George Takei is Sulu, helmsman on the starship U.S.S. Enterprise in the science fiction adventure Star Trek.
He was born in the Boyle Heights district of Los Angeles and lived there until World War II when his family was relocated in Arkansas. Takei began his college education as an architecture student at the University of California at Berkeley. He later transferred to the Los Angeles Campus of the university, majoring in Theatre Arts with a minor in Latin American Studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1960. While a student at U.C.L.A. Takei made his professional debut, in a Playhouse 90 Production. Concurrent with his studies he furthered his training as an actor at the Desilu Workshop.
In 1962 George traveled to New York for what he describes as "the time honored actor's ritual of existence in cold water flats, off Broadway plays, odd jobs, an occasional live TV appearance but, mostly, stark, unadulterated experience." Takei then returned to Hollywood to pursue his career. Discovering that Hollywood was generous with leisure time despite the most frenetic efforts, he returned to U.C.L.A. garnering his Masters Degree in Theatre in 1964.
During his “leisure time" Takei racked up credits on such television shows as Perry Mason, Hawaiian Eye, The Islanders, Alcoa Premiere, Checkmate, Mr. Novak, The Wackiest Ship in the Amy, I Spy, The John Forsythe Show and and many more. During the 1966-67 season of Star Trek, he managed to work in a guest appearance on the popular Mission: Impossible series. His motion picture credits include Ice Palace, A Majority of One, Red Line 7000, Hell to Eternity, An American Dream, Walk Don't Run and The Green Berets.
George resides in Hollywood and lists his hobbies as hiking, camping, swimming, reading, cycling and painting.