: Public Service Announcements for Social Security
In 2010, George Takei recorded public service announcements for the Social Security Administration to promote applying for benefits online.
May 2011: PSA on Tennessee Legislation
In May 2011, George Takei released a PSA in response to Tennessee legislation prohibiting language alluding to homosexuality, suggesting people substitute 'Takei' for 'gay' in their language.
2011: Appearance on All Star Mr & Mrs
In 2011, George Takei appeared with his husband Brad Altman on All Star Mr & Mrs, a show on ITV in Britain.
March 4, 2012: Fired from The Apprentice
On March 4, 2012, George Takei was fired from the third episode of the 12th season of The Apprentice.
June 2012: LGBT Humanist Award from the American Humanist Association
In June 2012, the American Humanist Association presented Takei with the LGBT Humanist Award.
2012: Starred in Musical Allegiance
In 2012, George Takei starred in the musical Allegiance, based on his experiences with Japanese American internment during World War II, which premiered at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.
2012: Work on Broadway Show Allegiance
In 2012, George Takei worked on the Broadway show Allegiance, which highlights the internment experience, and he has been a vocal advocate of the rights of immigrants.
July 2013: NAAAP100 award for contributions to the Asian community
In July 2013, Takei was honored with the NAAAP100 award by the National Association of Asian American Professionals for his contributions to the Asian community.
September 2013: Defense of Nina Davuluri after racist comments
In September 2013, Takei used his Facebook page to defend Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014, after she was targeted with racist and xenophobic comments. He emphasized the 'Star Trek' creed of 'Infinite diversity in infinite combinations'.
September 17, 2013: Hosted Takei's Take
Beginning September 17, 2013, George Takei hosted Takei's Take, a web series produced by AARP that reviewed consumer technology for viewers over 50 years in age.
2013: Guest Judge on King of the Nerds
In 2013, George Takei served as a guest judge on the TBS reality show King of the Nerds, evaluating the Cosplay Competition.
2013: Spokesperson for Rooms To Go
Starting in 2013, George Takei became a spokesperson for Rooms To Go, an American furniture retailer, appearing in commercials and using his "Oh Myyy!" tagline.
January 2014: Premiere of To Be Takei
In January 2014, the documentary film about George Takei, To Be Takei, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He also participated in Do I Sound Gay? that year.
May 2014: GLAAD Vito Russo Award
In May 2014, Takei was honored with the GLAAD Vito Russo Award by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The award is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community.
2014: Support for Camp Abercorn web series
In 2014, George Takei raised $100,000 to support the creation of Camp Abercorn, a web series about an adult Eagle Scout documenting his experiences after being forced to leave the Boy Scouts of America due to their anti-gay policy.
2014: Facebook meme controversy and apology
In 2014, Takei faced criticism for posting a meme on Facebook and Twitter that made light of wheelchair use. Following backlash from disabled people, he removed the post and apologized on Facebook for his comments.
May 2015: Distinguished Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement and Public Service
In May 2015, the Japanese American National Museum honored Takei with its Distinguished Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement and Public Service at their gala dinner in Los Angeles.
November 8, 2015: Broadway Debut of Allegiance
On November 8, 2015, Allegiance, the musical starring George Takei based on his internment camp experiences, debuted on Broadway to mixed reviews.
December 8, 2015: Denouncement of Donald Trump's Muslim Ban Proposal
On December 8, 2015, George Takei appeared on MSNBC to denounce Donald Trump's call to ban all Muslims from traveling to the United States, drawing parallels to the Japanese American internment during World War II.
2015: Produced It Takeis Two
In 2015, George Takei produced a YouTube mini-series titled It Takeis Two, featuring himself and Brad Altman as a parody-scripted reality series.
2015: Criticism and Apology Regarding Clarence Thomas Comments
In 2015, following the U.S. Supreme Court same-sex marriage decision, George Takei criticized Clarence Thomas's dissent, referring to him as 'a clown in blackface'. After defending his comments for over a week, Takei apologized for his wording.
June 10, 2016: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from California State University, Los Angeles
On June 10, 2016, California State University, Los Angeles, presented Takei with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of his contributions.
March 31, 2017: April Fool's Joke about challenging Devin Nunes
On March 31, 2017, George Takei announced his intention to challenge Devin Nunes, but revealed it as an April Fools' joke and declared support for Jon Ossoff in Georgia.
June 2017: Response to Steve Scalise Shooting
In June 2017, George Takei was criticized for his Twitter response to the shooting of Steve Scalise, where he called Scalise 'bigoted' and 'homophobic' and criticized his opposition to same-sex marriage, also mentioning the lesbian officer who saved Scalise.
November 2017: Scott Brunton's allegation of drugging and groping
In November 2017, former actor Scott R. Brunton accused Takei of drugging and groping him in 1981. Takei denied the allegation, stating that non-consensual acts are antithetical to his values.
2017: Featured in Pizza Hut Commercials
In early 2017, George Takei was featured in television commercials promoting the restaurant Pizza Hut.
May 24, 2018: Brunton recants story; Takei forgives
On May 24, 2018, Shane Snow reported that Scott Brunton had changed his story regarding the alleged encounter with Takei. Takei then posted Snow's article on his social media platforms while publicly forgiving Brunton for his misdeeds.
2018: Role in Allegiance and Departure from East West Players
In 2018, George Takei played Sam Kimura and Ojii-San in East West Players' production of Allegiance, and stepped down as chair of the Council of Governors of East West Players.
2019: Publication of 'They Called Us Enemy'
In 2019, George Takei published They Called Us Enemy, a 208-page memoir in the form of a graphic novel, focusing on his family's internment experience. The book was co-written with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott, and illustrated by Harmony Becker.
2019: Awarded the Inkpot Award
In 2019, George Takei was awarded the Inkpot Award.
April 1, 2020: Announcement as final torchbearer for Tokyo Olympic Games (April Fool's)
On April 1, 2020, it was announced that Takei would be the final torchbearer for the delayed 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, but it was revealed as an April Fool's joke the next day.
2020: American Book Award and Narration of Who's on Top?
In 2020, George Takei's book, 'They Called Us Enemy', received an American Book Award. Additionally, Takei narrated the documentary 'Who's on Top?' in 2020.
June 2021: They Called Us Enemy part of USAFA reading initiative
In June 2021, Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre announced that George Takei's book, They Called Us Enemy, would be part of the United States Air Force Academy's new reading initiative for cadets, citing its detailing of Takei's internment struggle and understanding of American democracy.
2021: Scheduled torchbearer for the delayed 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games
In 2021, George Takei was originally scheduled to be the final torchbearer for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games; however, this was an April Fool's joke revealed on April 2nd, 2020.
2021: Jon Ossoff becomes Georgia's Senator
In 2021, Jon Ossoff, whom George Takei supported in 2017, became Georgia's Senator.
February 23, 2022: NCLS Kickoff Speaker at USAFA
On February 23, 2022, George Takei was the NCLS Kickoff speaker at USAFA, elaborating on his book, They Called Us Enemy, and explaining how his past experiences influenced his future perspectives.
September 28, 2022: Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia
On September 28, 2022, Takei was awarded an honorary Doctorate by the University of South Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to the community.
2024: Support for Kamala Harris and Criticism of Donald Trump
In 2024, leading up to the United States presidential election, George Takei strongly supported Kamala Harris while criticizing Donald Trump, whom he described as a creator of 'cruel chaos'. Takei also criticized Israel–Hamas war protestors for not backing Harris' presidential campaign.
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