I reported on my views of the first volume of These Are the Voyages, a detailed retrospective of the production of Star Trek, back in February. Now, I have almost completed the second volume and have more information to share. Along with production information of each episode, which I greatly enjoy, volume 2 seems to focus a lot on William Shatner’s ego. Although most reports of Shatner during the filming of the first season involved how happy and funny he was around the set, that changed after the first season had aired. He was still funny around the set, but was also very concerned about his role as star of the show.
One reason for Shatner’s concern was Leonard Nimoy’s popularity: the amount of fan mail he received, the success of his record albums, the demand for public appearances, and an Emmy nomination. Plus, in response of his growing popularity, Nimoy held out for a raise and more say in his character. (Nimoy had contributed to his character in the past, suggesting, for instance, the Vulcan neck pinch, but now it was in his contract.) In addition, DeForest Kelley was also elevated to a starring credit at the beginning of the show for his role as Dr. McCoy. All this, it seems, made William Shatner insecure.
On one occasion, Shatner was seen striking out Nimoy’s lines to make sure he (Shatner) had more than his co-star. In “The Doomsday Machine”, this left an order by communicator unacknowledged by Mr. Spock. The production staff thought it was strange, but let it go to placate their star. However, the producers also took an active role in finding ways to boost Shatner’s ego. Giving him a new, wrap-around tunic was one way to set him apart. They also tried to find scripts that would let him do more interesting things. Reportedly, this led to episodes like “A Piece of the Action” and “Patterns of Force”, where he got to act the part of a gangster and Nazi, respectively.
It was around this time that Shatner started cutting, and/or taking lines from the supporting cast, causing hard feelings that have lasted to this day. He had also been known to restage a scene, so he wouldn’t appear shorter than a guest star. According to Mark Cushman, who wrote the books, Shatner also wore a hair piece and lifts in his shoes. These last two facts surprised me more than the rest, which most Star Trek fans are aware of. I could understand him wearing lifts, since he’s only 5’9″ and Nimoy was 6′. I had just never heard that he was bald or balding. If so, even today, he doesn’t appear without a toupee.
I report on these facts merely because I find them interesting, not to put down Mr. Shatner. He did great work on the show and created a character that has stood up for fifty years. That is quite an accomplishment for any actor. It is said that while Leonard Nimoy wanted to be a great actor, Wiliam Shatner wanted to be a star. I’d say both of them accomplished both things.
I look forward to reading the third volume of These Are the Voyages and will report on it when I am finished. In the meantime, I will watch and enjoy Star Trek even more, having a new understanding of what went into making the show.