WI: The Enterprise completes its five year mission (Star Trek survives for 5 seasons)
It's all about the Benjamins for the Shat. IRL, that's why you see Shatner everywhere in commercials. He actually likes being Kirk but would prefer to be like Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood or Jack Nicholson in big movies that don't involve Star Trek...
Operation Linebacker starts earlier in Vietnam along with Pocket Money (the mining of the harbor in Haiphong). The US is pissed that the ceasefire didn't hold and wants to make the North pay, although they were surreptitiously involved in the ending of the ceasefire. The CIA got busy manipulating the political leadership in both the North and South (in April 1971 ITTL).
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Much later in TTL, when Selleck is making Magnum PI, he invites all of the Star Trek cast to appear individually as co-stars for an episode each plus an episode where the entire cast comes back to do a convention and Selleck shows up as Magnum asking them about a potential suspect (Shatner’s character on Magnum will be witness to a murder)
Chapter 66: August and September 1971
Will try to get two months of updates in today:
BEATLES REVISIT SHEA STADIUM ON WORLD TOUR
August 15, 1971
The Fab Four, now reunited, returned to the scene of their most famous concert at Shea Stadium last night. A standing-room only crowd of 56,000 screaming fans swooned as John, Paul, Ringo and George played their greatest hits, including "Come Together," "Let It Be," "Hey Jude," "Yellow Submarine," "In My Life," "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." The crowd was also swooning to Lennon and wife Yoko Ono, playing three hits from their own album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. As promised before the tour,Harrison was given the opportunity to lead some of the sets, with Paul McCartney playing a background role. Fans loved Harrison's renditions of the Beatles' iconic songs, and the Harrison/Lennon pairing proved just as effective as the classic McCartney/Lennon frontman duo. Perhaps the most surprising part of the show occurred when McCartney invited Ringo Starr up to sing "Hey Jude," while McCartney tried his hand at Ringo's drums. McCartney proved to be a solid drummer and Ringo played a decent piano, but the rendition was not as effective as when Paul and Ringo were in their classic roles. It still received a standing ovation because of the originality of the Beatles attempting to switch the roles up.
CRAMER LEAVES PARAMOUNT TO BECOME INDEPENDENT PRODUCER; BLUHDORN WANTS MORE TREK
August 17, 1971
Douglas S. Cramer, executive vice president in charge of Paramount Television, has tendered his resignation to Charles Bluhdorn, the president of Paramount's parent company, Gulf+Western. Bluhdorn was concerned that Cramer would make another mistake regarding his treatment of the Star Trek series, despite Cramer's willingness to open the coffers and give the final season of the series and the upcoming television movie full support. Cramer, in leaving his post, informed Variety that "I would like to branch out on my own. All the Paramount television series, including Mission: Impossible, The Brady Bunch, and Mannix are in good hands." Cramer's likely replacement at Paramount is Ted Leonard, his right-hand man for the last three years. However, Bluhdorn views Leonard as a short term replacement, and is eyeing Barry Diller, vice president of production at ABC, to take over the Paramount television division long term. Bluhdorn has ambitions for Paramount, as he wants to create a fourth television network to challenge the triumvirate of CBS, NBC and ABC. It is also well known in the industry that Bluhdorn wants Star Trek on the big screen by 1975, and decided on bringing Captain Kirk and the rest of the Star Trek crew back for one television movie. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, would like his series to be the centerpiece of a new theoretical Paramount TV network, along with making feature films.
STALEMATE IN VIETNAM DESPITE BOMBING CAMPAIGN; DEMOCRATS VOTE TO STRIP NIXON WAR POWERS
September 9, 1971
Upon return from August recess, Democratic Speaker of the House, Mr. Morris Udall, advanced a bill that would force the Nixon administration to approve troop deployments to Southeast Asia through Congress instead of the unilateral power Mr. Nixon currently possesses. The bill passed 291-144, and is expected to pass the Democratic-led Senate when Mr. Mike Mansfield, Senate majority leader, receives it. Mr. Udall said at a press conference, "This senseless war in Vietnam has cost us so much American blood, and it is time to pare down our forces to Korea-levels to allow the South Vietnamese to stand on their own two feet." The Nixon administration reacted angrily to the Democratic legislation. Mr. H.R. Haldeman, President Nixon's chief of staff, argued that "the House bill restricting President Nixon from waging war in Vietnam is borderline unconstitutional, and we intend to challenge it in the courts if it becomes law. President Nixon will certainly veto the bill, and we hope that his veto will be upheld when this nonsensical piece of legislation returns to Congress."
The strategic situation is currently unchanged in Vietnam despite large-scale bombing raids of Hanoi and Haiphong that started last month. North Vietnamese forces are still attempting to capture Da Nang, where the combined U.S. Army and South Vietnamese A.R.V.N. is stalling their advance. American troops have cut the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia, but have withdrawn from Laos, as part of the armistice deal which was broken in April. General Creighton Abrams in the Southeast Asian theatre supports another incursion into Laos to break the stalemate by cutting North Vietnamese supplies from the border provinces in the South currently besieged. The Nixon administration also supports a Laotian campaign, but they currently do not have enough troops in theatre to expand the conflict past Cambodia and South Vietnam, and any further troop deployment will deteriorate Mr. Nixon's perilous political fortunes. "We are hoping to break North Vietnamese resolve with Operation Linebacker," Mr. Haldeman commented. "With combined U.S. Air Force might and an improved South Vietnamese fighting force, the Nixon administration intends to keep the Saigon government independent and strong."
PRODUCTION WRAPS ON STAR TREK TV MOVIE; RODDENBERRY IN EBULLIENT MOOD
September 18, 1971
The cast of Star Trek and its creator, Gene Roddenberry, were buoyant and all smiles after completing production of their two-hour feature film, scheduled to premiere sometime in January 1972 on NBC. Roddenberry, in a jovial state of mind and rejuvenated, said, "It is one of the best stories we have ever told on Star Trek. Alan Dean Foster wrote us an incredible script, and all the actors loved their roles." Roddenberry continued, "When the fans see this story, they will be knocking down Charles Bluhdorn's doors at Paramount and Gulf+Western to put us on the big screen. I always wanted to do a big Star Trek feature film ever since the first season, and we are on the verge of that with this TV movie."
William Shatner, the star of the series, said, "We can't give anything away, but there are going to be lots of surprises, and the audience will be thoroughly entertained. Our first movie will be a big hit." Leonard Nimoy, looking fatigued after his hectic 1971 schedule, informed the Times that "I am probably going to take a whole year off aside from some Mission: Impossible scripts. I have worked nonstop for five years, my family is financially secure, and I want to teach Julie and Adam [Leonard's children] how to drive a car. I'm exhausted, and Sandy, my wife, wants me to take a break to spend more time with her." Tom Selleck, now elevated to a member of the main cast, loved working with his Star Trek shipmates, and promised them that he would give them roles in television shows and movies if he ever became a big star. "The Star Trek cast is an amazing family. I'm not that big of a science fiction fan and I'd like to be in other roles, but the people on Star Trek, from Bill to Leonard to Dee Kelley to Nichelle Nichols and the rest are as good as it gets in the business."
