hasn't really clicked and likely won't be
missed - a sign of an overall thaw in Starfleet/
tar Trek: Voyager's new season start-up may
S still be a month away in the US, but its writ-
ers have been hard at work since May on a
new year of stories to go before camera this month.
After recalling the evolution of the series concept in
STM Issue 4, Executive Producer and co-creator Jeri
Taylor takes a breather from her chores to take
stock of the show's progress and preview the cre-
ators' outlook for the new season.
Oddly enough, Taylor explains, the competitive
nature of American commercial networks has made the
Below: Emanations exact definition of a 'new' season itself a bit vague.
Bottom: Prime Factors "They (the fledgling United Paramount Network)
want to go on the air with our show on 28
August and use the final four episodes that
we shot (in season one) as the first four of
two," says Taylor. Because US networks
jockey for positions with their new 'Fall'
(autumn) television season premieres, she
noted, "They (UPN) want to get a jump on
the other networks by going on with origi-
nal programming a month before the rest
of them."
Oddly enough, the show originally
meant as a season ender - The '37s - could
be used as a new season lead-off. It certain-
ly has its high-profile moments: not only
do we learn there really were aliens abduct-
ing Humans in the 20th Century, but the
U.S.S. Voyager itself scores a Star Trek first:
landing on a planet surface, which had
been a feature quietly included in the
Starship's design. Ironically, Star Trek's
famous people-moving transporter system
had originally grown out of creator Gene
RoddenbeTry's realization that with a
Sixties television budget he could not
afford to land his mothership on a planet
surface every week!
"I think it works better as a season ender
than a season opener," Taylor says of the
episode, "But it's a good show and I'm sure
it will work nicely to kick the season off.
Since the audience will perceive this as the
beginning of the next season, there's no
reason not to go with the show with the
highest production values."
The '37s, she explains, deals with people
from earth who are thought to have disap-
peared - when actually they were 'abduct-
ed by aliens'. The title comes from the year
that Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred
Noonan disappeared over the Pacific.
STAR TREK: VOYAGER
Other shows from that batch of four are Projections,
which features the return of Dwight Schultz as ST:TNG's
Lt. Reg Barclay - in a way - and Twisted, in which a
plethora of special effects helps the Starship and crew
through a dizzying series of inter spacewarps and distor-
tions.
"And then Elogium is one of those," she adds, "That
actually would have been a nice closing episode also,
because it leaves us with the realization that someone
aboard the U.S.S. Voyager is pregnant! And because UPN is
withholding it and showing it at the beginning of the
season, it now makes it seem that Humans have a very
strange gestation period - in which this woman was
apparently pregnant for 7 or 8 months without realizing
it!"
Although almost everyone is happy with ST.VOY so
far, Taylor says the staff is already aiming to address some
of the weak points seen in the past shake-down season.
"We're happy with character development, mostly, but
we think there have been some key figures that have been
rather underdeveloped."
Among those, she says, are both Tom Paris and
Ohakotay - the latter already a popular character despite
his lack of screen time and plot involvement. To remedy
that, the first 'new' show to be produced - and likely to
® on a permanent name I
Maquis relations aboard ship.
"We set up the possibility for all kinds of
tension, and we will certainly want to dip
into that," Taylor says. "But we're also very
mindful of the fact that a lot of the populari-
ty of ST.TNG was because this was a family
that bonded; they didn't bicker, they didn't
snipe at each other, they were loving toward
each other, they stood up for each other, they
banded together to fight an outside foe.
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was designed to
be a conflictual show and we think this show
ought to be in the keeping of 57:TNG and not
have people at each other's throats all the
time. That's not to say that there won't be
differences of opinion, and that's not to say
we don't have a pot to dip into with the
Maquis and some prior tension, and we will
probably take advantage of that. But we don't
want to hit that over the head, and we don't
want to create the feeling that there's an ugly
simmering attitude on ST:VOY; we think it
ought to be a more positive experience. Above: Jetrel
"You know, people's lives today are hard enough," Below right: Heroes and
Taylor adds, "When they come home, do they want to Demons
see more people growling at each other and more ten- Bottom right: Eye of
sion, and more hardship? I don't think so... I think peo- the Needle
ple want escape and they want Gene's positive view of
the future; people can be better people than people are
now. And so we, if anything, will emphasise the positive
over the negative!" •
be the fifth to be aired - is a Chakotay tale in which he
gets involved with a Kazon adolescent. Another is a Listings for both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep
strong story between Paris and Neelix, in which the issue Space Nine new episodes return next issue
of Neelix's jealousy of Tom over Kes is addressed. All
three co-creators also pledge more attention be paid to
the Delta Quadrant's population encountered by
Janeway's crew.
"We sent these people to the opposite end of the
galaxy, to a place where it's unknown and it's dangerous
and we don't know who we're going to run into - and we
ended the season, largely because of budgetary necessity,
doing a lot of ship shows where we weren't up against a
particular adversary. They were character-driven shows,
interesting I think, but maybe not living up to the
premise. So we want to create some new alien species to
add to the two that seem to be working for us in terms of
recurring aliens: the Kazon and Vidiians. We will certain-
ly be seeing them again, but we want to populate space
with more continuing aliens.
Another surprise has been the tease of the holograph-
ic Doctor's name, after the early publicity materials - and
the year's script pages - carried the original moniker of
Zimmerman. "We're just going to let it go and see what
happens," Taylor explains. "We have changed the macros
on our computers to call him 'Doctor' (in scripts) and
when and if we ever settle
don't think it will be
Zimmerman - because it's
now what everyone
expects, so we certainly
don't want to do that!"
On the other hand, she
notes, the Paris/Chakotay
rift hinted at in the pilot is
one of those devices that
Page 11
 "/ want to be the best actor I can possibly become, and I am working very
hard to perfect my talents."
Speaking to the US Press, 1966

Confessions Of A Former Vulcan:

An interview With Leonard Nimoy
by Joe Nazzaro

I
n a 1967 article for TV Guide, titled 'Mr
Spock Is Dreamy!', legendary SF author
Isaac Asimov said it had never occurred to
him that Star Trek's pointy-eared, half-
Human/half Vulcan science officer might be
sexy. According to Asimov, he never realised
that 'girls palpitate over
the way one eyebrow goes
up a fraction; that they
squeal with passion when a
little smile quirks his lip.
And all because he's smart!
If I had only known,'
laments the author, tongue
firmly in cheek, 'If I had
only known!'
The fact that Mr Spock may
have exuded a certain degree
of on-screen sex appeal would
probably not have come as a
surprise to Leonard Nimoy,
who has played the character
off and on for almost three
decades. In fact, Nimoy once
admitted that after the Star
Trek episode Amok Time - in
which Spock is possessed by
pon far, a Vulcan mating drive
- his fan mail jumped from a few hundred letters to
10,000 a week.
The prospect of becoming a household name was
several light years from Nimoy's mind in 1949,
when he began his career in show business at the
age of 18. As the actor now recalls, he literally
walked up and down LA's Sunset Boulevard knock-
ing on any door that said 'Agency.' To make ends
meet between acting jobs, he worked in an ice Opposite: Spock
cream parlour, drove a cab, sold vacuum cleaners reflects upon certain
and even delivered newspapers. When Star Trek errors of judgement in
eventually came along, it was the first steady job STVLTUC
he'd had in 17 years. Left: 'We come in
In the early Fifties, Nimoy peace'.'; Spock faces an
began to get work in films such unknown environment
as Kid Monk Baroni, playing a in The Galileo Seven
would-be boxer; Seven Days In Following pages:
May; The Balcony, with future Top left: Nimoy's first
Columbo Peter Falk; and Death appearance as Spock in
Watch, which Nimoy produced The Cage
with the late Vic Morrow. He Bottom left: Spock
also made an appearance in the and Kirk must engage
schlocky 1952 SF serial, Zom- in Mortal Kombat in
bies of the Stratosphere, also dis- the Kal-if-fee challenge
tributed under the equally in Amok Time
lurid title, Satan's Satellites. Far Right: Nimoy on
Nimoy, well-concealed in a the other side of the
silly, Buck Rogers-type cos- camera
tume, plays a Martian named
Narab - an omen of things to
come perhaps?
The actor also made numer-
ous television appearances,
including such programmes as
Profiles In Courage and The
Outer Limits. In the early Sixties, he guested in an
episode of The Lieutenant, where he caught the eye of
producer Gene Roddenberry. Already a veteran tele-
vision writer by that time, Roddenberry reportedly
said of Nimoy, 'If I ever do a science fiction show, I'm
going to put pointy ears on him and use him.'
