My Injury Made Shatner A Star

TrekToday · August 26 2008, 04:55 AM

Veteran actor Christopher Plummer is responsible for inadvertently helping William Shatner to rise to stardom.

As reported by contactmusic.com, Plummer, best known for his portrayal of Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, was sidelined in 1956 when an unexpected injury incurred during a sexual encounter the night before caused him to miss playing his role in Henry V. "I woke up alone the next morning," explained Plummer in his autobiography In Spite of Myself. "...(pain) all around my groin and lower abdomen...I started to whimper like a whipped dog. 'So this is what syphilis is like?' I thought. 'I suppose I deserve it, but Christ, how the hell was I to know?'"

It wasn't syphilis that was causing the pain though, but a dislodged kidney stone. Plummer had to go to the hospital where the troublesome stone was removed with a surgical wire.

Plummer realized that he would be unable to perform that day in Henry V and that his understudy, a fellow Canadian, would have to take his place. "It began to sink in...Shatner, my understudy, would have to go on...(It) instantly brought back the pain. I screamed for a nurse who jabbed me with more morphine. I knew then that the S.O.B was going to be a 'star.'"

Shakespeare would again unite Shatner and Plummer. In Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, Plummer portrayed General Chang, the Shakespeare-quoting Klingon who sought to destroy James T. Kirk.

To read more, head to the article located here.

number6 · August 26 2008, 05:09 AM

Why oh why?? Christopher Plummer could have been Captain Kirk!!!

Maybe Shatner's constant shagging of go-go booted space babes was his way of rubbing it in to Mr. Plummer!!

Captain Robert April · August 26 2008, 07:44 AM

Plummer talks about it in one of the extras on the Special Edition of the TUC DVD (although he left out some key details; he only said he was in the hospital).

The kicker was when people started visiting him in the hospital and told him just how great Shatner was (mainly how he was playing the part completely differently than how Plummer had been doing it), giving Plummer added incentive to get healthy and reclaim his rightful place.

cubbie · August 26 2008, 10:52 AM

This is a great story about Plummer

Pioneer · August 26 2008, 12:51 PM

Captain Robert April wrote:

Plummer talks about it in one of the extras on the Special Edition of the TUC DVD (although he left out some key details; he only said he was in the hospital).

The kicker was when people started visiting him in the hospital and told him just how great Shatner was (mainly how he was playing the part completely differently than how Plummer had been doing it), giving Plummer added incentive to get healthy and reclaim his rightful place.

I ... wonder ... if ... Shatner's delivery was ... anything ... like he did on ... Star Trek?

The pain! The pain!

DorkBoy [TM] · August 26 2008, 01:28 PM

Ouch! Too much information!

Photoman15 · August 26 2008, 01:36 PM

How does one make the jump that Plummer would have been Captain Kirk. The only assumption that can be made from this story is that William Shatner would not have been as well known when GR was (re-)casting TREK and he probably would have picked someone else (like Lloyd Bridges).

Jim Steele · August 26 2008, 01:38 PM

Photoman15 wrote:

How does one make the jump that Plummer would have been Captain Kirk.

I don't think anyone did, outside of jest.

Lindley · August 26 2008, 03:16 PM

Captain von Trapp is General Chang?

Jeez, next you'll be telling me that Qui-Gon Jinn is Oskar Schindler....

Emh · August 26 2008, 06:16 PM

Wow, that's an awesome story.

Starbreaker · August 26 2008, 07:16 PM

Since I didn't read the whole story, can I just start a rumor that Christopher Plummer gave William Shatner syphilis?

number6 · August 26 2008, 07:59 PM

Photoman15 wrote:

How does one make the jump that Plummer would have been Captain Kirk. The only assumption that can be made from this story is that William Shatner would not have been as well known when GR was (re-)casting TREK and he probably would have picked someone else (like Lloyd Bridges).

They were totally ready to sign Christopher Plummer as Captain Kirk, but Plummer had a clause that Shatner had to be his understudy. The night before he had to go and shoot WNMHGB he caught a nasty case of crabs from the key grip's daughter and Shatner got the call. True story. Swear on a hunk of Bibles and such!!

Temis the Vorta · August 26 2008, 09:26 PM

I love it when people get to the I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck stage of their lives and start spinning stories.

number6 · August 26 2008, 10:49 PM

Temis the Vorta wrote:

I love it when people get to the I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck stage of their lives and start spinning stories.

i just turned I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck last year.

Maab of the Ten Tribes · August 27 2008, 05:12 PM

"So this is what syphilis is like?"

Classic line there Plummer.

JNG · August 27 2008, 11:35 PM

Anyone know for sure if Plummer was kidding or if he actually dislikes Shatner? I recognize the humorous tone, but am also wary because Shatner was so often disliked by costars.

number6 · August 27 2008, 11:55 PM

JNG wrote:

Anyone know for sure if Plummer was kidding or if he actually dislikes Shatner? I recognize the humorous tone, but am also wary because Shatner was so often disliked by costars.

Not by the guest stars, though. I have never heard any story about Shatner from a guest star that was anything less than cordial.

Jack Bauer · August 28 2008, 03:07 AM

JNG wrote:

Anyone know for sure if Plummer was kidding or if he actually dislikes Shatner? I recognize the humorous tone, but am also wary because Shatner was so often disliked by costars.

I'm pretty sure that they're friends.

Python Trek · August 30 2008, 04:51 PM

Lindley wrote:

Captain von Trapp is General Chang?

Jeez, next you'll be telling me that Qui-Gon Jinn is Oskar Schindler....

"You must go to the Dagobah system. There, you will learn from Oskar, the Jedi Master who instructed me..."