Okay, I think it’s time for a geek out. Here goes. Since I am a massive geek of general sci-fi, and in particular the Star Trek form of sci-fi, time for a little trek related trivia post.
- The phrase ‘Beam me up Scotty’ was never, ever actually said in the original series, quite ironic seeing as it’s one of the few lines that ever became famous from the show (that was never actually from the show).
- The phrase ‘Star Trek’ was never said on screen until the 8th feature film, ‘Star Trek – First Contact’ where it was said on screen by actor James Cromwell playing Zefram Cochrane, creator of the warp drive.
- Star Trek didn’t actually reach a wide audience until it was cancelled after the 3rd Season of the original series (a decision which the network later came to regret).
- Star Trek features features the first inter-racial kiss show on television between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
- The term ‘Jeffries Tubes’ (tubes that spread throughout starfleet ships to allow easy maintenance) were named after Matt Jeffries, designer of the Enterprise on the original series. They were named by the crew on honour of him.
- Star Trek was ground breaking for it’s time, as it featured not only a woman, but a coloured woman at a very important post in the command crew of the federation’s flagship. Something practically unthought of in the 1960s.
- Spock was originally rejected by the network due to his ‘satanic’ appearance. He later went on to become one of the most popular characters from the show.
- Majel Barret, wife of Gene Roddenberry, has been in every single series of Star Trek, either as a person or as the voice of a ships computer.
- A series of Star Trek after the original series, commonly known as ‘Star Trek Phase 2’ was in pre-production in the mid 1970s after the late success of the Original Series, however instead the first feature film was made.
- James Doohan, who played Scotty on the Original Series, lost the middle finger on his right hand during World War II.