The writer/producer was as good as his word, and
 2 2 6 8 Spock fulfils his
Nimoy recalls, "and I think that's precisely what "At that time, there was really no reason for any- Vulcan seven year mating
happened. Because they wanted me to consider body to believe there were going to be any more Star cycle returning to Vulcan
working in the film, we were able to quickly settle Trek films. I thought when that picture was done, in to T'Pring. She demands a
the suit. It was dragging on more ways than one, it real- koon-ut-kal-if-fee chal-
until we came to the point ly finished the issue. lenge for the right of mar-
where they came to me and "If I had to be someone else, I "Frankly, I was shocked riage, which frees Spock
said, 'We want you to act in would be Spock. I like him. I when I got the call from from the bond and she
this film.' admire him. I respect him. If (Executive Producer) Harve marries Stonn instead
"What I told them was, T Bennett, saying he had just (Amok Time)
will talk to you about that someone could wave a magic signed a deal for another
as soon as this suit is set- wand and make him go away, I picture. I knew Harve some-
tled,' and as soon as that wouldn't let them. I would choose what, although I was sur-
word got to the proper peo- prised to hear that he had
ple, they moved quickly on to keep him alive. He stands for just signed a deal with
the suit." something that makes me feel Paramount Pictures, and part
Rediscovering Spock's good - dignity and honesty and a of that deal was to explore
long-disused persona was a the possibility of making
major challenge for Nimoy, lot more. And whatever of that rubs another Star Trek film."
who remembers having a off on me makes me feel good." While Nimoy may have
tough time working on Star Speaking t o the US TV Guide been less than enthusiastic
Trek: The Motion Picture. "It earlier this year about doing another Star
was strange, it was compli- Trek film, Bennett was able
cated, and it was somewhat to overcome the actor's
cast Nimoy in the pilot for a new series to be called chandising royalties, which had yet to be settled. schizophrenic for a while. Jumping back into trepidation by promising to kill his character off.
Star Trek. The 1964 pilot The Cage was financed by On the other hand, Nimoy says that it was Spock's skin wasn't easy, particularly because there The promise of a memorable death scene for Spock
NBC, who were less than enthusiastic about the Spock's popularity that actually helped resolve his were writing issues. was just too good to pass up. Members of the U.S.S.
final product. Among their long-standing grievance. "The script I originally read for the film did not "That's about right," Nimoy chuckles. "I was not Enterprise bridge crew
criticisms were the presence Doing Star Trek: The Motion even contain the Spock character, so it was a case of anxious to go back, because I had been disillusioned encounter an alternate
of a female first officer 'Star Trek endures because it is a Picture without everyone's them describing to me what Spock would be doing on the first picture, and secondly it was known that Spock during a mission to
(played by Roddenberry's good world. There's a clarity of favourite Vulcan would in the next draft of the script. That took a little time the next picture was going to be done on a very tight the Halkan system ( M i r r o r ,
future wife, Majel Barrett) have been illogical, as Spock and a little fine-tuning to finally get it to fruition, budget, so it felt as if they were going to try to get Mirror)
and that Vulcan fellow, who
purpose: to preserve life, give it might say, giving the actor a
but I was never totally satisfied with that film." one last squeeze out of the cow. I really wasn't anx-
was just too .... well, alien dignity, and respect differences." much-needed bargaining After finishing Star Trek: The Motion Picture, ious to participate in that but when Harve said what Spock saves his father's life
for their tastes. Speaking to the US TV Guide chip when it came time to Nimoy was ready to put his Spock ears back into he did about a death scene, I thought, 'Well, maybe by donating some of his
In the end, a second pilot earlier this year negotiate. mothballs again. What he didn't foresee was the stu- this is the way to finish it!' It worked extremely well, blood while Sarek is
was commissioned with "That's absolutely true," dio's decision to green-light a second Star Trek film. and I had a good time doing the second film. aboard the U.S.S.
William Shatner playing the Enterprise on a diplomatic
new captain. Roddenberry agreed to lose his female mission (Journey t o
Number One, but stuck to his guns with Mr. Spock, Babel)
ears and all. This time, Star Trek was picked up as a
series, ensuring its cast a place in folk history. Spock's brain is stolen by
For Nimoy, playing Spock meant a degree of the inhabitants of Sigma
recognisability he had never felt before. He soon Draconis VI to be used as
began receiving more fan mail than any of his a vital component in a
co-stars, and was even able to parlay his new-found massive computer system
fame into a brief but successful music career. that provides for the
Unfortunately, such fame was not without its price. planet's inhabitants
When Star Trek was finally cancelled, the actor had (Spock's Brain)
difficulty shaking the shadow of Spock. As the actor
remembers, his theatrical work was often over- 2 2 7 0 Spock retires from
looked by members of the press, who were more Starfleet and returns to
interested in asking questions about Star Trek in gen- Vulcan to undergo the
eral, Mr Spock in particular. Kohlinar training in an
In the late Seventies, rumours of a big-budget Star effort to purge the remain-
Trek film began to circulate, especially after the ing emotional influences
unexpected success of Srar Wars in 1977. While most from his intellect
of the original cast members expressed interest in a
big-screen version of Star Trek, Nimoy had some 2 2 7 1 Commander Spock
reservations. Compounding the problem was the returns to Starfleet duty
actor's disagreement with the studio regarding mer- (Star Trek: The M o t i o n
Picture) -»
2277 Spock promoted to
Captain, becomes member
of Starfleet Academy on
Earth, and accepts com-
mand of the U.S.S.
Enterprise
2285 The Vulcan is killed
during the action against
Kahn Noonien Singh and
his body is consigned to the
new-born Genesis Planet. He
is subsequently found alive,
regenerated, and returns to
Vulcan for a re-education
and retraining process at
his parents'home (Star
Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
and Star Trek III: The
Search for Spock)
2287 Sybok (above),
Spock's elder brother by
Sarek's earlier marriage to
a Vulcan princess, appears
(Star Trek V: The Final
Frontier)
2293 Spock acts as a spe-
cial envoy to begin a peace
initiative between the
Federation and the
Klingons. During the
Khitomer conference he
meets the Romulan sena-
tor Pardek and begins to
pursue the goal of
Vulcan/Romulan reunifica-
tion (Star Trek VI: The
Undiscovered Country)
2368 Sarek dies aged 203;
Spock meets with Captain
Picard on Romulus and
Pardek is revealed as an
agent seeking the Romulan
overthrow of Vulcan. Spock
remains on Romulus to
continue his work of reuni-
fication for the two races
(STTNG - Unification
Parts I and II)
"The actual death scene was difficult, and I didn't
enjoy playing it. The scene was well-written, and I
thought we played it well but it was still very diffi-
OAVlMVri Star Trek: The Animated Series (voice)
Baffled
cult to do."
Spock's actual demise turned out to be more of a Nimoy In Search Of...
Star Trek: The Next Generation
PROFILE
Deadly Games (new fantasy comedy series
problem than anyone thought. When rumours of
in development with UPN)
the scene were leaked prematurely, Paramount
Pictures was deluged with letters protesting Spock's
death. Bennett decided to use the adverse publicity Kid Monk Baroni
to his advantage, and staged a mock death scene Seven Days in May
early in the film, as part of a training exercise. The The Balcony
real moment of truth would come at the end of the Death Watch
film, when Spock sacrifices his life to save the U.S.S. ^P^ ) Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Enterprise and its crew. - %* '' "
1
Not surprisingly, preview audiences were stunned Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (and
Director)
by the film's tragic denouement, and sensing a
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (and
potential lynching by angry Star Trek fans, the film
Director)
makers added a final coda, suggesting that Spock Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
might not be dead after all. The last-minute addi- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
tion helped restore the film's emotional balance, Invasion of the Body Snatchers
and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan became a finan- Holy Matrimony (Director)
cial and critical success. BORN: 26 March, 19.., Boston Funny About Love (Director)
"It was okay with me," says Nimoy, of the film's FAMILY: Married with children The Good Mother (Director)
now-ambiguous ending. " I could understand that Three Men and a Baby (Director)
the audience was really depressed without it, and Selected Credits:
then I thought, 'I don't know what they're going to I ricA 1 M . //y.,/:.
