As a father and a man, I invite your attention to Scene 70. Christian says, “A boy. I’m going to have a boy.” I think he would rather say, “A son. I’m going to have a son.” Boy goes with man goes with woman goes with girl. Son goes with father goes with mother goes with daughter. No man of my acquaintance has ever said that he is going to have a boy. And, anyhow, our program is directed toward a mass heterosexual-type audience. (RJ21-5)
The change was made.
New information was added to the series “bible” as a result of this script: there are 12 starships in the fleet, and the other 11 are identical in design and size to the Enterprise.
Pre-Production
November 17-18, 21-23, and 25, 1966 (6 days).
Director Michael O’Herlihy was new to the series. He was 47 and had cut his teeth as a director for Warner Bros. with their factory-produced series Maverick, Bronco, and 77 Sunset Strip. Roddenberry knew O’Herlihy from The Lieutenant, where he called the shots on one episode.
Roger Perry and Georgine Darcy in Harrington and Son (ABC publicity photo)
Roger Perry, who played Captain John Christopher, was a prominent guest star on TV. He had already been the co-star of two series -- 1960's Harrington & Son and 1963's Arrest and Trial. He had also taken the lead in smaller films, such as 1966’s T.H.E.Cat. Regarding Star Trek, Perry said, “It had never happened to me this way before, or since, but I went in to Desilu and there was nobody in the office except the secretary, and she said, ‘You can go right in.’ So I walked in and there was Michael O’Herlihy, sitting alone in the room behind the desk. We talked for maybe, maybe five minutes, and he said, ‘Okay, you’ll do, we’ll see you on the set.’ That was it. Star Trek was the easiest interview I ever had.” (139-1)
As for the script he was given, Perry added, “I thought it was a good part and the twist was interesting about how when you go back in time you can change history. That whole concept was a little strange to me at the time because I wasn’t a great sci-fi fan, so I’d never heard that theory before, about a time warp and trying to not change what would be the future, so I found it to be kind of interesting. And that whole concept about the son being born -- I remember thinking right away that that was a damn good scene. My son at the time was about seven or eight years old, so that whole subject kind of struck a chord with me.” (139-1)
Ed Peck, 49, played the humorless Colonel Fellini. He’d starred in his own short-lived series in 1951, playing the title character of Major Dell Conway of the Flying Tigers.
John Winston made his first of 11 appearances as Transporter Chief Kyle. Joe D’Agosta had met the young actor while working in the theater. Winston said, “It never occurred to me when Joe D’Agosta called that it would be more than one job. I’d never heard of Star Trek at that point. I was of the stage; that’s where I worked, that’s where I got my best roles. For this, I simply went in as an actor, made sure I was there on time, got into makeup and then waited until the director wanted me. I just said, ‘What do you want me to do with the lines,’ then one, two, three. When you’re a bit actor here in Hollywood, invariably the director doesn’t want any more from you than to say those lines. Don’t blow it so they don’t have to do another take; do it right the first time and let them get on with it.” (189a)
Winston didn’t blow it. He brought more to the role than he gives himself credit for. Others recognized his contribution and he would often return.
Majel Barrett got to add a personality to the ship’s computer. Hearing the machine flirt with Kirk is a delight. Credit Fontana. Credit Coon. But don’t forget to credit Barrett. The naughtiness in her voice is priceless.
Production Diary
Filmed November 28, 29, 30 and December 1, 2 & 5, 1966
(6 day production; total cost: $178,629).
