The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

15-8 Rewriting Joan Crawford

Before Star Trek or The Lieutenant Gene Roddenberry explored his role as a television creator by developing a series for one of Hollywood's biggest stars: Joan Crawford. This week, Larry welcomes Roddenberry Podcasts Technical Director and Gene-ology [https://podcasts.roddenberry.com/show/mission-log-gene-ology/] co-host Earl Green to examine a 1961 memo in which Gene proposes major revisions to The Joan Crawford Show, a legal drama pilot titled A Man's World. The project never made it to series, but the document reveals a writer already demonstrating the storytelling instincts, character focus, and production savvy that would later define his career. Along the way, Earl and Larry explore Crawford's complicated transition from film to television, the realities of early TV development, Gene's final months at Screen Gems, and the behind-the-scenes negotiations that surrounded the project. They also discuss why the pilot script itself—examined in depth on Gene-ology [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Mission_Log:_Gene-ology]—may rank among Gene Roddenberry's strongest pre-Star Trek works. What begins as a rewrite memo becomes a look into Hollywood in transition and Gene Roddenberry honing his craft years before the Enterprise ever left spacedock. Documents and Additional References * Joan Crawford rewrite memo [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Rewriting_Joan_Crawford_(podcast)] (April 28, 1961) * Gene Roddenberry [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Gene_Roddenberry] * Joan Crawford [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001076/] on IMDb * The Lieutenant [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056771/?ref_=fn_t_2] on IMDb * DeForest Kelley [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/DeForest_Kelley] * Gene-ology: A Man's World [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/A_Man%27s_World_(podcast)] episode⁠

15-7 Majel's Vision - Lwaxana in the 24th Century, Revisited

Earlier this season, we explored an unusual piece of Star Trek history: a proposed sitcom starring Lwaxana Troi [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Tawny_Newsome_on_the_Lost_Lwaxana_Troi_Sitcom_Pitch_(podcast)]. Now, the story takes an unexpected turn. When listeners helped identify one of the creators behind the never-produced project, The Trek Files tracked down writer and media innovator Jack Myers, who hadn't seen the pitch document in decades. Together, Larry and Jack revisit Lwaxana in the 24th Century, uncovering how the project came together, Majel Barrett Roddenberry's personal investment in the series, and why Hollywood never gave it a chance. Jack shares memories of Majel's determination, her frustrations with the industry's limitations, and her belief that Lwaxana could carry a series of her own. Looking back today, many of the pitch's ideas (from AI-powered homes and android assistants to questions of identity, family, and cultural division) feel surprisingly ahead of their time. It's a rare opportunity to hear the history behind an unproduced Star Trek project directly from one of the people who helped create it, while reflecting on the changing world of television and the legacy of Majel Barrett Roddenberry. Documents and Additional References * Lwaxana in the 24th Century pitch treatment [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Tawny_Newsome_on_the_Lost_Lwaxana_Troi_Sitcom_Pitch_(podcast)] (circa 1992) * Majel Barrett Roddenberry [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Majel_Barrett_Roddenberry] * Lwaxana Troi [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Lwaxana_Troi] * Jack Myers [https://www.jackmyers.com] official site * Star Trek: The Next Generation [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation] * Star Trek: Deep Space Nine [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine]

15-6 How an Official Star Trek Stage Show Nearly Reached Broadway

The story of Star Trek's officially licensed 1994 stage production continues this week on The Trek Files as actor Adrian Cohen returns to share even more memories from Star Trek: The Lost Voyage of the Enterprise. Using a rare 1995 review from Total Theatre Magazine as the document of the week, Adrian and Larry Nemecek dig deeper into the ambitious London production that somehow brought transporters, Klingons, time travel, and a full-scale Enterprise bridge to the live stage — all during the height of 1990s Trek mania. This time, Adrian shares stories from the chaotic opening night when the lighting system catastrophically crashed just hours before curtain, forcing the audience to wait until 9:30 PM for a performance that somehow still became a hit with fans. He also reflects on the enormous pressure of portraying Mr. Spock, the audience reaction to seeing the crew materialize live on stage, and the bittersweet realization that the production's planned Broadway future would never quite materialize. Along the way, the conversation uncovers surprising connections to Adrian's later move to America, the early career of producer John Gore, and how one strange theatrical experiment became an almost-forgotten chapter of Star Trek history. Documents and Additional References * Total Theatre Magazine review of Star Trek: The Lost Voyage of the Enterprise [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/How_an_Official_Star_Trek_Stage_Show_Nearly_Reached_Broadway_(podcast)] (Spring 1995) * Adrian Cohen on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169170/] * Reference: Leonard Nimoy [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Leonard_Nimoy] * John Gore on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3687480/] * John Gore on BroadwayWorld [https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/John-Gore/] The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files#Season_15] All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files?so=search] Visit the Trekland site [https://larrynemecek.com/] for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord [http://patreon.com/missionlog] with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today [http://patreon.com/missionlog]!

