This is my twenty-second weekly column for Roddenberry.com, and I it is with mixed emotions that I report that it will be my last. In the coming weeks, look for new community and news features on the site. I'm expecting great things, and hope you will find them to be very enlightening and entertaining!

It has been a pleasure working with my friends at Roddenberry Productions, and I have enjoyed sharing tidbits of information about the Star Trek universe with all of you.

Meanwhile, I am making a transition of my own. Several weeks ago I started a new position with The Walt Disney Company, in the Disney Interactive Media Group. My position as Senior Producer, Franchises will enable me to produce new and ongoing Web sites that support Disney entertainment. My first assignment is the Disney Fairies site, and there are a lot of exciting things already underway. Check out the site for the trailer of the upcoming DVD release "Tinker Bell" and a preview of the "Pixie Hollow" virtual world.

Thank you all for your feedback and comments, and for participating in the weekly quest for Star Trek trivia. I'm glad to have met many new friends in the process, and hope we continue to stay in touch.

Live long, and prosper!

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Star Trek Remastered

It is somehow fitting that my tenure reporting on the Remastered episodes comes to an end at this time. This coming weekend brings to a close the two-year project of remastering the original Star Trek series. It's fitting that the last remastered episode to air is also the last of the original series to air, episode 79 from June 3, 1969: "Turnabout Intruder".

Arthur H. Singer adapted a Gene Roddenberry story into the teleplay. Singer was the story consultant for the series third season, and this is his only credited Trek screenplay. He was later the executive story editor for the second season of Hawaii Five-O.

Herb Wallerstein directed two other Trek episodes, but also brought his expertise to several other series including Gunsmoke, Happy Days and Barbary Coast (which also starred William Shatner).

Perhaps we'll a reimagined transferrence of Lester's personality into Kirk, the climax of the episode's prologue. According to Memory Alpha, this was the final scene ever filmed for the original series.

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Anton, Not Pavel

The classic Russian play "The Seagull" by Anton Chekhov might seem unlikely source material for a musical, but a production in Pasadena, California is showing great promise.

The world-premiere presentation of "Gulls" at Boston Court features two Star Trek alumni:

Rende Rae Norman had a featured role in TNG's "Tapestry", and shines here as the washed-up actress Irenie. Robert Mammana appeared in Voyager's "Workforce" and the Enterprise episode "Silent Enemy", and is terrific as the successful writer Gore.

Six degrees connection: Will Collyer is also featured in "Gulls", and he was the "Serial Slayer" in the film of that name, which was written and directed by former StarTrek.com art director Mark Tapio Kines, and edited by... yours truly. In the film (available on DVD here) Will was menacing as the ski-masked villain wielding a crossbow pistol and terrorizing three women: Melanie Lynskey ("Heavenly Creatures"), Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe on "24") and Sheeri Rappaport ("CSI"). What a surprise that after that totally mute movie role, we find out that he can take the stage and sing!

But back to "Gulls"... solid cast, great performances, outstanding musical score with several notable songs, and a quite interesting "free adaptation" of the play. A very entertaining evening at the theatre! For more information, visit BostonCourt.com.

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Remastered Trivia

Okay, so it wasn't exactly "remastered" trivia. But the musically-talented folks I mentioned did all play Klingons on episodes of various Star Trek series.

Tim Russ made his first Star Trek appearance on the season 6 TNG episode "Starship Mine" (which aired 3/27/93) but later that year in season 2 of DS9 he appeared as the Klingon T'Kar in the episode "Invasive Procedures" (which aired 10/17/93). In the next year, he would appear as a member of the bridge crew in the film "Star Trek Generations". All of this prior to his seven years on Voyager!

Vaughn Armstrong has played aliens of almost every type in his Star Trek career, but his  first appearance was in the TNG season 1 episode "Heart of Glory" as the warrior Korris.

Suzie Plakson brought her amazing screen presence to her portrayal of one of Trek's most memorable and beloved Klingon women: Worf's mate K'Ehleyr. She appeared in two episodes as that character: introduced in TNG season 2's "The Emissary" and meeting her demise in "Reunion" in season 4.

Extra credit was granted for knowing that Vaughn also played the Klingon commander Korath in the Star Trek: The Experience "Klingon Encounter".

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Star Trek Family Birthdays

Today we send birthday greetings to Wil Wheaton ("Wesley Crusher" - Star Trek: The Next Generation)

 

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