Hansel and Cretel (aged 8) 1 Am Not Spock
do about the follow-up in the next film, but it
The King and 1 Primortals (new comic book from Tekno
might be interesting to explore what that could be
Caligula Comics, distributed to newsagents as well
about.'" Camelot as specialist shops)
The actor decided that became a political lesson for Shatner), he produced and provided story input for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
the best place to explore "If you have to be a sex symbol, Nimoy, who not only had Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Nimoy also saw Sherlock Holmes MUSIC
Spock's return was from to deal with the studio in a the character of Spock - now an ambassador - cross Streetcar Named Desire Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space
behind the camera. When it's nice to be a sex symbol for new light, but also his over into Star Trek: The Next Generation, in the Vincent (self-produced one man The Way 1 Feel
filming began on Star Trek smart people. Isaac Asimov once co-stars. "I was really sur- two-part 1991 adventure Unification. show about Van Cogh)
III: The Search For Spock, it referred to Spock as a security prised," he admits. "I had More recently, Nimoy's efforts have taken him
was with Leonard Nimoy as no idea how to play at that TELEVISION Enjoys photography, his children and
away from the Star Trek universe, into other SF-relat-
Director. blanket with sexual overtones, and level, so I had a lot to learn. ed projects. He's now working on the comedy/virtu-
Dragnet grandchildren, his house and boat on
The Lieutenant Lake Tahoe
Helming the latest entry I found that encouraging." "I guess I was naive, but I al reality series, Deadly Games, as well as a new
Rawhide
in Paramount Pictures' Star Entertainment Weekly was very surprised at the comic book series, Primortals. Ironically, the ideas The Outer Limits i • ,•),'
Trek film franchise also mixed emotions that the are based on a series of discussions he once had with The Man From Uncle He once co-owned a pet store in Los
cast had about my doing Isaac Asimov, the man who wrote the 'Mr Spock is Star Trek: The Original Series Angeles' San Fernando Valley called
the job. I still have not ferreted out all the issues Dreamy' essay almost 30 years ago. Mission: Impossible 'Leonard Nimoy's Pet Pad'
that were involved. Perhaps they thought it was a "I'm on a consultant basis with Primortals, and it's
frivolous gesture on my part - an 'if you want me, moving very smoothly,"
then give me the baton' sort of thing. I'm not sure says Nimoy. "We have story- Generation. Bottom left: Spock
they knew if I was qualified or not, what my posi- lines in place for the next "It (Star Trek Generations) The older Nimoy has also uses the mind-meld to
tion would be as director towards them, and maybe several issues, and the discover who Valeris's
being elevated out of the ranks from their point of response so far has been
was offered to me to direct and reportedly been signed to
direct a half-hour segment fellow conspirators are
view. I just thought it was another way of working wonderful. I've had a num- act in..." of an SF anthology for in STVhTUC
with my colleagues." ber of inquiries from film Cinefantastique Miramax Films. It's another Top left: Shoulder to
Nimoy's skilful direction of Star Trek III: The Search companies about the possi- step into the unknown for shoulder with Kirk in
For Spock resulted in his being offered Star Trek IV: bility of moving into other the man who travelled to ST:TMP
The Voyage Home, still regarded by many fans as the media with Primortals, and I'm delighted with the Hollywood in 1949, and then spent a good part of Above left:
best of the Star Trek films. This time, it was smoother way it's going." his career exploring the Final Frontier. Later this Ambassador Spock
sailing for the actor/director, who also contributed Looking ahead, Nimoy has confirmed that he will year his second autobiography will be published in meets Captain Picard of
some of the film's major story elements. be starring in an episode of The Outer Limits revival, Britain. After trying to divest himself of his most the U.S.S. Enterprise
Even though Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was currently being screened on BBC2. The remake of I- famous alter-ego in his first title, J am Not Spock, NCC-1701-D//J
Nimoy's last directing credit on the film series, his Robot - a story Nimoy guest-starred in for the origi- Nimoy told an interested interviewer, with a wry ST:TNG Unification,
involvement with Star Trek was far from over. In addi- nal series - will be directed by the actor's son, Adam, smile on his face, that he was considering calling Part II
tion to appearing in the fifth film (directed by William who helmed a pair of episodes for Star Trek: The Next this volume Maybe I Am Spock After All... •
Page 17
 'The men f r o m Vulcan t r e a t t h e i r w o m e n strangely
- at least, people say t h a t / '
Nurse Christine Chapel

THAT POINTY-EARED SON OF A...

Andrew Lane gives his take on Vulcans and their place in the Galaxy...

f Star Trek is one of the those television pro-
grammes that defines and shapes the medi-
_ urn, then those pointy-eared aliens called
Vulcans have a lot to do with it. The show's cre-
ator - Cene Roddenberry - wanted an alien as a
regular character in order to remind viewers
that they were in the 23rd Century. He settled
on a Vulcanian (later changed to Vulcan)
named Mr Spock. After a series of false starts
the show took off, and despite the attempts of
the television executives to play down or even
remove the alien character, even going so far as
to airbrush out his pointed ears and eyebrows
on publicity brochure photographs, the actor
playing the part of the Vulcan was soon getting
more fan mail than the actor playing the cap-
tain. Vulcans, it appeared, were a hit.
Vulcans are Humanoid - so Humanoid that
they could easily pass for inhabitants of Earth if
their pointed ears were covered up or other-
wise explained away with reference to a bizarre
accident with a mechanical rice picker. These
ears, and their slanted eyebrows, give them a
rather satanic appearance - one probably
strengthened in the minds of the first Humans
to encounter them by. the fact that a pleasant
summer's day on their planet means tempera-
tures of around 140 degrees fahrenheit.
Because of its low gravity and extreme climate,
the inhabitants of Vulcan are stronger than
Humans and more resistant to heat and to radi-
ation, but they do find cold debilitating, which
means that Spock must have had a hell of a
time on the U.S.5. Enterprise. Walking into his
quarters must have been like walking into a
sauna.
Vulcan blood is based on copper rather than
iron, giving their skin a green tinge, and they
have an extra eyelid that protects them from
bright lights at important moments in the plot.
Their hearts are approximately where the Human
liver is and they live a long time - when Ambas-
sador Sarek died he was over two human cen-
turies old, and the indications were that he
would have gone on for longer had he not con-
tracted the fatal Vulcan disease Bendii syndrome.
 PEACEFUL WARRIORS
500 years before we first see them, the Vulcans were
a war-like and emotional race. They colonised near-
by star systems and almost wiped themselves out in
internecine warfare. One Vulcan - Surak - saw that
emotion would lead only to annihilation, and sug-
gested that all his people should suppress their emo-
tions and live their lives based only on logic. Enough
Vulcans followed him to make a difference, and the
remainder are believed to have left to form the
Romulan Star Empire, where they could indulge
their penchant for emotion and power games as
much as they liked.
The Vulcans, in contrast, are happy to lead lives of
ordered calm, except that Far left: The ultimate
the suppression of their of another partner, then a in hand to hand com-
emotions leaves those emo- "Your pulse is 242, your blood pressure is d u e l h a s t o b e f o u g h t . n o t bat techniques, the
tions festering underneath. practically non-existent - assuming you call on a chessboard, which Vulcan nerve grip
This results in pon far - a des- that green stuff in your veins blood..." might have been the logical Left: Spock's father, the
perate desire to mate that - Dr McCoy possibility, but with wea- legendary Ambassador
recurs every seven years. If it pons, and to the death. Sarek
is not satisfied, pon far will "The readings are perfectly normal for me, There's a lot about
result in the raging fury Doctor, thank you, and as for my anatomy Vulcan society that has
known as plak tow in which being different from yours, I am delighted." more to do with mysticism he has abandoned his wife, his planet and his peo-
logic is consigned to the - Soock tnan w t 1
* * ^°&c " t n e kahs- "My mother -1 could never tell her I loved ple and gone to Romulus in the hope that he can
dustbin and violence is the wan ceremony, for instance, her. An Earth woman, living on a planet reunite the Romulans and the Vulcans. There, pre-
name of the game. To the in which young Vulcans sumably, he remains.
where love and emotion are in bad taste..."