15-5 Inside the 1994 UK Star Trek Stage Show

Before there was streaming Trek or "immersive experiences," there was something almost unbelievable: an officially licensed Star Trek stage play in London in 1994. This week on The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek welcomes actor Adrian Cohen (credited at the time as Adrian Neil), who played Mr. Spock in the ambitious theatrical production mounted during the height of the Star Trek: The Next Generation era. Using a clipping from the London Evening Standard as the document of the week, Adrian recounts the surreal experience of stepping onto a full-scale Enterprise bridge in front of packed houses of passionate British Trek fans. What began as a skeptical audition ("I can't play Spock!") quickly evolved into a whirlwind production featuring transporter effects, Klingons, time travel, elaborate costume changes, and even an Enterprise flying out over the audience. Adrian and Larry explore how producer John Gore approached the material with both reverence and playful theatricality, creating something that celebrated Star Trek rather than parodying it. Along the way, Adrian shares memories of discovering just how intense Trek fandom could be, the pressure of channeling Leonard Nimoy's iconic presence, and the unexpectedly emotional reaction from audiences seeing Star Trek brought to life on stage for the very first time. This week, The Trek Files points a spotlight at a little-known corner of improbable yet completely inevitable Trek history. Documents and Additional References * London Evening Standard [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Inside_the_1994_UK_Star_Trek_Stage_Show_(podcast)] clipping covering the 1994 Star Trek stage production * Reference: Adrian Cohen on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169170/] * Reference: Leonard Nimoy [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Leonard_Nimoy] * John Gore on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3687480/] * John Gore on BoradwayWorld [https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/John-Gore/] The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files#Season_15] All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files?so=search] Visit the Trekland site [https://larrynemecek.com/] for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord [http://patreon.com/missionlog] with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today [http://patreon.com/missionlog]!

15-4 The Face of First Contact

Thirty years ago, Star Trek: First Contact brought one of the franchise's most important moments to life: humanity's first meeting with the Vulcans. This week on The Trek Files, host Larry Nemecek welcomes actor, writer, and Does It Fly [https://doesitflypod.com]? co-host Tamara Krinsky for a uniquely personal look behind the scenes of that iconic sequence. Using an original production call sheet from April 23, 1996, the conversation takes us to the nighttime shoot at Charlton Flats in the Angeles National Forest, where dozens of extras helped populate the post-war settlement that would witness history. Among them was a young aspiring actor named Tamara, hoping to gain experience and maybe earn a coveted SAG card. What happened next was something straight out of Hollywood legend. During filming, director Jonathan Frakes singled Tamara out from among the crowd, rebuilding part of the scene around her reaction shot. Her featured appearance in the finished film earned her a day-player contract, a SAG membership, and a memory that has stayed with her ever since. Along the way, Tamara shares stories of chilly overnight shoots, watching the legendary cast at work, and experiencing firsthand the creation of one of Star Trek's most beloved cinematic moments. Documents and Additional References * Star Trek: Generations II (Star Trek: First Contact) production call sheet, April 23, 1996 [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Face_of_First_Contact_(podcast)] * Reference: Star Trek: First Contact [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_First_Contact] * Reference: Tamara Krinsky [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Tamara_Lee_Krinsky] * Reference: Jonathan Frakes [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Jonathan_Frakes] * Reference: James Cromwell [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/James_Cromwell] * Reference: Patrick Stewart [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Patrick_Stewart] * Does It Fly? [https://doesitflypod.com] podcast The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files#Season_15] All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Trek_Files?so=search] Visit the Trekland site [https://larrynemecek.com/] for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord [http://patreon.com/missionlog] with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today [http://patreon.com/missionlog]!