Replacing Jeffrey Hunter after The Cage

[Christopher]

In 1965

1964.

you had a producer who spent the near equivalent of a small movie budget on a pilot for a new science fiction series whose premise was an Earth ship exploring the Galaxy.

So, what do you do for your introductory episode? You have the Captain (and main character of the show) already burnt out on exploring the Galaxy, and seriously considering quitting the service, etc.
^^^
In my mind, if I'm an interested viewer, seeing that wouldn't give me much faith it the show's premise of longevity. The first episode, and the Captain is already burnt out about his career?

No, that's just where he begins the story. What matters is where he is at the end of the story. I don't see anything wrong with a story that shows a character starting out in a bad place and ending up in a better place by the end. Many pilots are structured that way. Like various buddy-cop pilots where the cops start out hostile to each other but bond by the end. Or, to offer a rather facile example, superhero pilots where the characters start out normal and then get superpowers, and are initially reluctant to take on the heroic role but then come around. What matters in a pilot is where the characters are when it ends. It's expected that they'll follow some kind of an arc to get there. So I really don't see the problem here.

Christopher is right in a general and factual sense, but the charisma gap between Hunter and Shatner is like the Grand Canyon. Star Trek dodged a bullet when Hunter bowed out.

There's a similar difference between the actors who play Dylan Hunt in Roddenberry's two tries at a post-apocalyptic pilot, Genesis II and Planet Earth. The former's Alex Cord is prickly and aloof and brooding, while the latter's John Saxon is much more accessible and charming and would've made a much better series lead. It's practically Hunter and Shatner all over again.

 

[Push The Button]

It was great that the Pike character had such a prominent role in the JJ films, as the role model and father figure for Kirk. Bruce Greenwood did a terriffic job.

I'm not sure how long Trek would have lasted with Jeff Hunter in the lead, just try to picture him in The Trouble with Tribbles or A Piece of The Action...

 

[The Old Mixer]

Like various buddy-cop pilots where the cops start out hostile to each other but bond by the end.

In fact, the first episode of Adam-12, filmed only 3 years after "The Cage", has Malloy ready to quit the force after the death of his previous partner.

 

[PCz911]

Great post, Christopher! I think the tv era characters were heavily influenced by the success of the James bond series. Everyone must have looked and said "ah, formula for success "
I've seen hunter in movies and his characterization always strikes me a the same as pike. A bit grumpy and hard for me to connect to. Or maybe I just the wrong movies. ;-)

 

[Nerys Myk]

Great post, Christopher! I think the tv era characters were heavily influenced by the success of the James bond series. Everyone must have looked and said "ah, formula for success "
I've seen hunter in movies and his characterization always strikes me a the same as pike. A bit grumpy and hard for me to connect to. Or maybe I just the wrong movies. ;-)

Be sure to catch this one this weekend.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI0OhH5LU3A[/yt]

 

[Therin of Andor]

Keep in mind, too, that the script for "The Cage" most-recently being sold by Roddenberry.com lists the lead character as "Captain Winter", and that previous treatments had suggested Spring and April. Of course, April was eventually picked up for TAS as Captain Pike's predecessor.

 

[Melakon]

Be sure to catch this one [King of Kings] this weekend.

Sometimes called "I Was a Teen-Age Jesus".

 

[Nebusj]

Like various buddy-cop pilots where the cops start out hostile to each other but bond by the end.

In fact, the first episode of Adam-12, filmed only 3 years after "The Cage", has Malloy ready to quit the force after the death of his previous partner.

And the reluctant gunslinger is not an unknown protagonist in the (adult) western, a genre which television producers in 1964 had some reason to think might be palatable to some viewers. For an example (from radio, admittedly), Jimmy Stewart's character in The Six Shooter had to be almost dragged forcibly into the plot most weeks; in shows which lasted more than one season Paladin and Matt Dillon were also quite often looking to just let this problem leave them alone, until the story's escalation forced them to act.

 

[Kevman7987]

Be sure to catch this one [King of Kings] this weekend.

Sometimes called "I Was a Teen-Age Jesus".

"Good evening. I'm playing the role of Jesus, a man once portrayed on the big screen by Jeffrey Hunter. You may remember him as the actor who was replaced by William Shatner on "Star Trek." Apparently Mr. Hunter was good enough to die for our sins but not quite up to the task of seducing green women." - Stewie Griffin, Family Guy

 

[gottacook]

There's a similar difference between the actors who play Dylan Hunt in Roddenberry's two tries at a post-apocalyptic pilot, Genesis II and Planet Earth. The former's Alex Cord is prickly and aloof and brooding, while the latter's John Saxon is much more accessible and charming and would've made a much better series lead. It's practically Hunter and Shatner all over again.

Not to mention the recasting of Harper Smythe between the two pilots. The first one was kinda cute, but the second one was Janet Margolin, who thankfully was given more to do.

 

[scotpens]

Be sure to catch this one [King of Kings] this weekend.

Sometimes called "I Was a Teen-Age Jesus".

So called because of Hunter's youthful, teen-idol appeal, though he was actually 34 at the time.

"Good evening. I'm playing the role of Jesus, a man once portrayed on the big screen by Jeffrey Hunter. You may remember him as the actor who was replaced by William Shatner on "Star Trek." Apparently Mr. Hunter was good enough to die for our sins but not quite up to the task of seducing green women." - Stewie Griffin, Family Guy

Again repeating the myth that Captain Kirk was always getting it on with the green babes. Of course, in the entire series, the only green woman Kirk got up close and personal with was Marta in "Whom Gods Destroy" -- and she was putting the moves on him!

 

[Maurice]

Hunter (or Hunter's wife) felt he was more of a movie star and didn't think a TV show would be a good career move.

Allegedly. I know this is what Solow, etc., say, but even they know only what she said to them (assuming they're remembering it correctly...and even some of their reminisces have been demonstrated to be incorrect), not what Hunter really thought. For all we know Hunter did the pilot for money, not expecting it to sell, and then sent his wife over to say "no" for him when they tried to lure him back.

 

[Stevie Trek]

Thank you very much for all your replies.

 

[publiusr]

Be sure to catch this one [King of Kings] this weekend.

Sometimes called "I Was a Teen-Age Jesus".

Oh that's GOOD! Ha! Ha! Joel McHale Ladies and Gents...

Imagine if Pike (and Hunter) had lived. Pike somehow regenerated, and we see friction between the two not too unlike the 2009 offering.

Pike, now a superbeing, thinks Kirk not serious enough. Spock's loyalty is once again is torn between the two men.
Lots of fodder there...