As a lifelong Star Trek enthusiast, I find myself deeply moved by the tumultuous journey of Gene Roddenberry – the visionary who boldly took us where no man had gone before, both on screen and off. His story is a testament to the power of persistence and the indomitable spirit of creativity.
From the late ’60s to the ’80s film series, Star Trek took a break during the 1970s, effectively ending its run after three seasons and being left only in the memories of dedicated fans. Along with the cast members like William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and even the creator Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek universe seemed to be fading away. By the mid-70s, Roddenberry had run out of creative ideas, putting any live-action revival on hold.
By 1970, Roddenberry’s life was in disarray. A divorce left him with significant alimony payments, he was exhausted from overwork, his television concepts were failing, and his movie scripts were flops. At one point, he even had to ask his friend James Doohan (Scotty) for help selling his boat due to financial struggles. It seemed like the dream was dying out. However, two significant factors played a crucial role in reviving Star Trek and extending its lifespan: the unwavering devotion of Trekkies and Paramount’s urgency to capitalize on the space craze of 1977.
It’s astonishing that shows like “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Wrath of Khan,” “The Next Generation,” and “Deep Space Nine” came into existence given their troubled production history, especially the first film which seemed destined for failure due to its rocky production process. The desperate attempt at monetization led to an avalanche of media: television series, movies, video games, books, and more. Despite necessary changes and revisions, the brand managed to endure, carving out a significant place in pop culture history. Ironically, while the universe Roddenberry created in 1966 was intended to eliminate hostility, greed, and discord, the reality behind the scenes of this space utopia was far from harmonious; instead, it was filled with simmering anger, conflicting personalities, and backstabbing.
The Star Trek Solar System Formed in the Nebula of Network TV Failure
It wasn’t until 1969, when Star Trek aired its final episode on NBC, that we could hardly imagine the profitable movies associated with Trek lore. In fact, Roddenberry, the creator of the series, was known for producing hundreds of teleplays about diverse subjects like law enforcement, military personnel, sailors, and even gunfighters. His ability to delve deeper into topics, even if it ruffled the feathers of producers and executives, was remarkable.
After facing issues with the network, the show he wrote wasn’t up to NBC’s standards, leaving him devastated. As mentioned in Lance Parkin’s biography of him, The Impossible Has Happened, Roddenberry found it challenging to secure consistent work, with his TV pitches getting turned down and his sole movie project being ridiculed. In an interview, he expressed a desire to have a series of Star Trek movies in theaters, similar to the success of Planet of the Apes. By coincidence, he recognized that sci-fi conventions were effective at selling merchandise, and saw it as the perfect opportunity to capitalize on Star Trek to repay his creditors.
Conventions Come to the Rescue
It’s interesting to note that, contrary to popular belief, fan conventions weren’t initially conceived by Trekkies, but they certainly transformed them into a profitable sub-industry. At this stage, Nimoy and Shatner were making ends meet through novelty tunes and pseudo-documentaries, while the first Star Trek convention was still small-scale. However, the second annual Star Trek event saw unprecedented growth, selling out quickly due to the allure of Trek stars in attendance. In reality, the show hadn’t truly vanished, as syndication started gaining traction.
The passionate fan base held significant sway, persuading NASA to name their reusable spacecraft Enterprise and preventing an initial cancellation scare in 1968 through the first-ever viral letter-writing campaign among fans. As recounted by Time magazine, Roddenberry was compelled to revive Star Trek due to financial pressures. Over time, he presented the concept of a movie series to studios, buoyed by the groundswell of support he observed. Despite initial setbacks, such as a short-lived animated adaptation, he persisted in his efforts.
Star Trek initially wasn’t intended as a movie series. Had it remained a television show, offering some degree of control, Gene Roddenberry would not have objected. However, the two-hour TV pilot script was unexpectedly transformed into the 1979 film due to an unforeseen circumstance. A remake was already in production by Paramount years after the series premiered; actors were contracted, and sets were being built. Star Trek: Phase II was abruptly cancelled at the last minute, but for Roddenberry, it marked a positive development. Shatner was one of the few original cast members who agreed to join the never-filmed TV reboot, while Leonard Nimoy had a strained relationship with Roddenberry from the beginning.
According to Shatner, the cancellation of Star Trek Phase II turned out to be a fortunate event. The series was starting to lose its direction and was struggling with a new cast. In his book Star Trek Movie Memories, Shatner revealed that Roddenberry and creative producer Harold Livingston held strong dislikes for each other. Roddenberry felt that Livingston was attempting to push him out of his own show, while Livingston believed Roddenberry’s writing skills were subpar. The release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which came within two years of Star Wars, was no accident, as it can be inferred that the success of Star Wars may have influenced the decision to transition Star Trek into a movie franchise.
Boldly Going Into Financial Solvency
In order to succeed, it was either movie theaters or nothing else, as the budget escalated due to Star Trek having to compete against Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The elevation to film status may not have been Roddenberry’s idea, rather than a response to his ideas, given his constant troubles as a writer. Despite creating an influential universe filled with iconic characters and stories through sheer determination, he managed to make numerous enemies among writers, producers, actors, and directors. He became notorious for penning fiery letters to Shatner, criticizing The Final Frontier – a film that Shatner directed and co-wrote. It was a source of great passion for Shatner, but knowing that his friend didn’t support him made the experience quite bitter.
In the 80s, his plan proved successful and sparked a gradual emergence of prestigious TV series, establishing Roddenberry as a dominant force in television syndication, books, board games, and video games. Consequently, Roddenberry found himself in a position to retire comfortably, knowing that his mark on science fiction would endure indefinitely, with the exception of Star Trek: Nemesis and the whale-themed movie.
In an eerie echo of past events, his first spouse asserted that she was entitled to a share of the Trek empire two decades after their alimony agreement, poised to drain him once more. In a dark twist, she played a pivotal role in the film series, pushing him to the brink of bankruptcy during his most vulnerable period. The path from television to cinema was fraught with peril, yet its endurance speaks volumes about the unyielding passion of fans who refused to let the show meet an undignified ending without a struggle.
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2024-10-26 21:01