Biography

Charles Washburn was born on May 1, 1938 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an assistant director and production manager, known for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) and The Six Million Dollar Man (1974). He died on April 13, 2012 in Tarzana, California, USA.

Earned the nickname "Charlie Star Trek" for his early work on the legendary TV series Star Trek (1966).

Was the first African-American to apply for and graduate from the Directors Guild of America's assistant directors training program.

[on racism of his early days looking for work] I had interviewed to be an AD [asst. director] at an NBC affiliate, because some production friends told me they wanted to hire a black for the control room. But they never called me back. Months later I wrote to my friend asking who got the job and he said, "Charlie, they didn't hire anyone. They never intended to. They just wanted to be able tell people they were looking for a Negro".

[on his early days in the television industry] When I started at Desilu, there were only three black employees on the whole lot . . . Nichelle Nichols, myself and the guy who had the food truck--who closed it up after lunch and then shined shoes.