Acting · Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, USA · Born August 19, 1952
Jonathan Scott Frakes (born August 19, 1952) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Commander (later Captain) William T. Riker in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent films and series. He has also hosted the series Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, voiced David Xanatos in the Disney animated series Gargoyles, and narrated the History Channel documentary, Lee and Grant. His other well known TV roles are as Stanley Hazard on the miniseries North and South, Sandy Parris on ABC's Paper Dolls, Marcus Marshall on NBC's Bare Essence, and Damon Ross, a recurring character on Falcon Crest. He began directing episodes of The Next Generation during its third season, and went on to direct the feature films Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and episodes of the later Star Trek series Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and Picard. He later directed the feature films Clockstoppers (2002) and Thunderbirds (2004). He has since directed prolifically for television, including for The Librarian television films and series, Leverage, Burn Notice, and Roswell (of which he is also a producer). He is the credited author of the novel The Abductors: Conspiracy, which was ghostwritten by Dean Wesley Smith. He has been married to actress Genie Francis since 1988 and they have 2 children.
TVThe Mighty Nein
2025
as Zeenoth (voice)
TVThe D-Con Chamber
2024
as Self
MovieButterfly in the Sky
2024
as Self (archive footage)
MovieA Biltmore Christmas
2023
as Winston
TVStar Trek: very Short Treks
2023
as Riker (voice)
MovieStar Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event
2023
as Captain William Riker
TVThe Shuttlepod Show
2022
as Self
MovieCatwoman: Hunted
2022
as King Faraday / Boss Moxie (voice)
TVStar Trek Day
2020
as Self
TVStar Trek: Lower Decks
2020
as William T. Riker (voice)
TVStar Trek: Picard
2020
as William Riker
TVHow to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)
2019
as Jonathan Frakes
TVThe Ready Room
2019
as Self
MovieDevil's Gate
2018
as Sheriff Gruenwell
TVAfter Trek
2017
MovieHeroes Manufactured
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Movie50 Years of Star Trek
2016
as Self
TVAngie Tribeca
2016
as Commandant Van Zandt
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
2014
as Cmdr. Will Riker
MovieChaos on the Bridge
2014
as Self
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command
2014
as Cmdr. Will Riker
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - Unification
2013
as Cmdr. Will Riker
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption
2013
as Cmdr. Will Riker
TVThe Captains Close Up
2013
as Self
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
2013
as Cmdr. William Riker (archive footage)
MovieReunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation
2012
as Self
MovieMegaquake 10.0
2012
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Captains
2011
as Self
MovieLee & Grant
2011
as Narrator (voice)
MovieTruth Be Told
2011
as Radio Sound Engineer
TVNCIS: Los Angeles
2009
as Navy Commander Dr. Stanfill (uncredited)
TVThe Super Hero Squad Show
2009
as High Evolutionary (voice)
TVGlenn Martin, DDS
2009
as Peter (voice)
TVThat's Impossible!
2009
as Narrator (voice)
MovieStar Trek: The Captain's Summit
2009
as Self
TVCastle
2009
as Richard Castle Fan
MovieThe Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice
2008
as Trombone Player in Marching Band (uncredited)
MovieStar Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
2007
as Self
MovieThe Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines
2006
as Debra's Husband
MovieAlien Autopsy
2006
as Self
MovieHow William Shatner Changed the World
2005
as Self
TVCriminal Minds
2005
as Dr. Arthur Malcolm
No Strings Attached: The Making of Thunderbirds
2004
as Self
MovieStar Trek: Nemesis
2002
as Commander William T. Riker
MovieClockstoppers
2002
as Bystander
TVStar Trek: Enterprise
2001
as Commander William T. Riker
MovieGhosts Caught on Tape: Fact or Fiction?
2000
as Narrator (voice)
TVRoswell
1999
as Jonathan Frakes (uncredited)
TVThe Lot
1999
as Roland White
MovieDying to Live
1999
as Will
TVFuturama
1999
as Jonathan Frakes (voice)
TVFamily Guy
1999
as Commander William T. Riker (voice)
MovieStar Trek: Insurrection
1998
as Commander William T. Riker
TVOh Baby
1998
as Don
MovieTrekkies
1997
as Self
TVBeyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
1997
as Self - Host
MovieStar Trek: First Contact
1996
as Commander William T. Riker
MovieStar Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
as Self
MovieBrothers of the Frontier
1996
as Ben Frye
The Paranormal Borderline
1996
as Host
TV3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
as Larry
MovieTime Travel Through the Bible
1995
as Time Traveler
MovieAlien Autopsy: (Fact or Fiction?)
1995
as Self - Host
MovieGargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken
1995
as Xanatos (voice)
TVStar Trek: Voyager
1995
as Commander William T. Riker
TVCybill
1995
as Jonathan Frakes
MovieStar Trek: Generations
1994
as Commander William T. Riker
TVGargoyles
1994
as David Xanatos (voice)
MoviePhish: Tracking
1994
MovieCamp Nowhere
1994
as Bob Spiegel (uncredited)
MovieJourney's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
1994
as Host / Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation Viewer's Choice Marathon
1994
as Self - Host
TVLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
as Tim Lake
TVStar Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Thomas Riker
MovieYour Guide to Star Trek: Generations
1993
as Self
Roswell: Coverups & Close Encounters
1992
as Narrator (voice)
MovieStar Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
1991
as Self
TVWings
1990
as Gavin Rutledge
MovieFriend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief
1989
as Self
MovieThe Cover Girl and the Cop
1989
as Joshua Boyleston
MovieThe Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
1988
as Self
TVStar Trek: The Next Generation
1987
as William T. Riker
TVNutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder
1987
as Rosen
TVDream West
1986
as Lt. Archibald Gillespie
TVMatlock
1986
as Mr. Park
TVNorth and South
1985
as Stanley Hazard
TVThe Twilight Zone
1985
as Steve (segment "But Can She Type?")
TVPaper Dolls
1984
as Sandy Parris
TVHighway to Heaven
1984
as Arthur Krock, Jr.
TVFive Mile Creek
1983
as Adam Scott
TVBare Essence
1983
as Marcus Marshall
TVBare Essence
1982
as Marcus Marshall
TVVoyagers!
1982
as Charles Lindbergh
TVHotel
1982
as Ted Travers
TVFalcon Crest
1981
as Damon Ross
TVThe Fall Guy
1981
as Connors
TVHere's Boomer
1981
as Philip
Harper Valley P.T.A.
1981
as Clutch Breath
TVHill Street Blues
1981
as Eddie Sims
MovieThe Night the City Screamed
1980
as Richard Hawkins
TVI'm a Big Girl Now
1980
TVIt's a Living
1980
as Steve
TVBeulah Land
1980
as Adam Davis
TVParis
1979
TVHart to Hart
1979
as Adam Blake
MovieBeach Patrol
1979
as Marty Green
TVThe Dukes of Hazzard
1979
as Jamie Lee Hogg
TVThe White Shadow
1978
as Basketball Player
TVFantasy Island
1978
as Kirk
TVEight Is Enough
1977
as Chapper
TVQuincy, M.E.
1976
as Leon Bohannon
TVCharlie's Angels
1976
as Brad
TVBarnaby Jones
1973
as David Douglas
TVThe Waltons
1972
as Ashley Longworth Jr.
Holograms All the Way Down
as Commander William T. Riker
A Grand Biltmore Christmas
as Winston
