Star Trek FAQ

by Clark, Mark

• ISBN13: 9781557837929
• ISBN10: 1557837929
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-01
• Publisher: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books

Summary

Star Trek FAQ tells the complete story of Star Trek, from the before the beginning (the books, films, and TV shows that inspired producer Gene Roddenberry to create Star Trek) until after the end (when the show emerged as a cultural phenomenon in syndication), and including dramatic behind-the-scenes stories (e.g., Leonard Nimoy's struggle with alcoholism and actress Grace Lee Whitney's controversial firing) often omitted from "authorized" histories of the program. Along with in-depth looks at the pre- and post-Trek careers of the show's iconic leads, Star Trek FAQ includes profiles of guest stars and "redshirt" extras alike, as well as the many writers, technicians, and artisans whose efforts enabled Star Trek to take flight. The book also explores the show's unprecedented resurgence in the 1970s with chapters devoted to early Star Trek fiction, merchandising, and the short-lived animated series. Combining a wealth of fascinating information about every facet of the show's production with original analysis of Star Trek's enduring appeal and cultural influence, Star Trek FAQ goes where no Star Trek book has gone before.

Author Biography

Mark Clark is a film historian and the author of Sixties Shockers and Smirk, Sneer and Scream: Great Acting in Horror Cinema, and he has contributed essays and articles to numerous other books and magazines. He is a former film critic for the Louisville Courier-Journal and has also taught film history and genre theory for the Factory Digital Film Production Program at Douglas Education Center in Monessen, Pennsylvania. Clark lives in Mentor on the Lake, Ohio.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction: Tomorrow Is Yesterday xv
All Our Yesterdays: The Prehistory of Star Trek
Great Bird of the Galaxy: The Pre-Trek Adventures of Gene Roddenberry	p. 3
Space Seeds: Credited and Uncredited Influences on the Creation of Star Trek	p. 10
The High Command: Executives Who Played Pivotal Roles in the Star Trek Story	p. 23
Caged: Revealing Differences Between Star Trek and Its Unaired Pilot	p. 29
Spock's Brain: Notable Pre-Trek Appearances by Leonard Nimoy	p. 35
The Man Who Would Be Captain: Memorable Pre-Trek Roles for William Shatner	p. 42
Spectre of the Gun: Memorable Pre-Trek Roles for DeForest Kelley	p. 52
Report to the Bridge: The Pre-Trek Careers of Majel Barrett, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Grace Lee Whitney, and Walter Koenig	p. 61
Enterprise Incidents: Behind the Scenes, 1965-69
Alternative Factors: Roads Not Taken to the Second Star Trek Pilot	p. 71
Ahead, Warp Factor One: Laying the Foundation	p. 79
Engineering Department: The Screenwriters of Star Trek	p. 89
Equipment Locker: Sets, Props, Costumes, Makeup, and Special Effects	p. 96
Permission to Come Aboard: Unforgettable Guest Stars	p. 104
Brief Lives: Untold Tales of Star Trek's "Redshirts"	p. 116
Cloaking Device: Little-Recognized Contributors	p. 122
Private Little Wars: Rivalries and Feuds	p. 129
The Deadly Year: What Went Wrong with Season Three	p. 137
Operation-Annihilate!: Shows That Beat Star Trek in the Nielsen Ratings	p. 144
Mind Meld: Connections Between Star Trek and Other Classic Sci-Fi Tv Series	p. 152
These Are the Voyages: On the Screen, 1966-69
Wolves in the Fold: Monsters and Madmen	p. 163
Strange New Worlds: Alternate Earths, Time Travel, and Parallel Dimensions	p. 172
New Life and New Civilizations: Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, and More	p. 179
Treknological Marvels: Miracle Gadgets of the Twenty-Third Century	p. 189
Then Play On: Memorable Musical Moments	p. 197
Blooper Reel: Goofs and Gaffes That Survived the Final Cut	p. 204
Captain's Log: Evidence That William Shatner Was Really Quite Good	p. 210
The Infinite Vulcan: Leonard Nimoy Discovers Spock	p. 218
Errands of Mercy: The Unsung Heroism of DeForest Kelley	p. 227
The Finest Crew in the Fleet: The Supporting Cast's Shining Moments	p. 235
Data Bank: A Thumbnail Guide to the Original Seventy-Nine Episodes	p. 246
Prime Directives: Social Commentary and Recurring Themes
A Most Promising Species: Human Exceptionalism	p. 257
Whom Gods Destroy: Close Encounters with the (Practically) Divine	p. 264
The Last Battlefield: The Corrosive Power of Hate	p. 271
What Are Little Girls Made Of?: The Gender Politics of Star Trek	p. 279
That Which Survives: Star Trek in the 1970s
Obsession: Syndication and the Power of Fandom	p. 289
Amok Time: Post-Trek Projects by Gene Roddenberry, 1970-77	p. 296
Shore Leave: Non-Trek Projects for the Enterprise Crew, 1969-78	p. 305
Metamorphosis: The Animated Adventures	p. 313
"The Damn Books": Early Star Trek Novels and Comics	p. 321
A Piece of the Action: Vintage Star Trek Merchandising	p. 330
Five-Year Mission: The Long Voyage Back, 1975-79	p. 337
On the Edge of Forever: The Legacy of Star Trek
Personal Log: Spouses, Children, and Private Lives	p. 347
"Beam Me Up, Scotty": The Quotable (and Misquotable) Star Trek	p. 355
Highly Illogical: Notable and Notorious Star Trek Parodies	p. 365
Starfleet Commendations: Awards Won (and Lost), 1966-75	p. 373
Keep On Trekkin': Famous and Influential Fans	p. 379
Bibliography	p. 387
Index	p. 393
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.