Vulcans, it's a small price to pay for the stability of have to prove that they can survive alone in the - Spock
their society, but they do find it rather embarrassing. wilderness for 10 days, or the kohlinar discipline, in SAREK - THE PERFECT
Right: The birds, the Pon far is tied up with various rituals, or so we dis- which all traces of emotion are expunged from the
bees and pon far... cover in the Classic Star Trek episode Amok Time. One mind, or the fal-tor-pan ritual, where the katra, or ably going through some kind of Vulcan mid-life cri- Spock's father, Sarek, is oddly popular among fans of
Spock and T'Pring have would have thought that choosing a mate could be soul, is re-united with the body if it has gone walka- sis at that time, because he spent most of the episode the programme. It's been said that most American
been selected to mate done logically, but Vulcan parents select mates for bout. A logical species would have abandoned the shouting angrily at the other members of the crew
in Amok Time their offspring when they are young, and telepathical- first one completely and got through the others as and breaking out into huge smiles every few min-
Below: On the planet
Vulcan, Spock fails in
ly bond the two so that they will come together dur-
ing pon far. Spock was bonded to a Vulcan woman
quickly and discreetly as possible, but the Vulcans
insist on wearing long robes and long faces, banging
utes. By the time the series proper started with Where
No Man Has Gone Before, Spock had settled down into Regal Vulcan:
his attempt to become
a creature of total logic
named T'Pring, and his father before him was bonded
to a Vulcan princess who later died. If one of the pair
drums and blowing trumpets. Not logical at all...
Vulcans are also capable of mind-melding with a
the cool, unflappable character we have come to
know and love. During the course of the television
DAME J U D I T H ANDERSON
in ST:TMP decides to pull out of the arranged marriage in favour willing, or unwilling, being - the effectiveness of this series, Spock was the calm centre around which the ossibly the noblest Vulcan of all was played by Dame Judith Anderson in
depending very much on the mental strength and emotional storm of Kirk and McCoy revolved. Only Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. Anderson played the priestess who
endurance of the initiator. It's a very useful ability, to on a few occasions did the veneer of stoicism crack - helps restore Spock's consciousness to his physical body in the film's final few
make two minds one, but a potentially dangerous but when it did crack, it cracked in a big way. minutes. "I thought she was a very important asset to the picture," says
talent. We have probably not witnessed all of the After the U.S.S. Enterprise's five year mission fin- STIIhTSFS Director Leonard Nimoy, who cast Anderson in the small but
potential hazards of such a process, even after nearly ished, Spock returned to Vulcan to purge himself of important role. "It was a delight to meet her let alone get her for the film,
30 years of Star Trek stories. The well known Vulcan the taint of Humanity, as revealed in Star Trek: The and for me, it was a real treat to be able to work with her. I thought she
neck pinch, which renders a victim unconscious, is a Motion Picture. His period of training was abruptly brought an enormous dignity to the whole Vulcan issue, and I was very
much safer talent but it does require physical contact curtailed by the arrival of the robot life form V'ger, happy she was able to do it.
to be much use in a fight. and he returned to Starfleet. Shortly afterwards, he "We hit it off pretty well, and found each other's
died while saving his shipmates in Star Trek II: The sense of humour very quickly. I have a very strong
INTRODUCING MR SPOCK Wrath of Khan - the logical course of action, as he theatrical background, and we were able to share
Oddly enough, despite the fact that we all recognise pointed out, for the needs of the many must out- 'war stories' about our experiences in theatre. She
what a Vulcan is and how irritating they can some- weigh the needs of the few. had worked for William Gillette many years ago,
times be, we've only really seen three of them in any Resurrected in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock the actor impresario who, among other things,
detail in the various incarnations of Star Trek. Mr when his katra lodged in Dr McCoy's head) and his staged an extremely impressive production of
Spock is, of course, the first and greatest of them. In body (revived by the strange physics of the Genesis Sherlock Holmes, which he toured for many years. I
fact Spock is the Vulcan race, as far as most people planet) were reunited, Spock had changed. He was played that character in the late Seventies in an 18
are concerned, despite the fact that he is only half- calmer, and more mystical. Like Sherlock Holmes week tour with the Royal Shakespeare production
Vulcan. Spock's first appearance was in the pilot for before him, he did not return the same man. Later of the play, so we both had stories about William
the series - The Cage - and it was almost his last, as we hear that he married, but later still, in the two- Gillette to share. It was a very interesting experi-
the NBC executives didn't like him. Spock was prob- part Star Trek: The Next Generation story Reunification, ence working with her." •
Page 20
VUI
I• \ /•\
.CAN
! \ i I
Vulcan names have a
logical progression.
While the last name is
the family name, this is
not the one which an
individual is generally
known by. The first name
is not only the significant
one, it is always a specif-
ic name for a specific
individual - no one else
has ever had or will ever
have that name.
' M a l e names:
Vulcan men's names usu-
ally have five letters, and
usually start with an S
and end with a K or an
N. Names of the older
generation of Vulcan
men have vowels in the
2nd and 4th letter posi-
tion, while Spock and his
contemporaries tend to
have a vowel in the 3rd
letter position. The letter
shift in a male Vulcan's
name from generation to
generation is therefore
an indication of when
they were born.
Examples:
Sakar, Sakkath, Sarek,
Satelk, Savar, Skon,
Solkar, Sonak, Spock,
Stonn, Surak, Sybok,
Tuvok.
Female names:
In Vulcan women's
names, T designates
female, while P indicates
class. If these two letters
are followed by a vowel,
it will be a double vowel.
Women's names follow a
mathematical progres-
sion from generation to
generation up to the
number five, the basis of
Vulcan mathematics.
Examples:
Saavik, Sekona, Selar,
T'Lar, T'Pan, T'Pau,
T'Pel, T'Plana-Hath,
T'Pring, T'Vran, Valeris.
Later still, in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, we share
with Spock his pain when we see, during Spock's
birth, Sarek refusing to acknowledge his son.
Perhaps Sarek's reaction has less to do with Spock's
half-Human side - after all, two of his three marriages
were to Humans - and more to do with his other son,
Sybok. As we find out in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier,
Sybok was a pure-bred Vulcan, the son of a Vulcan
princess, who abandoned logic and embraced emo-
tion. Sarek never spoke of him. Perhaps he feared that
Spock might follow the same path.
Although they manage a reconciliation in Journey
to Babel when Spock saves his father's life with a
blood transfusion, and although Sarek publicly
admits during Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home that he
may perhaps have been a little harsh on his son, the
rift between them reappears years later, during the
war between the Federation and the Cardassians
when Spock criticises his father's position over the
conflict. The two never speak again. Sarek takes a
new wife, Perrin, at some point between this story
and events in the Star Trek: The Next Generation
episode Sarek. Here, we find an older Vulcan, one
suffering from a terrible disease that causes him to
lose his logic and react
literature is about the rela- emotionally to everything.
tionship between fathers and "Fortunately my ancestors spawned in The disease is inevitably
sons, and the complex web another ocean than yours did - my blood fatal, and by the end of the
of emotion that binds these two-part ST:TNG episode
cells are quite different."
two Vulcans, and the way Unification he is dead.
- Spock Spock takes the news badly,
they have come together and
drawn apart again over the but is comforted when
years, has provided more uplifting and heart-rending Captain Picard manages to share with him how
moments than a year's worth of soap operas. proud his father really was of him.
We first saw Sarek in Journey To Babel. As a Vulcan
ambassador to the Federation he had been sent to rep- T U V O K - A N I N E T I E S
resent his people at a major conference, and his pres- VULCAN
ence on board the U.S.S. Enterprise made life uncom-The third and final Vulcan to have been given a
fortable for both him and his son - not that either of recurring role in Star Trek was to have been Xon in
them would have admitted it, of course. No, they were the Star Trek: Phase II television series planned for the
both too stoically Vulcan for that. According to mid-Seventies. Planning went so far that an actor
Spock's Human mother, Amanda,
the two hadn't spoken for years -
ever since Spock had joined
Starfleet. Sarek, in fine old
parental fashion, did not approve
of his son's choice of career.
We later find out that there was
little that Sarek did approve of
when it came to his son. In the
animated episode Yesteryear - one
of the few animated episodes that
features events acknowledged by
many production staff as accept-
able Star Trek continuity, inciden-
tally - Spock travels back in time
and watches how his father repri-
mands his younger self about his
Human-like emotions, and tries
to force him to be more Vulcan.
