Fact-Checking Inside Star Trek: The Real Story

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by Harvey, Jun 7, 2013.

  1. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    That's true, although I believe he was paid residuals for the eleven episodes in which he received story and/or teleplay credit, in addition to residuals for his "created by" credit.

    Not an expert on the ins and outs of whatever deals the WGA had in place in the 1960s, though. Anyone here have knowledge as to how episodic television residuals (if any) were set up back then?
     
  2. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Well, you never know. A failed pilot, maybe not. But a short-lived series? I seem to recall my father having a couple of musicians' "fake books" that included the themes to one or two relatively short-lived shows. Sometimes the popularity of a piece of music will have more to do with the music itself than the show it was attached to.
     
  3. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    Since this week's post mostly re-uses Alexander Courage-related content that I've posted in this thread, I wanted to add something new for readers here. So, on the sidebar, I've included links to the finding aids for every Star Trek-related archival collection that I've been able to find so far. If there are some that I've missed, let me know.
     
    lazarus+ likes this.
  4. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    I am loving this. So tired of the oft-repeated myths.
     
    lazarus+ likes this.
  5. Sir Rhosis

    Sir Rhosis Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2001
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    As am I. Harvey, are you open to suggestions for topics?

    Sir Rhosis
     
    lazarus+ likes this.
  6. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    Of course. Work has gotten in the way of my entry for this week -- on the origin of the star date system -- but I think I'll be able to keep up my schedule of one post per week.
     
    lazarus+ likes this.
  7. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    "City" oughta be a fun one to debunk. ;)
     
  8. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2004
    Please don't rune it for me.
     
  9. Sir Rhosis

    Sir Rhosis Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2001
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    ^^^An interesting point. Maybe I'm missing something, but I've heard the story of how the set constructors mistook the word "runes" for "ruins," etc. Only thing is, unless my memory fails me, the word "runes" is not in Ellison's script, or at least the two versions that have been published. I looked for it.

    Sir Rhosis
     
  10. SonicRanger

    SonicRanger Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2001
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Here's another oddball from "Inside Star Trek" -- according to Memory Alpha:

    Oddly, Kellerman never held a "space clipboard" in the episode, but it does appear that here trousers are ill-fitting, like some adjustments were made alleviate the issue.
     
  11. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    I think this week's post on star dates is a little rougher than the previous two, but I wanted to get something out there.
     
  12. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    ^Heck, I'm just glad you did one that wasn't demolishing something from Inside Star Trek. I was starting to wonder if you were picking on that book. Good to see you're critiquing other sources as well. I actually didn't know a lot of this stuff about stardate origin claims.
     
  13. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    Don't want to give the impression of picking on that book; it's one of my favorites.

    Next week I'll be taking some claims from The Making of Star Trek to task, and the following week I have a piece about the "great phaser caper" from the Solow/Justman book.
     
    lazarus+ likes this.
  14. neoworx

    neoworx Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2010
    I love the book but I appreciate getting things right. I love your Blog, BTW. Great stuff. Thanks for a cool read.

    D
     
  15. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    For the record, I don't think you've been any harder on Inside Star Trek than any other source, but a lot of people hold it aloft a little too high despite its flaws.
     
  16. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2004
    Part of that scrutiny is that this isn't like the Meyer thing, which was represented as a memoir to cover memory lapses and errors; this is supposed to be the source, so it really needed to be bulletproof as well as entertaining, and deviations from accuracy call more aspects into question, regardless of good intentions.
     
  17. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    My entry this week covers some of the changes between the typed manuscript of The Making of Star Trek and the published book, as well as a few of its inaccuracies.

    This is something that I would really like to do in much further detail, but that's a project that I will have to put on hold, since my copy of the book is in storage in Los Angeles and I don't have remote access to the UCLA files. Luckily, I took some detailed notes for an article I published last year.

    http://startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-first-draft-of-making-of-star-trek.html
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2013
  18. TREK_GOD_1

    TREK_GOD_1 Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 24, 2006
    Location:
    Escaped from Delta Vega
    Agreed--some treat IST as the "Holy Grail" of Trek books, but the opinions expressed in the book should not automatically earn 1st consideration over interviews and/or books from other involved parties--some with a unique, personal perspective.
     
  19. Sir Rhosis

    Sir Rhosis Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2001
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Excellent, as always, Harvey. Keep 'em coming.

    Sir Rhosis
     
  20. SpHeRe31459

    SpHeRe31459 Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2013
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    Your best article yet! Thanks for all your hard work and research!
     
    lazarus+ likes this.