Star Trek: Rumors

[Mr Silver]

I always find it fascinating when you hear rumors or stories of what is really going on behind the scenes in a well known TV Show or Movie. In Star Trek, there's been numerous instances where various rumors have become "Public Knowledge" relating to Cast and Crew goings on, most of the time they are just that..."Rumors", however occasionally you get a story, however obscure that turns out to be true.

Heres a few, well known examples

*Patrick Stewart cracked a joke with racial undertones on set, without realising that two of his colleagues (Michael Dorn and Levar Burton) could take offence to it, Stewart has actually said in interviews that he really regretted it and felt that it could have ruined his friendship with the Actors

*William Shatner was known for being notoriously difficult to work with, especially during the Movies, so much so that Nicholas Meyer recorded Shatner saying he loved TWOK script and played it back to him whenever he asked for a rewrite or complained about a scene

*Brent Spiner's knack for rewriting scenes that he felt were not "True To The Character Of Data" was one of the many reasons why Leonard Nimoy refused to Direct GEN

*Michael Dorn apparently became Diva, when he refused to allow Marina Sirtis a "Comedy Spot" in "A Fistful Of Datas", stating "Your not allowed to be funny, this is my show!"

So anyone got any others?

 

[Misfit Toy]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

^I've not heard ANY of those. Do you have any links or anything to indicate the validity of the comments? A "snopes.com" kind of thing?

 

[Mr Silver]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

Yeah, i've not got exact links, but I can tell you where to find the stories provided and for the sake of not being too controversial, the stories i've provided are well documented

*Patrick Stewart's joke is discussed in the Star Trek TNG compendium
*Nicholas Meyer tells the story of William Shatner on one of the TWOK Behind The Scenes Featurettes
*Leonard Nimoy has frequently mentioned his reasons for not directing GEN in numerous interviews, he's also been known to mention that the scenes with Data and the Emotion Chip were not done so well and this was something he would have wanted to improve
*Michael Dorn's comments regarding "his show" are featured in the "A Fistful Of Datas" Memory Alpha article

I assumed these things were common knowledge? I'm sure Therin can back me up on this if anyone is in doubt

 

[Satyrquaze]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

From: Memory-Alpha,

According to the DS9 Companion, Michael Dorn was looking forward to seeing his co-stars being subjected to the same heavy Klingon make-up during filming of "Apocalypse Rising" that he was forced to endure for several years.

However, Colm Meaney was so uncomfortable in the make-up and complained so much that Dorn asked the producers never to put Meaney in make-up again.

Conversely, Rene Auberjonois said he found the Klingon make-up much easier than his typical Odo make-up since it covered less of his face.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

I assumed these things were common knowledge? I'm sure Therin can back me up on this if anyone is in doubt

Most of these anecdotes would come from the stars guesting at Star Trek conventions, and we have to remember that they are usually played for laughs - and tend to grow in the retelling. Like a game of Chinese Whispers, there's no way of knowing how significant the original story was. The best example is the infamous Nichelle and Martin Luthor King story.

One of my favourites, heard via Richard Arnold and later Marina Sirtis herself: Marina used to bring her little dog onto the set every day and Brent Spiner often hung out in Marina's van, playing with the dog between scenes. Whenever he saw Marina coming, he'd strike a pose with the dog in front of the microwave, making it appear that he was just about to put it inside! Or he'd set up some other supposedly precarious situation. Marina would give a huge reaction every time.

According to several sources, Majel Barrett used to "borrow" her (very expensive) blonde Chapel wigs and, every few months, Paramount would have to replace the latest one. She's brunette in the final TOS episode because she'd already taken home her Season Three wig for the anticipated hiatus.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

I assumed these things were common knowledge? I'm sure Therin can back me up on this if anyone is in doubt

Most of these anecdotes would come from the stars guesting at Star Trek conventions, and we have to remember that they are usually played for laughs - and tend to grow in the retelling. Like a game of Chinese Whispers, there's no way of knowing how significant the original story was.

Thanks - I haven't been to a con in many, MANY years - so I've missed hearing these...

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

This is not really dirt or rumor but an interesting fact. I remember reading either in an issue of the Starlog magazine or the book "The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture" circa 1980, that director Robert Wise had all of the bloopers from this film destroyed. One of the bloopers occurred near the end of the film when Kirk initially gives the Conn to Decker on his way out of the Enterprise to see V'ger and actor Stephen Collins breaks down with gratitude on his knees thanking Kirk for the Conn.


