Fun Facts About Star Trek

F is for Fun Facts!

I love reading books about Star Trek, as well as looking through manuals and blueprints. Through my studies, I have stumbled upon many a delightful fact. Here are only a few of them, in no particular order:

• Captain Christopher Pike was played by Jeffrey Hunter in the first Pilot, "The Cage". The crippled Pike in the Menagerie, however, was played instead by Sean Kenney as Jeffrey Hunter wanted to move on to doing movies. 
• The first interracial kiss shown on TV was between Captain Kirk and Uhura, in the episode "Plato's Stepchildren". This kiss was originally to be between Spock and Uhura.

• In order to do the Vulcan salute, Zachery Quinto had to glue his fingers together.
• Spock was originally going to have red skin, but because he would look almost black on black and white TVs, he was given a "chicken soup" coloring instead. He also originally was not going to eat or drink, but would have a special plate in his stomach - he would feed off of any energy that struck the plate. I used my "amazing" editing skills to see what he might look like with red skin:

• After filming "The Trouble With Tribbles", it took about two weeks to get all of the tribbles off the set - between takes, tribbles would be pulled out instead of communicators, and  DeForest Kelley recalls doing surgery on someone - he thinks it was Mark Lenard in Journey to Babel - and pulling out a tribble.
• George Takei had to take fencing lessons before filming The Naked Time, as he had never fenced before.
• Leonard Nimoy had a tootsie pop with him almost constantly, sometimes even with him on set while the camera was rolling, because the the makeup made his mouth so dry.

• Leonard Nimoy, during the second or third year of the Original Series, became an alcoholic - but did not drink while they were filming.
• When planning The Next Generation, they considered getting rid of the Enterprise, and starships altogether - transported technology would be so far advanced that they could simply beam from planet to planet.
• The character, Deanna Troi, was almost given three breasts.
• The original pilot, The Cage, was deemed to sexy for viewers, and this was part of the reason Star Trek did not go further at that time.
• In the original series, "outrageously" sexual content would be inserted into the episodes so that the censors would focus on that instead of themes such as political allegory.
• The network wanted Roddenberry to get rid of two characters: the female first officer, and the demonic looking alien. He begrudgingly removed Number One from the cast, but fought to keep Spock. 

• Majel Barrett, the woman best known for playing the role of Nurse Chapel in the original series, also played roles such as Number One in The Cage, and Lwaxana Troi in The Next Generation. She also did the voices for many characters in the Animated Series, a few being Amanda Grayson, M'Ress, Theela, Lora, the Queen of Hearts, and Randi Bryce. She is also the voice of the Federation computers, a narrator (TNG, DS9,VOY), and has written an episode (DS9). She also became wife to Gene Roddenberry.
• The TOS Enterprise had a six lane bowling ally. 
• Star Trek used many of the set pieces from the Andy Griffith Show, for financial reasons.

The Worlds of the Federation and Don Ivan Punchatz - 1989

"The Worlds of the Federation", written and illustrated by Shane Johnson, is one of my favorite resources. Inside this 155 page book one finds a historical overview of the United Federation of Planets, the Planetary Classification System (UFP Standard), and overview of all member worlds as well as their planet's primaries and ambassadors - as well as an overview of Neutral, Independent, and Hostile Worlds. One may also find each planet's system profile, planetary emblem, and continental profile.

While Shane Johnson illustrated the pages with drawings of continental systems, ambassadors, emblems, etc. - it was Don Ivan Punchatz who created the stunning color art we see on the cover, as well as inside on the glossed pages (which I will cover at a later date). I will focus now on the image on the front cover:

We also find the same image spread across two pages inside, allowing us to experience this masterpiece in great detail. For those who are unaware of the races depicted, I will go over them and state the episode they first appeared in: (Referring the the images below, Starting in top left, moving clockwise)

• Melkot - Melkatians were seen in TOS: Spectre of the Gun
• Klingon - The Klingons are well known, but first appeared in TOS: Errand of Mercy
• Gorn - First seen in TOS: Arena
• Tellarite - First seen in TOS: Journey to Babel (one of my favorite episodes, as we see Sarek and Amanda for the first time)
• Tribbles - First seen in TOS: The Trouble with Tribbles
• Bynars - First seen in TNG: 11001001
• Benzite - First seen in TNG: Coming of Age

To enlarge the image, right click and open in a new tab or window.

