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TOS- Where No Man Has Gone Before - episode #2
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Bogmeister
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:29 pm    Post subject: TOS- Where No Man Has Gone Before - episode #2 Reply with quote

_______ Classic Star Trek: Where No Man Has Gone Before


__________



WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE (first season; episode #2)
Directed by James Goldstone / writer: Samuel L. Peeples / Air Date: 09/22/66



BELOW:AUTOMATED STATION ON DELTA VEGA and ABOVE,FIRST VIEW OF 3-D CHESS




ABOVE: Lt. Kelso (Paul Carr) - soon to be a squashed insect?...............

This is known as episode two in many Trek circles because it was the 2nd pilot; the 1st pilot was The Cage, starring Jeffrey Hunter as Capt. Pike and Nimoy as one of his officers, and which was rejected as too cerebral. Roddenberry then produced this one, changing all of the cast except for Nimoy. So this is the first appearance of Captain Kirk (Shatner), as well as Scotty (Doohan) & Sulu (Takei). There is no Dr. McCoy in this one; instead we see a Dr. Piper (Paul Fix). McCoy would show up in the next filmed episode, The Corbomite Maneuver.




ABOVE: Gary Mitchell - soon to be a... crazed god?

This episode still holds up very well, despite being rough around the edges. Roddenberry had not yet defined Starfleet or the Federation in detail here; we were witnessing the adventures of some Earth-based space fleet here, kind of a follow-up to Forbidden Planet, the big sci-fi film of 9 years earlier. But because Roddenberry needed to impress some executives, this pilot is like a short sci-fi film itself. Right off the bat, exploration is the key theme: Kirk directs the good ship Enterprise towards a mysterious galactic barrier, even though everyone knows it's dangerous. The ship is damaged, several crew members are killed, and two more are mutated into superior beings. Roddenberry wasn't holding back.



The episode then begins an exploration of another kind - questions on this new breed of humanity. How dangerous is such a new breed of man? Can he live with other 'normal' humans? Spock provides the early answers: "very" and "no" - even though we side with Kirk as the more humane, sympathetic voice, it's Spock who seems to prove that old adage: absolute power corrupts absolutely. And it's not just a faceless crewman who goes power mad; it's Kirk's old friend, Gary (guest star Gary Lockwood, who starred in 2001:A Space Odyssey a couple of years after this).



Lockwood, as Lt. Gary Mitchell, presents us with a somewhat sympathetic yet at the same time chilling rendition of a power-mad character. There is no struggle involved for him with this new-found power, no angst or questions of how he should proceed. He embraces the power readily, perhaps like a drug (a metaphor here?) and turns inhuman rather swiftly. Perhaps all men, no matter how decent, have that need inside to dominate, to be corrupted, right? Yet, as Kirk states at the end, Gary didn't ask for this. Heavy & deep concepts for an old TV show, eh? - and all in the middle of a supposedly action-oriented show. Sally Kellerman, who starred in M*A*S*H (1970) a few years after this, plays the ship's psychiatrist who also turns godlike after Gary. A solid, excellent start to the series.

BoG's Score: 9 out of 10



Extra Trek Trivia: note Kirk's phaser rifle above; it was built for this pilot episode, yet never used again on TOS. The crew wore slightly different uniforms in this early episode; the events here probably take place about a year before those of most other episodes. Besides Dr. Piper, other seeming regular crew members who did not return were Lloyd Haynes as communications officer Alden (replaced by Uhura in the next episode) and Andrea Dromm as Yeoman Smith (replaced by Rand); Haynes went on to a famous TV role in Room 222 (1969-1974). Kirk's gravestone reads 'James R. Kirk' instead of the correct James T. Kirk here; perhaps Gary, though powerful, was not omnipotent and even forgetful - and this seemed to signal his defeat; as in a premonition? All told, a dozen crewmembers died in this episode. An alternate, older version of Gary Mitchell would return in the made-for-the-web fan film Star Trek-Of Gods and Men (2007).





BoG
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Last edited by Bogmeister on Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Krel.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The phaser rifle was owned by the man that built it, and was rented to the show. He had hoped to market a toy version, but no further appearances in the show doomed that hope.

Silver contact lenses were used for the silver eye effect. They had to be specially made, as they were a hard shell that covered the whole eye, that type of contact lens had gone out of style and hadn't been made in years. They were also very uncomfortable to wear.

David.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

David, I don't know if you remember Bogmeister's amazing posts, but I think you'll have a great time adding replies to his "new" posts, because you always have the kind of facts he loved to present on All Sci-Fi.

By the way, I've gotten pretty good at converting Bogmeister's posts to All Sci-Fi's format, and I can now complete each one in about 15 minutes! Very Happy

I have to add the jpegs separately, along with the YouTube videos, after pasting in the text. I'm amazed that Bogmeiser's Photobucket images still work, in spite of the fact that he passed away almost five years ago!

I'm not seeing the PB watermark on his images. Are you seeing them at all?

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can see the images just fine Bud, but I don't notice any watermarks.

David.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Good! Very Happy

Even if Bogmeister's Photobucket jpegs start showing up with watermarks, I know I can copy them to my Imgur account and replace them without the watermarks.

