Geordie La Forge

Geordi La Forge
Star Trek character
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
First appearance	"Encounter at Farpoint" (TNG)
Portrayed by	LeVar Burton
Information
Family	Edward La Forge (father) Silva La Forge (mother)
Species	Human
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets Starfleet
Posting	USS Enterprise-E (FCT, INS, NEM) USS Enterprise-D (Seasons 1-7, GEN)
Position	Chief Engineer (USS Enterprise-E, USS Enterprise-D - Seasons 2-7, Movies) Helmsman (USS Enterprise-D - Season 1)
Rank	Lieutenant Commander (Seasons 3-7, Movies) Lieutenant (Season 2) Lieutenant, Junior Grade (Season 1)

Edward La Forge (father)

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge /ˈdʒɔːrdi ləˈfɔːrdʒ/ is a fictional character who appeared in all seven seasons of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its four feature films. Portrayed by LeVar Burton, he served as helmsman of the USS Enterprise-D in the first season, then occupied the role of the chief engineer for the rest of the series and in the films. La Forge has been blind since birth and uses technological devices that allow him to see - a VISOR in the series and the first film, replaced by ocular prosthetic implants in the last three films.

Gene Roddenberry created the character in honor of George La Forge, a quadriplegic fan of the original Star Trek series, who died in 1975. A casting call was placed with agencies for the role, which described him as friends with Data, and specified that La Forge should have "perfect diction and might even have a Jamaican accent" and instructed those agencies not to submit "any 'street' types."