BEATLES REVISIT SHEA STADIUM ON WORLD TOUR
August 15, 1971
The Fab Four, now reunited, returned to the scene of their most famous concert at Shea Stadium last night. A standing-room only crowd of 56,000 screaming fans swooned as John, Paul, Ringo and George played their greatest hits, including "Come Together," "Let It Be," "Hey Jude," "Yellow Submarine," "In My Life," "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." The crowd was also swooning to Lennon and wife Yoko Ono, playing three hits from their own album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. As promised before the tour,Harrison was given the opportunity to lead some of the sets, with Paul McCartney playing a background role. Fans loved Harrison's renditions of the Beatles' iconic songs, and the Harrison/Lennon pairing proved just as effective as the classic McCartney/Lennon frontman duo. Perhaps the most surprising part of the show occurred when McCartney invited Ringo Starr up to sing "Hey Jude," while McCartney tried his hand at Ringo's drums. McCartney proved to be a solid drummer and Ringo played a decent piano, but the rendition was not as effective as when Paul and Ringo were in their classic roles. It still received a standing ovation because of the originality of the Beatles attempting to switch the roles up.
CRAMER LEAVES PARAMOUNT TO BECOME INDEPENDENT PRODUCER; BLUHDORN WANTS MORE TREK
August 17, 1971
Douglas S. Cramer, executive vice president in charge of Paramount Television, has tendered his resignation to Charles Bluhdorn, the president of Paramount's parent company, Gulf+Western. Bluhdorn was concerned that Cramer would make another mistake regarding his treatment of the Star Trek series, despite Cramer's willingness to open the coffers and give the final season of the series and the upcoming television movie full support. Cramer, in leaving his post, informed Variety that "I would like to branch out on my own. All the Paramount television series, including Mission: Impossible, The Brady Bunch, and Mannix are in good hands." Cramer's likely replacement at Paramount is Ted Leonard, his right-hand man for the last three years. However, Bluhdorn views Leonard as a short term replacement, and is eyeing Barry Diller, vice president of production at ABC, to take over the Paramount television division long term. Bluhdorn has ambitions for Paramount, as he wants to create a fourth television network to challenge the triumvirate of CBS, NBC and ABC. It is also well known in the industry that Bluhdorn wants Star Trek on the big screen by 1975, and decided on bringing Captain Kirk and the rest of the Star Trek crew back for one television movie. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, would like his series to be the centerpiece of a new theoretical Paramount TV network, along with making feature films.
STALEMATE IN VIETNAM DESPITE BOMBING CAMPAIGN; DEMOCRATS VOTE TO STRIP NIXON WAR POWERS
September 9, 1971
Upon return from August recess, Democratic Speaker of the House, Mr. Morris Udall, advanced a bill that would force the Nixon administration to approve troop deployments to Southeast Asia through Congress instead of the unilateral power Mr. Nixon currently possesses. The bill passed 291-144, and is expected to pass the Democratic-led Senate when Mr. Mike Mansfield, Senate majority leader, receives it. Mr. Udall said at a press conference, "This senseless war in Vietnam has cost us so much American blood, and it is time to pare down our forces to Korea-levels to allow the South Vietnamese to stand on their own two feet." The Nixon administration reacted angrily to the Democratic legislation. Mr. H.R. Haldeman, President Nixon's chief of staff, argued that "the House bill restricting President Nixon from waging war in Vietnam is borderline unconstitutional, and we intend to challenge it in the courts if it becomes law. President Nixon will certainly veto the bill, and we hope that his veto will be upheld when this nonsensical piece of legislation returns to Congress."
The strategic situation is currently unchanged in Vietnam despite large-scale bombing raids of Hanoi and Haiphong that started last month. North Vietnamese forces are still attempting to capture Da Nang, where the combined U.S. Army and South Vietnamese A.R.V.N. is stalling their advance. American troops have cut the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia, but have withdrawn from Laos, as part of the armistice deal which was broken in April. General Creighton Abrams in the Southeast Asian theatre supports another incursion into Laos to break the stalemate by cutting North Vietnamese supplies from the border provinces in the South currently besieged. The Nixon administration also supports a Laotian campaign, but they currently do not have enough troops in theatre to expand the conflict past Cambodia and South Vietnam, and any further troop deployment will deteriorate Mr. Nixon's perilous political fortunes. "We are hoping to break North Vietnamese resolve with Operation Linebacker," Mr. Haldeman commented. "With combined U.S. Air Force might and an improved South Vietnamese fighting force, the Nixon administration intends to keep the Saigon government independent and strong."
PRODUCTION WRAPS ON STAR TREK TV MOVIE; RODDENBERRY IN EBULLIENT MOOD
September 18, 1971
The cast of Star Trek and its creator, Gene Roddenberry, were buoyant and all smiles after completing production of their two-hour feature film, scheduled to premiere sometime in January 1972 on NBC. Roddenberry, in a jovial state of mind and rejuvenated, said, "It is one of the best stories we have ever told on Star Trek. Alan Dean Foster wrote us an incredible script, and all the actors loved their roles." Roddenberry continued, "When the fans see this story, they will be knocking down Charles Bluhdorn's doors at Paramount and Gulf+Western to put us on the big screen. I always wanted to do a big Star Trek feature film ever since the first season, and we are on the verge of that with this TV movie."
William Shatner, the star of the series, said, "We can't give anything away, but there are going to be lots of surprises, and the audience will be thoroughly entertained. Our first movie will be a big hit." Leonard Nimoy, looking fatigued after his hectic 1971 schedule, informed the Times that "I am probably going to take a whole year off aside from some Mission: Impossible scripts. I have worked nonstop for five years, my family is financially secure, and I want to teach Julie and Adam [Leonard's children] how to drive a car. I'm exhausted, and Sandy, my wife, wants me to take a break to spend more time with her." Tom Selleck, now elevated to a member of the main cast, loved working with his Star Trek shipmates, and promised them that he would give them roles in television shows and movies if he ever became a big star. "The Star Trek cast is an amazing family. I'm not that big of a science fiction fan and I'd like to be in other roles, but the people on Star Trek, from Bill to Leonard to Dee Kelley to Nichelle Nichols and the rest are as good as it gets in the business."
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Yup. Now it's up to the Nixon spin machine to convince the American people who are against the war (most of the country by this point) that actual progress is being made.
