William Shatner is undeniably best known as Captain James T. Kirk, the fearless leader of Star Trek's USS Enterprise. It was a role that made him a pop culture icon, launching a career that would span decades and countless genres. But long before space travel, phasers, or sci-fi fame, Shatner’s first major step into television came in a very different setting. In 1954, as a young and relatively unknown actor, he took on a small role in the Canadian children’s show The Canadian Howdy Doody Show.

The show was the Canadian adaptation of one of the most popular American shows of its time. Through puppets, skits, and songs, the show taught young viewers valuable lessons about friendship and kindness. Shatner played Ranger Bob, a live-action host who helped guide young viewers through each episode. The role was brief, but it gave him his first real on-screen experience, and...