Fact-Checking Inside Star Trek: The Real Story

[Melakon]

Thanks for part 2. In anticipation of it, I watched "Private Little War" again last night. Not really, I actually watched it to drool over Nancy Kovack again.

 

[Warped9]

Looking forward to Part 3.

 

[Harvey]

So, in addition to my regular, weekly content I'm now helping Orion Press complete their Unseen Elements of the Original Series page. (Basically, I'm transcribing all the material they don't have access to). In exchange for that, I get to re-post any new content from that page, beginning with this short piece about 'The Planet Eater.'

I'm doing my best to keep writing my own content, but I'm with a temp agency at the moment in LA, so taking any work I can get as it comes is obviously the priority. I've already written Part 3 of my Private Little War piece (which, at this pace, will probably end up being 5 parts!) but as for anything after that...it might be a while.

 

[Sir Rhosis]

Honored to be partnered with ya, Harvey.

Sir Rhosis

 

[Robert Comsol]

So, in addition to my regular, weekly content I'm now helping Orion Press complete their Unseen Elements of the Original Series page.

Bob

 

[Danger Ace]

I'm probably on record around here at least a dozen times defending Herb Solow and Bob Justman's making-of book, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, as the best book about the production of the original series currently out there. Having said that, the book is far from infallible. I thought it might be interesting to use the knowledge base of the posters here to ferret out all the mistakes

I don't know if one can rightfully claim these are "mistakes" per se as if there is one ultimate, absolute, almighty truth. People have different perspectives and recollections. For example, Sandy Courage's more recent recollection could have low key and matter-of-fact, but that does not rule out that at some point prior he may have expressed some degree of ire regarding Roddenberry's handling of the theme and those awful lyrics.

Remember, the book mentions Roddenberry did also try to squeeze money from Nimoy's recording career during the Trek years (as confirmed by Nimoy) yet made no such demand from Nichelle Nichols (as confirmed by her).

It is sort of like taking the book to task for its sarcastic statement of how Shatner hadn't won an Emmy for his acting yet a few years after publication he did (twice).

 

[Harvey]

Courage downplaying the rift due to the passage of time is certainly a valid interpretation of his remarks from 2000.

The more important point, I think, is that the book claims Courage didn't come back to the series after the first season because he was angered by the royalty issue. Whatever his feelings about losing out on half the royalties -- negative, even in Courage's most tempered version -- that's false. He recorded library music for the second season and scored two third season episodes.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Remember, the book mentions Roddenberry did also try to squeeze money from Nimoy's recording career during the Trek years (as confirmed by Nimoy) yet made no such demand from Nichelle Nichols (as confirmed by her).

He probably negotiated an "under the table" deal with Nichelle.

 

[Maurice]

I don't know if one can rightfully claim these are "mistakes" per se as if there is one ultimate, absolute, almighty truth. People have different perspectives and recollections.

When the books contradict primary sources, that's a "mistake" all right.

As to Nimoy's record, wasn't his record "Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space" trading on the Spock character? That's different from Nichols, whose 1967 album and 1968 promo don't appear to have featured Uhura or referenced Star Trek.

 

[Christopher]

That's different from Nichols, whose 1967 album and 1968 promo don't appear to have featured Uhura or referenced Star Trek.

Well, not directly. Her '67 album was called Down to Earth, which is pretty clearly a nod to (or distancing from) her Trek role.

 

[Harvey]

Part three of my Private Little War series is up this morning.

 

[Sir Rhosis]

Excellent research and commentary, Harvey.

Sir Rhosis

 

[Nerys Myk]

Good work Harvey, but I think there is a typo where "space" is spelled as "peace". (In the part covering Roddenberry's memo) Also, I thought "Viet Nam" was an acceptable alternate spelling for Vietnam.

 

[Warped9]

Good stuff, Harvey. I do find myself agreeing with GR's and DC Fontana's observations.

 

[Christopher]

Also, I thought "Viet Nam" was an acceptable alternate spelling for Vietnam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Vietnam

The name Việt Nam is a variation of Nam Việt (Southern Việt), a name that can be traced back to the Trieu dynasty (2nd century BC). The word "Việt" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt, a word used to refer to various peoples who lived in what is now southern China in ancient times. The word "Việt Nam", with the syllables in the modern order, first appears in the 16th century in a poem by Nguyen Binh Khiem. "Annam", which originated as a Chinese name in the seventh century, was the common name of the country during the colonial period. Nationalist writer Phan Boi Chau revived the name "Vietnam" in the early 20th century. When rival communist and anti-communist governments were set up in 1945, both immediately adopted this as the country's official name. In English, the two syllables are usually combined into one word, "Vietnam." However, "Viet Nam" was once common usage and is still used by the United Nations and by the Vietnamese government.

Still, it's nonstandard in modern English usage, so I can understand the reasons for adding "[sic]" to the transcript. Although I'm not sure it's really needed every single time.

 

[Harvey]

Good work Harvey, but I think there is a typo where "space" is spelled as "peace". (In the part covering Roddenberry's memo) Also, I thought "Viet Nam" was an acceptable alternate spelling for Vietnam.

Fixed the typo.

On the subject of Vietnam versus Viet Nam, it appears there is some debate over that in academic circles, but that's certainly outside my field of study. I'll just leave [sic] there to indicate that was Roddenberry's original spelling and not my typo. (Or, you know, what Christopher said).

 

[Sir Rhosis]

Harvey,

Although I don't know the state of his health, Don Ingalls, aged 95, is still alive, and, I believe, lives in Washington (state). Any chance you might scour the internet to see if he could be reached to respond/clarify/comment on your articles?

Sir Rhosis

 

[Harvey]

He does have a presence on Facebook, although it looks like he hasn't posted there in a while. Coincidentally enough, he lives just a few miles away from where I went to high school. I'll give it a shot (although, if I don't hear from him, he did give an interview to Starlog in '91 that I'll be using in part five, since it fills in a few blanks).

 

[Sir Rhosis]

^^^FWIW, I sent him a friend request, though, as you say, he has not posted there since 2011. For those who might like to do the same, if you type in "Don Ingalls," his profile is on the second page of people with that name, his profile pic shows him in a maroon shirt (or vest, can't remember), he has a full head of thick gray hair.

Sir Rhosis

 

[Harvey]

The saga of 'A Private Little War' continues.

As always, corrections are welcome.

I've spent the past month temping, which is providing a little income, but I'm still hunting for (more permanent) jobs and applying to PhD programs. As a result, expect new content to continue at a trickle for the next few months.