T I M RUSS: A VULCAN FOR THE NINETIES
Y ou can't get a b e t t e r straight m a n t h a n a gives y o u the longevity. You've g o t t o have t h a t in
V u l c a n ! " declares T i m Russ, w h o ' s r a p i d l y these stories. They're always g o i n g t o have an A and
b e c o m i n g an expert o n t h e g r e e n - b l o o d e d alien B plot in these stories, and sometimes a C plot, so
race. For t h e last year, he's been playing Tuvok, t h e you've g o t t o have e n o u g h characters a n d possibil-
stoic Tactical/Security Officer o n Star Trek: Voyager, ities there t o g o a r o u n d t o carry those plots."
it's t h e first t i m e a Vulcan has been a regular in a So far, Russ has largely escaped t h e dreaded
Star Trek television series since the or i g i n a l p r o - t e c h n o b a b b l e w h i c h is a major c o m p o n e n t of the
g r a m m e 25 years ago. series. "I have a lot of technical dialogue, a l t h o u g h
A c c o r d i n g t o Russ, Tuvok's ever-impassive n o t as m u c h as the B'Elanna Torres charac-
d e m e a n o u r is a constant challenge t o his crew ter. She has a lot m o r e of t h a t because
mates. "They w i l l do e v e r y t h i n g t h e y can t o make she's an engineer. The Doctor also has a
me lose my composure. O n occasion, my reactions lot of it because he's a medical m a n , so
are noticeable t o w h a t e v e r happens. He doesn't they can make up all kinds of w o r d s for
lose it completely, but y o u do see t h e slightest frac- t h e m ! The Captain has a great deal of it
ture in the veneer of his composure. That reaction because she's a science officer.
is usually incredulous or curious, w h i c h is one of his "The way my dialogue is constructed is
favourite reactions, or i n d i g n a n t , b u t very subtle. not casual, so it's difficult in t h a t sense,
It's all a b o u t degrees w i t h this character. You w o n ' t because my character does n o t speak casu-
see anger. You may see stern, y o u may see impa- ally or use slang. I can't use t h a t many con-
t i e n t t o a certain degree, but very subtle. tractions, so the lines t e n d to be longer to
" M y character and t h e Doctor (played by Robert say w h a t I'd normally say in half t h e space
Picardo) are very much the same, w h i c h should be of t i m e . The way the phrases are arranged,
interesting if w e g e t t o g e t h e r . We really haven't t h e way the w o r d s are b u t t e d up against %J
had any extensive scenes t o g e t h e r , just bits a n d each other sometimes, are very tricky for •*i» t '
pieces, b u t it should be interesting t o see h o w w e me. A simple t h o u g h t will take an extra
play off each other, in t h a t w e ' r e p r e t t y m u c h t h e three lines w h e n Tuvok says t h e m because of the for-
same. We w o u l d n ' t go w a s t i n g t i m e , w e ' d be direct mal way he speaks. That's tricky, because the lines
and t o the p o i n t ; n o t h i n g frivolous, all business, and become longer and mor e c o m p l i c a t e d . " •
it w o u l d be interesting t o see h o w t h a t played. All
t h a t remains t o be seen, but generally w i t h t h e Interview by Joe Nazzaro. S t a r T r e k M o n t h l y will
camaraderie of this cast and the range of variety in feature an in-depth interview with Tim Russ in
these characters, you've g o t a w h o l e range of fire- Issue 8. For info on the Official Tim Russ/Tuvok Fan
w o r k s in place. The dynamics are in place, and Club, send an SAE to: Insiders, P.O. Box 8248, Long
you've g o t all kinds of c o m b i n a t i o n s t h e r e , w h i c h Beach, CA 90808 USA.
named David Gautreaux had been cast in the part, trouble that it did. Tuvok knows that, and he is grate-
but then the series became the motion picture and ful that Janeway risked so much to find him. Far l e f t : Spock's half-
Xon became Spock. In a nod toward what might Reams could be written - reams have been written brother, the over emo-
have been, a Vulcan named Sonak turns up briefly in - about why Vulcahs are so attractive to us. There are tional but pure Vulcan
the film as the refitted U.S.S. Enterprise's new sciencea lot of possible explanations of their appeal and, as Sybok in STV:TFF
officer, but dies hideously in a transporter accident. with a lot of things in life, most of them are true. In Left: Spock mind-melds
It took 20 years for a Vulcan to make it into pole the end, however, it probably comes down to the with Captain Jean-Luc
position in Star Trek again, and this time his name fact that we all feel repressed - in our lives, in our Picard in the ST:TNC
was Tuvok. Tuvok crops up in Star Trek: Voyager, andwork, in our personal relationships. We all feel as if episode Unification
immediately makes a strong impression with his we are hiding what we truly feel behind a mask, just
resigned, world-weary attitude. Whereas Spock often as Vulcans do. The fact that they can be so dignified
seemed baffled by Human illogic and emotion, and calm when they're doing it makes us all feel bet-
Tuvok just seems to get tired by it. He offers his ter. And they're strong, and attractive, and they get
advice with a mental shrug, as if to say 'I know you all the smart lines as well. What could be better? •
won't listen to me, but it's my job to tell you any-
way'. Having said that, his relationship with Captain For further information about Vulcans you could
Janeway is one of the show's strong points - there's a try and find a copy of The Star Trek Concordance
level of mutual regard there that is different from, (by Bjo Trimble) to be published by Titan Books
but complementary to, the Spock/Kirk friendship. on 16 November, or The Star Trek Encyclopedia
After all, if Janeway hadn't gone looking for Tuvok (by Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda and Debbie
when he disappeared while on undercover work with Mirek) and Star Trek Memories and Star Trek Film
the Maquis, the ship wouldn't have got into the Memories, both by William Shatner.
Page 23

T
here's an entertaining new graphic novel
from Titan Books this month, three regulars
from Simon & Schuster, an audio and four
1996 calendars.
The graphic novel, Star
Trek: The Next Gener-
ation - Beginnings, col-
lects together the first Star
Trek: The Next Generation
mini-series and features sto-
ries produced prior to the
1987 premiere of the popular
television series. It follows
the very first missions of the
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D,
78 years after the exploits of
Kirk and Spock, when com-
mander Jean-Luc Picard and
his crew met each other for
the first time. Beginnings is
a lively insight into how the
crew developed relationships
and learned to function
together as a team - when the
challenges they faced were
START TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
COMPANION COMPETITION WINNERS
fe had a phenomenal number of entries to
our Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion
competition, courtesy of Simon & Schuster. The 10
lucky winners of this brilliant guide to the series
were as follows...
Deirdre Cook, London NW3; Sarah Cooper,
Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Clare Isherwood,
Widnes, Cheshire; Mr R. J. Harris, Dyfed, South
Page 24
Out
by Marisa Rovea-Franco
just as deadly and the odds always high, with a guest
appearance by de-powered Q thrown in for good
measure. Despite the highly variable quality to the
artwork, the stories are pretty tight and the fact that
they were produced so close to STTNG's own begin-
nings shows in the way the characters are written.
This is very much a curiosity value item, if anything
else, with a stunning cover by comics artist extraor-
dinaire Bill Sienkiewicz and an introduction from
Michael Okuda, Art Supervisor and Technical
Consultant on the Star Trek: The Next Generation
television series. For Star Trek comic fans this should
prove an item worth picking up, since the original
issues in which they appear are now rare in the UK,
imported in only small amounts at the time of publi-
cation and only reprinted once before, in Marvel UK's
Wales; Peter Jameson, Hillsborough, Co. Down;
Kevin D. Russell, Swindon, Wiltshire; Andrew Saul,
Hartford, Huntingdon; Graeme Smillie, Paisley,
Scotland; Nick Smith, Barnstaple, N. Devon; and
George Staniewicz, South Harting, Nr. Petersfield.
Congratulations to the winners, commiserations to
the losers - there will be many more competitions
to come! •
short-lived Star Trek: The Next Generation title.
Back in time to Classic Star Trek next, with First
Frontier, Diane Carey and Dr. James I Kirkland's
LICENSED STAR TREK BOOKS
new novel where Kirk must time-travel even further AVAILABLE IN AUGUST
into the past to discover the
truth behind why a Klingon has Star Trek fans should note that the number-
never come across Human exis- ing systems between Titan Books and Simon
& Schuster for Classic Star Trek are not com-
tence. Kirk explores Earth, find-
ing nothing but huge reptiles. patible. This book schedule is as accurate as
There are no signs of Human life possible but may be subject to change. PB =
anywhere and he must solve the Paperback HB = Hardback GN = Graphic
heart of the problem or risk the Novel
destruction of the Human race.