The other thing I have to do with this timeline is accelerate some inventions that were materially affected by TOS. Most of the tech titans of the 1980s (Gates and Allen at Microsoft, Jobs and Wozniak at Apple, etc.) got their start in the 1970s and were Trekkers growing up. The invention of the cellular or portable phone will also be accelerated. It'll be invented in 72 instead of 73 IRL. Two more years of TOS will materially change and cause lots of butterflies in the tech world
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My thought process for starting the Federation-Klingon conflict in my TMP ITTL is this:
An Intergalactic Council for Peace (think a galactic UN or League of Nations) is established to resolve disputes between the major and minor galactic powers after the brushfire conflicts between the Federation and Klingons, Federation and Romulans, and the Orion civil war in TOS. It contains representatives from all of the galactic powers and empires (for example, Sarek of Vulcan, the Klingon ambassador in Star Treks IV and VI, etc). The Intergalactic Council for Peace successfully keeps the Alpha and Beta quadrants at peace until the subject of Sherman's Planet, hotly disputed between the Federation and Klingons, arises. Sherman's Planet was in The Trouble With Tribbles in season 2 of TOS. By a one-vote margin, the Council for Peace awards Sherman's Planet to the Federation, causing an uproar and the recall of the Klingon representatives from the intergalactic council. The Klingons say that Sherman's Planet belonging to the Federation will cause a change in the Neutral Zone boundary between the two empires, and demand that the tribunal reverse their decision, which they refuse. The Klingons tell the Federation that they will pay for this before leaving, and they have a new battlecruiser that is superior to the Federation vessels. The Klingon high council, as a result of the failed vote, declares war against the Federation and starts causing havoc, sending out a K'Tinga battlecruiser fleet, destroying K-7, Epsilon IX (which is near K-7), and Sherman's Planet with a dirty bomb (think of a neutron bomb).
Kirk is an admiral at this point and has to lead a task force to stop the Klingons. I'm still thinking up the rest of the outline and how it will go, but that is the premise.
An Intergalactic Council for Peace (think a galactic UN or League of Nations) is established to resolve disputes between the major and minor galactic powers after the brushfire conflicts between the Federation and Klingons, Federation and Romulans, and the Orion civil war in TOS. It contains representatives from all of the galactic powers and empires (for example, Sarek of Vulcan, the Klingon ambassador in Star Treks IV and VI, etc). The Intergalactic Council for Peace successfully keeps the Alpha and Beta quadrants at peace until the subject of Sherman's Planet, hotly disputed between the Federation and Klingons, arises. Sherman's Planet was in The Trouble With Tribbles in season 2 of TOS. By a one-vote margin, the Council for Peace awards Sherman's Planet to the Federation, causing an uproar and the recall of the Klingon representatives from the intergalactic council. The Klingons say that Sherman's Planet belonging to the Federation will cause a change in the Neutral Zone boundary between the two empires, and demand that the tribunal reverse their decision, which they refuse. The Klingons tell the Federation that they will pay for this before leaving, and they have a new battlecruiser that is superior to the Federation vessels. The Klingon high council, as a result of the failed vote, declares war against the Federation and starts causing havoc, sending out a K'Tinga battlecruiser fleet, destroying K-7, Epsilon IX (which is near K-7), and Sherman's Planet with a dirty bomb (think of a neutron bomb).
Kirk is an admiral at this point and has to lead a task force to stop the Klingons. I'm still thinking up the rest of the outline and how it will go, but that is the premise.
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Chapter 67: Rest of 1971
We cruise through the rest of 1971 in this update, awaiting the premiere of the Star Trek TV movie, which will encompass most of tomorrow's update. There's not a lot of Trek in this update except for one interview with Leonard Nimoy.
CONGRESS OVERRIDES NIXON VETO ON WAR POWERS: NIXON TO CHALLENGE LAW IN SUPREME COURT
October 1, 1971
Congress passed the Vietnamization Act, overriding President Nixon's veto which was angrily sent back to Capitol Hill five days earlier. The veto was narrowly maintained, with a bare two-thirds majority in the House, 292-143, and by one vote in the Senate, 67-33. The Nixon administration expected the veto to be upheld, because several Democratic senators from the South largely agreed with Nixon on the war's course. However, the southern Democratic bloc was persuaded by the rest of the party that President Nixon's previous policy of Vietnamization was correct, and displayed evidence of the competency of the A.R.V.N. to the senators. This was sufficient for senators such as Lawton Chiles of Florida to change their position and buck the Nixon administration. "The South Vietnamese have shown their bravery and have dramatically improved as a fighting force," Mr. Chiles said. "When the South Vietnamese helped break the siege of Da Nang, I believed that they could uphold their end of the bargain and defend their country, allowing a slow American drawdown of forces from Southeast Asia."
The Nixon administration promised to send an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, calling the law "flatly unconstitutional." "Congress has given us wide latitude to act as we need to in order to successfully prosecute the conflict," said Nixon national security adviser Mr. Henry Kissinger. "Congress is shirking its responsibility to support the administration in the field of foreign affairs, and has committed a violation of the separation of powers," continued Kissinger. The strategic situation in Vietnam has changed, with American and South Vietnamese forces having repelled the North Vietnamese from Da Nang, with the possible recapture of Hue in sight. Nixon secretary of defense Mr. Melvin Laird, although a proponent of Vietnamization, believes that Congress has restricted his ability to conduct troop deployments both into and out of the Southeast Asian theatre. In a press conference, Mr. Laird said that "Congress is tying my hands. Despite the fact that I agree with them on the merits, I should not have to go through Congress for approval on deployments. They are trying to force an end to the conflict which has not been strategically won yet."
BEATLES TO CONCLUDE WORLD TOUR IN ENGLAND WITH FIVE DATES IN LONDON, MANCHESTER, LIVERPOOL
November 2, 1971
The Beatles are returning home to place an exclamation point on their final world tour in December before traveling their separate ways for singles careers. Concert dates have been agreed for Highbury in London on December 1, Wembley Stadium on December 4, Old Trafford on December 7, Anfield on December 14, and Goodison Park on December 21. Paul McCartney told the Guardian that "it was difficult to arrange the concerts back home because we had to enter negotiations with the Football Association over the use of the stadia normally occupied by football teams. However, the FA managed to find dates where the various clubs were playing matches away, and we were able to finalize the tour dates." John Lennon struck a sentimental tone about the culmination of the Beatles' final programme, commenting, "We got our start in Liverpool, and it is appropriate for us to end the tour in Liverpool. It marks the closing of a circle that began over a decade earlier." The Fab Four are expected to command standing-room only crowds at each venue, due to their fanatical supporters knowing this is the last time they will ever witness them on tour.
NIMOY: TIME TO TAKE A BREAK
November 21, 1971
Leonard Nimoy, star of Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, agreed to be interviewed for this Sunday's Times. In the interview, Nimoy discusses his whirlwind five years, the impact of Spock, joining the Mission: Impossible cast, and his upcoming role as Motel Kamozil in Fiddler on the Roof.