Production began on Monday, November 28, 1966, following the four-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend (although the Star Trek company worked the day after Thanksgiving struggling to finish “The Alternative Factor”). Star Trek was the ratings winner on Thanksgiving night at 8:30, with Part 2 of “The Menagerie” nosing ahead of the NFL game on CBS (the Cleveland Browns / Dallas Cowboys. At 9 p.m., Star Trek stayed in the top-spot, with 35.2% of the TVs in the country tuned-in. ABC’s Bewitched, came in second, with 28.2%. The big news story breaking that day: “Mystery Killer Smog Kills 400 in New York City.” It remains unexplained to this day. The big event over the weekend in movie houses was The Bible: In the Beginning, an epic production from Dino De Laurentiis, casting Michael Parks as Adam and Italian actress Ulla Bergryd as Eve, supported by Richard Harris (as Cain), John Huston (as Noah), George C. Scott (as Abraham), and Peter O’Toole (as the Three Angels). Americans were eating it up, sending the movie to No. 1 at the box office for this and three more weeks to come. Helping to balance things out, “You Keep Me Hanging On,” by the Supremes, was the most played song on the radio, with The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” hot on its tail. The Monkees had the top selling album in record shops. And a bare-chested Ron Ely, as Tarzan, had the cover of TV Guide. As William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Roger Perry studied the script for “Tomorrow Is Yesterday” on Sunday night, NBC’s The Andy Williams Show had Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks performing their classic “2000-year-old-man” skit.
Principal photography began at 8 a.m. on Monday, on Stage 9, for the majority of the sequences on the ship’s bridge -- portions of which were in dire need of repair. The small screens above Spock’s and Uhura’s stations, and elsewhere, appear battered -- they looked more like the abused props they were, rather than the advanced technology they were supposed to suggest. Six months of separating and moving sections of the bridge set around for various camera angles was taking its toll. When the footage was screened for the producers, a mandate was immediately issued to replace the artwork in the screens. We would see an improvement in the following episode.
Of his first day on the bridge, Roger Perry said, “I thought the sets were terrific. I wasn’t quite used to that in television, certainly not on the Harrington set and Arrest and Trial. I’d never seen anything like that.” (139-1)
And Perry was among familiar faces. He said, “I knew who Shatner was. The first time I’d seen him was in The Brothers Karamazov. And I had seen Leonard in an independent movie that year, kind of a deep, dark subject, one of those intense movies [Deathwatch], and I told him when I got on set that I thought he was really terrific in that.” (139-1)
Day 2 brought more shooting on the bridge, followed by a trip to the transporter room. Perry said, “I was constantly amazed by how easy it was for Leonard to say all those highly-technical, complicated lines.” (139)
Day 3: Captain Christopher takes an elevator to the bridge (Unaired film trim courtesy of Gerald Gurian)
Day 3. The company filmed in the ship’s corridors, turbo-lift elevator, sickbay, and Kirk’s quarters. O’Herlihy was staying on schedule. Roger Perry said, “Those six day schedules weren’t a problem for me at all. It had been like that with the other shows I worked on, so you just know to come to the set knowing your part and being prepared to get it in one or two takes. Michael was good to work with but I don’t remember a whole lot of feedback. He was an actor’s director, meaning he would let you do what you felt was right. Later, you may worry about whether you did it right or not, and I certainly did, but if the director doesn’t say anything, you move on.” (139-1)
Day 4 saw additional filming in Kirk’s quarters, followed by the briefing room scenes and ending in engineering. During the sequence when the Enterprise is straining to get back to her own time, Scott, in engineering, is shown thrown against the background grid, cllutching onto it to stay on his feet. Doohan later said, “It was such a dynamic-looking shot that they wound up using it in other episodes, such as ‘The Doomsday Machine.’” (52-1)
On this Thursday night, Star Trek had its first preemption on NBC, for Jack Benny.
Day 5 production took place on Stage 10, with the filming of the scenes in t
he “ADC Corridor” and “Int. ADC Records Section,” followed by “Int. Security Office.”
Day 6, Monday, December 6. The company remained on Stage 10, filming on the sets identified as “Int. Jet Cockpit” and “Int. Jet Mockup,” both against a blue screen, plus “Int. ADC Photo Lab,” “Int. ADC Dark Room,” and “Int. Radar Room.” The Radar Room scene, from the episode’s teaser, failed to realize the written material. An Air Force radar room with one man sitting at a scope and an officer at a desk seems underwhelming and unbelievable, even for 1966. Fontana’s script described it differently, with the written “action” telling us:
At first we only see the Technician leaning forward intently, a dim glow reflecting back against his face. Then CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL he is bent over a radar scope. We will not see anything distinctly in the background in the way of equipment or personnel -- the room is too dim for that. But there is the HUM of gentle “conversation” of ELECTRONIC DEVICES going about their work. The Technician stiffens suddenly, staring at his o.s. [off-screen] screen in puzzlement and surprise. He studies it a brief second longer, then turns in his chair quickly. He says, “Captain!” An AIR FORCE CAPTAIN appears from the dark b. g. [background], coming quickly to stand beside the Technician.