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Next in the Star Trek: The Next Classic Star Trek
Generation series is Q-Squared, First Frontier by Diane Carey (Giant PB, £4.50)
by Peter David, in which Picard's Star Trek 1996 30th Anniversary Calendar (£6.99)
number one nemesis returns,
after harassing him time and Star Trek: The Next Generation
time again since they met on Imzadi by Peter David (Audio, £7.99)
Picard's very first mission. The Q-Squared by Peter David (PB, £4.99)
only difference is that this time, Star Trek: The Next Generation 1996 Calendar (£6.99)
instead of being at worst, danger-
ous, and at least, obnoxious, Q Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
actually approaches Picard for help. It's quite a Young Adult 6: Field Trip by John Peel (PB, £2.99)
touching, humane theme, and Picard agrees to help Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 1996 Calendar (£6.99)
him. The relationship grows of course, from a per-
sonal level to a universal one in inter-galactic strug- Star Trek: Voyager
gle. All of you who enjoyed David's previous Q Star Trek: Voyager 1996 Calendar (£6.99)
novel, Q in Law (published by Titan) will know the
writer has a strong understanding of the main char- TITAN BOOKS
acters involved. Worth checking out. Readers please note: the Star Trek reprint range is subject to
Also out this month is Star Trek: Deep Space change and titles may differ from those listed below
Nine - Field Trip from the Young Adult range. Ever
Star Trek: The Next Generation
since the Wormhole was discovered as a shortcut to
Beginnings by Carlin, Marcos, Starr and Garzon (GN, £9.99)
the Gamma Quadrant, adventurous Jake Sisko has
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Crossover by
been dying to go through it. Urged on by other stu-
Barr/Friedman (GN, £9.99)
dents, our young heroes, Jake, Nog, T'Ara and Ashley,
5: Strike Zone by Peter David (PB, £4.50)
take the plunge, this time arriving on a triffid-like
planet where giant plants rule, eat, move and scream!
This month's audio release is an unfolding drama a dispute between a primitive, warlike race - the
between Commander Riker and the ship's counsellor Cantovs - and the Klingons. Super-powerful weapons
Deanna Troi who meet at a nude wedding - all quite are involved and it's up to the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-
exotic and erotic. It's called Imzadi, a Betazoid term 1701-D crew to find a peaceful solution before galac-
that describes the bond between the lovers. Sadly tic war erupts. Can they do it? •
Deanna dies, but her death marks the start of an
incredible adventure for Riker - one that takes him
across time and forces him to choose between
Starfleet's strictest rule and the powerful imzadi. This
is a highly enjoyable audio novel, despite the occa-
sional cringe-worthy cliche! Just close your eyes, sit
back and let Jonathan Frakes's narration transport
you to another world.
Don't forget there will also be four 1996 calendars
available as of this month; one from each series, Star
Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,
Star Trek Voyager, and a special Classic Star Trek calen-
dar to celebrate its 30th birthday. These are well
worth looking out for and the ideal and relatively
inexpensive Christmas present (yes, it's getting clos-
er...) for any Star Trek fan!
Finally, a reprint from Titan this month is Peter
David's Strike Zone, in which Picard must mediate
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this page in print cannot be reproduced in this page in print cannot be reproduced in
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Classic Star Trek - The Dream

Walkers

46 99

Above and below: me, and I wasn't sure if he wanted me to speak an
As the planet Genesis answer aloud or was this something I was supposed to
crumbles beneath their ponder for a moment? I looked away, and then I
feet, Saavik and Kirk's looked back at him and he
son, David Marcus, face said, 'Yeah, that's it, that's
death by the treachery what I want here!' It was "He's (Patrick Stewart) a very
of a Klingon blade almost as if by speaking to attractive man; he's got such a Fortunately, Curtis has hap-
me as Robin, he tricked me
into what he wanted from presence, and I was very nervous remaining cast members.
Saavik. I though that was
pretty cool."
Turning her attention to the cast of STIII:TSFS, and very playful. On Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, I
Curtis has fond memories of the late Merritt Butrick,
who played Kirk's son David. "Merritt was a very
sweet man; great energy, very flamboyant. I was feel-
ing enormous pressure, I didn't speak until I was spo-
ken to, and really didn't loosen up and enjoy myself
until the last few weeks, and I have to say that Merritt honey, I've been acting to Bill Shatner's nose for
was a big part of that. He would cajole or entice me
to sing or dance with him on the set.
"I was tentative about doing anything like that in
the beginning, because I didn't want anyone to per-
ceive me as somebody who wasn't really concerned -
if you're having too much fun, maybe you don't look
like you're working hard enough. It really wasn't
until the end when I said, 'What's the point? You can
have some fun between scenes, and it's not going to
appear unprofessional.' Merritt helped me with
that."
Another actor who made an impression on Curtis
was veteran film and television actor Christopher
Lloyd, who took on the juicy role of the Klingon
commander, Kruge. "First, I sort of avoided talking to
him because I hadn't seen Taxi at that point, and I
didn't want to reveal how stupid I was that I hadn't
seen his show.
"Contrary to how I went about the part, which was
Page 50
wanting to know every little piece of information, it
seemed that Christopher didn't have to know all
those things. He just acted.
"On one particular day of filming, he had to reach
down, pick up the communicator and talk into it,
and he kept stretching his arms on either side of him
to the heavens, screaming, 'Beam me up!' The com-
municator was about three feet from his face because
his arms were extended, and they'd say, 'Cut!
Christopher, it's the communicator that you pick up
off the ground that you have to talk into, that's giv-
ing the message across." He'd say 'Oh yeah!' and do
the same thing all over again. He'd stand there, arms
spread wide, with no relationship to the communica-
tor whatsoever, but he'd say 'Beam me up' better
than anyone else could at that moment!"
Of the original Star Trek crew, the actress says she
never really connected with star William Shatner.
"The man did not make himself available to me,
plain and simple. Every time there was a break on
the set, he disappeared. He wasn't there to chat with
the way the other cast members were. He just didn't
choose to participate that way, and that could be for
any number of reasons. He was someone I didn't get
to know well enough to decide whether I liked him.
Perhaps it wouldn't stick out like such a sore thumb
in my memory except that
everyone else was so avail-
able and so open."
pier stories to tell of the
~ "When I think of Nichelle
Nichols, I think of warm, full of the devil, great spirit
had the courage to go over to her when I told them
adios. I finished the rehearsal of that scene, and I said
to her, 'You know Bill's not even looking at me. He
doesn't look at me in the scene; it's so strange to play
a scene and they're not looking at you.' She said, 'Oh
years!' She has a way of nailing things right on the
head, and deals with them with a sense of humour.
"George Takei is one of the most complete Human
beings I've ever met. He's so connected to the world,
intellectually, academically, and so articulate. I get
the feeling that he must be spiritually connected to
have the grace that he has, walking through life. He
runs every city street that he appears in, and he takes
the fans with him. He's an amazing person.
"Walter Koenig never pretended to be anything he
wasn't. He's a very bright, very well-spoken man.
He's also very acerbic, with a biting wit. Walter gave
me great advice when I started, and I didn't take it,
which I regret now. He said, 'Keep a journal every
day, of this experience,' but 1 didn't know that this
would come to anything. You finish a job, and you
move on, so it was interesting to realise that any of
my experiences that would later become stories were
things I'd like to keep."
Saavik returned in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, beginning, I questioned my invitation to conven-
but in a greatly reduced role. Her character is left
behind on Vulcan early in the film, when Kirk and
his crew return to Earth. Curtis jokes about being left
on a rock with Jane Wyatt (who plays Spock's moth-
er, Amanda) but claims it was an enjoyable experi-
ence nonetheless.
"Working on that film
was fine, because everybody "/ still don't know if I was a
was having so much fun. Romulan pretending to be a
The energy on that set was
Vulcan or a Vulcan
so different from the other
one. Just in the few days I as a Romulan!"
worked, I could see the dif-
ference immediately because
they were making a better movie. Star Trek III: The being able to connect with other people. It has been
Search For Spock was a real downer. Everyone dies in financially rewarding, but I wouldn't do it if it wasn't
it, and Leonard was still finding his way as a director
which I think he did magnificently, by the way, bal-
ancing egos and talents, but I'm really speaking about
the story. They were finally back to an ensemble feel,
which I think is more the Star Trek way."
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was Curtis's last
appearance in the film series, but not the end of her
involvement with the Star Trek universe. During the
final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, she land-
ed a guest starring role in the two-part episode
Gambit. "They had offered me a part earlier that year,
and I couldn't do it because a mere two hours before
that I'd been offered another job and said yes to it.
The only glory in it was they finally wanted me and I
had to say no because I was working!"
Ironically, Curtis was asked to play another Vulcan
- of sorts. Her character Tallera was a Vulcan merce-
nary posing as a Romulan; quite different from the
role of Saavik.
"They were quite different, I thought. This woman
had all sorts of evil motives, and, to be quite honest,
I worked for the first few days not knowing what the
devil I was playing. They wouldn't give me a script
for the following week, and I kept begging them. In
the end, I still don't know if I was a Romulan pre-
tending to be a Vulcan or a Vulcan masquerading as
a Romulan!"