LA Times: We're glad that you have joined us for this interview, Mr. Nimoy.
Nimoy: My pleasure.
LA Times: So you're playing Spock again in a TV movie. What is it like to put the ears back on?
Nimoy: Playing Mr. Spock brought me fame, but lots of difficulty. I'm glad that I do not have to engage in portraying him as a full-time profession any more. My family life has been restored, and I've taken up meditation to calm my mood.
LA Times: So in order to escape acting as Mr. Spock, you're being more like Mr. Spock.
Nimoy: Spock was a famous meditator and calm presence. So I guess I incorporated that part of my character as a positive.
LA Times: What is it like entering into disguises on Mission?
Nimoy: I still have to awaken very early in the morning. However, my role on Mission: Impossible is nowhere near as demanding as the Spock character, so I usually shoot my scenes in the morning and return home to the family by late afternoon or early evening. I was able to undergo the rites of passage of being a father of teenagers.
LA Times: That is stressful in its own right!
Nimoy: Nowhere near as stressful as playing Spock. Julie and Adam, no matter how annoying they become, are the most wonderful parts of my life, along with my wife Sandra. The only aspect of life with teenage children that is more stressful than playing Spock is teaching them how to drive an automobile. My heart was literally in my throat when I was in the passenger seat and Julie was driving my car for the first time.
LA Times: Not even boyfriends and girlfriends?
Nimoy: Sandra deals with that. She's a better judge of who Julie and Adam date than I am, because she's always at home, and I'm sometimes out on an acting job.
LA Times: Speaking of acting jobs, what about Fiddler on the Roof? How enjoyable was it to take part in that?
Nimoy: I wanted a role in Fiddler on the Roof because it was personal to me. My parents escaped the shtetl in what is now the USSR. They saw Fiddler as a Broadway production in New York and were brought to tears by Zero Mostel. I wanted my parents to see me portray someone they and their parents, my grandparents might have known back in the old country.
LA Times: What was it like working with Chaim Topol?
Nimoy: Chaim brings a love to his work that is uncommon. He places his soul into his acting, and I learned a lot from him while we were acting out Fiddler. I count him as a personal friend.
LA Times: Thank you for talking to us, and we wish you well.
Nimoy: Thank you.
December 1971: NBC sets the date for the Star Trek TV movie premiere: January 16, 1972. Post-production is completed on December 4, 1971.
CONGRESS OVERRIDES NIXON VETO ON WAR POWERS: NIXON TO CHALLENGE LAW IN SUPREME COURT
October 1, 1971
Congress passed the Vietnamization Act, overriding President Nixon's veto which was angrily sent back to Capitol Hill five days earlier. The veto was narrowly maintained, with a bare two-thirds majority in the House, 292-143, and by one vote in the Senate, 67-33. The Nixon administration expected the veto to be upheld, because several Democratic senators from the South largely agreed with Nixon on the war's course. However, the southern Democratic bloc was persuaded by the rest of the party that President Nixon's previous policy of Vietnamization was correct, and displayed evidence of the competency of the A.R.V.N. to the senators. This was sufficient for senators such as Lawton Chiles of Florida to change their position and buck the Nixon administration. "The South Vietnamese have shown their bravery and have dramatically improved as a fighting force," Mr. Chiles said. "When the South Vietnamese helped break the siege of Da Nang, I believed that they could uphold their end of the bargain and defend their country, allowing a slow American drawdown of forces from Southeast Asia."
The Nixon administration promised to send an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, calling the law "flatly unconstitutional." "Congress has given us wide latitude to act as we need to in order to successfully prosecute the conflict," said Nixon national security adviser Mr. Henry Kissinger. "Congress is shirking its responsibility to support the administration in the field of foreign affairs, and has committed a violation of the separation of powers," continued Kissinger. The strategic situation in Vietnam has changed, with American and South Vietnamese forces having repelled the North Vietnamese from Da Nang, with the possible recapture of Hue in sight. Nixon secretary of defense Mr. Melvin Laird, although a proponent of Vietnamization, believes that Congress has restricted his ability to conduct troop deployments both into and out of the Southeast Asian theatre. In a press conference, Mr. Laird said that "Congress is tying my hands. Despite the fact that I agree with them on the merits, I should not have to go through Congress for approval on deployments. They are trying to force an end to the conflict which has not been strategically won yet."
BEATLES TO CONCLUDE WORLD TOUR IN ENGLAND WITH FIVE DATES IN LONDON, MANCHESTER, LIVERPOOL
November 2, 1971
The Beatles are returning home to place an exclamation point on their final world tour in December before traveling their separate ways for singles careers. Concert dates have been agreed for Highbury in London on December 1, Wembley Stadium on December 4, Old Trafford on December 7, Anfield on December 14, and Goodison Park on December 21. Paul McCartney told the Guardian that "it was difficult to arrange the concerts back home because we had to enter negotiations with the Football Association over the use of the stadia normally occupied by football teams. However, the FA managed to find dates where the various clubs were playing matches away, and we were able to finalize the tour dates." John Lennon struck a sentimental tone about the culmination of the Beatles' final programme, commenting, "We got our start in Liverpool, and it is appropriate for us to end the tour in Liverpool. It marks the closing of a circle that began over a decade earlier." The Fab Four are expected to command standing-room only crowds at each venue, due to their fanatical supporters knowing this is the last time they will ever witness them on tour.
NIMOY: TIME TO TAKE A BREAK
November 21, 1971
Leonard Nimoy, star of Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, agreed to be interviewed for this Sunday's Times. In the interview, Nimoy discusses his whirlwind five years, the impact of Spock, joining the Mission: Impossible cast, and his upcoming role as Motel Kamozil in Fiddler on the Roof.
LA Times: We're glad that you have joined us for this interview, Mr. Nimoy.
Nimoy: My pleasure.
LA Times: So you're playing Spock again in a TV movie. What is it like to put the ears back on?
Nimoy: Playing Mr. Spock brought me fame, but lots of difficulty. I'm glad that I do not have to engage in portraying him as a full-time profession any more. My family life has been restored, and I've taken up meditation to calm my mood.
LA Times: So in order to escape acting as Mr. Spock, you're being more like Mr. Spock.
Nimoy: Spock was a famous meditator and calm presence. So I guess I incorporated that part of my character as a positive.
LA Times: What is it like entering into disguises on Mission?
Nimoy: I still have to awaken very early in the morning. However, my role on Mission: Impossible is nowhere near as demanding as the Spock character, so I usually shoot my scenes in the morning and return home to the family by late afternoon or early evening. I was able to undergo the rites of passage of being a father of teenagers.
LA Times: That is stressful in its own right!
