Trivia for
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993) More at IMDbPro »

• Among the finalists for the role of Sisko was Gary Graham, best known for the TV series "Alien Nation" (1989). Graham eventually received a recurring role as Vulcan ambassador Soval on "Enterprise" (2001).
  
  
• Kira was a last-minute addition to the cast; the original plan was to include the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) character of Ro Laren, but Michelle Forbes didn't want a series at the time.
  
  
• The character that eventually became Vic Fontaine was written for Frank Sinatra Jr.. in Season 4. Sinatra, despite being a fan of the show, turned it down, declaring that he only wanted to play an alien. After meeting with Robert Goulet, and attempting to get Steve Lawrence, Tom Jones and Jerry Vale, the producers eventually decided on James Darren in Season 6. Darren would go on to appear in 8 episodes, including the series finale.
  
  
• Dax was originally envisioned as an alien from a low-gravity world forced to get around in a wheelchair and who flew around her quarters; the concept was scrapped and recycled into the character of Melora because the "flight" cables were too difficult to rig.
  
  
• The spots on Jadzia Dax were not stenciled. Instead, they were drawn on personally by Michael Westmore each day, a process which took over an hour.
  
  
• In the episode Trials and Tribble-ations, Crew from Deep Space Nine are hijacked into the episode Trouble with Tribbles from "Star Trek" (1966). The set of the original Enterprise was re-created for this episode in detail except for the orange grating often seen in engineering areas. Apparently, the company that made it had discontinued its production.
  
  
• After production ended and the sets were dismantled, the Defiant bridge set was declared "fold & hold" and placed in storage. It has been redressed and reused as the bridge of an alien cargo ship and a Klingon battlecruiser on "Star Trek: Voyager" (1995) and the bridge of the ECS Fortunate on "Enterprise" (2001).
  
  
• In the episode "Man Alone," the planet Alderaan is listed as a recent place visited by a murder victim. Alderaan is the planet destroyed by the Death Star in Star Wars (1977).
  
  
• Stars Alexander Siddig and Nana Visitor were married in real life in 1997 (after the show's fourth season).
  
  
• The subplot of Kira carrying the O'Briens' baby was to explain away Nana Visitor's pregnancy.
  
  
• Both Armin Shimerman (Quark) and Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat) have appeared as one of the first actors to portray members of their respected species, and both appeared on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987). Shimerman played the the Ferengi officer Letek on the TNG episode "The Last Outpost" (#1.04), while Alaimo played the Cardassian officer Gul Macet on the TNG episode "The Wounded" (#4.17).
  
  
• Lit Star Trek model kit parts can be seen as medical instruments throughout the series. In one episode, Dr. Bashir uses a part that makes up a Romulan Warbird engine nacelle to scan or heal.
  
  
• Martin Sheen was considered for the role of Sloan, the Section 31 operative.
  
  
• References are frequently made to Starfleet "ground troops," and some Starfleet characters have different uniforms (a black uniform with a small colored stripe across the middle). Fans generally accept that these characters are part of a Starfleet Marine Corps, although this has never been explicitly stated on-screen. There was a Starfleet Colonel West in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991); West was most likely a Starfleet Marine, since navies do not have the rank of colonel. Colonel West was played by Rene Auberjonois, who plays Constable Odo on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993).
  
  
• Reportedly, Gene Roddenberry was made aware of plans for DS9 not long before his death in 1991, making this the last Star Trek TV series that he was connected with.
  
  
• The number 47 pops up an inordinate amount of times on computer screens, serial numbers, dates and so on. This tradition was started by writer/co-producer Joe Menosky and was soon picked up by the rest of the production team. Menosky said that he choose that particular number because when he was a college student at Pomona College, Professor of Mathematics Donald Bentley proved as a joke that all numbers are equal to 47. Interestingly, the later series "Alias" (2001) also featured the number 47 many times, and incorporated it into its ongoing storyline.
  
  
• Military ranks used in Star Trek are all based upon actual military ranks. Starfleet ranks are those of the US Navy: Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, and Admiral. Bajoran ranks are the same as those used in the US Army, Air Force, and Marines: 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel (or, as the Bajorans call it, 'Field Colonel'), Colonel, and General. (Kira, after her promotion, was referred to simply as 'Colonel', but she was promoted two steps in rank at once.) Klingon ranks are 'bekk' (an enlisted rating), Ensign, Lieutenant, Commander, Captain, Colonel, Brigadier, General, Admiral. Cardassian ranks are based on those of the ancient Roman Empire: Gil (equivalent to a Starfleet/ US Naval Lieutenant), Glinn (Commander), Gul (Captain), and Legate (Admiral).
  
  
• The guy who is often in Quark's bar is named "Morn", which is an anagram for "Norm" from Cheers, who was often in the bar. Like Norm, Morn always sat in the same seat at the bar.
  
  
• The uniforms initially worn on DS9 were designed to look different from those worn on its parent show, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) Beginning with the movie Star Trek: Generations (1994), however, these new uniforms were adopted by the TNG crew and Starfleet as a whole. From the mid-5th season of DS9 and Star Trek: First Contact (1996) another type of uniforms were issued by Starfleet, while Voyager (having no way of knowing about the change) retained the earlier version, distinguishing the two series from each other again.
  
  
• In one episode, while Kira is still pregnant the O'Briens' baby, she screams at Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) "This is all your fault!" This is an in-joke referring to the fact that actress Nana Visitor and Siddig were expecting a child in real-life.
  
