These Are The Voyages, TOS, Season One

by Cushman, Marc

  Bobby Clark said, “We started very early in the morning and we worked until the sun went down.… And you figure you have about three and a half to four inches of rubber on top of the wetsuit, so, hot, yes, it was very, very hot. Not excruciating because… the director would call us in when he’s ready to shoot, then we’d put the head back on, zip up the tunic, then I’d go down and do whatever I had to do for the shot. And, as soon as he gets the shot, he says, ‘cut’… and I can walk away, go to what I called my ‘perch,’ where I had to stand on a ladder because I couldn’t sit down. But then the wardrobe man would take the head off and unzip the tunic and he could unzip the top of the wet suit, and I’m cool to go.… As for makeup… I did have makeup. I had makeup all around my mouth and my nose and that whole area because when the Gorn made his ‘Aarrgghh’ noise, the mouth opened up and you could see in there, and they had to paint me black.” (31d)

  Clark had an alternate. Gary Combs, a young stuntman who was temporarily out of work due to an injury, was given the less demanding shots in the rubber suit as a favor from Pevney.

  Bill Blackburn, one of Star Trek’s most visible extras, went invisible this time. Said Blackburn, “What I loved about Star Trek was that every time I went in to work, I never knew what I was going to do. If I wasn’t going to be on the bridge, then I’d be doing something else -- like playing the Gorn. I didn’t do the stunts; I did the close ups.” (17b)

  Shatner’s stunt double for the flips and falls was Dick Dial.

  Behind-the-scenes picture taken by a member of the wardrobe department of Bobby Clark as the Gorn in his full glory (Courtesy of Bobby Clark)

  Bobby Clark said, “I’d stay in that rubber costume from morning until lunch. I could take the top off at lunch, but I couldn’t take the bottom off. It’d be too rough to get back into it. When I had to relieve myself, the hardest part was getting up to the ‘honey wagon’ and going up them friggin’ five steps with those feet on. And then you get in and try to close the door! The feet were too big. And there was no fly in that damn suit. I’d have to go in there and pull the bottom part -- all fitted on that wet suit -- from the rib cage down to here, just enough so I could pee. Then I’d go back to the set. Fortunately, I had a stand-in [Blackburn] there for me while they planned the shots and lit the shots. I could rest during those times, in the shade, with the head off, up against my ladder. And when they were ready to shoot, I’d come down and go to my spot and the director would tell me, ‘Alright, in this shot, Bobby, it’s going to consist of you coming after Kirk, but remember that you’re moving very slowly because you’re reptilian.’” (31e)

  Of his sparring partner, Clark said, “Shatner’s always good to work with. He had done a lot of other things before Star Trek, so he knew what he was doing. But I’m not a bonafide actor; I’m a stuntman, so I’m doing physical stuff with him; not lines of dialogue. And we got those scenes shot pretty fast. We’d talk. We weren’t pals, but we would talk. I give him credit -- the man worked hard.” (31e)

  Shatner and Clark discuss a fight sequence about to be filmed (Courtesy of Bobby Clark)

  Despite the short November day, Pevney covered 34 scenes -- 9 pages of script. He stayed on schedule and wrapped at 4:45 p.m., just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The company packed up and arrived back at Desilu at 6 p.m. Shatner and the crew were thrilled. The producers were flabbergasted.

  On Day 3, Thursday, November 10, Shatner and guest performer Carole Shelyne reported to makeup at 5:15 a.m. Along with the three stunt performers, Shatner’s stand-in, and the production crew, they departed Desilu at 6:30 a.m. Filming at Vasquez Rocks again began promptly at 8. Pevney captured 53 scenes this time, and covered 10 pages of script. Remarkably, he was still on schedule when he called for a wrap at 4:30 p.m., beating darkness by half an hour. Again, cast and crew were returned to the studio by 6 p.m., allowing Shatner to make it home in time to catch the long-delayed premiere of “The Corbomite Maneuver” on NBC at 8:30 p.m.

  Day 4. Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Tom Troupe, James Farley, Jerry Agers, and Grant Woods joined Shatner, Dick Dial, and Eddie Paskey at Vasquez Rocks for the filming in the old fort, both modernized and battled-scarred by the art department.

