The Trouble With Tribbles was meant to be a Kor episode, as well. For whatever reason, John Colicos was no longer available, and it became the Koloth episode. When Day of the Dove came along, they started out wanting it to be a Kor episode, and went with Koloth when Colicos was unavailable, only to learn that William Campbell was also unavailable, and came up with Kang.
TOS myths and misconceptions...
- Thread starter Warped9
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And thank god Campbell was unavailable, considering the character Ansara inhabited.
Michael Ansara was born to play a Klingon!
Kor would have done well in those circumstances. The history with Kirk would have to have been addressed, but that wouldn't have taken long. But Kang...ooh, he's a mean summbitch.
I'd have a hard time buying "Day of the Dove" with Kor; as awesome as his character is, he's a very different man than Kang was. First off, it would be strange to see Kor commanding a ship of his own. In "Errand of Mercy," Kor came across as more of a bureaucrat, someone who has goverened countless subjugated planets across the Empire - Organia just being another routine occupation for him. He almost seemed tired and bored with the routine, being relaxed and casual about the rules applied to him, so much as being able to smile about them (the issue of his office being wiretapped being one such example) all while having a hard-edged and strict devotion to them.
Kang was more of a Klingon version of Kirk; he was much more serious than Kor, and a different brand of "scary" (different, but equal). He had close bonds with his crew (hell, his wife was the science officer) and was concerned with their safety the way Kirk was concerned with his. Kor seemed more like the kind of guy who is used to having many people under his command, but also used to those people being different every week. While Kang commanded a smaller group of people with tighter associations, Kor commanded entire planets, with an understandably looser association with the millions under him.
I could go on and on but I don't want to bore anybody, PLUS I'm sure I'm preaching to the TOS choir, as it were! Bottom-line, I'd have a hard time seeing the "planetary governor" Kor as a battle cruiser commander.
Kang was more of a Klingon version of Kirk; he was much more serious than Kor, and a different brand of "scary" (different, but equal). He had close bonds with his crew (hell, his wife was the science officer) and was concerned with their safety the way Kirk was concerned with his. Kor seemed more like the kind of guy who is used to having many people under his command, but also used to those people being different every week. While Kang commanded a smaller group of people with tighter associations, Kor commanded entire planets, with an understandably looser association with the millions under him.
I could go on and on but I don't want to bore anybody, PLUS I'm sure I'm preaching to the TOS choir, as it were! Bottom-line, I'd have a hard time seeing the "planetary governor" Kor as a battle cruiser commander.
It wouldn't take any time at all. In the episode as aired, Kirk and Kang clearly knew each other already, but it was never explained why. That's probably the same scene as originally written for Kor, just with the name changed. (And in "Tribbles," Kirk and Koloth already knew each other, again without explanation.)
After all, this was '60s TV. Continuity wasn't that important. All that the viewers needed to know for the story was that this was a Klingon baddie that Kirk knew. If it had been Kor and viewers had recognized him, fine; if they hadn't, no problem.
William Campbell as Koloth had the right touch of comic bitchiness in “The Trouble With Tribbles,” but he would have been TOTALLY wrong as Kirk's adversary in “Day of the Dove.” I wouldn't have been able to stop thinking of Trelane.
“Kirk, we will continue fighting until you and your crew are dead, dead, DEAD! Ooooh, I'm such a meanie!”
“Kirk, we will continue fighting until you and your crew are dead, dead, DEAD! Ooooh, I'm such a meanie!”
Remember, Bill Campbell made his name playing gangsters and appearing in war movies; having him play Trelane was casting directly against type, in the same mold as casting Joan Collins as a social worker.
Koloth would've been one mean sumbitch in this instance.
Koloth would've been one mean sumbitch in this instance.
And it's spelled "Takei".
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