Star Trek IV Plate Ad

Over the years, my name got on the mailing list of a lot of companies offering Trek items; I rarely bought the actual items, I just saved the ads. Here is one from 1994, a four-page glossy flyer for the newest plate in the Hamilton Collection, featuring a nicely-done montage from "The Voyage Home."

(Click on the images to enlarge; when the window opens, you may have to click the image again to view full-size.)

Bonus: Kirk and Shanna from "The Gamesters of Triskelion" wrestle a bit before falling into the hay.

Kirk is about to flip her over his hip and into his arms, a signature move.

And.. submitted for your speculation, without comment, this photo comparison I put together.

Update: Sometimes I look at the various places people come to the blog from, and I found out that Wil Wheaton "Wesley Crusher" himself, visited and linked to me! Cool! Here is the page where he mentioned the site: http://wilwheaton.tumblr.com/page/90

1994 Time "Generations" cover article

Just in time for Thanksgiving, an edition of Time magazine that was published the week of a past Thanksgiving, November 28, 1994. Sure, most of us have this issue, but this is for those that missed it, or for those that just haven't taken it out to look at in awhile.

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Hope all my readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of the love of your family, enjoyment of great food, and reflection on what you have to be thankful for... remembering the One to express our gratitude to.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! Psalm 100:4 (RSV)

Check out some vintage Thanksgiving ads from papers that I clipped movie ads from here, and here.

1994 article: The Death Of Captain Kirk

Before the internet became what it has in recent years, one of the main sources of info about upcoming movies for us Trekkers was the tabloids. Although couched in gossipy terms, one could get facts early that weren't available anywhere else, if one didn't mind wading through the other junk. Kind of like eating lunch in the middle of a cow pasture; you might enjoy the meal but feel a bit dirty from the surroundings (come to think of it, it's not much different from the internet in that respect). From the "Star" tabloid, published Sept. 6, 1994, comes this article on "Star Trek: Generations," as the secret of Captain Kirk's death is spilled... and without the warning that there were "spoilers" in the article, as the term came to be known. Thanks, Star!

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It's funny reading some of the errors in the article, such as the bit about them teaming up to fight a scientist "bent on destroying the universe." That seems a bit overly ambitious, not to mention impractical. If you destroy the universe, who would be left to gloat over it to?

Below is a later article, printed September 20th, 1994, reporting the fandom's furor over the spoiled secret, thanks mostly to the paper for publishing it. Unlike the last-minute script change in "The Wrath Of Khan" which responded to fan reaction by providing an "out," there never was one added to this movie to allow for a chance at Kirk's resurrection. The NG movie producers weren't interested in bringing him back, they only wanted him gone so they could move on with their versions, which is understandable. But Shatner would have reason to regret it when he was locked out of the new '09 movie by the fact. At least Kirk lives again in the enjoyable novels from Shatner "co-written" by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens.

Bonus: Below is a scan of one of the items members of the "Official Star Trek Fan Club" received when joining; I got this sometime in the mid-80's as far as I can recall.

Bonus: Below is one of the multitude of small newspaper clippings in my scrapbook regarding the many conventions that were held in south Florida during the mid-70's. This one from 1976 is significant because although I didn't get to go to it (three guesses why), a friend brought me back autographed pictures of Nichelle and Doohan, which I still treasure and have framed on my wall.

And finally, below is a short interview with Gene about the planned movie from "The Monster Times," issue #42, published in July of 1975. This took the place of the regular feature "Trek Talk" in that issue, so I'm tagging it with that anyway for easy location. It's always interesting to look back at these movie announcements and remember how long it took to see it made, and how many false starts there were. But if nothing else, it kept Star Trek alive in the public's mind, and for that reason, Gene's efforts were worth it.

