Star Trek: Enterprise Writer and Producer Manny Coto Is Dead At 62

Image: Paramount Global.

JULY 12, 2023 – Variety calls him “one of primetime’s most prominent Latino writers and showrunners.” Memory Alpha notes that producers Brannon Braga and Rick Berman said that he “saved [Star Trek: Enterprise].” Writer, producer, and director Manny Coto died on Sunday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 62.

Coto grew up in Orlando, Florida after immigrating with his mother from Cuba as an infant. His father was a physician who was able to follow them months later. He attended Loyola University and the American Film Institute and moved to Los Angeles in 1983.

Coto grew up a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series and was finally able to work in the franchise when he was brought on for season three of Enterprise, for which he wrote several episodes. He became the showrunner for season four, Enterprise’s last season. He also continued to write for the show.

Outside of Star Trek, Coto wrote, directed, and executive produced in film and television. He is known in particular for his work on 24, American Horror Story, and Dexter. In 2005, he shared in the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for season five of 24.

Coto’s survivors include his wife, visual effects supervisor Robin Trickett, and four children.

Please join us in offering our condolences to the family and friends of Manuel Hector Coto, and for more on his life and career, head over to Variety.

And as a reminder, the Star Trek community is involved in the fight against pancreatic cancer. This fight continues, in which you can aid via the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.