Fontana had gone to great detail to explain how, with lighting, a small area could be presented and believed to be part of something much larger. Sadly, no one else seemed to share the importance of her vision.
Regarding his last day with the company, Roger Perry said, “I was talking to Bones [DeForest Kelley] about my shirt and I said, ‘I kinda like this, I wonder if I can take it home.’ And he said, ‘Well, they frown upon that. But you could probably just stick it into your bag and nobody’s going to say anything.’ Guess what? I didn’t. Looking back now, with all Star Trek has become, I wish I had.” (139-1)
Michael O’Herlihy finished on schedule and on budget. Everyone -- cast, crew, network, and (a few weeks later) fans -- was thrilled by the results.
O’Herlihy later admitted how he had been immediately drawn to the material, and to the characters. Oblivious to the contributions from Fontana, Justman and Coon, he attributed the success of the series, and the episode he directed, entirely to his friend Gene Roddenberry, saying, “The one thing I did like is that Gene Roddenberry went into the realm of science-fiction, but he didn’t go too far too often. You have a story to tell and you must tell it with as much honesty as you possibly can, that this did in fact happen. You can’t say, ‘This only happened because we’re making science-fiction.’ You must consider that this is the way people live. I don’t think that human nature has ever changed or that it ever will. One of the reasons that Star Trek became so successful was that Gene Roddenberry instinctively kept the people human. It’s always a question of search and conflict that makes good drama.” (131-1)
Roddenberry returned the compliment. On January 31, 1967, he sent a letter to O’Herlihy, writing:
Forgive me for not getting in touch with you immediately to tell you how much I enjoyed and appreciated the outstanding job of direction you did on “Tomorrow Is Yesterday.” Again, as always, the O’Herlihy touch to any script is something extra. (GR21)
O’Herlihy was asked to direct again but turned down the offer in order to do a Disney western called Smith! He later said, “Star Trek, in those days, was just another bloody show. It was a six-day show with fellows in funny pajamas... I thought Smith! would be a better career move.” (131-1)
Smith! bombed.
Post-Production
December 6, 1966 through January 17, 1967. Music score: tracked.
Footage of the 11-foot, 2-inch model climbing from the Earth’s atmosphere, which was shot by the Howard Anderson Co. but, sadly, left unused (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)
Bruce Schoengarth and Edit Team #2 did the cutting. This was their sixth of 14 Star Trek assignments, following three classics (“Mudd’s Women,” “The Naked Time,” and “The Squire of Gothos”), one run-of-the-mill entry (“Dagger of the Mind”) and one – according to its director, Marc Daniels, in a word – “dog” (“Court Martial”).
The Westheimer Co. was brought in when the Howard Anderson Company failed to make their delivery dates. Westheimer, then, was responsible for the substandard opticals. The transporter effects were fine, and it was nice that someone put clouds around the Earth from shots lifted from “Miri.” But the Enterprise, as seen in Earth’s atmosphere, were created using only the smaller ship model, the only one Westheimer had access to. And it shows.
Regardless, Robert Justman was thrilled. First, the price tag was low -- only $8,760; second, the effects and therefore the episode were delivered quickly, allowing for early scheduling on NBC. On January 6, as Justman watched the delivered optical elements inserted into a nearly finalized cut of the episode, and knowing he would be able to ship “Tomorrow Is Yesterday” off to NBC in 10 days, he wrote Westheimer:
Dear Joe: I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal thanks to you and all the fellows at The Westheimer Company for the superb work that has been turned out on behalf of Star Trek. The quality of your Opticals and Titles seems to improve week by week. The courtesy and cooperation you furnish to us here at Desilu beggars description. Warmest personal regards.
