Posted on 09/16/2018 9:58:26 AM PDT by ETL
NEW YORK — The original "Star Trek" series is one of the most popular sci-fi series of all time. But for years, it was a flop that left William Shatner performing out of the back of his truck.
"Star Trek" broke countless boundaries, solidified science fiction in popular culture, and sparked a relationship with fans for 50 years and counting, and it remains one of the most beloved television shows in history. But it wasn't always this way.
On Sept. 5, Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk in the series, joined the podcast "The James Altucher Show" on stage here at the comedy club StandUp NY to discuss his new book, "Live Long And …: What I Learned Along the Way" (Thomas Dunne Books, 2018). Space.com attended the event, where Shatner also discussed the show's difficult early years. Indeed, "Star Trek" wasn't an instant success.
"We were being canceled every year … They were canceling, and they weren't canceling," Shatner recalled during the podcast. "The third year, we limped along Friday nights." And, after the third season, the show was canceled.
In the months and years following the cancellation of "Star Trek," Shatner and the rest of the cast weren't given many offers, jobs or accolades. In fact, as Shatner explained during the taping, after the show was canceled, he toured around the East Coast in his truck, producing, directing and acting in his own performances, often with other known actors.
"I had a truck; I put a cab on the back of the truck, took my dog, and I drove across the country," Shatner said. "I toured these 13 weeks, lived in the back of the thing.
"I did star in 'Star Trek,' and I was living in the back of a truck," Shatner added, laughing. He performed funny, theatrical comedies and other acts that were popular at the time. Shatner recalled that he started to notice people paying attention to "Star Trek" while at a ski lodge where a blooper reel from the show — originally made as a personal gift to cast members — was playing.
As network executives continued to see interest from the public, Shatner said, "Star Trek" reruns began to play more often on television, and at more popular times. Obviously, the series eventually took off and became astronomically popular and internationally beloved.
Still, the actors whose faces and names will forever live in the sci-fi hall of fame struggled financially because they were not getting residuals from the series, Shatner said. Without delving too far into actor compensation and how unionization gave later actors more financial security, Shatner noted that "saying yes" helped him to survive and continues to help him thrive and lead an incredible life. As he put it, "Saying yes to the various things in your life is critically important."
Indeed, Shatner is no stranger to saying "yes." The face behind Capt. James T. Kirk has said "yes" to everything from writing, to music, to sending a message to NASA Voyager probes.
“Litter bin” is horribly tinny.
I remember her from “Make Room For Daddy”. She sure grew up.
That outfit that she was almost wearing was something else.
Jackson’s costume basically consisted of just two crossing strips of cloth. William Ware Theiss was the costume designer, and his theory was that an outfit that appeared that it might let something slip can be far more sexy than even a nude woman. He applied his theory with gusto in designing the costumes on that show.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheissTitillationTheory
It allegedly caused a near riot on the set. William Shatner supposedly kept hitting on the actress during the whole shoot.
Another example was the toga worn by Lieutenant Carolyn Palamas in the episode ‘Who Mourns for Adonais?’. That thing was even hotter: It was a single swath of cloth draped across her breasts and slung over her shoulder, held up by seemingly nothing but gravity. It appeared it could fall off at any moment. (Actually it was carefully taped on.)
An illustration of the costuming technique applied, in the form of an image of Lieutenant Carolyn Palamas attired as referenced, would be helpful.
I watched that on YouTube several weeks ago. I’d heard about it and always wanted to see it. The biggest takeaway for me was how were they going to turn that into a series?
*AGGGGGH!*
Obviously the networks had the same question!
Impressive.
Sherry Jackson appeared in an especially dopey episode of another favorite sci-fi series of mine, Lost In Space. She played a space hillbilly in an episode involving, believe it or not, werewolves. It was a black and white from the first season.
Old western shows tended to recycle the same plot lines- bank robbers, evil cattle or mining barons, Indians on the warpath, desperadoes on the run, etc- but you could shoot stories in town on standing backlot sets, or out on the trail on location again on existing backlot “wilderness.” With shows like Cheyenne of Maverick the hero moved from town to town, so he could be in different setting every week, even if they fell into a few basic permutations. Westerns like Bonanza and Gunsmoke could always have the gypsy troupe, smooth talking European gambler, or Chinese immigrant add some color to the presentation.
Star Trek offered the possibility of creating whole new worlds, even if by season three they were retreads of different periods of Earth history.
I suppose Shatner as Alexander could have conquered Persia one week, India the next, and so on. But there would have been no budget to recreate ancient cities, though I guess you could use more stock establishing shots from other films. But I think they'd have have basically wound up on dusty roads and encampments every week.
A couple of other recurring scenarios were the hunter who looks to hunt the most dangerous game, man. Actually this one has really been overdone.
The other is the Civil War POW veterans looking for the cruel prison camp commandant.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Lots of CW plot lines in old westerns. The CW vet wrongly accused of cowardice (the whole show Branded was built on that premise), the CW vet dealing with guilt from his troops dying in battle, the CW vet who returns when everyone thought he had died, and the one who runs into his old lover who married another man when we went off to war. No end to plowing that field!
A lot of political intrigue went between Alexander, his father (when A was still a prince!), his mother, factions in the court, the city states of Greece, other kingdoms right up to his death. Doubtful if 1960s Hollywood TV writers could have handled that level of sophistication and made it watchable. Most “Sword & Sandal” movies back then was muscle guys flexing, Shatner & West certainly couldn’t pull enough of that off for a series.
Also in the CW scenarios & even TV series Southerners were treated with respect an honorable but defeated foe. Now they’re the Waffen SS!
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