It's interesting to read in the above interview that Gene was considering making the new movie a prequel, which is what the recent '09 movie was (in a way). But one has to wonder how they would have handled the fact that the stars were ten years older by that time. Would they have hired younger actors and actresses to portray the characters in the flashbacks? Also, the idea of shoehorning in the "cameos by ten international celebrities" would hang on almost up until the making of "ST:TMP," but thankfully it was forgotten. Can you imagine how cheesy it would appear now? Between that and "Magicam" it's a good thing the movie didn't get made at that time.

1994 Shatner article: Beam Him Down

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Clipped from People magazine, published 11/28/94. Bill was clueless as to why the secondary cast members resented him, and still seems to be these many years later. I suppose it seems to him that the "little people" around him just don't appreciate his greatness and being overshadowed by him.

Bonus: Below, a good blooper shot as Bill cracks up, most likely at one of his own slipups or jokes.

Below, in a dream photo opportunity, Captain Kirk poses with one of the great influences in his life, the bold and handsome captain of the stage and screen with whom he shared many character traits.

Below, we see that Shatner even sometimes clashed with the co-stars who threatened him by their height or screen time. Few could stand before his awesomely awesome awesomeness.

"Don't make me bring out the stalactite again, Ted!"

Hidden photo: I stumbled across a photo of Bill that I'm just not going to post here to avoid certain labels I'd rather not have to bear. But, I know there are people, ladies mostly, that would like to see it. So, if you like the words "Shatner" and "chest hair" in the same sentence, click here. Don't say I didn't warn you, there may be certain side effects, either good or bad.

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Obit: Ed Reimers, "Admiral Fitzpatrick," of "The Trouble With Tribbles" dies.

Known by Trek fans as the grandfatherly admiral that gave Kirk his orders in "Tribbles," but by the rest of the world as the voice of the Allstate "you're in good hands" announcer, Ed Reimers has passed away...unexpectedly, before his time.

Associated Press - August 16, 2009 7:44 PM ET

NEW YORK (AP) - A relative says the Illinois-born actor who told television viewers "you're in good hands with Allstate" for decades has died in upstate New York. He was 96.

Ed Reimers also served as an announcer for several TV shows in the 1950s and '60s

His nephew by marriage says Reimers died at his daughter's home today. The cause of Reimers' death wasn't immediately clear.

With his white hair and resonant voice, Reimers was best known for delivering Allstate's famous slogan. He was the Northbrook, Illinois-based company's TV spokesman for 22 years.

Edwin W. Reimers was born Oct. 26, 1912, in Moline, Illinois. He lived in Los Angeles for most of his life. He moved to Saratoga Springs, New York after his wife's death in 2007.

Survivors include his daughter, Kathryn, two grandsons and a niece.

Below, a screen capture from the blooper reel where Ed catches a tribble and delivers his line...

"You're in good hands with tribbles."

Read the Memory-Alpha.org entry on Ed.

Last time, as you recall, I posted a photo of the above mystery starship and quizzed you as to where it came from. It was somewhat of a trick question, as it as "inspired by" (or ripped-off from) the ships on Star Trek, but not actually from the show. Reader "Pierre" correctly identified it and contributed this info, saving me from having to do it now:

I know that ship! That was from the movie "The Shape Of Things To Come". It was built by the folks at Brick Price Movie Miniatures. These were the same folks who were hired to do much of the model work for the aborted Trek Phase II series.

I have a couple of magazine articles about the film, which was quickly made to cash in on the success of Star Wars. It was intended to be a sequel to "Things To Come", the HG Wells penned film from the 1930's. It starred Barry Morse and Jack Palance.

The ship definately looks Trek related. I think this is due in part to the fact that the saucer section was made from the K7 Space Station model kit from The Trouble With Tribbles.

Truth be told, the model work was very nicely done but the film itself was really quite abysmal!

Pierre

Thanks for the comment and thorough answer, Pierre! You have won a golden-haired pedigree Imaginary Tribble which should have already arrived. Have fun with him, but don't feed him much or your imagination may run away with you!