For William Shatner, Early 'Star Trek' Was Far From Glamorous

Space.com ^ | Sept 16, 2018 | Chelsea Gohd, Space.com Staff Writer

[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he started to notice people paying attention to "Star Trek" while at a ski lodge where a blooper reel from the show — originally made as a personal gift to cast members — was playing.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. 

[Billthedrill]

Good stuff, but who’s going to believe a communicator that you just flip open and start talking to people on?

[ETL]

Re: "Did you say 'get me a hunting license'?"

When Johnny went a-huntin'

"In Ohio this week, John Kerry tried to stage something for the press to show that he’s not an anti-gun elitist who looks down his nose at the voting public. But the dog-and-pony show he put on in order to hunt geese in Ohio the other day largely served as another political opportunity for the Bush campaign and the National Rifle Association to remind gun owners that few senators have been as hostile to them as Mr. Kerry.

Mr. Kerry’s Ohio hunting adventure started last Saturday, when the senator, campaign entourage in tow, went into a grocery store and asked the owner: “Can I get me a hunting license here?”

Even the phraseology sounded staged. Mr. Kerry ordinarily doesn’t talk this way, and his language sounded fake and patronizing — as if he was pretending to talk like someone from rural Ohio.", Washington Times, Oct, 2004

[ETL]

[Leep]

Not real???

[ETL]

For some reason, I couldn’t access the YouTube you linked to.

In any case, here’s something you might be interested in...

Star Trek : Kirk vs Gorn (1967) - The Filming Locations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmGquovSYys

[ETL]

[Calvin Locke]

Also lot of pretty girls.

One went on to do porn, before she found out how lucrative scifi/nostalgia conventions could be.

[Vendome]

And you go to Amazon where they claim
Frequently bought together
Live Long And . . .: What I Learned Along the Way

Fear: Trump in the White House

Buy Both:$36.70

What a load of crap. No one buys both those as bookends to each other...

[Vendome]

Probably because I’m not hearing you say it but, what are you alluding to?

[gnarledmaw]

That was probably my fault. Every time I like a show and start watching it it gets cancelled. Ive just pretty much stopped watching TV.

[freedumb2003]

That would have cracked me up too — there is probably nothing in TNG or the others quite like that episode :)

[ETL]

[jpsb]

You can start watching again TV is mostly crap these days.

[StormEye]

"One went on to do porn, before she found out how
lucrative scifi/nostalgia conventions could be."

Which one was that?

[Skooz]

Quite true.

I became a fan in 1970 when the local station ran reruns at 3:30 pm, just as we were getting home from school.

[Celerity]

In my opinion, Shatner added more to the sci-fi genre with Tekwars than anything else.

his work there put him in the same grade as Gibson or Dick.

[waterhill]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelique_Pettyjohn

[Vendome]

Hilarious interview where you observe Shatner at his greatest.

He is always serious about work but insists on never taking himself seriously
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bawMXdBNc8M

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Oh God, next generation I could not stand. I like to call it “Star trek the anal, politically correct generation”

[BenLurkin]

She had good handwriting....