Did Majel Barrett have what it took?

[Lance]

I think she definitely had the acting chops, but she was simply given a series of very thankless roles in Star Trek, until the character of Lwaxana Troi came along and finally gave her the chance to really break out of the mould.

 

[Melakon]

Stories of Shatner using his tongue during kissing scenes seem fairly common from guest stars on the receiving end of it. Though I suspect one reason Shatner did it was to get an honest surprise reaction during the take. Besides getting his jollies.

 

[Maurice]

I don't know how much has really changed since the 1960s as far as male human behavior is concerned, it does not seem like it has changed too much. There is still sexual misconduct and rape going on today. ... here is a link.

I don't think sharing that story or link was necessary. We're all aware that sexual harassment and worse remains with us. What's your point?

 

[scotpens]

That description left out Roddenberry's "She moved/walked like a "stripper queen."

I thought that was used for the description of Beverly Crusher in TNG?

It was actually in the description of the Captain's Yeoman from the original series outline: "With a strip-queen figure even a uniform cannot hide . . ." Did G.R. use similar language to describe Beverly Crusher? He must have liked strippers.

. . . Supposedly, she waxes ever more prosaic every time she tells the tale.

Prosaic doesn't mean what you think it means.

 

[Zaku]

And it bears repeating, once again, that Majel wasn't singled out as "bad" as Number One, rather (according to Solow) that NBC didn't like ANY of the cast, and basically said they were okay with Jeff Hunter and Nimoy, but that they could "do better" with the rest of the cast.

Indeed, we are all focusing on Number One, but why none talks about Dr. Philip Boyce, José Tyler or J.M. Colt ?!?

Edit: no love for Colt..?

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

. . . Supposedly, she waxes ever more prosaic every time she tells the tale.

Prosaic doesn't mean what you think it means.[/QUOTE]

Patients who use Prosaic have reported symptoms of dry mouth, irritability, irregular bowel movements and vivid dreams. Women should not use Prosaic who are pregnant or may become pregnant. Etc, etc...

 

[Commishsleer]

I heard that Shatner was known to umm how to put this delicately - 'mildly grope' some female guest stars.

Solow and Justman tell a story where Shatner was trying to grope one of the female guest stars during a costume fitting, and Roddenberry practically shoved him aside so that HE could grope the guest star.

I have to keep reminding myself that it was a very different era, because the behavior of both of them sounds barf worthy to modern sensibilities.

According to guest star Julie Parrish, who played Miss Piper in "The Menagerie", she states that Majel Barret told her that Bill Shatner did this with all the women, he knocked on her trailer door and he asked if he could use her electricity to shave while she (Julie Parrish) was lying down taking a nap and suddenly he is on her, that was Bill's way and he got angry with her (for rejecting him).




Navigator NCC-2120, USS Entente
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Stories of Shatner using his tongue during kissing scenes seem fairly common from guest stars on the receiving end of it. Though I suspect one reason Shatner did it was to get an honest surprise reaction during the take. Besides getting his jollies.

Terrible behaviour.
I'm starting to get the Shatner 'hate' now.

I thought I read in one of Shatner's biographies of how when Shatner was a young actor, he was chased around a dressing room by some older man seeking to have his way with him.
Yet Shatner does the same thing he complains about years later thinking its OK.

Anyway beack to Majel - I think her best role was as the 'queen' of Star Trek.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Most recently there is 37 year old Delvin Barnes abducting 22 year old Carlesha Freeland-Gaithe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 02, 2014. He was caught by authorities in Maryland with her.

Philadelphia, PA never makes National/International news for good reasons. As horrifying as this abduction story is, it only made the news at all, because it was caught on camera. The fact is, Philadelphia is surprisingly poor. Centre City, where the Liberty Bell is and Independence Hall and the Art Museum and all of that is touristy and enjoys police protection. But as it spirals out towards the suburbs it's quite impoverished. It's getting more like the Wild West, all the time.

 

[Marsden]

And it bears repeating, once again, that Majel wasn't singled out as "bad" as Number One, rather (according to Solow) that NBC didn't like ANY of the cast, and basically said they were okay with Jeff Hunter and Nimoy, but that they could "do better" with the rest of the cast.

Indeed, we are all focusing on Number One, but why none talks about Dr. Philip Boyce, José Tyler or J.M. Colt ?!?

Edit: no love for Colt..?

I love Colt.


And Dr. Boyce was good, too. I'm surprised they didn't like John Hoyt. I thought his was the best acting of the whole group, including Hunter. Not discounting Nimoy or Barret, but they all come off as a bit flat or over the top, but that could be directing also, but Hoyt really has emotion in his voice without overdoing it, speaking with sincerity and conviction.

When he's talking to Jeff toward the begining is one of the best scenes of the episode, and his contribution to the breifing room scene really makes him sound like more than just the doctor but also a senior officer. (Doctors are not usually in the chain of command, although there are exceptions)

 

[Melakon]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

 

[Harvey]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

Paul Fix was 64 when the second pilot was shot, so, probably not.