  Behind-the-scenes shots taken by Eddie Paskey (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)

  The fort at Cestus III, located at the foot of the jagged rocks, was originally constructed by Screen Gems in the mid-1950s for Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, a television series which followed the exploits of a British Calvary unit stationed in 19th century India. The staggering cost, back then, in 1956 dollars: $117,843.

  Day 4: The fort at Vasquez Rocks (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)

  Eddie Paskey said, “Anytime you go on location, it is hard, but, for me, Vasquez Rocks was a treat. I mean, here I am in the middle of a set that’s history -- that fort that looked like it was out of Beau Geste. And Vasquez Rocks, where I saw Roy Rogers and Gene Autry riding on TV, and remember from Death Valley Days when I was watching as a boy back in Harrington, Delaware. You get kinda taken up with all the history. And I’m thinking, ‘I’m part of this now; I’ve been here with these people.’ No, I didn’t mind going on location at all.” (135-2)

  Final day of production, back home on Stage 9 (Unaired film trim courtesy of Gerald Gurian)

  Portions of the episode’s teaser were filmed, along with the attack on Cestus III for Act I. Pevney covered 15 scenes and 10 pages of script, shooting past sundown, using the large arc lights to simulate daylight for selected close up shots at the tail end of the day, wrapping at 6:15 p.m. Cast and crew made it back to Desilu at 7:20 p.m., but not all were in good working condition. Both Shatner and Nimoy had fallen victim to the explosive charges set by Jim Rugg. The booms, bigger than expected, resulted in permanent ear damage. The condition, known as tinnitus, causes a constant ringing in the ear.

  Day 5, Monday, saw a second day’s work on the bridge set on Stage 9. The remarkable Joseph Pevney covered 22 camera set-ups and nearly 12 pages of script.

  Day 6, Tuesday, November 15. Pevney spent the morning hours on the bridge, and the afternoon in the transporter room and, lastly, Kirk’s quarters. He wrapped the ambitious and difficult production on schedule and budget.

  Post-Production

  November 16, 1966 to January 10, 1967. Music score: tracked.

  Fabien Tordjmann and Edit Team #3 handled the cutting. Explaining the process, Tordjmann told Allan Asherman for The Star Trek Interview Book, “We’d talk with the director, then we’d talk to the producer, and they’d tell us what they wanted to do with it, and of course we’d have to consider the film being shot, because a lot of imponderables happened during the time of the shooting. New things happen -- acting is different, lines are changed. So we’d put it together and then we’d look at it with the director, and I believe also with the producer, and the director would work with us to try to make our work as close to his vision as possible. The director would leave and we would show it to the producer again, and he would try to adjust it to his vision, too. So it was a compromise. And sometimes we’d also fight for something we’d think was right. We were usually closer to the director, because we had the same type of background; however, the producer and the network have the last words, so at times we had to make some changes. Gene Roddenberry, Bob Justman, Eddie Milkis, and Gene Coon all had some wonderful ideas and we all worked together to achieve the best possible results in the amount of time allotted to us. So it’s really a collaboration.” (176)

  “Arena” introduced a sound effect to be used often in future Star Treks. Sound editing supervisor Jack Finlay said, “The photon torpedo sound, the ‘twang,’ came from War of the Worlds, and was obtained by striking a stretched length of cable. This was used with another effect over it to create a ‘popping’ type of sound.” (62)

  The Westheimer Company earned its money providing the photo effects, including the series’ first use of the photon torpedoes, plus the transporter effects, a crewman being zapped awa
y by a death ray, the fading in and out of the Metron, and the colorful array of signals seen on the viewing screen when the “control voice” speaks. Using stock shots of the Enterprise in flight and in orbit kept the cost down. The final bill: a manageable $6,931.

  The budget for this ambitious episode was set higher by the producers than the norm, at $197,086. As a reward for getting it all done in six days -- an amazing feat -- Joseph Pevney was paid the $500 bonus, bringing the final cost to $197,586.

  Release / Reaction

  Premiere air date: 1/19/67. NBC repeat broadcast: 7/6/67.

