1977 article "The Return of Star Trek"

From the low-rent magazine "Space Wars" comes this October 1977 article on the return of Trek. Just goes to show that I bought anything related to Trek back in those days, eager as i was for the slightest morsel of new info. Not that this article contained any; but I bought it anyway. The article is only titled on the index page.

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Bonus: Below, a page from the book "Charting The Undiscovered Country: The Making of Trek VI."

Trek Movie article in Famous Monsters #145

Once again the collection cabinets open their doors, and this time we look at a report on the first Star Trek movie from issue #145 of the venerable "Famous Monsters" magazine, published July of 1978. This was still early in the film's production, and filming had not yet begun; that was slated for later in the fall. The sets were just being built, and as we know now, the script still undergoing re-writes. But it was an exciting time for us fans!

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Although dead for years, nothing could keep this fan from seeing the upcoming movie.

Below, from the same magazine, the results of a contest from an earlier issue. All too easy for Trek fans!

Bonus: Below, an incredible ad for a contest where some lucky fan got to win a pair of Leonard Nimoy's used Spock ears! This came from the December 1967 issue of Movie Stars. I wonder if whoever won them was mature enough to treasure them, or was it a kid who "taped them to their ears" as the ad suggests and lost them at recess? Thanks to Irene Batelaan of the Netherlands for submitting it! I usually only feature material from my own collection, but this was too good not to share. "Ears to you!"

Fortunately for Nimoy, the article was only referring to his latex tips and not his actual ears.

Gene Roddenberry Article from Starlog #2

From the second issue of Starlog, published in November of 1976, comes this article on the Great Bird of the Galaxy, Gene Roddenberry. Not a Trek cover, sadly, but a nice Space:1999 painting anyway.

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"Oh, no, Fred Frieberger is in control, we're doomed!"

The whereabouts of the three-foot filming miniature on the desk has become a minor mystery in the years since that photo was taken. Maybe someday it will show up again. Update: Susan Sackett sheds a little more light on the subject in a comment on the Facebook ST Scrapbook fan page: "Last I heard, it was on someone's coffee table. It was ripped off during the late 1970s when the first movie was being made. It was last seen at a special effects house... btw, I took that photo!"

Below, the next article in the issue was about the planned movie, still in its early stages at that time. In one paragraph we see that Gene's script named "The God Thing," essentially a vehicle for expressing his low opinion of religion, was rejected by the studio honchos. To their credit, they at least realized that a script debunking God as a petty, deceiving alien computer would not make a well-received film (as we can see from the later ill-fated Star Trek V, which re-worked the idea). Happily, this did not end the chances for the first movie being made. (Read more about the rejected script here and here.)

Below is a two-page collection of quotes from the same issue from various well-known people about the show...

Personal note: Although I admired Gene as the mastermind behind Star Trek, (he was my hero for many years) I do not share his views on the Judeo-Christian understanding of the Creator, and am uncomfortable posting them without clarifying that point. Although this is a light-hearted blog sharing nostalgic material about the original series (where the subject was hardly an issue), when a subject this close to my heart is brought up in the material and presented in a negative light, I feel the need to comment. And since this is my blog, I feel it's not infringing on anyone's perceived right to not be confronted by issues such as this. My readers come here, I don't take it to them. Escape is only a click away.

Gene, a vocal secular humanist, was not bashful about sharing his views, and neither am I. Contrary to appearances online, not all Trekkers are atheists. Although Gene's earlier Star Trek IDIC philosophy obstensibly made room for all, later statements in his personal life particularly excluded those who believed in God. Apparently universal tolerance could only extend so far. Some fans, too, seem to resent believers coming to the party. But we're here, and we love Trek too... even though we don't necessarily share the worldview it sometimes promotes. "Eat the meat and toss the bone" is my way of looking at it. I shall now descend from the soapbox, thank you for your patience.

Bonus: In keeping with the theme that has surfaced this time, below is a photo of Jeffery Hunter in his biggest role, the title character in the 1961 film "King of Kings," years before he took command of the starship as Captain Christopher Pike.

"Come unto Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest."

I've just found this tribute page to our favorite pre-Kirk captain of the Enterprise... enjoy!

1980 interview with Bob Fletcher

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Last time, I posted an article on Harold Michaelson from the February 1980 issue of "Fantastic Films." This time, I'm posting another article from the same issue, on the costume designer for ST:TMP, Robert Fletcher. Enjoy!

Below: another in the rare Leaf Star Trek cards, from 1967. Their unusual photos and hilariously disconnected captions are always a source of interest and amusement.

"Nurse Chapel... I hit my funnybone, can you kiss it for me?"

News: "My Star Trek Scrapbook" makes another Top Trek Blog list, this time the "Top 50 Blogs for Trekkies"! I'm honored! Check it out for lots of other cool Trek blog links.

Stephen Collins ST:TMP Interview

Star Trek Day: A Flashback to 30 Years Ago!

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Clipped from the Atlanta Journal on Thursday, Dec. 6, 1979.

