Biographic - Sunday April 26, 2009 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

TV Western "Wagon Train" inspired writer Gene Roddenberry to create a series with a sci-fi space exporation theme. Seasoned character actor Leonard Nimoy took the tole of Spock on "The Cage," the 1965 pilot for the "Star Trek" tv series. The three weeks' work was the longest acting job he'd had in seventeen years. Jeffrey Hunter played the lead role of Captain Christopher Pike in that pilot. The character was replaced for a second pilot, and subsequent series, by Captain James T. Kirk, played by Canadian-born William Shatner, who had earlier turned down the lead role in the successful "Dr. Kildare" tv series. Deforest Kelley, who had starred as Virgil Earp in the classic western movie "Gunfight At the O.K Corral," and had originally been considered for the Spock role, was cast as medical officer, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. Ironically, the show now considered the greatest cult series in TV history fared poorly in the ratings, and was axed after its third year, in 1969. "Star Trek" thrived in syndication and soon developed a devoted following of "Trekkies" an animated series ran for two seasons, winning an Emmy award in 1975. The phenomenal success of the 1977 movie "Star wars" paved the way for a film adaptation, and 1979's "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was the first of six movies that continued the adventures of the original cast. The "Star Trek" universe continued to expand. In 1987 "Star Trek: The Next Generation" debuted on TV screens, with Shakespearian actor Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Hugely successful, it ran for seven seasons, and spawned four movies, as well as further TV shows "Star Trek: Deep Space Nice" "Star Trek: Voyager," and "Star Trek: Enterprise." The "Star Trek" franchise has spawned books, videogames, and even a theme attraction in Las Vegas. The latest chapter in the saga, the big-budget movie "Star Trek" goes back to its roots, casting Chris Pine as Kirk and "Heroes" star Zachary Quinto as Spock.

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