  RATINGS / Nielsen 30-Market report for Thursday, January 19, 1967:

  According to A.C. Nielsen, over 30% of the TV sets playing in America were tuned in to see the outcome of Kirk’s battle with a lizard creature. But many in the audience had missed the first half hour. Bewitched, a perfect show to attract and entertain younger viewers, dominated the 8:30 to 9 p.m. period this night. At 9 p.m., Star Trek’s numbers improved, just a single ratings point behind The CBS Thursday Night Movie, a first run showing of My Geisha, a 1961 comedy starring Shirley MacLaine, Edward G. Robinson, and Bob Cummings.

  “Arena” is a Star Trek classic. In the December 1991 issue of Cinefantastique, writer/critic Thomas Doherty picked “Arena” as the fourth best episode from the original series.

  A footnote about the foothills: Six years after this production, the State of California acquired Vasquez Rocks (from Ralph Helfer, who also owned this property) and designated it a public park. Concerned that the crumbling structures and high walls of the fort might pose a threat to park visitors, it was demolished.

  From the Mailbag

  Received the week after “Arena” first aired on NBC:

  Dear Mr. Roddenberry: Some time ago, during the summer, the networks started announcing their new shows for the Fall Season. Most were the same, with kids’ shows, movies, and spy series, but I noticed a new and different attraction --Star Trek. I have been reading space books, both fact and fiction, for about three years and naturally was very enthusiastic about your new show. I decided after watching the previews it might be well worth my time to watch it -- It was! I am still very excited about it, especially Mr. Spock. I firmly believe in his philosophy in that everything should be approached logically in space or on earth…. I do hope Star Trek will be on next season, for my 8th grade friends and I enjoy it very much! John H. (Burbank, California).

  Dear Mr. Nimoy: First, thank you for the picture. I consider receiving it an honor which I certainly didn’t expect.... I’ll continue to watch Star Trek, admire your performance as Mr. Spock, wish that the chess games hadn’t been eliminated, and consider what a great opportunity someone’s smart crack about Mr. Spock’s musical instrument would be for him to say something about “logical mathematical progressions.” Jessica M. (University of Washington, Seattle, WA.)

  Memories

  William Shatner complained, “There was one show, I’ve forgotten the name of it, which somebody said to the director, if you bring the show in in five days [sic], you’ll get $500 extra. And it was a show I was mostly alone in. I did fourteen pages of dialogue in one day. The average was nine or ten pages a day, but I did fourteen. The show came in on time, the director got the 500 bucks and I didn’t even get a thank-you.” (156-9)

  Frederic Brown’s short story and Gene Coon’s teleplay get merged into a novelette by Bantam Books

  28

  Episode 20: THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR

  Written by Don Ingalls

  (with Gene L. Coon and/or Steven Carabatsos, uncredited)

  Directed by Gerd Oswald

  Shatner with Robert Brown for NBC publicity photo (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)

  NBC press release from January 12, 1967:

  Robert Brown guest-stars in a dual role in “The Alternative Factor,” a drama involving two strange men from an uncharted planet who threaten destruction of the universe on NBC Television Network’s colorcast of Star Trek Thursday, Feb. 2.... A landing party under the command of Capt. James Kirk (William Shatner) encounters Lazarus (Brown), an embattled and desperate man who begs assistance in his defense against an enemy (Brown) who he claims to be insane. When Kirk is reluctant, Lazarus makes an incredible claim of being the only man who can prevent the impending total destruction of civilization.

  Lazarus appears human. His behavior is erratic, as are the effects of the energy source which is opening a door between our universe, one of positive matter, and an alternative universe, where existence is based on anti-matter. Allowing the twain to meet will cause the instant annihilation of each.

  “The Alternative Factor” is a study in madness, obsession, and self-sacrifice. And, as almost always on Star Trek, a Man versus Beast story is at its core Man versus Himself.

  SOUND BITES

  - Kirk: “Sometimes pain can drive a man harder than pleasure.”

  - Spock: “Madness has no purpose. No reason. But it could have a goal.”

  - Kirk: “So you’re the terrible thing? The hideous, murdering monster?” Lazarus #2: “Yes, Captain. Or he is. It depends on your point of view.”

  - Kirk: “You’ll be trapped forever with a raging madman at your throat.” Lazarus #2: “Is it such a large price to pay for the safety of two universes?”

