The Acrylic Menagerie

[Christopher]

What gets me about "The Deadly Years" is the set of photos in The Making of Star Trek showing the age makeup process, with Shatner's "hair" being swept back and coated with makeup to create the very unconvincing illusion of it being thinner. He wouldn't even take off his toupee to simulate his character being bald. I wonder what the makeup team thought about that.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

What gets me about "The Deadly Years" is the set of photos in The Making of Star Trek showing the age makeup process, with Shatner's "hair" being swept back and coated with makeup to create the very unconvincing illusion of it being thinner. He wouldn't even take off his toupee to simulate his character being bald. I wonder what the makeup team thought about that.

I'd say you're reading it wrong. Kirk couldn't go bald in-universe, because he has to rush up to the bridge and save the ship after he is rejuvenated. I hardly think a bald captain could save a starship.

As it was, after the adrenaline injection, Kirk had to take a few hi-tech moments to have his white hair colored back to normal before he could take on the Romulans. Replacing his hair altogether would have simply taken too long while the ship was in danger. So yeah, it's not about vanity, it's about saving the Enterprise.

 

[Ssosmcin]

What gets me about "The Deadly Years" is the set of photos in The Making of Star Trek showing the age makeup process, with Shatner's "hair" being swept back and coated with makeup to create the very unconvincing illusion of it being thinner. He wouldn't even take off his toupee to simulate his character being bald. I wonder what the makeup team thought about that.

I don't know how many actors, especially leading men of the era, would do that. If the makeup team was professional, they took it in stride. Shatner, the matinee idol star, had an image. Nobody went bald in that episode. Not even Kelley's Hair Helmet thinned. No caps, no thinning. Just grey.

If they were really accurate, Kirk's hair would have gotten darker, fuller and curlier.