Entertainment • Actor

Jonathan Frakes

Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, director, and television presenter best known for playing Commander William Riker in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* and related *Star Trek* productions.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, director, and television presenter best known for playing Commander William Riker in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* and related *Star Trek* productions. He has also hosted *Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction* and directed episodes and films within the *Star Trek* franchise.

Early life and education

Jonathan Frakes was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on August 19, 1952. Sources identify him as an American performer who later built a career in television and film.

Acting career

Frakes gained wide recognition for playing Commander William Riker in *Star Trek: The Next Generation*. He later reprised the role in subsequent *Star Trek* films and series, and also appeared in other television and voice roles.

Directing career

Frakes expanded into directing while working on *The Next Generation*, then directed *Star Trek: First Contact* and *Star Trek: Insurrection*. He later directed episodes across several *Star Trek* series and other television productions.

Other work

Beyond acting and directing, Frakes hosted *Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction* and took on narration and voice acting roles. He is also associated with the credited authorship of *The Abductors: Conspiracy*.

Key facts

Frakes is best known for portraying William Riker in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* and later *Star Trek* films and series.
He began directing episodes of *The Next Generation* during its third season.
He directed the feature films *Star Trek: First Contact* (1996) and *Star Trek: Insurrection* (1998).
He hosted the anthology series *Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction*.
He voiced David Xanatos in *Gargoyles* and narrated the documentary *Lee and Grant*.

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Canadian context

Frakes is widely known to Canadian audiences through the long-running popularity of *Star Trek* on Canadian television and at conventions. He has also worked on internationally distributed genre television seen in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jonathan Frakes?

Jonathan Frakes is an American actor, director, and television presenter best known for playing William Riker in the *Star Trek* franchise.

What is Jonathan Frakes best known for?

He is best known for his role as Commander William Riker in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* and later related films and series.

Has Jonathan Frakes directed *Star Trek* projects?

Yes. He directed episodes of *The Next Generation* and later directed *Star Trek: First Contact* and *Star Trek: Insurrection*.

What television show did Jonathan Frakes host?

He hosted *Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction*, an anthology series focused on stories that viewers were invited to judge as true or false.

What other voice roles is Jonathan Frakes known for?

He voiced David Xanatos in *Gargoyles* and also narrated the History Channel documentary *Lee and Grant*.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Frakes
Supports: Birth date, birthplace, occupations, best-known role, hosting work, voice role, and directing credits.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book — https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/frakes__jonathan
Supports: Birth place, career overview, *Star Trek* acting and directing work, and residence/career context.
TV Guide — https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jonathan-frakes/bio/3000398007/
Supports: Birth name, birthplace, profession, and selected awards/credits.
Turner Classic Movies — https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/64875%7C0/Jonathan-Frakes
Supports: Career description and early stage work context.