Craig Huxley

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Craig Huxley

Craig Huxley (also known as Craig Hundley; born 1954 [1] ) is an actor, inventor, and musician.

Contents

As a tween he began acting during the 1960s, portraying Peter James Kirk, Captain Kirk's nephew in the Star Trek TOS S1 Finale episode "Operation Annihilate!" (1967). [1] [2] The following year, he played a different role in the episode "And the Children Shall Lead" (1968). [2] [3] As well as guest-starring in Bewitched (1965), The Brady Bunch (1969), Kung Fu (1972), and The Streets of San Francisco (1972). [1] [4]

Beginning his career as a child prodigy pianist, Huxley at age 14 gained early fame leading the Craig Hundley Trio, which released albums on World Pacific Records and won the NBC Showcase 68 competition alongside Sly and the Family Stone. [4] His first album, Arrival of a Young Giant, was a trio album by Hundley (piano), Jay Jay Wiggins (bass), and Gary Chase (drums) that was released in 1968. [5] Craig Hundley Plays with the Big Boys, from the following year, had a big band added to the trio. [6] The 1969 release, Rhapsody in Blue, also featured a big band, and included Larry Carlton on guitar. [7]

Huxley has performed on over 6,000 recording sessions, contributed to more than 150 film and television soundtracks—including Thriller by Michael Jackson (1982), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and Dead Poets Society (1989)—and composed original scores for projects like Americana (1981). [4] An Emmy Award-winning producer and Grammy Award nominee, he founded Enterprise Studios in Los Angeles, one of the city's largest recording complexes, and founded Sling Shot Entertainment; he has also produced the first DVD released in the United States and collaborated with artists such as David Bowie and Prince. [4] [8] [9]

Huxley invented a musical instrument – an 18 ft. aluminum refinement he named blaster beam – in the 1970s. [1] [10] His design was patented in 1984. [11] The instrument was featured in the soundtrack to Star Trek: The Motion Picture , [10] James Cameron's "Aliens", [4] David Fincher's "Aliens 3" [4] and Huxley played it for the soundtrack to 10 Cloverfield Lane . [12]

In 1985, Huxley established The Enterprise Studios, a music recording studio complex in Burbank, California. [9] [1]

Early life

Craig Huxley was born Craig Hundley on November 22, 1954, in Sherman Oaks, California. [4]

He grew up in Los Angeles during a time when the entertainment industry was prominent, providing early exposure to music and acting opportunities. [13]

Childhood Prodigy Development

Huxley demonstrated early aptitude for both acting and music, emerging as a multifaceted child talent in Hollywood during the 1960s. He debuted in a prominent role as Peter Kirk, Captain James T. Kirk's nephew, in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Operation—Annihilate!" aired in 1967 (at age 12). [4] This marked the start of several guest appearances on popular television shows, including "Gunsmoke" (1966), "The Virginian" (1965), "The Flying Nun" (1968), and "Lassie [4] " (1968), as well as "Bewitched" (1965) at age 10 where he portrayed the warlock child Merle Brocken. [4] These roles showcased his precocious screen presence and contributed to his growing visibility as a child performer, with additional appearances in "The Brady Bunch" (1971), "Run for Your Life" (1965–1968), and a multi-month stint on "Days of Our Lives" (1960s). [4]

By the mid-1960s, these combined acting and musical endeavors had amassed numerous television credits, highlighting Huxley's transition from part-time actor to dedicated young musician while still in his early teens. [14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Feather, Leonard (April 2, 1989). "The Great New Age of Craig Huxley". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  2. 1 2 DeCandido, Keith R.A.(June 3, 2016). "Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch: "And the Children Shall Lead"". Tor.com. Retrieved March 4, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ "Where Are They Now? - Mark Robert Brown". StarTrek.com. September 9, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Craig Huxley | Music Department, Actor, Composer". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
  5. ↑ "WPS-21880 Craig Hundley Trio – Arrival of a Young Giant". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "WPS-21896 Craig Hundley Plays with the Big Boys". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  7. ↑ "WPS-21900 Craig Hundley – Rhapsody in Blue". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Craig Huxley". Discogs. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
  9. 1 2 Droney, Maureen (June 1, 1999). "Facility Spotlight: The Enterprise Soars On". Mix. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  10. 1 2 Kale, Sirin (February 13, 2017). "In Search of the Orgasm Note, the Mythic Note That Makes Women Come". vice.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Beam and cylinder sound instrument". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. June 1998. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  12. ↑ Truitt, Brian (May 29, 2016). "'10 Cloverfield Lane' composer gets crash course in Blaster Beam". USA Today. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Ultravillage | A collector's guide to underground new age and ambient music". Ultravillage. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
  14. ↑ Feather, Leonard (1989-04-02). "The Great New Age of Craig Huxley". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
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