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The Fanzines of Trek -- in situ

Star Trek has made the Hugo ballot -- THREE TIMES.

This is actually bad news...

Ratatosk47-01.jpeg
 
Some (@Harvey , @Maurice) have wondered what folks sponsored Star Trek. Here's an illuminating example from the Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Summer special #1:

President's Mailbag

Dear Peggy:

I've been told that fans of STAR TREK can help our favorite program by writing to the show's sponsors. I wrote recently to Procter & Gamble Company--and received the enclosed reply.

"Dear [writer]

It is always a pleasure to hear from our consumers, and a special pleasure when they are thoughtful enough to boost our morale with praise such as yours. Thank you for getting touch with us about Scope and STAR TREK.

As you probably know, we have not sponsored this program in full, but have been one of several participating advertisers on it. I want you to know that I am sharing your letter with our television people who are responsible for selecting our commercial markets. Comments such as yours are most helpful to them in knowing the types of programs viewers prefer.

We are delighted to know you are one of our satisfied family of consumers, and we thank you sincerely for your very nice compliments.

W.S. Carter
Public Relations

The Procter & Gamble Company"

[Yes, we've had Scope ads on our Trek showings :) Nailed that one!]
 
Some (@Harvey , @Maurice) have wondered what folks sponsored Star Trek. Here's an illuminating example from the Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Summer special #1:

President's Mailbag

Dear Peggy:

I've been told that fans of STAR TREK can help our favorite program by writing to the show's sponsors. I wrote recently to Procter & Gamble Company--and received the enclosed reply.

"Dear [writer]

It is always a pleasure to hear from our consumers, and a special pleasure when they are thoughtful enough to boost our morale with praise such as yours. Thank you for getting touch with us about Scope and STAR TREK.

As you probably know, we have not sponsored this program in full, but have been one of several participating advertisers on it. I want you to know that I am sharing your letter with our television people who are responsible for selecting our commercial markets. Comments such as yours are most helpful to them in knowing the types of programs viewers prefer.

We are delighted to know you are one of our satisfied family of consumers, and we thank you sincerely for your very nice compliments.

W.S. Carter
Public Relations

The Procter & Gamble Company"

[Yes, we've had Scope ads on our Trek showings :) Nailed that one!]
Is there a date on the letter?

We know who some of the sponsors were, some thanks to Broadcasting Magazine which spelled out some ad buys by different corporations, but it's always gratifying to get more information/confirmation.
 
Is there a date on the letter?

We know who some of the sponsors were, some thanks to Broadcasting Magazine which spelled out some ad buys by different corporations, but it's always gratifying to get more information/confirmation.

No, but it was published this month (June 1967) so it's first season and probably recent. Glad it's helpful!

Can you tell me the sponsors you know? I'm always trying to have a period accurate broadcast.
 
Thanks for posting all of these article and other transcriptions, @Neopeius. It's fascinating to read contemporary reactions to TOS when it was new, especially as I'm reading the weekly reactions here to Discovery/Picard/Strange New Worlds episodes.

Also, their biography of Nimoy had to come from somewhere. Perhaps culled from clippings and magazines, but it also might have been another gift from Nimoy or his agent.

I wonder if they could have received standard publicity materials from Desilu or NBC? I have some 1960s-70s press kit papers for Bewitched from Screen Gems/Columbia which include full cast and producer biographies, and other information on the show. The ones I have are basically prewritten newspaper articles.
 
Thanks for posting all of these article and other transcriptions, @Neopeius. It's fascinating to read contemporary reactions to TOS when it was new, especially as I'm reading the weekly reactions here to Discovery/Picard/Strange New Worlds episodes.

Glad you're enjoying!

I wonder if they could have received standard publicity materials from Desilu or NBC? I have some 1960s-70s press kit papers for Bewitched from Screen Gems/Columbia which include full cast and producer biographies, and other information on the show. The ones I have are basically prewritten newspaper articles.

Maybe -- these early fans were in particularly closely with Nimoy.
 
The Leonard Nimoy National Association of Fans Summer Journal has been something of a bonanza for stuff about the man behind Mr. Spock. Sadly, it is typed on a cursive typewriter so transcription is a pain. I have a few items I'll share, though.

Here's the first:

What's Cookin'

The LNNAF is most grateful to Mrs. Sandi Nimoy for sharing with us one of her recipes, one which Leonard Nimoy especially likes!! We quote:

Sandi's Cold Soup

2 cans cream of celery soup
1 half of 1 half pint sour cream (1 cup)
Juice of lemon
One cucumber
Green pepper
Almost 2 cans cold water
Lawrey's Season Salt
2 Tomatoes
3 Green Onions

Beat together soup, water and sour cream with a hand beater. Add seasoning salt and lemon juice; cut vegetables into large hunks and add to soup mixture. Refrigerate overnight to chill. Before serving, chill soup bowl
 
Plomeek soup is similar;)
Sadly, while that episode is in the can, it hasn't been shown yet so I couldn't make that joke :-) I'm sorry I haven't been putting up more stuff. Transcribing that journal is a pain but there is one item I want to include.
 
I doubt it. It's really funky.

Well, here's the piece I wanted to share. This is from The Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Summer 1967 Journal:

"A THANK-YOU NOTE......"

"Dear Spock-Spock,

This is a thank-you-note for some lessons you gave a fella who spends a lot of time in your TV neighborhood.

We found out about it (Nancy and I) in a most unexpected and delightful way. It was May 30--Memorial day to all, and ED AMES day for us, being's 'Mingo' was opening a three-week stand in the Westside Room of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The joint was packed, the show had gone on in great style for over an hour, Ed had just been publically [sic] presented with his first gold record for albums, Danny Thomas had popped in and out of the act a couple of times...and then, almost at the very end of it all, came a very special little few moments.

Ed seated himself on a stool, took a guitar in hand--the first time he had used it in his act--and began explaining the background of the number he was about to do.

Some time ago, he told us, he had worked in the 'Daniel Boone' series with a very fine actor who had since got a show of his own...'Star Trek'! How many watched that, he asked. There was a healthy round of applause, from this capacity audience with its predominance of industry notables. Ed smiled. 'I'm stuck with the feathers, and he's stuck with the ears,' he said, drawing a fond chuckle.

On the set, he went on, NIMOY would strum his guitar, and sing a gentle song about his mother's home town in Poland...'A town that doesn't exist any more [sic]...Beltz...' It was a particularly lovely song, and so he had taken pains to learn it from you, and wanted to share it with all.

This was the most totally pleasing to our ears, of all the songs presented; a sincere little minor-key island of feeling and depth...and obviously, Nancy and I were not the only ones who thought so, as the reviews all picked this among the numbers they chose to praise in particular.

Anyhow, thanks...I think your taste is excellent, Spock-Spock...both in music, and in who you'll teach your favorite pieces to. How intriguing it must have been for onlookers as all this learning went on...Two scholarly, Boston-bred, Russian-Jewish "injuns", playing a guitar, and singing a Polish song, in Yiddish!

Your Fan,

Maggie

(The 'Daniel Boone' episode in which both appeared was "Seminole Territory" in which NIMOY played 'OOntah', son of the Seminole Indian Chief.)

660113nimoyames.jpg
 
Also, from Science Fiction Times:

"Star Trek, which is keeping up with the times, will have an actor portraying a Russian on next season. Presumably this will add a bit of in-ship intrigue and Slavic lilt to the scripts. Now all they need are an Italian and a Westerner, and they'll beat out both The Untouchables and Bonanza in ratings..."

Note: The Untouchables has been off the air since '63...
 
Starlog had a merchandise guide which I didn’t even know about:
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The folks here really go into blueprints, which were big in the early 80’s.
 
Well, we're eating it tonight for our weekly gathering and Trek watch. Here's what it looks like:

670622soup.jpg
Well how did it taste? The recipe sounded terrible to me. But if its fine by Leonard Nimoy its fine by me..

I doubt it. It's really funky.

Well, here's the piece I wanted to share. This is from The Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Summer 1967 Journal:

"A THANK-YOU NOTE......"

"Dear Spock-Spock,

This is a thank-you-note for some lessons you gave a fella who spends a lot of time in your TV neighborhood.

We found out about it (Nancy and I) in a most unexpected and delightful way. It was May 30--Memorial day to all, and ED AMES day for us, being's 'Mingo' was opening a three-week stand in the Westside Room of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The joint was packed, the show had gone on in great style for over an hour, Ed had just been publically [sic] presented with his first gold record for albums, Danny Thomas had popped in and out of the act a couple of times...and then, almost at the very end of it all, came a very special little few moments.

Ed seated himself on a stool, took a guitar in hand--the first time he had used it in his act--and began explaining the background of the number he was about to do.

Some time ago, he told us, he had worked in the 'Daniel Boone' series with a very fine actor who had since got a show of his own...'Star Trek'! How many watched that, he asked. There was a healthy round of applause, from this capacity audience with its predominance of industry notables. Ed smiled. 'I'm stuck with the feathers, and he's stuck with the ears,' he said, drawing a fond chuckle.

On the set, he went on, NIMOY would strum his guitar, and sing a gentle song about his mother's home town in Poland...'A town that doesn't exist any more [sic]...Beltz...' It was a particularly lovely song, and so he had taken pains to learn it from you, and wanted to share it with all.

This was the most totally pleasing to our ears, of all the songs presented; a sincere little minor-key island of feeling and depth...and obviously, Nancy and I were not the only ones who thought so, as the reviews all picked this among the numbers they chose to praise in particular.

Anyhow, thanks...I think your taste is excellent, Spock-Spock...both in music, and in who you'll teach your favorite pieces to. How intriguing it must have been for onlookers as all this learning went on...Two scholarly, Boston-bred, Russian-Jewish "injuns", playing a guitar, and singing a Polish song, in Yiddish!

Your Fan,

Maggie

(The 'Daniel Boone' episode in which both appeared was "Seminole Territory" in which NIMOY played 'OOntah', son of the Seminole Indian Chief.)

660113nimoyames.jpg
I wonder what Bill Shatner would say to Leonard Nimoy having 'a show of his own'? LOL
 
Here's something fun from the latest Yandro:

"David Chute, Auburn, Maine

I get a little irked at the obsession some fans have with STAR TREK.
Sure it's good; I watch it when I can, but best dramatic Hugo? You
gotta be kidding! Did any of you see Fahrenheit 451 or that Chrysler
Theatre story about the land race in the overpopulated future? (from a
Sheckley story I think)? [The People Trap, and it was ABC Stage '67]
I really worry about fandom when things like that happen.
One of the nice things about STAR TREK is the fact that
I can do something else, like read, write, draw, while I'm watching and
not miss a thing. Try doing that to F.451. Is anyone besides me push
ing that film?

I agree with Milt Stevens, Kirk is not a believable captain, and
Shatner is a pretty poor actor. Since I myself am planning a career
as an actor, it bugs me to see no talent pretty boys like that get so
much praise. You want to see a good actor at work see Olivier's Othel
lo
or The Crucible; as it was recently shown on tv, with George C.
Scott, the best American actor, without doubt. You seem to be making
the connection, "If he's in a science-fiction play, he's good." Silly
of course. Stephen Boyd is lousy too, so's Raquel Welch, while Julie
Christie and Oscar Werner are superb."

[the latter two were in F-451, and the former in Fantastic Voyage]
 
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