The Star Trek Reference In David Fincher's Zodiac, Explained
When reading actor Brian Cox's memoir "Putting the Rabbit in the Hat," I was disappointed that he didn't mention his work on David Fincher's superlative "Zodiac." Throughout the book, Cox shows no reluctance to burn bridges, and given his ribbing of "Succession" co-star Jeremy Strong's method acting, I was eager to see if he'd have similar words about Fincher's infamous perfectionism. Alas, no such stories exist.
True to its title, the 2007 "Zodiac" film is about the Zodiac killer, the still unidentified murderer who left Northern California quaking with fear as the 1960s closed. The film spans the 1960s to 1980s (with an epilogue in 1991), focusing on the killings and then Robert Graysmith's (Jake Gyllenhaal) investigation years later.
One of the movie's earlier sequences recreates an episode from October 22, 1969. Someone claiming to be the Zodiac said he would dial into Jim Dunbar's KGO-TV (local to San Francisco) morning talk show if either of the attorneys F. Lee Bailey or Melvin Belli was present. Belli, who lived in the Bay Area, was the more convenient recruit for the police; he appeared on the show and talked with a caller, "Sam," who turned out to be a Zodiac imposter. In Fincher's "Zodiac," Cox plays Melvin Belli. As is often the case in his film career, it's a small part that he makes memorable.
While Belli and Dunbar (Tom Verica) are waiting for the Zodiac to call, they have a quick sidebar conversation where the latter mentions he saw Belli on "Star Trek." At that point in the movie, you might be thinking, "What?!" Considering Belli is/was a lawyer, not an actor, you might be shocked to learn that this quickly passed-over dialogue is a historical in-joke.
Star Trek starring Melvin Belli
In the words of Philip J. Fry, the original "Star Trek" had "79 episodes, about 30 good ones." One not among those 30 is season 3, episode 4: "And The Children Shall Lead." The Enterprise rescues a quintet of orphaned children from the planet Triacus. However, the rescued turn hostile when they summon Gorgan, a malevolent entity with a green glow. Who played Gorgan? Melvin Belli.
Belli was a minor celebrity at the time; he'd never worked in Hollywood before "Star Trek," but many of his legal clients had. By the time he played Gorgan in 1968, he'd also made headlines a few years back by defending Jack Ruby, the murderer of Lee Harvey Oswald. The behind-the-scenes of "And The Children Shall Lead," including Belli's casting, is covered in "Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages" by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman.
Belli was brought on as a publicity stunt by producer Fred Freiberger; "Star Trek" was in pretty dire straits (season 3 would be its last) and Belli as Gorgan was an ill-conceived Hail Mary to boost the ratings. It didn't work, as Freiberger admits in "Captains' Logs." Walter Koenig (who played Pavel Chekov on "Star Trek" ) was upset by Belli's casting and how it cost a working actor a job. He called it "the most heinous violation [Freiberger] perpetuated" on the show. "It's one thing to cast friends who are actors and another to cast friends who are not actors," Koenig said. "I was really upset about [Belli's casting]. It was very unfair."
Indeed, Belli's performance leaves a lot to be desired; performing in the courtroom is a different animal entirely than performing in front of a camera. As Gorgan, he sounds like he's reading his lines off cue cards, and so fails to counterbalance the villain's silliness with any air of menace.
The real history of Zodiac
However, in "Captains' Logs," Belli recalls his experience on "Star Trek" experience fondly: "I enjoyed myself immensely, and I was struck by the professionalism of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy and all the rest. They were very professional — yet imbued with a great sense of fun."
The fictional Belli's dialogue in "Zodiac" is consistent with this. He laments "a shame about the show" and calls the "Star Trek" cast and crew "good people." For reference, "Star Trek" was freshly canceled at this time (its last episode aired on June 3, 1969, about 4 months before Belli's on-air talk with "Sam"). The movie suggests Belli's TV appearance has gone to his head, since he tells Dunbar, "I've often thought of becoming an actor full-time" (spoiler alert: the real Belli did not).
The mere mention of "Star Trek" adds some historical verisimilitude to "Zodiac," akin to the later scene of the characters watching "Dirty Harry" premiere in a theater. The Trekkies who watch "Zodiac" might recognize Belli's name (or Gorgan's) and get a laugh. For the "Star Trek' illiterate, though? From beginning to end, "Zodiac" encourages its audience to learn more about the real history it is dramatizing. Belli's "Star Trek" cameo, while a background detail next to the Zodiac Killer case, is no exception.