Nimoy: Nowhere near as stressful as playing Spock. Julie and Adam, no matter how annoying they become, are the most wonderful parts of my life, along with my wife Sandra. The only aspect of life with teenage children that is more stressful than playing Spock is teaching them how to drive an automobile. My heart was literally in my throat when I was in the passenger seat and Julie was driving my car for the first time.
LA Times: Not even boyfriends and girlfriends?
Nimoy: Sandra deals with that. She's a better judge of who Julie and Adam date than I am, because she's always at home, and I'm sometimes out on an acting job.
LA Times: Speaking of acting jobs, what about Fiddler on the Roof? How enjoyable was it to take part in that?
Nimoy: I wanted a role in Fiddler on the Roof because it was personal to me. My parents escaped the shtetl in what is now the USSR. They saw Fiddler as a Broadway production in New York and were brought to tears by Zero Mostel. I wanted my parents to see me portray someone they and their parents, my grandparents might have known back in the old country.
LA Times: What was it like working with Chaim Topol?
Nimoy: Chaim brings a love to his work that is uncommon. He places his soul into his acting, and I learned a lot from him while we were acting out Fiddler. I count him as a personal friend.
LA Times: Thank you for talking to us, and we wish you well.
Nimoy: Thank you.
December 1971: NBC sets the date for the Star Trek TV movie premiere: January 16, 1972. Post-production is completed on December 4, 1971.
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Nimoy is still doing Mission: Impossible from time to time, but that series is starting to come to a close. It ends in 1973.
The TV movie will be dazzling from a special effects standpoint for TV but no theatrical release
I'm also toying with a couple of ways I can keep Persis Khambatta's Ilia alive and maybe put her in Wrath of Khan in some way, in at least a brief role (say she resigns from Starfleet after Decker's death). I don't want to kill her off like OTL's TMP did. She was a nice addition to the franchise. Maybe at the start of TWOK, when they are in the Kobayashi Maru simulator, Ilia decides to resign, citing the fact that her love died and she wants to return to Delta and live as a civilian. Or Ilia simply continues on in the Saavik role because she's not dead ITTL's movies.
My TMP credits look like this:
Paramount Pictures Presents:
A Gene Roddenberry Production
A Robert Wise Film (same director)
Star Trek The Motion Picture
Starring William Shatner
Leonard Nimoy
DeForest Kelley
Co-starring: James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Mark Lenard
Presenting Persis Khambatta
Starring Tom Selleck as Decker
and Paul Winfield as Terrell
John Colicos, Michael Ansara, William Campbell, Michael Pataki (the actors playing Klingons)
Music by Jerry Goldsmith, and so forth
Screenplay and story by Alan Dean Foster and David Gerrold
Produced by Gene Roddenberry
Directed by Robert Wise
My TMP credits look like this:
Paramount Pictures Presents:
A Gene Roddenberry Production
A Robert Wise Film (same director)
Star Trek The Motion Picture
Starring William Shatner
Leonard Nimoy
DeForest Kelley
Co-starring: James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Mark Lenard
Presenting Persis Khambatta
Starring Tom Selleck as Decker
and Paul Winfield as Terrell
John Colicos, Michael Ansara, William Campbell, Michael Pataki (the actors playing Klingons)
Music by Jerry Goldsmith, and so forth
Screenplay and story by Alan Dean Foster and David Gerrold
Produced by Gene Roddenberry
Directed by Robert Wise
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If you are not using the Probe for TMP why does Decker die or Ilia get assimilated?
Unless you are planning for Decker to get his OTL union with the Probe in Star Trek: In Thy Image TV movie? I know Selleck is not a sci-fi fan so it would be a good way to write him out? Then Ilia could resign from heart break at the end of that movie to come back in TMP having 'recovered' taking the navigators seat as per OTL?
Unless you are planning for Decker to get his OTL union with the Probe in Star Trek: In Thy Image TV movie? I know Selleck is not a sci-fi fan so it would be a good way to write him out? Then Ilia could resign from heart break at the end of that movie to come back in TMP having 'recovered' taking the navigators seat as per OTL?
Decker survives in In Thy Image according to Foster's original treatment so he will survive the TV movie. The story for In Thy Image is here and is far better as a two-hour TV movie than TMP turned out to be. Roddenberry damaged Foster's very good concept and plot quite significantly IRL:
In Thy Image — Forgotten Trek
The story that was written to be the pilot of the new Star Trek television series, Phase II, ultimately became a motion picture.
forgottentrek.com
Decker gets killed off in the climax of TMP fighting Klingons ITTL and Ilia resigns from Starfleet out of heartbreak/grief, either at the end of my version of TMP or at the start of TWOK
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Although Ilia and Decker had had feelings for each other I got the impression it was from pre her Starfleet days hence the vow of chastity? Would she therefore resign over Decker?
I'd suggest transferring her if you want her off Enterprise, then she can come back later, but honestly having another lady on the Bridge is not a bad call (I think that partly explained Saavik's introduction), so perhaps she become determined to succeed in Command after Decker dies thus we see her in the Simulator at the start of movie 2 and she takes Saavik's spot?
Gaining herself an promotion/XO slot would certainly be a character arc for her. Perhaps later she and Sulu get Excelsior as XO and Captain respectively?
I'd suggest transferring her if you want her off Enterprise, then she can come back later, but honestly having another lady on the Bridge is not a bad call (I think that partly explained Saavik's introduction), so perhaps she become determined to succeed in Command after Decker dies thus we see her in the Simulator at the start of movie 2 and she takes Saavik's spot?
Gaining herself an promotion/XO slot would certainly be a character arc for her. Perhaps later she and Sulu get Excelsior as XO and Captain respectively?
I could transfer Ilia out for Saavik (Ilia has to take a break from Starfleet because she is overcome with emotion, but later returns?) Saavik was written into TWOK to replace Ilia.
If I put Persis Khambatta on my Sulu series in the 90s I have to retcon all the bad things that happened to her after TMP (she got in a car crash in West Germany in 1980, scarring her, then died young at the age of 49 of a heart attack in India). Hollywood kind of overwhelmed her a bit IRL. To make that happen, Persis and her life has to change materially. That's not the easiest thing to do but it is possible.
Today, I go through January and possibly February of 1972, so that means the TV movie premieres and the Academy Award nominations for 1972 are announced. A certain Vulcan first officer of the Enterprise who plays the second lead in Fiddler on the Roof might get some recognition from the Academy. The Golden Globes also occur in February 1972 so I have to update those nominations today with Mr. Nimoy involved
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What would be nice is if you add some stuff to TMP that spins off into the Trilogy that follows- if you intend to keep things more-or-less the same?
In mid credits sequence- Khan becomes aware of the Universe again after a shuttle from a Starfleet ship crashes onto Ceti Alpha V after a battle with Klingons. We see someone from the Enterprise recognise him (Chekov, Kyle?) and say "Khan!" as the credits roll.
