Quick Info
| Profession | Actor, director, television presenter |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 19/08/1952 |
| Age | 74 years |
| Birthplace | Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Latest News about Jonathan Frakes
Reports noted that Frakes will not direct a Star Trek episode in 2027, ending a streak of directing Star Trek episodes in each year for nine years. Earlier in 2026 he had said he directed his last episode for the time being, and he later clarified that he is not done with Star Trek.
Frakes was announced to present the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Honor to his wife, actress Genie Francis, at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. The ceremony is scheduled for 30/10/2026 in Hollywood, California, and marks 50 years since Francis's General Hospital debut.
The episode 300th Night, directed by Jonathan Frakes, was released on Paramount+ as the ninth episode of the first season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Frakes was reported to have directed the penultimate episode of that season.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor and director best known for playing Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and later Star Trek films and series. He has continued to direct Star Trek episodes into 2026, including an episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. |
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| Early Life | Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, he was raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where his father worked as a college professor. |
| Stage Start | He began his career on stage in Massachusetts and New York City, including a Broadway production of Shenandoah. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Liberty High School | Graduated in 1970, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
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| Pennsylvania State University | Bachelor's degree in theater arts, 1974 |
| Harvard University | Master's degree, completed by 1976 |
Personal Life
| Interests | Jazz, introduced to it by his father; played the trombone from fourth grade |
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| Residence | Maine, where he works in arts education and runs a home furnishings business with his wife |
Relationships & More
| Spouse | Genie Francis (married 28/05/1988) |
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| Former Spouse | Debralee Scott (divorced) |
Family
| Father | James R. Frakes, a professor of English literature |
|---|---|
| Mother | Doris J. Frakes (née Yingling) |
| Sibling | Daniel Frakes (younger brother) |
| Spouse | Genie Francis |
| Children |
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Career
| Television Roles |
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|---|---|
| Films |
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| Directing | Directed many episodes of Star Trek series including The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Discovery, Picard and Strange New Worlds, and episodes of Castle, Roswell, Leverage and NCIS: Los Angeles. Directed the episode 300th Night of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (2026), reported as his most recent Star Trek directing credit. |
| Hosting | Hosted the anthology series Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction |
| Writing | Credited as author of the novel The Abductors: Conspiracy |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He ghostwritten novel The Abductors: Conspiracy was written by Dean Wesley Smith. | |
| 2. He included the line Make it so, Number One in his film Clockstoppers as an in-joke about his Star Trek role. | |
| 3. As of 2025, he has directed more Star Trek episodes than any other actor. | |
| 4. A death hoax circulated on Facebook in October 2026, which was confirmed to be false; he is alive. |
