What if Hunter didn't quit "Star Trek"?

[Teankun1]

Back in the late 90's my dad was watching a black and white film about a white boy who was raised by a Japanese-American family just prior to World War II and serves in the Pacific due to his knowledge of the language. Earlier this year, I decided to check it out. The movie is Hell to Eternity and it is based on a true story (although in real life he was Chicano).

In the opening credits I saw the name of "George Takei” which I thought was interesting, but I was stunned when I saw the adult version of the main character. I thought He's from "Star Trek" too. The actor was Jeffrey Hunter who some of you may know played the role of Captain Christopher Pike in the unaired pilot "The Cage" which made into the two-part episode "The Menagerie."
I was curious of what happened to his acting career and was sad to find out after quitting "Trek" both his career and his health declined and he died of a stroke at the ripe age of 43 (practically still a kid).

It makes me wonder what would have happened if Hunter did not quit. I am not saying he would not have died so soon, but he would likely have made a greater impression on the franchise possibly even officially passing the torch to Shatner. Of course, the question also arises what would have happened to: Majel Barrett who played Pike’s “Number One” prior to Nurse Chapel, John Hoyt as Dr. Phillip Boyce, and Laurel Goodwin as Yeoman J.M. Colt

Any other insights?

[TOSDOC]

I'm not sure what you mean--is it if Jeffrey Hunter stayed on with his crew in a continuation of the Cage pilot, or taking this crew in the direction the TOS crew did?

The Cage was a great story, but the characters weren't quite fleshed out as well as TOS. That's not a criticism, it is a pilot after all, but compare the two pilots and what do you see?
Spock's character was split between two different characters, and he would have gone in a completely different direction had it remained so. Pike was too troubled by the responsibilities of being a captain, while Kirk embraced them. He seemed highly intelligent, but a bit morose. I can understand why the studio would have liked a few changes, and I'm not sorry the changes made got the series on the air. I'm not certain the interpersonal dynamic between the characters would have been the same, or taken longer to flesh out if they worked at all.

I thought Laurel Goodwin was a hottie, tho. I miss her.

[ronindave]

I think he would have done a competent job as ship captain but let's face it love him or hate him Shatner helped to make the show memorable. His particular demeanor fit serious and ridiculous situations that the Enterprise found themselves in whether facing Klingons or Abe Lincoln in space

[Borgholio]

Ok that's two so far today...what is it "Necro Friday"?