In ST2: CA5 is not 'hell' but not Paradise either, but Khan has not forgiven Kirk for defeating him, and his desire for revenge causes a generational split, wherein Khan takes some followers off world to confront Kirk and 'conquer' while others stay and keep building their society. This makes the 'Moby Dick' reference stronger- Khan abandons 'Paradise' for his revenge. Maybe throw in Khan's family as well?
Khan and co in their rickety Shuttle come across the Reliant, and are pulled on-board, take over, and learn about Genesis and things roll from there.
The simulation bit is on-board Enterprise- I'd have Ilia brushing up on her command skills. Its a good nod towards the Holodecks later in TNG, and makes sense for a Starfleet vessel to have simulators on-board. Enterprise is already battered and tried from Klingon conflicts, and Admiral Kirk is resisting calls to retire her, when she gets the call from the research station. Kirk diverts his depleted crew of veterans to Regulus - confronts Khan who still escapes with the Torpedo.
Klingon War veteran Kirk is not caught with his pants down by Khan, but the battle is vicious and Enterprise takes a pounding - cue the chase into the Nebula, the hacking etc. When Reliant's shield drop Khan launches a crippling attack on Enterprise stopping Kirk destroying Reliant, and kills a good number of Enterprise's crew. Then Khan sets off Genesis leading to Spock sacrificing himself. Enterprise is recalled to Earth to be decommissioned.
In mid credits sequence- Khan becomes aware of the Universe again after a shuttle from a Starfleet ship crashes onto Ceti Alpha V after a battle with Klingons. We see someone from the Enterprise recognise him (Chekov, Kyle?) and say "Khan!" as the credits roll.
In ST2: CA5 is not 'hell' but not Paradise either, but Khan has not forgiven Kirk for defeating him, and his desire for revenge causes a generational split, wherein Khan takes some followers off world to confront Kirk and 'conquer' while others stay and keep building their society. This makes the 'Moby Dick' reference stronger- Khan abandons 'Paradise' for his revenge. Maybe throw in Khan's family as well?
Khan and co in their rickety Shuttle come across the Reliant, and are pulled on-board, take over, and learn about Genesis and things roll from there.
The simulation bit is on-board Enterprise- I'd have Ilia brushing up on her command skills. Its a good nod towards the Holodecks later in TNG, and makes sense for a Starfleet vessel to have simulators on-board. Enterprise is already battered and tried from Klingon conflicts, and Admiral Kirk is resisting calls to retire her, when she gets the call from the research station. Kirk diverts his depleted crew of veterans to Regulus - confronts Khan who still escapes with the Torpedo.
Klingon War veteran Kirk is not caught with his pants down by Khan, but the battle is vicious and Enterprise takes a pounding - cue the chase into the Nebula, the hacking etc. When Reliant's shield drop Khan launches a crippling attack on Enterprise stopping Kirk destroying Reliant, and kills a good number of Enterprise's crew. Then Khan sets off Genesis leading to Spock sacrificing himself. Enterprise is recalled to Earth to be decommissioned.
Chapter 68: January and February 1972
The updates for the first two months of 1972:
Norman Jewison, Chaim Topol, and Leonard Nimoy were informed of their Golden Globes nominations in the following categories in early January 1972:
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Fiddler on the Roof
Best Performance in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Chaim Topol, as Tevye
Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Leonard Nimoy, as Motel Kamozil
Best Director: Norman Jewison, Fiddler on the Roof
NIXON, MUSKIE IN CLOSE RACE IN 1972 ELECTION HEATS; SECOND BOMBING CAMPAIGN TO BEGIN AGAINST THE NORTH
January 10, 1972
President Nixon looks to be facing a close reelection campaign this fall if Democratic frontrunner Edmund Muskie, the vice presidential nominee for the failed 1968 ticket, is nominated. In a Gallup poll, Nixon earns 46% of the support of registered voters, while Muskie earns 44%. The Louis Harris poll has Nixon and Muskie in a flat-footed tie, with each candidate receiving 45% of the vote, with ten percent undecided. Nixon defeats the other Democrats in the trial heats despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War, an issue he is attempting to correct with improved American fortunes in Southeast Asia. Nixon leads 1968 presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey by seven points, 48% to 41%, and liberal firebrand George McGovern by fifteen points, 51% to 36%. The Nixon administration admits that Muskie will be a difficult opponent due to his strong record of passing legislation in the Senate and his measured opposition to the Vietnam War. Nixon chief of staff H.R. Haldeman said, "President Nixon can defeat any of the opponents the Democrats place up for nomination in November, but it appears that Muskie is formidable."
In Vietnam, the Nixon administration was pleased with the results of Operation Linebacker, the bombing campaign that was waged against Hanoi and most of the supply routes aiding the PAVN, and Operation Pocket Money, the mining of Haiphong, the key coastal city in the North. It is likely that the administration will approve a second bombing campaign, suggested by General Creighton Abrams, after the combined US Army-ARVN forces drove the North Vietnamese away from Da Nang and Hue, towards the border. Nixon national security adviser Henry Kissinger said, "We believe we can force the North Vietnamese back to the peace talks in Paris in the next three to five months. The North Vietnamese are nearing the end of the line with limited supplies from their Chinese and Soviet benefactors and will have a difficult time waging the war on their own." Kissinger continued, "The administration's move to travel to China last year brought us tremendous benefit. China is less willing to arm the North Vietnamese, making our task in Southeast Asia slightly easier. We feel less of a need to interdict the PAVN in Laos, and can instead focus on Cambodia, where we have an ally in control of the country, and the four provinces of South Vietnam closest to the 17th parallel."
STAR TREK TV MOVIE REVIEW: ASTONISHING SPECIAL EFFECTS, COMPELLING PLOT
January 18, 1972
The first Star Trek television feature, In Thy Image, aired on NBC Sunday night, and it added an extra dimension to the series that finally involved all of its characters, instead of it simply being a story involving Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy. The supporting cast, led by Tom Selleck as Decker, and including James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols, were not simply going through the motions of classic Trek verbiage. All of them had something to do, and they all performed their roles well. In the movie, an enormous metallic shape, similar to the doomsday machine from season 2, but much more refined, is heading towards Earth with bad intentions. Uhura, in a critical role, decodes the message that the apparently alien probe is sending, and deciphers part of the mystery for the crew; she finds that the gigantic probe is called N'sa (a permutation of our NASA). The probe is returning to Earth to meet its god. In reality, the probe was created by humans in 1973, as a NASA satellite intended to leave the solar system, which it did. The probe encountered an alien intelligence, known as the Wan which modified it dramatically and caused it to threaten Earth.
