Corey Allen, who enjoyed a long career as an actor and an even longer one as a TV director, died June 27 at the age of 75.

His obituary in the Los Angeles Times focuses on his role in that cinematic landmark Rebel Without A Cause, playing the gang leader who challenged James Dean to a “chicken run.”

Allen later went to work behind the camera, winning an Emmy for outstanding directing in a drama series for an episode of Hill Street Blues (1984).

And — of most interest to fans, Allen directed the two-hour TV pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation, plus other episodes in the series, and some episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.