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

William Shatner was known for being notoriously difficult to work with, especially during the Movies

Although I distinctly remember reading that the cast genuinely enjoyed being *directed* by Shatner in ST V and that he was a complete professional and very nice to work with during that film.

 

[Tulaberry whine]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

One of the nastier rumours I've heard over the years is that Gates McFadden left TNG (having either quit or been fired depending on who's telling the story) at the end of season 1 because she was being sexually harassed by a member of the production staff.

 

[Gojira]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

I read in James Doohan's book "Beam Me Up, Scotty" that when he spoke of William Shatner he said "I have to be honest, I really don't like that man." I am paraphrasing from memory. I have also heard that Shatner and Takei don't get along either.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

Given Leonard Nimoy's own sternness about keeping the integrity of Spock intact (according to his memoir), I find it difficult to believe he would take issue with Spiner doing the same.

My favorite Trek anecdote is the running series of pranks Shatner pulled on Nimoy, in regards to Nimoy's bicycle. Nimoy brought his bike to the studio to take to lunch, but Shatner would hide it, task his Dobermans with 'guarding' it, or some such mischief. According to Nimoy, the first time he locked his bike in his car, Shatner had the car towed.

Someone made use of this in a Trek caption contest recently.

 

[RandyS]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

^I've not heard ANY of those. Do you have any links or anything to indicate the validity of the comments? A "snopes.com" kind of thing?

The first two can be found in interviews with the cast, and I believe some of their biographies, although don't take my word for THAT one.

The last two, however, are news to me.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

The Nick Meyer/Shater script story is indeed on the TWOK special features and I believe he speaks about it on the commentary track as well. Pretty sure that he mentions this story to Ian Punnett on one of his Coast to Coast AM appearances.

 

[Mr Silver]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

Heres another pretty well known one...

Apparently, many people claim that it was Gene Roddenberry who leaked Spock's death in TWOK, apparently he felt that it was a terrible plot move and hoped fans would boycott the movie, as a result, Harve Bennet and Nicholas Meyer came up with the "Simulator Scene" in order to throw people of the scent

 

[Satyrquaze]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

William Shatner was known for being notoriously difficult to work with, especially during the Movies

Although I distinctly remember reading that the cast genuinely enjoyed being *directed* by Shatner in ST V and that he was a complete professional and very nice to work with during that film.

I believe that its also worth noting that according to George Takei, Shatner had to call him personally and beg him to come work on STV.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

This may be entirely apocraphal since I don't have a source, but I'd long heard a story that Kim Cattrall posed for some nude photos after hours on the bridge set of Star Trek 6.

 

[Finn]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

^Considering it was STV, I don't blame Takei.

 

[Mr Silver]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

This may be entirely apocraphal since I don't have a source, but I'd long heard a story that Kim Cattrall posed for some nude photos after hours on the bridge set of Star Trek 6.

Yup i've heard this one too and according to the rumor, Leonard Nimoy had them destroyed, consider though that Leonard Nimoy now takes pictures of nude women as a Photographer, I dunno how much truth there really is to the rumor, but it wouldn't be out of character for Cattrall, who has posed naked in many publication, you can't blame her, for a woman who is approaching 60 she looks amazing

While we're still on the subject of TUC...

Apparently, it was George Takei who pushed for Sulu to be a Captain in TUC, William Shatner claims he was only against the idea, because it would mean less screen time for Takei if all the action was taking place aboard the Enterprise, who knows, but this is just another footnote in the feud between these two

 

[Satyrquaze]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

^ Course it was also Shatner that decided at the last minute that it was Enterprise and not the Excelsior that had "all that equipment for cataloging gasous anomolies" at the end of TUC because apparently the Kirk and the Enterprise do not need to be saved by anyone else.

So, it was sort of a self-fullfilling prophesy if Shatner was "really worried" about Takei's screentime. Which in itself is laughable considering their history.

 

[T'Girl]

Re: Star Trek: Dirty Laundry (Truth and Rumors)

when Kirk initially gives the Conn to Decker on his way out of the Enterprise to see V'ger and actor Stephen Collins breaks down with gratitude on his knees thanking Kirk for the Conn.
\

The way I heard the tell, after being given the conn, Collins as Decker dropped to his knees next to the captain's chair, wrapped his arms around the chair and cried out "Mine, mine, now it's mine!!!"