The Enterprise initially tries to fight the probe, but attempts to do so are useless and the probe captures the NCC-1701 in its huge tractor beam. Kirk and Scotty attempt to communicate with the probe, but it only answers to "the great god N'sa," and there is no obvious reference to a god called N'sa in the ships computers. N'sa is returning to Earth to destroy its population because it believes humans have enslaved its creator, when in fact the humans are its creator. At the end, Decker saves the ship by asking a simple question: Is man or machine superior? N'sa cannot answer the question, and Kirk then replies, "If we are your creators, then we have advanced 300 years beyond the individuals who created you in the 20th century." The probe acknowledges the logic, and leaves for interstellar space, freeing the Enterprise.
The Golden Globes occur largely as they do IRL on February 6, 1972. Fiddler on the Roof wins for best comedy or musical, Norman Jewison wins for best director, and Chaim Topol wins for best performance in a comedy or musical. Nimoy ITTL falls short to Ben Johnson in The Last Picture Show, but his performance as Motel Kamozil is critically acclaimed, especially for Nimoy's baritone singing, which has dramatically improved compared to IRL.
MUSKIE CAMPAIGN INTERCEPTS LETTER IN ATTEMPT TO ATTACK HIM AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY
February 15, 1972
The New Hampshire Union Leader, the local newspaper in Manchester, New Hampshire, threatened to publish a letter demeaning Democratic frontrunner Edmund Muskie, the senator from Maine. The contents of the letter were supposed to contain negative references about Muskie's opinions of French-Canadians, an ethnic group in Maine. Muskie responded forcefully to the situation, stating in a speech in Concord that "any attempt to impugn my integrity by claiming that I dislike any group of Americans is flat on its face false, and I will not stand for it." Muskie noted that he should be nominated because he is the best candidate to take on President Nixon in November. "The other candidates in the race are not measured enough or politically talented enough to succeed against President Nixon in the fall. Although I am a good friend of my colleague George McGovern, President Nixon will easily defeat him if he is the candidate. George Wallace does not appeal to many of the constituencies currently in the party, and would simply cause a large part of our party's base in urban areas to stay home, or possibly even vote for Nixon."
On February 22, 1972, Norman Jewison, Chaim Topol, Leonard Nimoy, Robert F. Boyle, Michael Stringer, Peter Lamont, John Williams, Oswald Morris, Gordon McCallum and David Hildyard were notified of nominations for the 44th Academy Awards, to occur on April 10, 1972. The nominations were as follows:
Best Picture: Fiddler on the Roof, Norman Jewison
Best Director: Norman Jewison
Best Actor: Chaim Topol, for Tevye
Best Supporting Actor: Leonard Nimoy, for Motel Kamozil
Best Art Direction: Robert F. Boyle, Michael Stringer and Peter Lamont
Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score: John Williams
Best Cinematography: Oswald Morris
Best Sound: Gordon McCallum and David Hildyard
Nimoy:
When I was passed over for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes, I was surprised to even receive a nomination for the Academy Awards. I would be even more surprised when the awards were presented. My life changed forever, once again for the better. My whirlwind five and a half years of constant acting were rewarded at the highest level, and I had opportunities to become a leading man in Hollywood. My fanbase expanded well beyond the Star Trek universe to include parts of the general public who never watched the series, and my appearances as Spock drove ticket sales for the movies for individuals who would never watch Star Trek otherwise.
Roddenberry:
I thought that we would be on the big screen in no time after the television movie was broadcast. It was very well received, and we were ready to shoot and produce a movie by 1974. But the actors wanted Star Trek to rest for a few years. I tried to reboot a series with Tom Selleck as captain of the Enterprise, but it didn't sell. Fans did not want to see anybody but Kirk, Spock and McCoy in the leading roles. Bill Shatner wanted no part of Captain Kirk for a while, Dee Kelley went on to co-star with Peter Falk in Columbo soon after, Jimmy Doohan did cartoon work with me on the animated series, George Takei went into politics, and Nichelle, by god I love her, went to win awards on Broadway, her dream. There was no way I was getting Leonard back, at least not for a while, after the 1972 Academy Awards. So I was stuck for a few years. I did get Walter Koenig to write some animated series scripts. I wanted to protect him because he wasn't getting consistent work as an actor after Star Trek.
Norman Jewison, Chaim Topol, and Leonard Nimoy were informed of their Golden Globes nominations in the following categories in early January 1972:
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Fiddler on the Roof
Best Performance in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Chaim Topol, as Tevye
Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Leonard Nimoy, as Motel Kamozil
Best Director: Norman Jewison, Fiddler on the Roof
NIXON, MUSKIE IN CLOSE RACE IN 1972 ELECTION HEATS; SECOND BOMBING CAMPAIGN TO BEGIN AGAINST THE NORTH
January 10, 1972
President Nixon looks to be facing a close reelection campaign this fall if Democratic frontrunner Edmund Muskie, the vice presidential nominee for the failed 1968 ticket, is nominated. In a Gallup poll, Nixon earns 46% of the support of registered voters, while Muskie earns 44%. The Louis Harris poll has Nixon and Muskie in a flat-footed tie, with each candidate receiving 45% of the vote, with ten percent undecided. Nixon defeats the other Democrats in the trial heats despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War, an issue he is attempting to correct with improved American fortunes in Southeast Asia. Nixon leads 1968 presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey by seven points, 48% to 41%, and liberal firebrand George McGovern by fifteen points, 51% to 36%. The Nixon administration admits that Muskie will be a difficult opponent due to his strong record of passing legislation in the Senate and his measured opposition to the Vietnam War. Nixon chief of staff H.R. Haldeman said, "President Nixon can defeat any of the opponents the Democrats place up for nomination in November, but it appears that Muskie is formidable."
In Vietnam, the Nixon administration was pleased with the results of Operation Linebacker, the bombing campaign that was waged against Hanoi and most of the supply routes aiding the PAVN, and Operation Pocket Money, the mining of Haiphong, the key coastal city in the North. It is likely that the administration will approve a second bombing campaign, suggested by General Creighton Abrams, after the combined US Army-ARVN forces drove the North Vietnamese away from Da Nang and Hue, towards the border. Nixon national security adviser Henry Kissinger said, "We believe we can force the North Vietnamese back to the peace talks in Paris in the next three to five months. The North Vietnamese are nearing the end of the line with limited supplies from their Chinese and Soviet benefactors and will have a difficult time waging the war on their own." Kissinger continued, "The administration's move to travel to China last year brought us tremendous benefit. China is less willing to arm the North Vietnamese, making our task in Southeast Asia slightly easier. We feel less of a need to interdict the PAVN in Laos, and can instead focus on Cambodia, where we have an ally in control of the country, and the four provinces of South Vietnam closest to the 17th parallel."