I've done this with images from both Butch's and orzel-w's accounts! Very Happy

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~ The Space Children (1958)
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2019 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another scary episode when I was a kid! Mitchell creeped me out big time in the seventies!Crying or Very sad
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From Star Trek: A Celebration.

Gene Roddenberry had been given another chance. After NBC saw the first pilot "The Cage," they agreed to fund a second pilot, but there were conditions and unforeseen problems.

NBC reasoned that STAR TREK already had sets and costumes, so the budget for the new pilot was only a third of what they had provided for its predecessor. This meant that most of the action would have to be filmed on the Enterprise sets.

More seriously, STAR TREK's leading man, Jeffrey Hunter wanted out. Desilu screened "The Cage" for William Shatner and he agreed to come aboard.

The early drafts of the story were called 'Esper' and involved a colonist rather than a member of Kirk's crew, let alone one of his closest friends.

Matt Jefferies stepped up to become the art director, reworking the bridge set so that more of it could be removed to make filming easier.

For the key role of Gary Mitchell, Gene Roddenberry called on Gary Lockwood who had starred in Gene's previous series The Lieutenant. It almost didn't happen because Lockwood had accepted his role in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but he managed to squeeze the pilot in before reporting to work on Stanley Kubrick's feature film.

NBC liked the second pilot and ordered STAR TREK to go into production.

Sidebar: For any network to order a second pilot was unheard of then and now. It would happen again to Gene when another network would turn down his SF pilot Genesis II, but ordered a second pilot of the concept which became Planet Earth. Unfortunately lightning did not strike twice in this case and Planet Earth was not picked up as a series.

I've read that NBC had turned down "The Cage" because they felt it was too intellectual. Networks really don't think much of their audiences, do they? This pilot is too smart, we gotta dumb it down for the masses.

Always thought that the uniform shirt that Sally Kellerman wore in this pilot was sharp looking. Alas, we'd never see it again.

Another nice touch after this pilot was that they added a black collar to the uniform shirts instead of having the collar match the shirt.

Star Trek would revisit this concept of a normal human becoming nearly omnipotent with the first season episode "Charlie X." That episode is very well done and has its own distinct style even though it is similar to this second pilot.

The matte painting for the Delta Vega cracking station is stunning.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I enjoyed your great post! It contains a wealth of interesting info, much of which I didn't know.

So, all I can add is a big, "Thanks!" Very Happy

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Krel
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
Sidebar: For any network to order a second pilot was unheard of then and now.

Actually that's a bit of G.R.'s show promotion, like the two bellybutton thing in "Genesis 2". ST had costumes that showed an actress's belly button.

It's not uncommon for the Network or Studio to order a second pilot. If they like the premise, like the star, or don't like the star, they will order a second pilot, sometimes even a third. They already have the sets and costumes made, so it's not that expensive, and it may save the show.

"McHale's Navy" had two pilots, as did "The Munsters" and "Gilligan's Island" to name three.

They changed the costumes from the two pilots because they were made of Velour, which looked great, but would literally shrink while the actors were wearing them! They needed costumes that could be worn more than one time. Laughing

The most repeated story about Jeffery Hunter is that his Wife made demands for control and ownership of the show that the studio couldn't accede to. He may have used her so he could accept a movie role.

David.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

I can't help wondering if low budget sitcoms like McHale's Navy, The Munsters, and Gilligan's Island might be in a different category from series like Star Trek — with it's monumental expenses because of sets, costumes, props, special effects, and the fact that it was filmed in color. Shocked

David, I'd be curious to know how many series with larger budgets like Star Trek were given second pilots. Confused

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure how low budget "McHale's Navy" was. Ernest Borgnine was a popular Actor at the time, and the Network was anxious to have him star in a show. Ernest Borgnine for his part wanted to do the show to enhance his appeal, and identity with young people.

He told a story how after he turned down the show, a Boy Scout came to his house selling a product, but didn't know who he was. He knew he was a Star, but had no idea who he was. After the kid left, he called the Producer back and accepted the part. The Producer asked him why he changed his mind, and E.B. told him it was none of his business. Laughing

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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ALL IN THE FAMILY also had three pilots done. All were filmed using the same script with minor alterations.

The original pilot was titled "Justice for All" and was developed for ABC. Tom Bosley, Jack Warden, and Jackie Gleason were all considered for the role of Archie Bunker.

In fact, CBS wanted to buy the rights to the original show and retool it specifically for Gleason, who was under contract to them, but producer Lear beat out CBS for the rights and offered the show to ABC. Mickey Rooney was offered the role but turned it down as he felt the character was "un-American".

In the pilot, Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton played Archie and Edith Justice. Kelly Jean Peters played Gloria and Tim McIntire played her husband, Richard. It was taped in October 1968 in New York City.

After screening the first pilot, ABC gave the producers more money to shoot a second pilot, titled "Those Were the Days", which Lear taped in February 1969 in Hollywood. Candice Azzara played Gloria and Chip Oliver played Richard. D'Urville Martin played Lionel Jefferson in both pilots.

