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Steve Ihnat (7 August 193412 May 1972; age 37) was the actor, writer, and director who played Fleet Captain Garth in the Star Trek: The Original Series third season episode "Whom Gods Destroy". He filmed his scenes between Tuesday 15 October 1968 and Tuesday 22 October 1968 at Desilu Stage 9 and Stage 10.

He was born in Czechoslovakia but immigrated to Canada with his family after the country had been invaded by Nazi Germany, when he was five years old. In the 1950s, he moved to the United States to pursue an acting career.

On television, Ihnat guest-starred on several episodes of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, and The F.B.I., the latter of which starred fellow Original Series guest performer Stephen Brooks. One of Ihnat's later appearances on The F.B.I. (after Brooks left the show) featured several other Original Series guest stars: Paul Carr, Clint Howard, Richard Evans, and Paul Fix.

In 1963, Ihnat guest-starred on the western television series Temple Houston, which starred Jeffrey Hunter in the title role. Ihnat again worked with Hunter on the 1965 film Brainstorm.

Ihnat worked frequently with director James Goldstone between 1964 and 1966. Their first collaboration was an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, along with Jill Ireland and David Opatoshu. This was followed by a two-parter of The Outer Limits and episodes of The Fugitive, Rawhide (with John Anderson), Perry Mason, Blue Light, and The Iron Horse. On the latter, Ihnat again worked with Original Series regular James Doohan.

In 1965, Ihnat was the star of an unsold pilot called Police Story, written by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Original Series stars DeForest Kelley and Grace Lee Whitney had supporting roles in this pilot, as did Original Series guest star Malachi Throne. The pilot was eventually aired in 1967.

Ihnat also made appearances in a handful of films. One of his earliest films was one which he co-wrote, Strike Me Deadly (1963). He later had a supporting role in The Chase (1966), followed by a role in In Like Flint (1967, working with for the first time with his Original Series co-star Yvonne Craig).

Ihnat next played Andy Warshaw in Hour of the Gun (1967, with William Windom, William Schallert, Monte Markham, Robert Phillips, and Dave Perna, and featured music by Jerry Goldsmith. Ihnat then had a role in Countdown (1968, which featured music by Leonard Rosenman, which was followed by Madigan that same year. The latter also starred fellow Trek alumni Michael Dunn, Lloyd Haynes, and Gloria Calomee.

After working with director Richard Colla on the 1969 TV movie The Whole World Is Watching, Ihnat and Colla reteamed for Zig Zag (1970) and Fuzz (1972). Both of these films co-starred Stewart Moss; the former also featured William Marshall and Vic Perrin. Fuzz proved to be Ihnat's last feature film appearance.

Ihnat also wrote and directed a pair of films, 1970's Do Not Throw Cushions Into the Ring and 1972's The Honkers. He starred in the former film along with Sally Carter, whom he married on 23 May 1970.

A heart attack claimed Steve Ihnat's life in 1972; he was only 37 years old. He was attending the Cannes film festival promoting The Honkers when he died. He was survived by his wife of nearly two years, Sally, and their two children. Ihnat's final work was a leading role in Hunter, a TV movie thriller which co-starred Bill Erwin, Sabrina Scharf, John Schuck, Fritz Weaver, and Jason Wingreen. This movie aired on CBS in January 1973, nearly eight months after Ihnat's death.

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