Curtis wasn't able to work with the entire Star Trek:
The Next Generation cast, but had several major scenes
with Patrick Stewart, particularly in the second
episode. "I was scared working with Patrick," she
laughs. "He's a very attractive man; he's got such a
presence, and I was very nervous. I hoped I would be
able to hold my own, and the way I chose to do that
was by not being chummy with him. This was about
just doing the work, and that's what succeeded for
me. Our scenes together had a sort of cat and mouse
feel to them, and I felt in order to maintain that ten-
sion, it might have impeded me if we got to know
each other off the set."
Reflecting on her long-time involvement with Star
Trek, Robin Curtis is pleased to have been involved in
what has become a cultural phenomenon. "In the
tions; why would anybody want to listen to what I
have to say? Since then, I've accepted that this is a
part of my life, and it's inextricably linked to it. The
fans have educated to me to this thing that I'm a part
of, and it's very humbling. I've come to know that
Gene Roddenberry was a
great man with great ideas,
who put forth a very positive
image for the future, with
masquerading
wonderful philosophies that
he lived by in his work. It's
wonderful to be a part of it.
"Beyond that, it's been such
an enriching experience,
Below: As the Vulcan
posing as a Romulan,
fun in some way. The fans have given me something Tellera (centre), with fel-
and, in return, I've left them with something. Life is low mercenaries Vekar
too short and way too sweet to not be wholly invest- and Narika, in ST:TNC
ed in any experience, and that's what I've done." • episode Gambit, Part 1
Page 51
 7 remember hearing that NBC at the time said, 'We like it, we believe it,
we don't understand it; do it again.'"
hen the history of American tele-
vision is finally written, Robert
Butler will undoubtedly have a
significant place in it. The multi-
ple Emmy Award-winning Director has helped
create some of the medium's biggest mile-
stones, including Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting,
Remington Steele, and Our Family Honor. Genre
fans are more likely to remember his launch of
the Batman television series; the 1990s rework-
ing of the Superman legend, Lois And Clark: The
Robert Butler
Joe Nazzaro talks to Robert Butler,
the acclaimed Director responsible
for many pilot episodes which have
since spawned many successful tele-
vision shows - including The Cage... Opposite: Captain
Pike with his Number
One on the bridge of
the U.S.S. Enterprise
Left: Boldly going in
any generation,
Captain Christopher
Pike and the crew of the
U.S.S. Enterprise
respond to a distress
call from the planet
Talos IV
New Adventures of Superman; and most impor- Below: Captain Pike
tantly, the original Star Trek pilot, The Cage. The and Mr Spock search
show is available on CIC Video, released first as the strange planet for
a black and white colour mix and later in full survivors
colour when a full colour print of the pilot was
found.
Butler's career started during the era of live tele- ity-bending aliens anxious to revive their dying derful job. I remember trying to get a kind of fresh-
vision, working on programmes such as Playhouse world. Captain Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, ness and a coloquiality in those young characters
90 and Studio One. "I started directing on Hennessey becomes part of a scien- and not have them all be rigid
which was in 1962," he recalls. "What you do is go tific experiment in which and pasteboard leading men.
from half hours to hours and then longer form. the aliens attempt to "(Jeffrey Hunter) was a little "I can't remember how Majel
Gunsmoke was one of the early shows; The Fugitive, make him mate with
Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey, etc." Vina (Susan Oliver), the
heroic and a little stiff, and I Barrett (who played Number
One) got into it, but she was
Having established himself on a number of suc- lone and tragic survivor tried to modify that a little bit, and is a nice actress. Jeffrey
cessful programmes in the Sixties, Butler was offered of a crash landing on a
the chance to work on the pilot for a new SF series
and maybe I did and maybe Hunter had probably been cast
planet. The pilot proved beyond my control, which is
called Star Trek. "I had done two or three episodes of too cereberal for the taste I didn't" the way it goes, but I certainly
Gene Roddenberry's The Lieutenant," he remembers. of television network knew of him and found him
"He had worked on several shows before that, but executives but the show's
actually created The Lieutenant, which was about a concept was, they felt, too good to pass up.
marine lieutenant in peacetime. Gene liked my "I remember hearing that NBC at the time said,
work on it, and asked me to direct the Star Trek 'We like it, we believe it, we don't understand it; do
pilot." it again.' That was the comment. The music was
The Cage was to prove only the starting point for good; I remember that theme song was quite won-
Star Trek - a one hour test with a crew of the U.S.S. derful. Some of the jazz groups still play it, because
Enterprise far different to that used in the second it has some good changes. The theme stayed the
pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before. The story, pit- same, and that composer has written some other
ting the Starfleet crew (which include a young and things that have become jazz standards or occasion-
apparently emotional version of Spock) against real-
ally played in jazz, so that the chord changes in it
were kind of hip. I remember liking it when I heard
it, but anyway, that's how I wound up on Star Trek."
Butler was involved in many of the early casting
choices, although many of the parts were later recast
when the network ordered a second pilot. "I was
very much in on the casting of the supporting peo-
ple. Peter Duryea was one of them; he did a won-
Page S3

Right: Pike and Vina
return to Earth via the
Talosians' illusions
Below: A crippled Pike
faces the future as a
wheelchair bound mute
in The Menagerie
to be a real co-operative good guy. He was a little
heroic and a little stiff, and I tried to modify that a
little bit, and maybe I did and maybe I didn't. Susan
Oliver was quite a skilled actress. She certainly knew
what she was about. John Hoyt originally played the
Doc in that first hour, and then later it was DeForest
Kelly. He was more of a leading man back then,
while John Hoyt was more of a character actor. I
remember Gene and I talking about that and I think
Gene always wanted more of the leading man type,
but I just bulled through with John Hoyt. When
they did their second pilot, they put DeForest in the
part."
As Butler now recalls, he and Roddenberry didn't
always see eye to eye, particularly where the look of
the show was concerned. "1 wanted to put verticals
in the control bridge," he says, offering one exam-
ple. "There were no verticals; just an open space,
and that was dull. Clean and open is more dull than
aged and cluttered, and I tried to get Gene and the
designer - he was an Austrian and a traditional, old
school guy - and I remember trying like hell to get
them to execute that idea. I also tried to get some
age on the hardware, like they did on Star Wars
many years later. I thought that was a lot more
interesting than having everything look clean and
shiny, but Gene wouldn't have any of that. He said
Page 54
THE CAGE
Writer: Gene Roddenberry
Director: Robert Butler
Stardate: Unknown
First Air Date: Not Transmitted (Video Release Only)
Captain Pike -Jeffrey Hunter
Mr Spock - Leonard Nimoy
lose 'joe' Tyler - Peter Duryea
Number One- Majel Barrett (M. Leigh Hudec)
CPO Garrison - Adam Roarke
Dr Philip 'Bones' Boyce - J o h n Hoyt
Yeoman j. M. Colt - Laurel Goodwin
Vina - Susan Oliver
The Keeper - Meg Wyllie
Voice of The Keeper- Malachi Thrc
Dr Theodore Haskins - J o n Lorimei
Returning from a disastrous engagement with the
natives on Rigel VII, Captain Pike struggles with his
conscience, blaming himself for the death of some
of his crew. He contemplates leaving Starfleet and
trying some other life. Then the U.S.S. Enterprise
encounters a distress signal from the planet Talos IV,
claiming that an Earth ship crashed there and there
are survivors.
Beaming down with a landing party, Pike discov-
ers Human survivors, a group of old men, marooned
for 25 years. Among them is Vina, a remarkably
beautiful young woman. She lures Pike to a cave,
where he is captured by fragile-appearing, large-
headed aliens. The survivors vanish; they, and the
distress call, prove to have been an illusion.
Pike awakes to find himself in a glasslike cell. A
menagerie of alien creatures, all in similar cells, sur-
round him. The Talosian leader, known as The
Keeper, demonstrates his mental powers to Pike.
Vina again appears; she urges Pike to make the best Above: Mr Spock, jose
of it, telling him he can't resist for long because the Tyler and Dr. Philip
Talosians will always know what he's thinking. Pike Boyce attempt to rescue
and Vina are placed into a series of entirely their Captain...
convincing situations which, as the Talosians intend, Below left: ...as
bring them closer together. But still Pike resists. Chistopher Pike learns
Meanwhile, having failed to blast their way into what it means to dissa-
the cavern, a landing party from the ship plans to point the Talosians
beam inside the planet, directly into the Talosian
complex. But only the women, Number One and
Yeoman Colt, are transported down. The Keeper
informs Pike that because Vina seemed undesirable,
he now has a choice. But Pike has discovered that
strong emotions, such as hate, block the Talosians'
they try to remove the 'useless'
captain's cell.