Neither of the two pilot shows were ever aired, although a THIRD version of the script with Sally Struthers as Gloria and Rob Reiner as Michael "Meathead" Stivic was shot as a pilot and aired after final ABC approval.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

These Are The Voyages: TOS by Marc Cushman.
Double or Nothing: A Second Pilot.

TATV:TOS } The official word on NBC's rejection of the Star Trek pilot "The Cage" : "too cerebral."

According to Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, the first pilot was too smart, too good for TV, too misunderstood by those who should have known better.

It did go on to win the international Hugo Award.

TATV:TOS } In truth, the cerebral nature of "The Cage" was not the only concern. The network was very uncomfortable with the eroticism seen in the pilot and what that ingredient foreshadowed for the ensuing series.

TATV: TOS } The NBC sales department was not happy with some casting. They feared that the Mr. Spock character would be seen as demonic by the Bible Belt affiliate station owners and by important advertisers.

The network supported the idea of a woman in a leading role, but it had reservations concerning Majel Barrett's abilities to carry the show as its costar. They were not saying she lacked talent, merely that she did not have star potential.

Sidebar: Gene Roddenberry claimed that NBC was shortsighted and biased and that they could not envision a woman — any female — in an important command position as Number One was on the Enterprise. Gene would stick by this story, and others, that were simply not factual regarding the production of the show.

TATV: TOS } Jeffrey Hunter would not return for the second pilot commissioned by NBC in the Captain Christopher Pike role. His contract called for his participation in one pilot, not two. There had never been two pilots made for any series, so there was no reason to specify such a provision.

Gene and producer Herb Solow waited together in the Desilu projection room for Hunter to view "The Cage." Hunter never showed up, but his wife actress Sandy Bartlett did.

As the end credits rolled and the lights came up, she told Gene and Herb: "This is not the kind of show Jeff wants to do. And besides, it wouldn't be good for his career. Jeff Hunter is a movie star."

Sidebar: What a shame that Jeff decided against accepting the lead role for Star Trek (much as I like Bill Shatner's Captain Kirk).

Hunter gave a fine performance in the role. His wife was wrong, Jeff's movie career as a leading man was essentially kaput by the mid-1960s. He had already turned to television by then with his Temple Houston western TV series. He was guest starring on various TV shows such as The Green Hornet (Jeff and star of the Hornet, Van Williams, were good buddies), The F.B.I. Daniel Boone, Death Valley Days, The Monroes.

Ironically enough, Jeff guest starred on the TV western series The Legend of Jesse James as a Union officer. Hunter had played Frank James in the film The True Story of Jesse James in the 1950s with Robert Wagner as Jesse.

Sidebar: By the 60s, Robert Wagner was wise enough to realize that his film career was drying up. Wagner turned to television and did the successful show It Takes a Thief, and Heart to Heart, along with producing Charlie's Angels.

Too bad that Jeff did not follow in Wagner's steps doing the same thing, instead of attempting to hang on to a film career that was ending.

TATV:TOS } Sadly, Jeffrey Hunter's fortunes changed for the worse. By the late 1960s, he was dividing his time between "guest star" appearances on shows like Love, American Style and low-budget films shot outside the country. In 1969, after completing Super Colt 38, a quickie western filmed in Mexico, Hunter suffered a series of minor strokes. A fall after one stroke resulted in trauma to the head, which led to his untimely death in 1969. He was only 42.

Sidebar: Jeff also went through a very bitter divorce from his second wife, Sandy, who turned down Star Trek on Jeff's behalf.

TATV:TOS } Also present at the screening of "The Cage" was actor John Hoyt, who played Dr. Boyce, the ship's wise and fatherly medical officer. He, too, was underwhelmed and said, "It was really a dog."

Sidebar: Always enjoyed Hoyt's acting in films and TV. Pity he wrote off Star Trek and could not see how exceptional it truly was. Perhaps he wasn't a SF fan and therefore never truly got it.

TATV:TOS } History was about to be made. On Friday, March 26, 1965, NBC officially ordered a second pilot. There was one condition: the budget was set at $216,000, a staggering $400,000 less than the first time around. NBC justified this by citing that the sets were now built, the spaceship constructed, the costumes woven and the gadgets hatched; the next go-around should be a cheaper ride.

Bottom line: The network wanted to see if Roddenberry and Desilu could deliver Star Trek close to the normal budget of a 60-minute drama.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Yet another post which presents a wealth of information about a TOS episode we've all seen many times . . . without knowing just how important it was in the evolution of this legendary series! Shocked

Keep 'em comin', Mike! We need to be educated on this subject. Cool

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
TATV:TOS } Also present at the screening of "The Cage" was actor John Hoyt, who played Dr. Boyce, the ship's wise and fatherly medical officer. He, too, was underwhelmed and said, "It was really a dog."

Sidebar: Always enjoyed Hoyt's acting in films and TV. Pity he wrote off Star Trek and could not see how exceptional it truly was. Perhaps he wasn't a SF fan and therefore never truly got it.

However, he later took the part of "Dr. Gordon", Flash's father in the soft core FLESH GORDON movie.
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