Joseph Westheimer filming a rotating planet (Courtesy of Gerald Gurian)
Justman was mostly pleased that the optical effects were delivered. The Howard Anderson Company had been working on the photographic effects, also, with the 11-foot, 2-inch model of the Enterprise but, sadly, were unable to deliver in time.
At $178,629, this was one of the cheaper ones. The first season deficit dipped a bit, down to $39,895.
Release / Reaction
Premiere air date: 1/26/67. NBC repeat broadcast: 7/13/67.
“Tomorrow Is Yesterday” first aired on Thursday, January 26, 1967, the night before the deadly fire during the testing of Apollo One, which claimed the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.
Watching the episode, Roger Perry said, “I thought it was done well, shot well. It was a good episode. When I watched it, being self-critical, I felt I could have done just a little bit more -- reacted a bit more to what I was seeing. I thought, ‘Should I have done more when I beamed up?’”
Fans will tell Perry his reactions were spot on.
RATINGS / Nielsen 30-Market report for Thursday, January 26, 1967:
“Tomorrow Is Yesterday” started in second place, and then claimed the No. 1 spot at 9 p.m., above the movie on CBS -- the television premiere of 1964's Behold a Pale Horse, starring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, and Omar Sharif, which trotted in for CBS in last place.
The slingshot-around-the-sun technique, having worked here, was used again by the crew of the Enterprise in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
From the Mailbag
Received the week after “Tomorrow Is Yesterday” first aired:
Gentlemen... As one who supports in some small way the business you serve, I know you are interested in my opinion of the presentation of Star Trek from January 26 on KRON TV 4. I like it very much because, 1) William Shatner is an excellent actor; 2) The show has a good set of writers and special effects engineers; 3) I am an astronomer and I think it is commendable the way you try to make this series more believable by building the show around facts. Brian J. (Woodacre, CA).
Dear Mr. Roddenberry, unfortunately I did not get to catch the name of the writer of last week’s episode in which the Enterprise, flung back in time, became a UFO in the Earth skies of today. This script was masterful! Among the delights, it finally allowed a bit of charming humor into the Captain’s hitherto grim life. You must retain that female computer. Captain Kirk looks so engaging and exasperating when she calls him “dear.” This is a writer! I hope he [sic] is doing, or has done, more work for you. Anonymous (Inglewood, California).
Dear Mr. Roddenberry, I am overjoyed at being able to see Star Trek.... On the whole, the program is co
nsistently good -- well-written and well-acted. Two excellent programs come to mind immediately: the one in which inhabitants of a planet visited by the Enterprise are Earth children whose aging processes have been slowed down phenomenally [“Miri”] ... and the one in which the transporter malfunctions and two “Capt. Kirks” come back to the ship, each only a part of the real man [“The Enemy Within”].... When you stick more to human values than to mere gadgetry, you succeed more fully.... The best episode so far -- “Tomorrow is Yesterday.” I enjoyed it so much partly because it was humorous, and thus Shatner and Nimoy were more believable in the situation, and partly because the time warp mix-up was such an ingenious explanation of UFOs.... Best of luck with the season. Mrs. D. W. (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Roddenberry’s reply:
Dear Mrs. W.: We cannot guarantee perfection in every episode, what with all the time and budget pressures of television, but you may be sure we will keep trying to please you. Thank you, and we hope that you and your family will continue to watch Star Trek and find enjoyment in it. Yours truly, Gene Roddenberry, Executive Producer, Star Trek.
Memories
D.C. Fontana said, “That was a fun show to write, and it was an easy one to write. It is one of my favorite episodes. What I liked about it best was that everything that Kirk does -which is by the book, exactly the right thing to do -- is the wrong thing to do ... until about the middle of the episode, and then he starts pulling it together and makes it right. But I had a chance to have a little fun with it, particularly with Kirk, because you knew Shatner could play comedy.” (64-1)
Director Michael O’Herlihy said, “I rather liked the script. I’m not a science-fiction fan, but even I could relate to it and understand it. I enjoyed it very much.” (131-1)
DeForest Kelley said, “I had hardly anything to do in [‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday’]... I was very light in it, but I thought it was one of the best.” (98-9)
These Are The Voyages, TOS, Season One Page 80
