Oddball Props

Every once in a while, some prop in an episode catches your eye. An item in the rec room, the coats hanging in the Crater residence, some once-seen oddity. For example...



They look like little boxes and cans just taped up colorfully. The hand-labeled ones (whatever they're supposed to be) are interesting. Both are labeled 53-CID, but interestingly they appear to have been written by two different people.

I guess I'm just curious what's caught your eye like that. The sorts of things you notice, but nobody in their right mind would start a thread about.

 

Nobody in their right mind did.

 

The "Reused Props" thread has a bunch of them.

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=81174

 

Speaking of TOS props, anyone ever get a good look at the flip-top communicators used by the Klingons, etc.? (link to pic)

 

It's a trivial point, but I think the writing on both is by the same person.

WNMHGB was filmed in July 1965. According to imdb.com, set decorator Ross Dowd died August 25, 1965 at age 58, and WMN was his last credit.

 

It's not just the table props in that scene that get me. The thing that jumped out at me was the water spigot on the wall with no basin or drain below it. The script called for a telekinetic drink of water, but there was no time for a sink.

 

The interior is visible for about two or three frames in "Elaan of Troyius." But Greg Jein has the original prop, so we know what the interior looks like. Here's a shot of it on display at Worldcon in L.A. in 2009. Note the cool cut out symbol on the lid:


(Photo courtesy of Mr. Karl Tate)

 

I wonder if the production had forgotten they'd created a Klingon symbol in "Errand", or decided they needed a more distinct one (which the trefoil definitely is)?

 

Hard to say. Probably not "forgot that they already did" but more like "didn't care that they already did and what they had come up with wasn't very 'iconic'."

In-universe, it might be Empire vs. Imperial Fleet symbols--like Federation and Starfleet markings might differ.

 

I guess the "Errand" one could be for a branch of Klingon service that occupies planets, since I don't think we ever saw that again, really.

 

Interesting details.

 

Thanks. I always thought it was fun that the flip-top wasn't just a Starfleet thing.

As to the Klingon emblem introduced in the 3rd season. everyone since TOS forgets that it was designed to be displayed with the long spur pointed horizontally, not vertically (link to pic).

 

And that's why the Federation and the Empire are at war. During an early diplomatic encounter, the Klingon flag was displayed in the wrong orientation, and the Klingons have never forgiven the Federation people for it.

 

A slightly wider shot of the "sideways" Klingon insignia is in the "scenes from next week" for "Elaan..."--before the shot was matted into the bridge view screen.

http://www.klingon-empire.org/forum/showthread.php?6067-background-on-the-TOS-klingon-symbol

 

I...AM...KAHLESS!

 

I cringe at McCoy's spray bottle he used to treat a wound or something. It is so out of place even considering the time it was filmed.

 

Hey Greg, do we know anything about how Greg Jein got hold of the prop, and how solid its provenance is? We're confident it's the actual one?

Also, do we know if Wah Chang made the original one, and was it made especially for "Elaan"? I wonder if it could have been an early Wah prototype comm that got re-purposed as the Klingon comm.

 

Indeed, displaying the Klingon insignia pointing up instead of sideways is an offense to the Klingon people and culture. It's the equivalent of an "up yours"!

 

Didn't Kor have one for Errand of Mercy ?