The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

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11-18 New Writers memo - 1987 Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

The faster Star Trek: The Next Generation ramped up production for its first season, a very real crisis loomed: they didn't have enough scripts. Bob Justman wrote to Gene Roddenberry in no uncertain terms about the production's needs, and we've got Mike DeMeritt to help us pick apart the details.

See the documents: New Writers memo - 1987

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-17 Letter to Wilton Dillon - July 2, 1975 Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

One year before the American bicentennial celebration, Gene Roddenberry and Wilton Dillon from the Smithsonian Institution shred a friendly correspondence. We welcome back Margaret Weitekamp - almost 50 years to the day since the "Big E" was shipped from LA to DC - to further discuss the importance of pop-culture in the country's preeminent collection of historical artifacts.

See the documents: Letter to Wilton Dillon - July 2, 1975

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-16 Letter to Fred Durant - 1972 Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

We are thrilled to welcome Margaret Weitekamp, Curator and Department Chair of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, to discuss science fiction's role in the story of space flight. A 1972 letter from Gene Roddenberry to Fred Durant, Assistant Director of NASM, underlines the cultural impact of shows like Star Trek and the importance of heroic stories in garnering public support.

See the documents: Letter to Fred Durant - 1972

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-15 Eye of the Beholder letter - September 21, 1973 Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

As The Trek Files continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated series, we look back at a rather pointed letter from Dorothy Fontana about the draft for "Eye of the Beholder." Aaron Harvey joins us again as we reveal a newly discovered detail about the episode's development!

See the documents: Eye of the Beholder - September 21, 1973

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-14 Writing to Series Budget memo - 1987 Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

It might seem like a given that a TV series must be written to fit a budget. In the early days of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a serious concern between Gene Roddenberry and Bob Justman was to keep the scripts under control. Returning guest Mike DeMeritt joins The Trek Files to help parse the intersection of creativity and commerce.

See the documents: Writing to Series Budget memo - 1987

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-13 College of the Pacific letter - 1974 Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

What exactly is the internal physiology of a Klingon, or a Horta, or a Tholian? In 1975, an enterprising undergrad wrote to Gene Roddenberry to get some answers. Today, we've got educator and Star Trek science consultant Mohamed Noor with us to talk about the intersection of fact and fiction.

See the documents: College of the Pacific letter - 1974

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-12 William Shatner LIVE - 1977 Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

We're joined again by Luanne Fortier to share her stories about fandom in the 1970s. This time, the Star Trek stars come to town when William Shatner goes LIVE with an album of his college tour, and Luanne reminisces about Gene Roddenberry himself on stage.

See the documents: William Shatner LIVE - 1977

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-11 Point of Extinction story pitch - 1973 Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

As Star Trek was getting ready for a return to television, Dorothy Fontana was teaching a class to aspiring writers. One of those students, Robert Coyle, pitched his own animated Trek adventure and got multiple lessons along the way in writing for television and the hash business of production. Paul joins The Trek Files to tell his story!

See the documents: Point of Extinction story pitch - 1973

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-10 Fan letters to Gene Roddenberry - 1971-1975 Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

It's time for another look into Gene Roddenberry's mail bag! This episode, we've got a range from 1971 - 1975, everything from an up-and-coming student writer to a pilot who claims to have unlocked the secrets to Star Trek tech!

See the documents: Fan letters to Gene Roddenberry - 1971-1975

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

11-9 Star Trek Enterprises fanzine letter - ca. 1968 Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

Star Trek may have broken a lot of ground on television, but the marketing of the show went boldly into new frontiers as well. A document aimed at fanzine publishers marks the transition to an "official" newsletter in what we might today call a bit of viral marketing. Tim Gaskill joins us again to discuss the ways Star Trek reaches its fans.

See the documents: Star Trek Enterprise fanzine letter - ca. 1968

The Trek Files Season 11 on Memory Alpha

All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha

Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!

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