Jerry Fleck facts for kids

Jerry Fleck (born November 4, 1947 – died September 14, 2003) was an American assistant director. He was super famous for working on the Star Trek TV shows and movies for over eleven years!

Jerry Fleck: Early Life and Dreams

Jerry Fleck was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Ed and Joan Fleck. In 1955, his family moved to Santa Barbara, California.

During school, Jerry was very active. He became the student government president. He also earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

Jerry loved performing. He acted in school plays. Later, he joined the Santa Barbara Youth Theater. He studied at Santa Barbara City College. There, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to go to the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York City.

Jerry later graduated from California State Long Beach. He earned a degree in Theater Arts and production. Guess what? He was in the same graduating class as famous director Steven Spielberg!

Jerry's Amazing Career in TV and Movies

After college, Jerry acted in many plays. He performed in "dinner theater" shows all over America. Then, he joined a TV production team. This team was called Sunn Classic Pictures.

He worked on TV series like The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. On that show, he met James L. Conway. They would later work together on the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, called "Broken Bow".

What Does an Assistant Director Do?

An assistant director helps the main director. They make sure everything runs smoothly on set. They help plan the filming schedule. They also manage the cast and crew. It's a very important job!

Jerry's Work on Other Popular Shows

As an assistant director, Jerry worked on many other TV shows. These included Hardcastle and McCormick, The A-Team, and Hunter. He also worked on big movies. These were Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice.

Joining the Star Trek Family

Jerry Fleck joined Star Trek: The Next Generation. He started as the first assistant director. This was the beginning of a long journey. He spent over eleven years working on the Star Trek universe!

He continued his work on other Star Trek series. These included Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise. He also worked on Star Trek movies. These were Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection. Both movies were directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Remembering Jerry Fleck

Jerry Fleck sadly passed away on September 14, 2003. He had a heart attack at his home. At the time, he was working on the Enterprise episode "North Star".

When the news came out, production on Enterprise stopped. This was on September 15, to show respect for Jerry. The episode "Extinction" was shown 10 days after he died. It was dedicated to his memory.

Scott Bakula, who starred in Enterprise, said something special. He said, "It was a terrible, sad day for everyone involved with Star Trek. Jerry was, in many ways, the heart and soul of the entire team, and he will be always remembered, and greatly missed."

Jerry is remembered by his family. This includes his daughter, Emily Fleck. Also his stepson, Simon Stotler. And his wife, Katy Fleck. He is also survived by his sister, JoAnne Michels, and his brother, Michael Fleck.