Beatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth (born 31 December 1958; age 65) is the actress who played the role of Lanel in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fourth season episode "First Contact". Neuwirth's scene was written in late with her in mind for the role. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 156) She filmed her scenes on Friday 7 December 1990 and Tuesday 11 December 1990 on Paramount Stage 16. On 7 December she had a makeup call at 6:00 am and the call sheet for this day features the note that she was unavailable between 10:00 am and 1:30 pm because of a Cheers rehearsal. Neuwirth herself is a big Star Trek fan. (Michael Piller, "Inside the Star Trek Archives – "First Contact", TNG Season 4 DVD special feature)
Neuwirth was interviewed by Ian Spelling for the article "Bebe Neuwirth's First Contact", published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine issue 20, p. 6. On how she was cast, Neuwirth explains, "I guess they got wind of the fact that I'm a Trekkie and that I would love to do their show. Something came up that they felt I could do it. They sent it over and I jumped at it. It was basically one scene, and I had a ball doing it."
Career[]
She is perhaps best known for her role as Frasier Crane's wife and later ex-wife Lilith Sternin on the hit television series Cheers, along with Kelsey Grammer, Kirstie Alley and Bebe Neuwirth, and its spin-off Frasier, appeared alongside Brent Spiner in 2003. She played the lead role of ADA Tracey Kibre in Law & Order: Trial by Jury in 2005. Neuwirth is also an accomplished performer in musical theater, having won Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her role of Velma Kelly in the Broadway revival of Chicago (with Joel Grey).