"The Making of Star Trek"-The Movie

[E-DUB]

No, nothing to do with ST: TMP but rather a movie or mini-series based (loosely) around the book "The Making of Star Trek". On another board I frequent a poster noted that Paramount has, between the casts of SNW and JJTrek, all the elements in place to do a production of the origins of Trek itself, along the lines of "The Ricardos". Think about it. Anson Mount as Jeffrey Hunter, Rebecca Romijn as Majel, Chris Pine as Shatner, etc. etc. Just cast Roddenberry and you're in business.

Maybe one of you creative geniuses could even whomp up a poster for such an effort.

 

[DEWLine]

Or, alternatively, An Adventure in Space and Time...and who should be cast as Roddenberry himself? Dorothy Fontana, Gene L. Coon, and so on?

 

[urbandefault]

I've been watching "The Offer" on P+ too.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I've thought about a limited series about the behind-the-scenes making of STAR TREK. But I'd enlist @Maurice, a fellow screenwriter, and @Harvey, the most thorough researcher on TOS history (and TV in general), to help.

 

[cardinal biggles]

I've been watching "The Offer" on P+ too.

After watching The Offer, I'd really love to see Paramount do a miniseries on the making of TOS. Something about the movie era could be fun, too, if for no other reason than to have Burn Gorman reprise his amazing performance as Charles Bluhdorn. (I especially want to see him act out Harve Bennett's oft-repeated story of Bluhdorn asking him, in the wake of TMP, "Can you make a better picture for less than 45 fucking million dollars?")

 

[Albertese]

I'd love to see a scripted drama about the behind the scenes stuff surrounding Trek. Roddenberry doing The Lieutenant and pitching Trek, gearing up for the Pilot with Hunter as Pike, the network turndown and do-over, Harlan Ellison's "City on the Edge..." stuff. There's enough memoirs about what went on that a pretty fleshed out show could be made, though the producers would have to make tough choices about which of the conflicting accounts to follow. I'd prefer a warts and all telling, like Mad Men but on a TV show instead of an advertising agency.

--Alex

 

[Maurice]

I'd love to see a scripted drama about the behind the scenes stuff surrounding Trek. Roddenberry doing The Lieutenant and pitching Trek, gearing up for the Pilot with Hunter as Pike, the network turndown and do-over, Harlan Ellison's "City on the Edge..." stuff. There's enough memoirs about what went on that a pretty fleshed out show could be made, though the producers would have to make tough choices about which of the conflicting accounts to follow. I'd prefer a warts and all telling, like Mad Men but on a TV show instead of an advertising agency.

--Alex

There's some actual evidence for some of the Trek stuff in the Roddenberry papers that could be used to vet some of the accounts. The trades and interviews with non-Trek people Bird worked with are also somewhat revelatory.

 

[trynda1701]

Hmmm, interesting concept. Considering how many current Trek shows are running today, it might be a possibility.

But to do it justice, it'd have to be a miniseries. The casting of the behind the scenes staff would be interesting to see, plus whoever they show from the actors as well. Plus, do accurate for the time uniforms and props (warts and all), no SNW or JJ uniforms or props (that might be a cost problem). Fan bridge sets abound though, and the James Cawley built Tour sets are officially endorsed, yes?

 

[Kaelef]

The accurate uniforms and sets have already been done. Check out the work (referenced in another thread here) that OTOY and The Roddenberry Archive have done:

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[Disposable_Ensign]

I think a one-off documentary would be the only hope for that. Maybe on Youtube.