With his hostage, Pike and his people make their
way to the surface, where the Talosians inform them
this was their plan from the outset; enabling the
Humans to breed on the surface. In defiance,
Number One sets a phaser to overload and the aliens
finally realize that Humans are willing to die rather
than suffer even benign captivity. They explain that
they only wanted to repopulate their barren planet,
and of all the races they investigated, only Humans
showed the necessary ambition and drive to suc-
ceed. They are free to leave.
Vina decides to rei however, and as the
women beam up Pike is shown her reason: she is
actually middle-aged and hopelessly crippled from
the crash. At Pike's urging, ,
the Talosians restore her illu-
sion of beauty, as well as
implanting in her mind a
scene of Pike remaining with
her. Pike beams back up and the ship
warps out of orbit.
Above: Christopher everything was already being designed at that point,
Pike and crew discuss so I lost that argument."
the finer points of Sadly, Butler's original Star Trek pilot was rejected
hospitality with their by NBC, and a second, substantially different pilot
Taiosian host ordered. This time, the directorial chores were given
Right: There from the to James Goldstone, and Where No Man Has Gone
start, Marjel Barrett Before became the new blueprint for Roddenberry's
went on to play Nurse vision. "Here's the way it worked," says Butler.
Christine Chapel, "When a second pilot was to be done with Shatner,
Lwaxana Troi and was and I think they used everybody new except for
the computer's voice in Leonard and Majel; director,
both Classic Star Trek art director, camera person; down. My real reason was
and Star Trek: The everyone was new. I don't because I'd been there, I just
Next Generation think Gene offered me the
"I tried to get some age on the didn't want to do that
Below: A fond farewell second pilot, and Jim hardware, like they did on Star again, but what I told him
to Christopher Pike, as Goldstone did it instead, Wars many years later. I thought probably was that i had a
a certain lames T. Kirk and then later when the .1 . i . . . ,. conflict, or God knows
waits just around the pilot was to be mixed into
that was a lot more interesting what, In retrospect, that
corner another hour as a kind of than having everything look cleanmight have been a little
' and shiny but Gene (Roddenberry) hard-headed' but that's
flashback (in The Menagerie),
If you are looking to promote your high
Gene offered me that show, . . / . , . „ what I did at the time."
to shoot the additional In the end, Butler was quality Star Trek merchandise to a captive
hour, and I turned him
wouldnt have any of that. pleased that some of his readership, Star Trek Monthly is THE place
footage from The Cage was to advertise!
able to be seen as part of the Classic Star Trek series,
even in a drastically different format. "I knew the With wide distribution through all major
original hour would be interspersed in the flashback and independent newsagents and video,
two-hour, and I think we got dual screen credit or music, computer and specialist SF shops,
whatever. I was just curious as to how Gene was
advertising in the magazine will get
going to knit all that stuff together. I don't think I've
ever see the full two hours, but I've seen bits and maximum exposure to new and old
pieces of it, and I think it was a good use of that followers of the Star Trek phenomenon.
film. Otherwise, it would have just sat on a shelf and
never been used. You do it to be seen and for peo- For more information on how to advertise in
ple's enjoyment, so it's kind of a still birth if they this space call: 0171 278 3686 ext. 106
never see the damn thing!" • NOW!
Page 56
 equiva-
lent and this
toy version certainly
has the same sort of feel

Another new series of figures is

available this month, again from
Bandai. These are seven inch talk-
ing figures. Yes, talking. Each figure
has a vocabulary of three or four
phrases which have been digitally
recorded by the show's actors. Hear
Captain Picard utter such phrases as
range. Fear not: a new set is available now and it "Make it so!' and "Engage warp
has an interesting selection of characters. One of engines!' Listen to the mischievous
my favourites is Jean-Luc Pieard in his All Good Q say "Bonjour mon capitalB''. These figures also
Things outfit, who looks like he's come straight see more of these metalled figures in the future. come with a variety of accessories and a special
from The Archers - he's wearing a wide-brimmed The Bandai fleet of Star-ships also expands personalised action adventure booklet. Com-
hat, white shirt, trousers and braces, and sports a this month; a light and sound version of the mander Riker and a Borg complete the current
full beard! I can imagine him climbing into a U.S.S. Excelsior NCC-2000 is now being pro- ranee of four figures now available. Further talk-
tractor; just before he starts to plough a field he duced. This ship, which was first seen in Star
utters his famous catch phrase "Make it sow'! Trek 111: The Search For Spock, comes with four
Other figures include Data's creator the anti- authentic sounds; Tractor Beam, Warning Signal, TIMEX STAR TREK
quated Dr Noonien Soong, the Bajoran Ensign
Ro Laren and Commander Data in his forties
Engage Warp Engines and Energy Ribbon! This
model also has light-up Engine Exhausts and WATCH COMPETITION
Above a n d b e l o w : II Star Trek fans are g o i n g t o t h i n k "Gangsters' outfit. This figure seems quite odd; Navigational Deflectors and like all ships in the
lust some of the latest t h a t Christmas has come early this it's probably just seeing Data in a pinstriped suit new range, it comes with a Starfleet logo display
figures from the ever- .year. T h e r e are so m a n y n e w releas- rather than his Starfleet uniform that makes it stand.
increasing Bandai es this m o n t h t h a t y o u just w o n ' t believe it Something worth pointing out to all collec-
range - a n d v i r t u a l l y all o f t h e m a r e f r o m Bandai. Two figures i e to this collection are tors out there is the fact that the Star Trek
Right: Bandai s new The company is p r o d u c i n g several new Commander VVoi Klihron Ceremonial dress Generations edition of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey
light and sound ver- ranges. The first is a s t u n n i n g group of n i n e i n c h and Locutus - PPicard transformed into a Borg has now been deleted. It has been replaced by a
sion of the U.S.S. Star Trek Collectors figures. All figures are f u l l y from the two-part story The Best of Both Worlds. Star Trek: The Next Generation version, but the
Excelsior Both of these figures have chromed, metal parts ships are identical. Only the boxes have
Opposite t o p left: phaser, tricorder and other tools, as well as changed.
More figures from removable fabric uniform and a special col- For some time now the Klingon fans out there
Bandai... and these lectors trading card. The first assortment of have been complaining that it is unfair and dis-
ones even talk! these large figures includes Beverly Crusher, honourable to supply the Federation with
Opposite t o p Will Riker, Captain Kirk in ceremonial dress weapons and tricorders, while they a warrior
r i g h t : The powerful, uniform and a Borg. These figures are excel- race are given nothing. Bandai, however, is
life-size Klingon lently sculpted and look very impressive. A now manufacturing a life-size Klingon
Disruptor from...guess word of warning however; these figures will Disruptor. This powerful weapon has character-
who...yes it's Bandai be available in limited numbers, so if you're istic Klingon styling and two power settings, the
again! rarely used stun and the ever popular disrupt. As
not careful you might miss them.
By now you probably think that there are
no characters left for Bandai to put in its
well as making two noises, this gun also illumi-
nates when fired and comes complete with a set
T imex have created a collection of five Star Trek watches, essential acces-
sories for all Trekkers. The collection includes watches with Klingon
vocabulary, a Romulan cloaking device and an INDIGLO night-light U.S.S.
Star Trek: The Next Generation action figure of realistic blueprints. I imagine that demand for Enterprise NCC-1701-D. At the push of a button, the U.S.S. Enterprise illumi-
this weapon will be great, so once again you will nates with a brilliant blue light, so you can tell the time even in the dark-
have to hurry if you want one! est space.
At the risk of seeing these pages taken over by Timex have 10 INDIGLO U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D watches to give
Bandai, the company is also releasing a Bajoran away. All you have to do is answer the question below and send it on a post-
phaser. This is a large chunky weapon, and like card or the back of a sealed down envelope to Timex/Star Trek Competition,
all of Bandai's guns it lights up when fired and Star Trek Monthly, Titan Magazines, 42-44 Dolben Street, London SE1 OUP, to
produces two authentic sounds. As well as the arrive no later than 24 August 1995. The first 10 correct entries drawn from
phaser a Bajoran tricorder is also available, the the hat will win a Timex Star Trek watch; the Editor's decision is final.
scientific hand-held unit that is often seen
aboard the space station Deep Space Nine. Name the ST:TNG episode in which Captain Picard crossed between three
Apparently the Bajoran tricorder is considered time zones.
more durable and rugged than its Federation
Page 58 Page 59