Pike's "TV" in "The Cage"

[Robert Comsol]

^^ That's just fascinating!

I can see that the Starfleet uniform of the guy in "The Cage" (Orion fantasy) would make a good match with the utility cover in Pike's cabin. Maybe the cover came straight from the "Orion fantasy" scene (didn't show it, let's use it somewhere else).

I guess I need to learn more about this Federation Reference Series, looks like passionate research with the right amount of imagination.

Bob

 

[Mysterion]

I guess I need to learn more about this Federation Reference Series, looks like passionate research with the right amount of imagination.

Bob

The FRS was the work (largely) of Aridas Sofia who used to post here frequently. It is excellent material, showing an enormous amount of respect to the souce.

It is reproduced in part over at the Cygnus X-1 blueprint archive, here: http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints-main2.php

(scroll down almost to the bottom of the page)

 

[Green Shirt]

I've read that scene, but I can't for the life of me remember any costume description.

Its been 30 or so years since I read it, could it have been in TMOST? I haven't had a copy in years. IIRC the scene had Pike putting on his cap before he addressed the crew on the hangar deck.

 

[Ronald Held]

Pike's tv has a vintage outside but current electronics to interface with communications?

 

[feek61]

Also note his hat sitting on top of the TV.

A bit more about Pike's utility cover is here:

http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/?p=2030

That's just great Greg. I always appreciate the details you know and document. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

 

[scotpens]

To me the TV console looks too finely made to be a TV prop, more like a found piece.

I was referring to the TV screen itself, which would certainly have been fake. As for the curved three-sided cabinet, it was probably made for the show. It's the job of set construction people to create stuff that looks "finely made" on camera, but is actually built as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Of course, I could always be wrong.

 

[Melakon]

A stage prop television set is probably much lighter than a real set, as skilled painters can make even balsa look like fine oak (and there's no guts). If the Pike TV was built, and didn't need to support a person's weight, they might have used the least expensive wood and internal frame construction possible.

It might have been something already in Desilu's warehouse from a film.

 

[GSchnitzer]

I've read that scene, but I can't for the life of me remember any costume description.

Its been 30 or so years since I read it, could it have been in TMOST? I haven't had a copy in years. IIRC the scene had Pike putting on his cap before he addressed the crew on the hangar deck.

It's not in The Making of Star Trek. TMoST reprints the June 29, 1964 Story Outline for "The Cage." As well-formed as this Story Outline was, it didn't include this planned scene. The scene in question appears in the First Draft script for "The Cage," dated September 8, 1964. You can find it in Allan Asherman's The Star Trek Companion. Oddly, it's in 1986's Second (Red), 1989's Third (Black), and 1993's Fourth (White) Editions of the book--on Page 11 in all three cases. But it's not in 1981's First (Blue) Edition of the book.

The germane script comment just before Captain April delivers a well-deserved dressing down to a prejudiced officer is:

"DOLLY SHOT--BEGINNING AT ELEVATOR

"The WHINE of the ship's high-speed turbo-elevator, then the door snaps open and ROBERT APRIL, Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, steps out into scene and crosses toward the docking hatch. A crewman is standing by with the captain's uniform coat and hat, April donning them as he crosses toward the docking hatch."

 

[Robert Comsol]

Thanks, Greg. I think that explains a lot.

That scene would have been somewhat in contrast with crew members dressing in shorts and mini-skirts, maybe that's why we didn't get to see it?

Bob

 

[GSchnitzer]

Thanks, Greg. I think that explains a lot.

That scene would have been somewhat in contrast with crew members dressing in shorts and mini-skirts, maybe that's why we didn't get to see it?

Bob

I think we didn't get to see it because it wasn't in the script to be shot. It was in the First Draft of the script, not the Final Draft.

My hunch is that the scene was excised, not because of the contrast his costume would have with the extras or other actors, but because, as interesting as a hat is, it didn't really further the "adventure on Talos IV" narrative of this pilot episode very much. (If they wanted to do the scene, but the hat was just too contrast-y, they could have shot it without the hat. I think the decision to introduce the Captain by having him command the ship on his bridge rather than by dressing down a junior officer at the docking hatch probably wasn't because his hat wouldn't jibe with the skirt and shorts of other characters.)