  
• According to an April 2003 interview, Avery Brooks was initially required by contract to appear with hair in order to prevent confusion with his "Spenser: For Hire" (1985) character, Hawk. In later seasons, as Sisko became established, Brooks was allowed to shave his head and re-grow his beard.
  
  
• The square glasses used in Quark's bar are actually candle holders turned upside down.
  
  
• Although we only rarely see it, there is an ATM in Quark's bar. It dispenses the various types of currency used by major races visiting the station: Federation credits, Bajoran litas, Cardassian leks, and Ferengi latinum.
  
  
• Armin Shimerman was a regular on both this series and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) at the same time.
  
  
• In a scene where Bashir and O'Brien come out of the holo-suite and talk to Quark dressed as WWII RAF pilots, most of O'Brien's jargon comes from a Monty Python sketch, RAF Banter.
  
  
• The tankards used for Klingon bloodwine are actually measuring cups used in baking.
  
  
• Buck Bokai, a baseball player of the 21st Century, broke Joe DiMaggio's record for consecutive hits in 2026. While the name is never mentioned, this fact is mentioned in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) episode "The Big Goodbye."
  
  
• Buck Bokai's baseball card, a collectable featured on Benjamin Sisko's desk, had actor Keone Young on the front, in character, but showed "Trek" model maker Gregory Jein, who invented the "history" of the character, on the back. The pair bore an uncanny resemblance to each other.
  
  
• The design of Ops incorporates ideas that were considered but dropped for The Bridge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987), such as the upper level office, the briefing table in the center of the room, and the transporter being built into the set.
  
  
• The Bajoran monetary system uses the Lita as currency. The Lita is actually the name of the currency of Lithuania.
  
  
• Malcolm McDowell once said he'd like to appear on DS9, but only if his nephew - Alexander Siddig (who plays DS9's Dr. Bashir) - would direct the episode. Unfortunately, this never panned out, mostly due to scheduling conflicts.
  
  
• Wolf 359, mentioned as the battle site between the Borg and the Federation where Sisko lost his wife, is a real star that is 7.5 light-years from Earth.
  
  
• On occasion, sets from "Star Trek: Voyager" (1995) are used as other Starfleet locales. (For example: a holosuite grid in the episode "Inquisition", the entire U.S.S. Bellerophon [which was an Intrepid-class starship just as Voyager is] in the episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges.")
  
  
• The character 'Benjamin Sisko' was ranked #50 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" (20 June 2004 issue).
  
  
• The 'Star Trek Crews' from all the Star Trek series were ranked #2 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (1 August 2004 issue).
  
  
• Sisko's middle name is Lafayette.
  
  
• The name of the alien race "Ferengi" is derived from the Persian word for "foreigner", which is Farangi.
  
  
• The Bajoran spiritual leader is known as the Kai. This is likely derived from the Japanese word "Kai" which means 'change'.
  
  
• Among the actors to read for the role of Captain Sisko was Eriq La Salle who would later be cast as Dr. Peter Benton in ER. James Earl Jones and Tony Todd were also offered the role. Todd (who originally appeared as Worf's brother Kurn on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)) would make two appearances on this series--both during Season Four; first as an elderly Jake Sisko in "The Visitor" (#4.02) and he also reprises his role of Kurn in "Sons of Mogh" (#4.14).
  
  
• The role of Jadzia Dax was initially offered to Famke Janssen, whose character makeup from "Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Perfect Mate (#5.21)" (1992) inspired the change in Trill character makeup from a forehead prosthetic. Both she and Michelle Forbes (see above) turned down the roles in order to remain available to appear in feature films.
  
  
• The character Elim Garak is a former spy who works as a tailor on the station. In many of 'John Le Carré''s spy novels a tailor is one of the main characters (and is often also acting as a spy). "The Tailor of Panama" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" are two examples.
  
  
• Carl Weathers auditioned for the role of Captain Benjamin Sisko.
  
  
• Benjamin Sisko is the only Captain in a Star Trek series that didn't start out as a Captain at the beginning of the series. From Seasons 1-3, Sisko held the rank of Commander. It wasn't until the Season 3 finale, where he was finally promoted to Captain.
  
  
• Avery Brooks (Commander/Captain Benjamin Sisko) is the only actor to appear in all 175 episodes of the series.
  
  
• The primary design of Deep Space Nine is based off a gyroscope, but with the top and bottom parts removed. Some of the earlier designs of DS9 by Herman F. Zimmerman had complete hoops, also like a gyroscope.
  
  
• Executive Producer/Co-Creator Michael Piller said that when coming up for an idea for the series concept of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993), there were initially three ideas toted around: Another starship adventure, a space station concept, and a remote frontier colony. The frontier colony idea was briefly considered, with the idea that since "Star Trek" (1966) was compared to "Horatio Hornblower" in outer space, the new series would be compared to "Gunsmoke", but on a remote planet. The frontier colony idea was eventually dropped since it would've required a lot of on-location shooting, and the space station idea was ultimately developed instead.
  
  
• The appearance of the Trill symbiont is different from when it initially appeared on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) in the episode "The Host" (#4.23). In that episode, the symbiont's appearance was made to resemble a caterpillar with the head of an octopus. According to Make-Up Supervisor Michael Westmore, the symbiont was re-made for this series to be more "stream-lined" to make it easier to handle.
  
  
• According to numerous episodes, time on the Deep Space Nine space station is based on the length of a standard Bajoran day, which is 26 hours.
  
  
• Although all Star Trek series dealt with complex social issues, Deep Space Nine had darker undertones and seriously dealt with genocide, terrorism, bigotry, racism, shell shock and the consequences of war much more than other Star Trek series.
  
  

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