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From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe @ N41:48:31, W88:07:13)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Star Trek pilot
Message-ID: <344@ihlts.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Feb-84 11:22:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlts.344
Posted: Mon Feb  6 11:22:43 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 02:45:23 EST
References: <489@dalcs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 29

I've seen Roddenberry bring "The Cage" to a few cons or other get-togethers.
It's great to see the original, uncut, never aired version complete and
without interruption.  If you're lucky, you'll also get to see all three
blooper reels (two from the TV series, one from ST-TMP).  I suppose there
is a blooper reel from ST-TWOK, but I've not yet been fortunate enough to
see that.  The blooper reels are the high point of these things, as far as
I am concerned.

Oh, it needs to be said:  the actor playing Capt. Pike in "Menagerie" (the
one in the wheelchair) is not Jeffrey Hunter although Hunter did play
Capt. Pike in "The Cage".  Also, "The Cage" was used as a basis for
"Menagerie" because Roddenberry thought it was a damn good story, and not
"too cerebral" for the typical TV viewer (that was the NBC execs' original
objection to "The Cage").  One must be prepared for a bit of a shock when
viewing "The Cage" (or, for that matter, "Menagerie").  Spock is not at all
the personality here we've come to know in later episodes of ST.  Majel
Barrett (M. Leigh Hudec) is a dark-haired "Number One", second in
command on the S.S. Enterprise under Pike.  NBC jerks (executives) told
Roddenberry that the viewing public "wouldn't believe a woman as second-
in-command" and, to add insult to injury, said "And while you're at it,
get rid of the guy with the ears."  Fortunately, one of the two was saved.
Spock retained his appearance, and inherited the composure (made even more
extreme later) and rank of Number One.  Barrett, of course, took on the role
of Nurse (now Doctor) Chapel.  Bring in Shatner as James Kirk (the T for
Tiberius wasn't there until later--at first they used a different initial),
guest stars and ship upgrades and you have the second pilot, "Where No Man
Has Gone Before"  featuring the infamous phaser rifle.  But that's another
story.  My log recorder runneth over.
	Roger Noe		ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe