What's the production history of Assignment: Earth?

[tranya]

I know it was originally a pilot script which was shoehorned into Trek later. It has unique credits (Gary Lansing being mentioned after the opening credits, no executive producer credit at the end, etc.) And, I know that Gary Seven has shown up in a variety of novels, etc.

I'm curious if any of the behind the scenes books (Solow & Justman's, Whitfield's, Shatner's?) discuss the story behind the production of this pilot/episode, and what the plans were (if there were any) for a full series. Were they running out of filmable scripts at the end of the season? Was a series bible ever created? Any other scripts? Anything?

What's the deal with "Assignment: Earth"?

Edit: On further thought, this should probably have been posted to the TOS forum. My bad.

 

[Maurice]

Have you seen this site?

 

[tranya]

Have you seen this site?

Wow, no, I hadn't! Thanks!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

To TOS

 

[tranya]

Thanks, sorry about that!

 

[Sir Rhosis]

I've also reviewed/synopsized the original script. http://www.fastcopyinc.com/orionpress/articles/assignment.htm

Sir Rhosis

 

[Jeri]

Thanks! I will enjoy those links, too.

 

[Trekwatcher]

Great info all around-thanks to both of you for posting.

 

[Kelso]

While watching GSN one day, I caught an old 1960's game-show appearance by Teri Garr. When asked about her occupation, she stated that she recently finished shooting a pilot entitled "Assignment:Earth". I nearly fell off the couch.

Now, I can't remember what game show it was, though. Anyone else remember?

 

[jealousblues]

oh, that epi was weird and horrible all at the same time...

it just seemed out of place (now I know why)
there was another one like it, called something like "opperation:annihilate" or something like that, with the flying things that attached to your back or something like that...

it seemed like it was in a weird style too.

 

[Turbo]

Um.

Assignment: Earth and Operation: Annihilate! are pretty much the opposite ends of the spectrum as far as Trek stories are concerned.

 

[tranya]

Um.

Assignment: Earth and Operation: Annihilate! are pretty much the opposite ends of the spectrum as far as Trek stories are concerned.

No way, they both had colons in the title, they were exactly the same.

 

[Turbo]

Um.

Assignment: Earth and Operation: Annihilate! are pretty much the opposite ends of the spectrum as far as Trek stories are concerned.

No way, they both had colons in the title, they were exactly the same.

Your logic is astounding. I must confess it had not occured to me at all. I feel ashamed.

 

[Jeri]

^ ^ Don't despair; a colonoscopy was required to determine that.

 

[M'Sharak]

^

 

[Kelso]

No way, they both had colons in the title

Wrong.

(Image borrowed from TREKCORE)

I've also reviewed/synopsized the original script. http://www.fastcopyinc.com/orionpress/articles/assignment.htm

Sir Rhosis

Wow, there isn't much story to it at all. Is this the only draft out there?

 

[Sir Rhosis]

^^^It's the only draft I've ever heard of.

Sir Rhosis

 

[skylark]

As much as I would have liked to have seen another Roddenberry series, my sense is that "Assignment Earth" would have been too thin to work. I would have preferred "The Questor Tapes" instead. "Questor" had a lot of similar elements, but had a much more interesting lead character.

 

[Borjis]

Finnegin was the other cop?!?!??

http://www.assignmentearth.ca/cast.html


"go ahead....LAY one on me JIMMY BOY!!! AAAHHHHAAA AHHHHAAA AHHHAA!"

 

[tranya]

Holy cow, I never realized that. Bruce Mars!