The handsome Dirk Benedict played the roguish Lieutenant Starbuck in the original “Battlestar Galactica,” one of two Han Solo types in the series (the other was Captain Apollo, played by the late Richard Hatch). He was the drinker/gambler/smoker of the series and the show’s most lighthearted character.

Benedict was, of course, a mainstay in 1970s and 1980s television, having appeared in many of the hit shows of the day, including “Hawaii Five-O,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “The Love Boat.” Prior to “Battlestar,” Benedict was one of the main cast members in the short-lived action series “Chopper One,” and would go on to play the dash-handsome Templeton “Faceman” Peck in the ultra-popular “The A-Team.” He would also turn up on “Murder, She Wrote,” “Baywatch,” and “Walker, Texas Ranger.” There is a 100% chance you’ve seen Benedict in something.

Benedict has stayed connected to his two biggest roles, lending his voice to a “Battlestar Galactica” video game in 2003 and providing a cameo for the 2010 “The A-Team” feature film. Prior to “Battlestar,” Benedict appeared in a few exciting B-movies, including the Twiggy thriller “W” and the reptile flick “Sssssss.”

The youngest member of the original “Battlestar Galactica” cast was Noah Hathaway, who played Boxey and served as the face of the children on the Galactica. Boxey was often seen playing with his semi-furry, semi-metallic robot dog, Muffit. Muffit was played by a chimpanzee named Evolution, a.k.a. Evie. Sadly, Evie passed away in 2004 at the age of 34, but Hathaway is still alive and kicking.

Hathaway is also known to Gen-Xers the world over as Atreyu, the young adventurer from Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 fantasy film “The NeverEnding Story.” He also played a character named Harry Potter (seriously) in the notorious 1986 horror movie “Troll.” In the mid-’80s, Hathaway more or less left acting to pursue his education, where he briefly studied dance before suffering an injury. He would move into the study of martial arts, and Hathaway is now learned in various schools and techniques of karate and Muay Thai boxing. He’ll also likely be able to fix your motorcycle for you, as he regularly builds and races his own.

Hathaway has turned up in movies since the 1980s, appearing in the 2012 cult film “Sushi Girl” and the 2018 Walter Koenig film “Blue Dream.” He also still turns up at conventions to sign autographs.

The capable Viper pilot Lieutenant Boomer was Starbuck’s best friend and stood as the logical, more pragmatic balance to the well-known party boy. Boomer was played by actor Herbert Jefferson, Jr. The story goes that Jefferson was offered the role of Boomer after the producers’ first choice, Terry Carter, was injured in a freak roller skating accident. By happenstance, Carter was also cast in “Battlestar Galactica,” but as Colonel Tigh.

Both Jefferson and Dirk Benedict would reprise their roles for “Galactica 1980.”

Jefferson had a modest acting career, having appeared in the pilot for “Airwolf” as the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise (the aircraft carrier, not the starship). He was also in the pilot for the hit series “Knight Rider.” Before “Battlestar,” Jefferson appeared in several Emmy-nominated miniseries, such as “Rich Man, Poor Man” and the 1974 TV movie “The Law” starring Judd Hirsch. Later, Jefferson appeared in two films, the 1995 Oscar-nominated hit “Apollo 13” and the virus blockbuster “Outbreak.”

Incidentally, “Outbreak” was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the director of “The NeverEnding Story.” One likes to think that Jefferson and Hathway traded stories about their old boss.

2nd Lieutenant Athena was the sister of Apollo (the late Richard Hatch) and the daughter of Adama. She oversaw a scanner on the Galactica. She was played by actress and model Maren Jensen.

Jensen didn’t have a massively prolific acting career, having shown up only in single episodes of “The Love Boat,” “Fantasy Island,” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She also appeared in the thriller “Beyond the Reef” and Wes Craven’s 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing.” After that, she retired from acting, having contracted Epstein-Barr Virus.

Jensen would go on to create her own cosmetics line, Stila Cosmetics, which is currently available at Sephora. Just a few years ago, with her business partner Laura Shoemaker, she founded the protein bar company Glow Beauty Fuel. She appeared in 21 episodes of the series.

Cassiopeia, played by Laurette Spang, was a medtech on board the Battlestar Galactica and, over the course of the series, pursued a romantic relationship with Starbuck. Cassiopeia used to work as a “socialator,” which was sci-fi speak for an escort. She carried no stigma, though, and was eventually treated with respect.

Laurette Spang became Laurette Spang-McCook in 1980. Spang-McCook began her acting career in 1972, having been spotted by a talent scout at Universal Studios. She, like many of her co-stars, worked hard on the contemporary TV circuit, and she appeared in several episodes of “Emergency!,” as well as “Happy Days,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Love Boat,” and the TV movie “Sarah T.: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic.” She appeared in one feature film (not counting the “Battlestar” features), the disaster flick “Airport 1975.”

Evidently, Cassiopeia’s profession as an escort made ABC’s executives a little antsy, and the showrunners had to change her profession to a medtech in response. Spang-McCook retired from acting in 1984.