The Evolution of Star Trek

SPACE. THE FIRST 45 YEARS OF, STAR TREK TV producer Gene Roddenberry's optimistic vision of the future has captivated fans for nearly a half-century. Six television series and 11 films depict humanity hundreds of years in the future, exploring the stars and battling alien enemies that include the Klingons, Romulans and Borg. EARLY PROMOTIONAL ART PAINTED BY JAMES BAMA RECALLS PULP SCI-FI MAGAZINES OF THE 1940s AND '50s A pilot in World War II, Gene Roddenberry finds a post-war career writing for print and television. By 1963, Roddenberry produces 1956 A pre- s his TV show, a police drama called The Lieutenant, which lasts for one season. In March 1964 Roddenberry writes a proposal for a new science fiction series first cursor of Star Trek, the film FORBIDDEN PLANET stars Leslie Nielsen as the commander of the space cruiser C-57D 1955 Oct. 4, 1957 Russia shocks the world by launching SPUTNIK, the Earth's first artificial satellite The show is set aboard a "cruiser class" space ship with a crew of about 200 (later increased to more than 400). Each week the ship would visit new planets and civilizations Apr. 12, 1961 YURI GAGARIN becomes the first human launched 1960 into space Dec. 1964 Roddenberry films a pilot episode of Star Trek, but the NBC television network rejects the show as "too cerebral." In an unusual move, the network allows Roddenberry to modify the show for more action and adventure July 1965 A second pilot episode, starring William Shatner as the captain of the starship Enterprise, is filmed and approved by NBC 1965 Sept. 8, 1966 TV premiere of STAR TREK starring Shatner (right) and Leonard Nimoy Late 1967 NBC is rumored to be canceling Star Trek after only 2 seasons March 1, 1968 After receiving more than 100,000 letters supporting the show, NBC announces on air that Star Trek will return for a third season July 20, 1969 Dec. 1966, March 1967 Early episodes feature the hostile alien Romulans (Mark Lenard, left) APOLLO 11 becomes the first to land on the moon and Klingons (John Colicos) 1970 June 3, 1969 Star Trek's final episode airs Jan. 21, 1972 Fans attend one of the first STAR TREK CONVENTIONS in New York -June 2, 1977 Actor ZACHARY QUINTO is born June 17, 1977 Paramount Studios announces plans to return Star Trek to television with a new series called STAR Sept. 8, 1973 The ANIMATED Star Trek premieres on NBC, starring most of the original cast's voices TREK PHASE II 1975 Plans for the Phase Il show are ultimately scrapped; characters and plot elements May 23, 1977 will be used to make a movie instead STAR Dec. 7, 1979 WARS STAR TREK THE premieres in MOTION theaters PICTURE premieres to lukewarm June 4, 1982 reviews STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, made with- out Roddenberry's input, emphasizes -Aug. 26, 1980 Actor CHRIS PINE 1980 is born June 1, 1984 STAR TREK III: action and characters THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK, directed by Leonard Nimoy, features Kirk blowing up the Enterprise Jan. 28, 1986 Space shuttle Challenger explodes, killing 7 Nov. 26, 1986 In STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME the time- astronauts 1985 traveling crew confronts present- day San Francisco May 8, 1988 An episode of Next Generation introduces the BORG, an unstoppable enemy Sept, 28, 1987 STAR TREK: THE June 9, 1989 STAR TREK V: 990 NEXT GENERATION stars Patrick Stewart and is set 70 years after Captain Kirk's time THE FINAL FRON- TIER, directed by William Shatner, Dec. 6, 1991 STAR TREK VI: THE opens to mixed reviews UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY touches on Cold War themes while in the real world the Oct. 24, 1991 Star Trek creator Soviet Union crumbles GENE RODDENBERRY Jan. 3, 1993 dies at age 70 STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, starring Avery Brooks, 1995 becomes the first Star Nov. 18, 1994 Trek series not to be set on the Enterprise STAR TREK: GENERATIONS Jan. 16, 1995 pairs up Captains STAR TREK: Kirk and Picard VOYAGER stars Kate Jan. 1998 STAR TREK: THE - Mulgrew as the captain of a starship lost in space EXPERIENCE opens at the Las Vegas Hilton, featuring interactive films and a display of artifacts used to make the shows and movies - Nov. 22, 1996 STAR TREK: FIRST June 11, 1999 DeForest Kelley ("Dr. McCoy") dies at age 79 CONTACT, directed Next Generation actor Jonathan Frakes, features Picard and crew fighting their old enemy the Borg 200 Dec. 11, 1998 The film STAR TREK: INSURRECTION gets mixed Sept. 26, 2001 The prequel series STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE reviews from critics starring Scott Bakula is set 100 years before Captain Kirk's time Dec. 13, 2002 The final film to feature the Next Generation cast, STAR TREK: NEMESIS opens to negative reviews 2005 July 20, 2005 James Doohan ("Scotty") dies at age 85 May 13, 2005: Enterprise's final episode airs, ending an unbroken 18-year run of new Star Trek shows Oct. 5-7, 2006 The CHRISTIE'S AUCTION Sept. 1, 2008 The Las Vegas of props and costumes used in all Star Trek movies and TV shows raises $7.1 million, including $576,000 for a large model of Picard's Enterprise-D attraction STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE closes May 7, 2009- Premiere of J.J. Abrams' re-imagnined STAR TREK, starring Chris Pine (right), Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. The film would go on to become the highest-grossing of the franchise, earning $386 million 2010 2012 or 2013 The next installment of J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK film series is due to be released STAR TREK is © and " Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios Inc. STAR WARS is © and " Lucasfilm Ltd. SOURCES: "THE MAKING OF STAR TREK" BY STEPHEN E. WHITFIELD AND GENE RODDENBERRY "STAR TREK PHASE II: THE LOST SERIES" BY JUDITH AND GARFIELD REEVES-STEVENS www.trekcore.com www.memory-alpha.org KARL TATE / SPACE.com • TOS O TAS