The offered archive contains hundreds of pages of production documents from 35 episodes of the legendary 1960's sci-fi television show Star Trek. Though the series ran for only three seasons from 1966 to 1969, its 79 episodes are treated as canonical by its rabid fan base, and its impact on the genre of science fiction on television, in film and widely in popular culture cannot be overstated. The series first aired on September 8, 1966, and this year it celebrates it 55th anniversary, and the universe of films and spinoff shows is as strong as ever. The show is now often known as "The Original Series" to distinguish it from the more than nine spin-off television series, and a film franchise that includes 10 feature films (with more in the works!).
In creating Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry was inspired by C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower series of novels, Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels, the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, and television westerns such as Wagon Train. The offered archive documents those seminal days of the franchise, when Roddenberry, just like the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise themselves, was feeling his way as he explored an unknown universe. Some of the most classic episodes are represented in this offering, including "Mirror, Mirror," "The Enterprise Incident," "The Doomsday Machine," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," to name just a few!
The offered archive was rescued decades ago from the studio dumpsters by a former employee. The most complete production files for episodes in this archive include cast lists, cast contact info, call sheets for the shooting days, daily production reports, correspondence between the production staff and producers and lists of actors being interviewed for minor character roles. The most elaborate have gorgeous, script-like covers of heavy paper stock, though some episodes are represented by a single sheet or two.
There is also a group of 50 pages that concern the Season Three cast agreements, cast contracts and payment rates, and even a few memos concerning cast-related issues from Season One and Season Two. Sadly, there is even mention of rates actors were to be paid for the "Fourth Year" and "Fifth Year" of the show that were, alas, never to be. William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley ("Bones"), James Doohan ("Scotty"), Nichelle Nichols (Nyota Urura), George Takei (Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Chekov) are all referenced in these documents. It's a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the show.
One of the most fascinating group of 10 documents concern the firing of legendary actor John Barrymore, who was supposed to have been a guest star in the episode "The Alternative Factor" from Season One. It seems he changed his mind about doing the show and was a real handful on the set. One memo recounts "Mr. Barrymore is in breach of contract and commitment. His attitude and action are considered by all here as totally unprofessional and childish. Messrs. Roddenberry and Coon both agree that charges should be brought against Mr. John Drew Barrymore." Wow.
The documents all present with expected wear from day-to-day handling and wear from filing and storage. That being said, there is no significant damage. Excellent condition overall, with some lesser but many much better.
Following is a list of episodes of Star Trek that are represented in this archive. Each of the 35 episodes is listed with its Production Start Date and Title. (Though they were produced in this order, they were broadcast in a different order.) Episodes include:
SEASON ONE (1966-1967)
09/16/66 "Galileo Seven"
SEASON TWO (1967-1968)
05/02/67 "Catspaw"
05/31/67 "Who Mourns for Adonais?"
06/20/67 "The Doomsday Machine"
06/27/67 "Wolf in the Field"
07/14/67 "The Apple"
07/24/67 "Mirror, Mirror"
08/14/67 "I, Mudd"
09/12/67 "Bread and Circuses"
10/09/67 "Obsession"
10/16/67 "The Gamesters of Triskelion"
11/10/67 "By Any Other Name"
11/29/67 "Patterns of Force"
12/07/67 "The Ultimate Computer"
12/15/67 "The Omega Glory"
01/02/68 "Assignment: Earth"
SEASON THREE (1968-1969)
05/21/68 "The Last Gunfight"
05/31/68 "Elaan of Troyius"
06/11/68 "Paleface"
06/19/68 "The Enterprise Incident"
06/27/68 "And the Children Shall Lead"
07/08/68 "Spock's Brain"
07/16/68 "Is There in Truth No Beauty"
08/08/68 "Empath"
08/14/68 "For the World is Hollow, and I Have Touched the Sky"
08/21/68 "Day of the Dove"
09/09/68 "Plato's Stepchildren"
09/26/68 "That Which Survives"
10/04/68 "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
11/01/68 "The Lights of Zetar"
11/20/68 "The Way to Eden"
12/02/68 "Requiem for Methuselah"
12/10/68 "The Savage Curtain"
12/19/68 "All Our Yesterdays"
12/31/68 "Turnabout Intruder"