STAR TREK TV MOVIE REVIEW: ASTONISHING SPECIAL EFFECTS, COMPELLING PLOT
January 18, 1972
The first Star Trek television feature, In Thy Image, aired on NBC Sunday night, and it added an extra dimension to the series that finally involved all of its characters, instead of it simply being a story involving Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy. The supporting cast, led by Tom Selleck as Decker, and including James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols, were not simply going through the motions of classic Trek verbiage. All of them had something to do, and they all performed their roles well. In the movie, an enormous metallic shape, similar to the doomsday machine from season 2, but much more refined, is heading towards Earth with bad intentions. Uhura, in a critical role, decodes the message that the apparently alien probe is sending, and deciphers part of the mystery for the crew; she finds that the gigantic probe is called N'sa (a permutation of our NASA). The probe is returning to Earth to meet its god. In reality, the probe was created by humans in 1973, as a NASA satellite intended to leave the solar system, which it did. The probe encountered an alien intelligence, known as the Wan which modified it dramatically and caused it to threaten Earth.
The Enterprise initially tries to fight the probe, but attempts to do so are useless and the probe captures the NCC-1701 in its huge tractor beam. Kirk and Scotty attempt to communicate with the probe, but it only answers to "the great god N'sa," and there is no obvious reference to a god called N'sa in the ships computers. N'sa is returning to Earth to destroy its population because it believes humans have enslaved its creator, when in fact the humans are its creator. At the end, Decker saves the ship by asking a simple question: Is man or machine superior? N'sa cannot answer the question, and Kirk then replies, "If we are your creators, then we have advanced 300 years beyond the individuals who created you in the 20th century." The probe acknowledges the logic, and leaves for interstellar space, freeing the Enterprise.
The Golden Globes occur largely as they do IRL on February 6, 1972. Fiddler on the Roof wins for best comedy or musical, Norman Jewison wins for best director, and Chaim Topol wins for best performance in a comedy or musical. Nimoy ITTL falls short to Ben Johnson in The Last Picture Show, but his performance as Motel Kamozil is critically acclaimed, especially for Nimoy's baritone singing, which has dramatically improved compared to IRL.
MUSKIE CAMPAIGN INTERCEPTS LETTER IN ATTEMPT TO ATTACK HIM AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY
February 15, 1972
The New Hampshire Union Leader, the local newspaper in Manchester, New Hampshire, threatened to publish a letter demeaning Democratic frontrunner Edmund Muskie, the senator from Maine. The contents of the letter were supposed to contain negative references about Muskie's opinions of French-Canadians, an ethnic group in Maine. Muskie responded forcefully to the situation, stating in a speech in Concord that "any attempt to impugn my integrity by claiming that I dislike any group of Americans is flat on its face false, and I will not stand for it." Muskie noted that he should be nominated because he is the best candidate to take on President Nixon in November. "The other candidates in the race are not measured enough or politically talented enough to succeed against President Nixon in the fall. Although I am a good friend of my colleague George McGovern, President Nixon will easily defeat him if he is the candidate. George Wallace does not appeal to many of the constituencies currently in the party, and would simply cause a large part of our party's base in urban areas to stay home, or possibly even vote for Nixon."
On February 22, 1972, Norman Jewison, Chaim Topol, Leonard Nimoy, Robert F. Boyle, Michael Stringer, Peter Lamont, John Williams, Oswald Morris, Gordon McCallum and David Hildyard were notified of nominations for the 44th Academy Awards, to occur on April 10, 1972. The nominations were as follows:
Best Picture: Fiddler on the Roof, Norman Jewison
Best Director: Norman Jewison
Best Actor: Chaim Topol, for Tevye
Best Supporting Actor: Leonard Nimoy, for Motel Kamozil
Best Art Direction: Robert F. Boyle, Michael Stringer and Peter Lamont
Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score: John Williams
Best Cinematography: Oswald Morris
Best Sound: Gordon McCallum and David Hildyard
Nimoy:
When I was passed over for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes, I was surprised to even receive a nomination for the Academy Awards. I would be even more surprised when the awards were presented. My life changed forever, once again for the better. My whirlwind five and a half years of constant acting were rewarded at the highest level, and I had opportunities to become a leading man in Hollywood. My fanbase expanded well beyond the Star Trek universe to include parts of the general public who never watched the series, and my appearances as Spock drove ticket sales for the movies for individuals who would never watch Star Trek otherwise.
Roddenberry:
I thought that we would be on the big screen in no time after the television movie was broadcast. It was very well received, and we were ready to shoot and produce a movie by 1974. But the actors wanted Star Trek to rest for a few years. I tried to reboot a series with Tom Selleck as captain of the Enterprise, but it didn't sell. Fans did not want to see anybody but Kirk, Spock and McCoy in the leading roles. Bill Shatner wanted no part of Captain Kirk for a while, Dee Kelley went on to co-star with Peter Falk in Columbo soon after, Jimmy Doohan did cartoon work with me on the animated series, George Takei went into politics, and Nichelle, by god I love her, went to win awards on Broadway, her dream. There was no way I was getting Leonard back, at least not for a while, after the 1972 Academy Awards. So I was stuck for a few years. I did get Walter Koenig to write some animated series scripts. I wanted to protect him because he wasn't getting consistent work as an actor after Star Trek.
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Interesting suggestions, but I'm going to keep the Ceti Alpha situation the same as IRL because I don't think there's a reason for Khan to be bothered if he's in control on his planet. Terrell will recognize Khan instead of Chekov, because in TMP I'm going to have some backstory involving Terrell as a Kirk protege on the Enterprise. Terrell replaces Marla McGivers as Enterprise ship historian, but we don't see him on camera in TOS, so he will know who Khan is. Admiral Kirk will give Terrell his promotion to captain and the Reliant in TMP, and he will play a role ITTL's TMP fleet battle with the Enterprise.
My plan is for Ilia to either resign from Starfleet or ask for another assignment after the Kobayashi Maru simulation early in this TWOK. Ilia is haunted by serving on the Enterprise after Decker's death and feels like she needs a change of scenery. Enter Saavik, as in TTL.
Kirk does get caught napping in the battle because ITTL, due to the Klingon conflict, it is unimaginable for Federation vessels to be attacking each other. He wonders, "What is Terrell doing, why is he attacking my ship?" when it's actually Khan. That's the only difference I'd put in the battle scenes for TWOK. I could also add a scene where Uhura is injured in the initial battle but McCoy saves her life. Scotty's nephew is killed (the scene where he carries his dead nephew to the bridge) and he sees Uhura unconscious as well. He almost breaks down emotionally on screen as a result. There will be a scene in sickbay where Scotty prays for Uhura's life as Bones is saving her. Uhura returns to the bridge, albeit injured, for the final confrontation between Enterprise and Reliant, and this is the start of the Scotty/Uhura relationship...
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