 

[Zaku]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

Paul Fix was 64 when the second pilot was shot, so, probably not.

According to Memory Alpha, age was surely an issue.

Ultimately, Gene Roddenberry was unsatisfied with the way Paul Fix portrayed the character, however, and believed that something was missing from the role. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, p. 84) D.C. Fontana explained, "Gene wanted a somewhat younger, more active doctor. He didn't want an aging Solon, he wanted definitely a younger, more vigorous doctor." (Starfleet Access for "Where No Man Has Gone Before", TOS Season 1 Blu-ray special features)

Writer Samuel A. Peeples was also unhappy about how Paul Fix played the doctor, later remarking, "In my opinion he was a little too old for the part [...] I just felt he wasn't right for the part." This was despite the fact that Peeples found Fix to have done "a good job" of playing the old country doctor that Piper was meant to be. In other words, Peeples felt the problem was more in how the character had been conceived. He went on to say, "The physical element, I thought, required every crewman of the USS Enterprise to be active. He had to be not only mentally alert, but the traditional images of a country doctor would hardly have fit the images of a man who would say, 'We've got an unknown disease, and there's a cure on this planet. Our only choice is to try it. It might kill you,' and I don't think Paul Fix's interpretation of the character would have been able to do that." In conclusion, Peeples agreed with interviewer Allan Asherman's assessment that Fix, in the role, was "distinctly twentieth century." (The Star Trek Interview Book, p. 118)

Ageists!

 

[BillJ]

Why would they go with an even older actor for the part the second time when they felt the first actor was too old for what they wanted?

 

[Tim Walker]

My own impression of the doctor was of a man on the verge of retirement. Almost at the end of his career, because he was getting just too old for exploration on an unknown frontier.

 

[Marsden]

I could see why they would say age was a factor against Mica being the doctor, but John Hoyt was not only a bit younger but much more in shape and able to move. Maybe he commanded too high a price because of previous work? I could guess all day, maybe when they said get rid of ... he was lumped in, or GR lumped him in to soften the blow for Ms. Barrett?


Going back to the title, I think she had what it took, but just enough and wouldn't have won out without a certain advantage. Image Lee Merriwether as Number One.
I like to. I have nothing against Majel Barrett but I don't agree she was the "best" one for the job.

 

[Noname Given]

2) I could be wrong but it seemed like the studio had a "mean streak" towards Majel simply because she was in a privileged position and Gene's mistress.

Having the Executive Producer banging one of the stars could have been deadly for a show like Trek if the relationship turned toxic. Very astute call by NBC.

Though I don't think she had the acting chops to pull off the role.

^^^
Pretty much this. I do think the suits thought she may not have had the acting chops to carry a lead role; but what REALLY was a fred flag they wanted to avoid was the lead actress of an EXPENSIVE series being openly and romantically involved with the Executive Producer of said show; (who BTW was STILL MARRIED at the time too.)

If the relationship went south (and this IS Hollywood we're talking about with a KNOWN womanizing producer (Gene Roddenberry did have a known reputation for this - which is why you saw pretty blonde 'extra' actresses with ONE line in and episode as a speaking line equals instant SAG card - and you can be sure GR was 'trading' favors.)

Remember too that the suits had NO PROBLEM with 'Number One' as a character, or the fact the character was female - but if GR wanted the character, the part had to be recast; which GR didn't want to do (for obvious reasons); and ever since he's spun the incident as, "The suits HATED that there was a female second in command..." <--- which was false.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

Fifty-nine? That shows how much the esthetics of aging have changed in Hollywood. By today's standards, Hoyt in "The Cage" would look closer to 80, and Captain Pike as he appeared then could almost be played by a 59-year-old man today. They're all getting chemical peels, botox, and face lifts now, and coloring their gray hair.

 

[BillJ]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

Fifty-nine? That shows how much the esthetics of aging have changed in Hollywood. By today's standards, Hoyt in "The Cage" would look closer to 80, and Captain Pike as he appeared then could almost be played by a 59-year-old man today. They're all getting chemical peels, botox, and face lifts now, and coloring their gray hair.

And not being constantly exposed to things like cigarette smoke.

 

[Corylea]

Fifty-nine? That shows how much the esthetics of aging have changed in Hollywood. By today's standards, Hoyt in "The Cage" would look closer to 80, and Captain Pike as he appeared then could almost be played by a 59-year-old man today. They're all getting chemical peels, botox, and face lifts now, and coloring their gray hair.

And not being constantly exposed to things like cigarette smoke.

And wearing sunscreen. We didn't used to know that sun exposure causes skin cancer, so people didn't used to wear sunscreen. But not only does the sun cause cancer, it also causes the skin to age.

Leonard Nimoy was 35 in 1966, when he appeared in the first season of Star Trek. Zachary Quinto was 34 in 2012, when the second reboot movie was shot. Quinto looks way more than one year younger than Nimoy, and since he wasn't of an age for face lifts or Botox, I think the difference in their apparent age might be partly due to differences in sun exposure.

 

[Harvey]

Nimoy was also an alcoholic then; Quinto, presumably, is not.