Putting the Shatner "ego issue" from TOS to rest
- Thread starter Gary7
- Start date
And the shame of it is that they had such good chemistry on screen. That shuttlecraft scene in TMP is pure gold.
Of course, pros can fake chemistry. That's why we see so little of it today.
Of course, pros can fake chemistry. That's why we see so little of it today.
Yes, of course. Hollywood was abuzz about the star of a minor (and failing) series that was cancelled, and how he allegedly didn't treat all the day players as full-blown stars themselves. Gee, who could blame producers for not casting him? I'm sure that was their very top concern.
I thought that as well, until I read Koenig's book about the making of TMP. There are photos of the cast and crew playing softball and Shatner is there. I was surprised to see that.
The scene in question was in the novelization of Star Trek II and was part of the shuttle scene where Kirk and Sulu have the following exchange:
Kirk: I hate inspections.
Sulu: I'm delighted. Any chance to go aboard the Enterprise.
Kirk: Well, I for one am glad to have you at the helm for three weeks. I don't think these kids can steer.
What happened with the scene in the film, I have no idea, but I remember it being in the novel. Of course, we all know that novelists (JM Dillard in this case) flesh out the story, adding things that were not in the movie (movies 3 and 5 for example don't even start until the books are well over 100 pages in), so wiether or not this scene was a part of the script, I can't say.
I'm think it's in Takei's book that he says Shatner kept tanking takes and eventually Meyer said "Let's move on".
Personally, I find it just as likely that Meyer was choosing to save taking Shatner to task over his "condo scenes" rather than belabor this minor point....as it is that Takei is lying.
Personally, I find it just as likely that Meyer was choosing to save taking Shatner to task over his "condo scenes" rather than belabor this minor point....as it is that Takei is lying.
YARN
Fleet Captain
So an early draft of the Star Trek II script. Is it actual shooting script? If not, then Shatner didn't tank the line.
And suppose that line is in the film and Sulu is in command of another ship in later films. Are we going to follow the Adventures of Captain Day Player and his anonymous crew on his unbeloved ship or are we going to stick with the main cast on the Enterprise? This would have been a Denise Crosby move and for what? To get a fictional promotion in a fictional world?
Oh believe me, in my circle, we make more fun of the guy who gets in a snit over "losing a fictional promotion in a fictional world" than the guy who supposedly caused it.
Is that... bad? I have a career, I am happy in my job, and I like my co-workers and get along well with them. But when the work day ends, I go home and spend time with my family. If I want to something social, I do it with my "established friends." I've never once spent any time with my co-workers in a social setting. In fact, it would feel weird for me to do so.
Why does Shatner have to embrace his co-workers as "his new best friends"?
Vonda N. McIntyre, actually. This jumped out because she and I have the same last name. :-)
J.M. Dillard took over the novelizations with Star Trek V.
Because the post series myth in print and some areas of fandom (1970s) sold the idea that the TOS cast were like one big family, when it was more like a couple of parental figures and a bunch of ill-tempered adopted kids tagging along for the ride.
Some seem to forget that actors--if they have any sense at all--do have relationships in their real lives which have nothing to do with work, but this celebrity-centric culture pushes the idea that performers' only family is the Hollywood family (there's much that can be read into the motives for that), and everything else is an afterthought.
Apparently, Shatner did not agree with that.
Shatner visited my old home town about 8 to 10 years ago. There was a charge of such and such hundred dollars to dine with him and such and such hundred dollars to just be in the same line of motorcycles with him as he took a short ride beside the shore of the local lake. I didn't go because I wasn't going to spend that kind of money for something like that.
That being said, sure, he gets a certain percentage of the proceeds from his appearances, but a lot of the money goes to the ones who organize things and set everything up. It's not easy, there are a lot of logistics involved, permits of various kinds, etc.
I'm not saying that the man has never had ego issues, but sometimes in some of it there can be a false perception when there is a lot more at work than just someone's ego.
That being said, sure, he gets a certain percentage of the proceeds from his appearances, but a lot of the money goes to the ones who organize things and set everything up. It's not easy, there are a lot of logistics involved, permits of various kinds, etc.
I'm not saying that the man has never had ego issues, but sometimes in some of it there can be a false perception when there is a lot more at work than just someone's ego.
The easy thing to do is just see the shows featuring him and Nimoy together. I've only been to one con, but that was the one I saw. Priceless. Nimoy playing the straight man to Shatner's (apparently) a little inebriated self. I think the best part was when Shatner seemed to forget he had done a Futurama episode and Nimoy is whispering to him "You remember...."
I dug into my files and came up with this article from Motion Picture magazine back in the day. This is what Shatner and Nimoy said for the interview at the time, while Star Trek was still being filmed:
Yes, that's exactly what I thought when I read it. Little did they know....
Funny Nimoy mentioning TMFU, since he and Shatner had several scenes together in that show.
Similar threads