Moving on to the second page, we see the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D over top of the five remaining races:

• Romulan - First seen in TOS: Balance of Terror (played by Mark Lenard, the same man who played Sarek)
• Andorian - First seen in TOS: Journey to babel (What is interesting about this image - is that the Andorian shown below, Thelev, was actually an Orian Assassin in disguise, and not an Andorian at all)
• Phylosian - First seen in TAS: The Infinite Vulcan (another great episode)
• Ferengi - First seen in TNG: The Last Outpost
• Saurian (juvenile) -  First Seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (although Saurian Brandy has been enjoyed in TOS episodes beforehand)

I am absolutely in awe of this piece of art. I have been a fan of Don Ivan Punchatz for a while now, and a lot of his work can be found online - do a quick search on google images and you will understand. Everything he does is absolutely amazing.

Random Tribbles.

International Cosplay Day Part Three - Abducting McCoy

Part One - Vulcan Priestess
Part Two - Whovian Chalk Art

On the way to the park for International Cosplay Day, I picked up a McCoy figure for fifteen dollars. It had been in the same cabinet for an entire year- I don't know why I didn't get him before.

We brought McCoy everywhere with us, so that he could observe the culture of the giant beings that had abducted him and kept him in a cage in so long. In this parallel earth, many dangers awaited him - we were his only protection.

My friend "Gnomes" providing transportation for Bones.

Unfortunately (for him), we did subject him to caterpillars. This one took quite a liking to his face, and was named "Tribble". You can see the distress in his face.

All did not go as planned on the planet's surface...

We brought him along with us to watch "Conan the Barbarian", a typical cultural occurrence. The movie basically consisted of people holding things over their head and yelling. It also included holding a naked baby up in the middle of a battle to be pierced with an arrow. Inspired by the movie, and weary of large predators, McCoy stole my ring and proceeded to use it as armor.

Self defense comes first. Prepared for battle, Barbarian style.

As soon as the movie ended, we were told by a young couple to go and get a coffee (in a very profane way). None of us were quite sure why, but we decided it would be nice to go to Tim Horton's anyways. As McCoy, in his current state and position, was unable to find appropriate sustenance - we provided it for him. Unaccustomed to such large utensils, we felt obligated to help him out.

Being spoon fed soup - Doctor's do, however, make difficult patients.

McCoy asked specifically for a mint julep, but was told that they did not sell them in coffee and doughnut shops. He settled on sharing a fruit smoothie with us. We had to lift him up to the straw.

But nothing beats a mint julep.

Eventually we all made our way back, and McCoy now resides on a shelf with the others whom I had abducted in the past - Kirk, Sulu, and Spock.

Thus concludes my tales of International Cosplay Day. Please do not be concerned about Doctor Leonard McCoy, for he tells me he has settled and is content in his new home. He was retiring anyways - It has been about 45 years, after all.

Spock Gets a Box of Tribbles from McCoy for Christmas

Once upon a time, the crew of the enterprise decided to bring back the "secret santa" tradition. Most were very excited, with the exception of Spock and Doctor McCoy. Spock felt that such a tradition was illogical and meant for humans, to which McCoy responded harshly, "You ARE half human, Spock - how about you try getting into the spirit of things, you green blooded hobgoblin."

Things really got interesting when McCoy picked Spock's name out of the boot.

"I'm a doctor, not a damn Santa!" McCoy exclaimed loudly as he paced Kirk's quarters. "What am I supposed to give to a Vulcan for Christmas?"

The corner of Kirk's mouth turned up slightly - "Why, appeal to his human side, Bones."

Christmas day finally came around on the Enterprise, and the main crew was gathered on the bridge. Each held a small box or bag in their hands, looking around anxiously.

Kirk recieved an antique paperback from Uhura - "The Crucible". McCoy was given a beautifully framed picture of his daughter Joanna and himself, Scotty a bottle of vintage scotch, Sulu a genuine leather cloak, and Chekov a Russian history book with wide margins where he could add his own "facts".

Spock had gotten a hold of another Vulcan Lute for Uhura, which she accepted gratefully and began to play. As she played, she sang a song in Swahili.

Finally, it was McCoy's turn to present Spock with his gift. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he handed to package over to the Vulcan. Spock, raising one eyebrow, inspected the package before untying the bow and and lifting the lid.

Trying to hide his surprise, Spock watched as the box overflowed with tribbles that fell at his feet. Kirk and McCoy were beside him now, not bothering to hide their grins. Lifting a tribble from the box in his hand, he held it up inquisitively.

The entire crew broke out in laughter - Spock cocked his eyebrow once more, and with the tilt of his head, muttered... "fascinating."

McCoooooooooooy!

And there you have it - the back story I made up (in a couple of minutes, just now) to go with my new figure. I got this amazing figure at the same time and place as I got my Doctor Who glass and duvet set - from a wonderful man who really knows his stuff. I am in love with the structure of his face and ears here, hence all of the close-ups. Whoever made this is a glorious being.