  ASSESSMENT

  With “The Alternative Factor,” we are treated to a recurring Star Trek theme, how the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one. It would be said later, in those very words, in Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan. It is said here by a mournful Kirk, regarding the “good Lazarus.” When all the madness has finally ended, a drained Kirk sits in his command chair and says, “How would it be ... to be trapped forever with a raging madman at your throat ... until time itself comes to a stop ... for eternity. How would it be?” Spock points out, “But the universe is safe, Captain.” Kirk softly replies, “Yes ... for you and me. But what of Lazarus?”

  And what of “The Alternative Factor”? This Trek is an awkward mix of good and bad. Problems during the final scripting phase and production were to blame. Cast and crew endeavored to maintain Star Trek’s high standard, but too much around them was going wrong. The profound message at the story’s end is a plus, as is Robert Brown’s performance as Larzarus #2 -- the good Lazarus. But even the stage-trained Brown suffers from the unevenness of the writing and direction as he and his “opposite” meet to do battle -- lunging, wrestling, falling off rock formations, one, two, three times, which is two times too many. Lazarus #1 -- the crazy one -- is both written and played with little subtlety. And this is the Lazarus who has most of the screen time. There are also continuity errors, such as the stringy beard on Lazarus, which goes from thick to thin and then to thick again. And the very cerebral and, at times, convoluted plot never connects enough to fully engage the viewer.

  This well-meaning story reached for the stars ... and, more often than not, came up with dust.

  But even lesser TOS is still a trek worth taking. As Robert Justman would later say, “I loved them all.” And that meant he also loved “The Alternative Factor.”

  THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

  Script Timeline

  Don Ingalls’ story outline, ST #34: August 29, 1966.

  Ingalls’ revised outline, gratis: September 12, 1966.

  Ingalls’ 2nd Revised Story Outline, gratis: September 14, 1966.

  Ingalls’ 1st Draft teleplay: October 14, 1966.

  Ingalls’ 2nd Draft teleplay (Mimeo Department “Yellow Cover 1st Draft”): November 7, 1966.

  Script polish by Gene Coon or Steven Carabatsos (Final Draft teleplay): November 11, 1966.

  Coon’s rewrite (Rev. Final Draft teleplay): November 14, 1966.

  Additional page revisions by Coon and/or Carabatsos:

  November 15, 16 & 18, 1966.

  Don Ingalls was a former cop and a friend of Gene Roddenberry. He was also one of Roddenberry’s peers, having worked as both a writer and then producer on Have Gun - Wi
ll Travel. Ingalls continued to work as a writer/producer in television on the western Whiplash, where he farmed script work out to Roddenberry, and then on to The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, The Virginian, 12 O’clock High, and Honey West.

  Roddenberry wanted his friend to write for Star Trek and approved the pitch concerning a man’s obsessive hunt for his other self (a self that exists in an alternate universe based in anti-matter) and Kirk’s efforts to solve the mystery regarding the hunter and the lookalike hunted, thereby preventing universal annihilation.

  The story outline, in which the Enterprise crew encounter Lazarus “shipwrecked” on a planet devoid of humanoid life, arrived on August 29, 1966. Ingalls, in his treatment, wrote:

  [Lazarus] is an interplanetary hunter. His game? A creature -- a humanoid monster that destroyed his civilization on a far distant planet. He is dedicated now to destroying the destroyer. Underlying the surface likeableness, the twisted grin, the deep blue eyes that look sadly into yours, is the visible memory of his horror, fighting up from the depths within him. The sympathies of Captain Kirk and the others go out to him.... Especially attracted and sympathetic is Charlene Masters, a pretty space chemist, nearly thirty and never before having met a man who might become more important to her than her test tubes and her formulas.... To the Enterprise crewman, Lazarus is a swashbuckling, tragic figure with hair on his chest and a chip on his shoulder and a girth of arm and chest to slay a dragon! He is a natural leader who infuses the young crewmen with a lust for the hunt and, like the harpooners and mariners of a bygone age clustered about their Ahab, so they find themselves mustering to the siren call to the hunt of this fantastic anachronism of a man.

  The passionate writing, while confusing the producers, nonetheless seduced them into keeping the assignment alive -- just as Lazarus confused and seduced the crew of the Enterprise into keeping his quest alive.