It was the weekend of the big premiere of the long-awaited Star Trek: The Motion Picture! It was coming out the very next day, Dec. 7th, and the papers were full of items to save. Of course, it would be a full month later before I got to actually see the movie; my stepdad, you recall, was vehemenantly anti-Trek (because I loved it, not because he ever saw it) and he was watching like a hawk to make sure I didn't go see it. I finally went a month later after the heat was off and caught it at a discount theater, after saying I was going by the mall... which I did, I drove right by it on the way!

But not even that could blunt the joy and excitement I felt at the return of the show in movie form, and opportunities abounded for collecting items! Fortunately, I am no longer under such cruel restrictions, and am looking forward to going this Saturday to see the new Trek movie, which has had the kind of excitement not seen since the first movie all those years ago. And the reviews are being much kinder to this one, so we have no doubt that Trek will go on.

Below, since the interview this time was with Stephen Collins, here is a good promo shot of him as Captain Decker. (Since he's wearing that infamous one-piece jumpsuit, be thankful that the picture is only from the waist up.)

(Edited on 10-28-2014: Since the news broke a few weeks ago about the admission that was secretly taped and made public about Stephen's indiscretions toward minors, the comments made by visitors and myself in the comment area below about his "overall decency" now seem misplaced. There is an ongoing investigation, but no charges have been filed yet. This whole situation makes me sad.)

Bonus items: Below, a humorous "newspaper clipping" that was actually from a Mad magazine, from 1977.

Below, a page from a ST coloring book, that came out about 1976 or so. Copy it to your computer and do your own digital coloring, or print it out and let your kids have at it! The art and likenesses were actually pretty good in this series, so I bought them and hid them well, along with my flattened ST:TMP Happy Meal boxes. Most teens would have only had to be worried about hiding a Playboy, right? Not me! A coloring book of ST would have been fuel for a very tense few moments of yelling and berating me for the "childishness" of my hobby, indeed! I think finding a Playboy would have brought him a sigh of relief.

From the other end of the artwork spectrum: below, a lovely painting of Uhura, one of the best I've seen! Source: http://mshindoiart.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=16

"Let's open hailing frequencies, shugah!"

Ah, Nichelle, your character may be recast, but you can never be replaced, and your beauty never eclipsed by another, nor that red miniskirt filled out better.

Mike Minor: Illustrating The Future

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1979 was a very exciting year for me and many other Trekkers, with the new movie finally in production. This Starlog cover was the first to feature the new movie, and as the final months crept by it was gratifying to learn that one of the designers on the new film had a history with the TV show as well.

And the reviews start coming in...

Well, the movie finally premiered, and not all of the reviews were kind. Those who were indifferent to TOS pretty much panned it, those that loved the series were a bit kinder but still saw the problems. It was a box office success, if not a critical one, and did pave the way for the sequels. Scenes like the extended Enterprise fly-by, which was listed as a problem, were to Trekkers like me just icing on the cake. Critics who didn't have the love like we did just didn't get it.

Of course, some of the problems pointed out at the time were corrected by the Director's Cut DVD released a couple of years ago, and is the version I now watch when I get the urge. I saw the movie, back then as well as now, almost like a returning loved one that had been missing for a decade... sure, they've changed, and some things about them you don't like, but you overlook the faults, just glad to have them back. And by the time 1982 and "The Wrath of Khan" rolled around, Trek was in top form again. The excitement we fans felt at the time could hardly be dampened by the problems with the movie... Star Trek was back! That was all that mattered at the time.

Below is another press kit photo from the old scrapbook.

Incredible Appeal of the Star Trek Movie

Clipped from "The Enquirer" in the middle of December, 1979. The Star Trek movie honeymoon was in full swing and the lovers don't start focusing on the other's faults until the honeymoon is over.

And the woman is Shatner's then-wife, Marcie Lafferty. She even had a small role in the movie as Illia's replacement as navigator. You can see below a clipping from a tabloid, probably "The Star," of their wedding on October 20, 1973.

Bill and Marcy party on. Dig those big ol' suit lapels! Vintage mid-70's.

1979 Movie Stars ST:TMP article

I clipped these pages from the January 1980 edition of "Movie Stars" magazine. It actually came out in December of 1979, just before the movie. My Trek-sensors were on maximum power and I found articles and news items everywhere!

I think McCoy's being affected by the Deltan pheremones... his palms are starting to sweat.

Another Funky Winkerbean strip , from 12-8-79.

As a humorous aside, my stepdad was particularly on edge during that Christmas season. Star Trek was everywhere, and it raised his blood pressure to see it so successful in the public eye and so prominent. Star Trek was two four-letter words in our house because of my love for it, and suddenly, it was on TV commercials, in the newspaper, on the radio, etc. His knowing that I was enjoying it all made his life a little more miserable, and when we were both in the room when a TV spot played, the tension level rose dramatically, as if I had something to do with it. His fingers would involuntarily tighten around the edges of the newspaper page, and I would act as if nothing special was on, all the time trying not to watch the TV too closely. He couldn't even escape it in the funny page, as you can see from the comic strip above!

In space, no-one can hear you scream like a little girl...

Too late, Spock realized that you should never unzip your fly in the vacuum of outer space.

Photo Caption Fun! Have a funny idea? Leave your own caption for this photo in the comments area. (Btw, this unusual and somewhat alarming photo came from here.)