William Shatner may be most recognizable as Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek: The Original Series, but he had starred in an iconic horror television episode three years before. Alongside Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, William Shatner helped make Captain Kirk one of the most recognizable figures in science fiction. Shatner began his acting career in the 1950s, appearing in Canadian television shows and stage productions. He later moved to New York City and began making a name for himself on American television, with guest appearances on several popular shows, including The Howdy Doody Show and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

One of William Shatner’s most well-known television appearances outside of Star Trek came in a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone. Created and hosted by Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone was an anthology series featuring sci-fi and horror stories that usually ended with a twist and a moral lesson. Many best episodes of horror television of all time.

William Shatner Starred In The Twilight Zone's "Nightmare At 20,000 Feet" 3 Years Before Star Trek's Debut

William Shatner Played A Man Afraid Of Flying Before He Took Command Of The USS Enterprise

The Twilight Zone Nightmare at 20,000 Feet with William Shatner

Three years before Star Trek: The Original Series premiered, William Shatner starred in The Twilight Zone season 5, episode 3, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, the episode follows airplane enger Robert Wilson (Shatner), who sees a strange and terrifying creature on the plane's wing. Every time Wilson tries to point out the creature to his wife or one of the flight attendants, the monster is nowhere to be seen. Wilson had previously had a nervous breakdown on a plane, and his wife begins to think he needs to return to the mental institution.

William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek
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Wilson eventually takes matters into his own hands, stealing a police officer's revolver, opening an emergency exit, and shooting at the creature. When the plane lands, Wilson is carted away to an institution, while the camera reveals real damage to the plane’s engine. William Shanter helps make Robert Wilson a compelling character, and he’s part of the reason why this episode continues to endure. Shatner continued appearing in television shows and films throughout the early 1960s until he landed the role of Captain Kirk in 1966, and science fiction was changed forever.

"Nightmare At 20,000 Feet" Is One Of The Twilight Zone's Best-Ever Horror Episodes

The Episode Remains One Of The Twilight Zone's Most Referenced, Parodied, And Remade Stories

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” deals with the fear of losing one's mind, but also the paranoia of being right when no one believes you. It remains an entertaining and upsetting episode of television even today, and is one of The Twilight Zone’s most parodied and referenced episodes. As an anxious flyer, the idea of a creature messing with a plane, particularly at high altitude, is terrifying enough on its own. This is, of course, made so much worse by the fact that only one person sees the creature and no one believes him.

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” has been remade twice — in 1983 as part of Twilight Zone: The Movie, and again in 2019 as part of Jordan Peele's Twilight Zone reboot series.

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" taps into relatable fears, like the fear of flying, that remain relevant today. In some ways, the episode also foreshadows William Shatner's future as the heroic Captain Kirk. On the one hand, it's funny that Wilson has a fear of flying, considering Shatner will soon be captain of a starship. But Wilson is also the unsung hero of the story, as he saves the plane and its other engers from the very real damage caused by the creature.

William Shatner Appeared In Another Classic Twilight Zone Episode Before "Nightmare At 20,000 Feet"

William Shatner Also Appeared In The Season 2 Episode, "Nick Of Time"

William Shatner in Twilight Zone Nick of Time

Although “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" is his most well-known episode, William Shatner had previously appeared in an earlier episode of The Twilight Zone — season 2, episode 7, "Nick of Time." Shatner plays Don Carter, who arrives at a diner with his wife while traveling to their honeymoon. At the table is a fortune-telling machine that answers yes or no questions for a penny. Don becomes obsessed with the machine, as its predictions appear to be correct. His wife eventually convinces him to leave, saying that they can make their own future regardless of what the so-called seer says.

As Don and his wife leave, an older couple enters the diner and frantically begin asking the seer questions, proving that some others weren't so lucky. While "Nick of Time" is a solid episode of The Twilight Zone, it's not quite as frightening or memorable as "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." Still, "Nick of Time" offers a fascinating exploration of anxiety and the paralysis that can accompany decision-making. William Shatner helped make both of these Twilight Zone episodes memorable, before his most famous Star Trek: The Original Series launched him to another level of stardom.