The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

As early Star Trek fans were trading and collecting anything to do with the show, Gene Roddenberry's attorney was keeping a close watch over products that fell outside official bounds. In this correspondence from June and July 1968, Leonard Maizlish requests that a young fan in Chicago cease the sale of photo prints. That fan, MaryLou Tamborello, replies with a mix of awe, excitement and worry.

See the original document: Leonard Maizlish letter to MaryLou Tamborello - July 1968

The Trek Files Season 2 on Memory Alpha

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Norman Felton had a hit on his hands with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." when Gene Roddenberry reached out to him about possibly mentoring a young actor interested in directing - Leonard Nimoy. Gene and Norman sparred a little in this 1965 correspondence, and to give it some color we brought in U.N.C.L.E. expert Robert Short who also has quite a bit of Trek experience himself. Hailing frequencies are open... Open channel D.

See the original document: Gene Roddenberry letter to Norman Felton - October 1965

The Trek Files Season 2 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.

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With Paramount executives ready to push forward with a new Star Trek TV series, the braintrust held a meeting in August 1977 for a production update. Gene Roddenberry along with Gary Nardino, Michael Eisner and others kicked around story, budget and logistics ideas. Surprisingly, Gene was ready to go ahead without Spock until one executive argued that it wouldn't be Trek without him.

See the original document: Star Trek Phase II meeting notes - August 3, 1977

The Trek Files Season 2 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.

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Andrew Probert returns to The Trek Files to discuss early concept work for spacesuits and other wearable props on Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

See the original document: Andrew Probert spacesuit designs - June 1978

The Trek Files Season 2 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!

Season two of The Trek Files kicks off with an early "Star Trek: The Next Generation" memo that questions whether or not the production should allow pitches from amateur writers. Well before the open-submission policy sought out new talent, the handful of producers and writers on staff worried about the avalanche of paperwork and the potential for too many "Mary Sues."

See the original document: New Writers Memo - November 1986

The Trek Files Season 2 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.

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Season 1 of The Trek Files wraps up with our oldest document yet! As Gene Roddenberry was writing for "Have Gun - Will Travel," he got the attention of an unlikely awards committee: the American Baptist Convention. Having seen a handful of Gene's episodes, the committee reached out to recognize his work as "presenting the Christian message" to TV viewers. How would a pre-Star Trek Gene have reacted? Your Trek Files host Larry Nemecek and guest co-host John Champion discuss in this week's show!

See the original document: American Baptist Convention letter to Gene Roddenberry - April 15, 1959

The Trek Files Season 1 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.

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With production on the third season of Star Trek fast approaching, newly-hired Executive Producer Fred Freiberger sent a memo to Gene Roddenberry about the status of developing scripts. "Spock's Brain" and "And The Children Shall Lead" are there... and so is "Shore Leave 2." While we're at it, how about room for a couple of Gene Roddenberry scripts too? Doug Drexler joins The Trek Files to talk about Star Trek behind the scenes.

See the original document: Fred Freiberger writer's memo to Gene Roddenberry - May 2, 1968

The Trek Files Season 1 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!

As Star Trek: The Next Generation was in its earliest days of development, one writer pitched the idea to return to a formula - and a character descendant - that had worked well for TOS. How would audiences in the '80s react to "Albania Jones"? What if he was played by Robin Williams? David Gerrold suggested one of their stronger comedy writers take a crack at it... himself!

See the original document: David Gerrold memo - No Tribbles At All - November 2, 1986

The Trek Files Season 1 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!

In 1972, an aspiring artist sent his design ideas for a new Star Trek to Gene Roddenberry. Little did he know at the time that in a few years he would be working for the franchise he loved, contributing to Star Trek The Motion Picture. In this letter from 1972, Andrew Probert proposes the updates he would make if Trek comes back. Who better to discuss this find than the man himself - our special guest Andrew Probert!

See the original document: Andrew Probert letter to Gene Roddenberry - June 19, 1972

The Trek Files Season 1 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!

In the fall of 1977, a Star Trek feature motion picture was on the horizon. Paramount executive Gary Nardino sent a memo to Gene Roddenberry after a meeting with an agent that a major star wanted a cameo: Barry Manilow! Larry Nemecek and guest co-host John Champion discuss Star Trek's relationship with celebrity guests as well as the ones that got away.

See the original document: Gary Nardino memo to Gene Roddenberry - September 15, 1977

The Trek Files Season 1 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!