This tall leading man with a Cheshire cat grin and an engagingly relaxed quality is best known as Commander Riker, Captain Picard's 'Number One' man, on the syndicated sci-fi smash, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-94). A Pennsylvania native, Frakes began his career on stage at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He landed in NYC where he continued to hone his craft in such theatrical productions as the musical "Shenandoah". Frakes began landing roles on TV in the late 1970s and has since found plenty of work in miniseries. His stalwart, manly charm has adorned the
