Once upon a time, there was a television series that struggled to run three years. It had a diverse cast and unusual plots, but it couldn't seem to find an audience. Then, it was cancelled.
That was only the beginning.
Somehow, this show had run long enough to be able to be sold in syndication. And that is where the Starship Enterprise really took off.
It's been 43 years since the original "Star Trek" went on the air. And with the release of the latest movie today, focus is back on that original series.
When Gene Roddenberry was casting the series, one story goes, the original choice for Captain Pike, the character played by film actor Jeffrey Hunter in the pilot, was....Jack Lord. Lord wanted the same 30 percent deal on the show he would later get on "Hawaii Five-O." Fortunately for both shows, Roddenberry turned him down. It's hard to picture the private Lord at a Trekkie convention. And "Book 'em, Spock" just wouldn't have sounded the same. ;)
Hunter was uncomfortable in the role of Pike; along came William Shatner to play the iconic Capt. James T. Kirk.
Another story goes that Martin Landau was the original choice for Spock, but turned it down. Leonard Nimoy created another icon. Ironically, Nimoy would replace Landau on the CBS series "Mission: Impossible" several years later.
The appeal for fans rests in the diversity of the cast (including James Doohan as Scottie, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, George Takei as Sulu and Walter Koenig as Chekov, not to mention DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy), and in the imaginative flights of fancy taken with the scripts.
The favorite in this corner? "The Trouble With Tribbles," especially since it was immortalized on an episode of the game show "Jeopardy." There was a "Star Trek" category, and by the time host Alex Trebek was done asking the questions, those furry little creatures were all over the set.
The entire series is available on DVD and online. Fan sites, memorabilia and just about everything else under the stars abound. "Star Trek" will live long and prosper well into....the 23rd Century. At least.
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Sad news this week with the death of Dom DeLuise. During the 1960s and 70s, when variety shows still abounded, DeLuise was almost a constant presence on television screens. Here's a link to a clip from "The Muppet Show":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88JqfsvDNmA
DeLuise was an appealing presence, even managing to liven up a 1980s commercial for a plastic wrap. Who can forget the ending, when he's preparing a platter and says, "Aw gee, I hope it's enough" - and it looks like enough for an army.
As it turns out, it wasn't enough for us. We'll miss you, Mr. DeLuise. Arrivederci.
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