50 Years of Star Trek Page #9

creating that original show

and thinking about how

things can be better in the future,

and then people growing

up watching "Star Trek"

making those things happen

because they were

inspired by "Star Trek."

So it's a really

fascinating kind of feedback loop

between art and science.

I can't think of another

show that had nearly the impact

for people who really, you

know, work in the aerospace industry

that "Star Trek" did, right.

Or even for a lot of cases,

physics and things like that.

Because it did take a

realistic approach to science

and using science to solve problems.

But you try to solve

them with a rational approach.

Narrator:
Coming up, the

Enterprise lifts off.

"Star Trek" begins as a prime-time

television series,

but over the next half century,

it reaches far beyond the airwaves

to help shape our world.

"Star Trek" inspired people.

"Star Trek," like, people

became scientists.

They became physicists.

They became doctors and astronauts

because of "Star Trek."

When you see someone who

says, "You were such a role model.

You know, I went to med

school because of you."

Or, "I got into nursing because of you."

It made it richer for me. It

made it a richer experience.

One of the reasons I

wanted to become an engineer

was because of "Star Trek."

Because there was

something different about it

in that the world felt more

thought through and real

than other things that you had seen.

I mean, there's a picture of

NASA and Mission Control

and people were wearing Spock ears.

People who went to

college to study physics

or engineering or

medicine because they grew up

and were inspired by "Star Trek."

And wanted to be the next

Scotty or the next Dr. McCoy.

Jimmy Doohan, who played Scotty,

and DeForest Kelley, who played McCoy,

were always relating stories

of people who had written to them

and would become engineers and doctors

because of "Star Trek."

I think that was great.

But how does that apply

to me? And it didn't.

And for the longest time, it didn't.

Until I met a young

lady, who after "Star Trek"

had gone to school to learn Russian

and went to work for

the State Department.

Her mission was so important

that she couldn't tell

me what it was about.

But it had to do with the Russians,

so I actually helped inspire a spy.

[laughing]

I was so fascinated by "Star Trek"

that maybe the first filmmaking

book I can remember reading was

"The Making of Star

Trek" by Stephen Whitfield.

And I remember being so fascinated

by looking at the behind-the-scenes

pictures,

the layout of how the

sets were put together

at Desilu and Paramount Studios.

The idea of using a colored light

to create different planets.

Just all the imagination

that went into it,

it just really excited me,

and it really became a

doorway into the idea of filmmaking

and into television, which

obviously, you know,

I've spent my whole life on.

Probably one of the most

influential books in my life

was discovering "The

Making of Star Trek"

by Stephen Whitfield, which

I found at a school book fair

in the sixth grade.

And I read that thing cover

to cover over and over again

'cause that really was about

the making of a television series,

about selling a

pilot, you know, show bibles

and production questions and issues

and fighting with networks.

And I was completely enthralled with it.

And it sort of... it imprinted itself

in me in a profound way.

You know, I didn't really think about

becoming a television

writer at that age,

and wouldn't for many, many years.

'Cause that wasn't a real job.

But reading that book gave

me a hunger to do that.

I wanted, on some basic

level, to do that, too,

to make a television

series and to do those things

like Gene had done.

We were invited to the

rollout of the Enterprise shuttle.

I didn't have an

understanding of how significant it was

until we got there.

And there were several

hundred people there.

And they had the Air Force Band.

The conductor raised the

baton and waved his hand

and the band started playing up.

The Enterprise rolled

out from behind the building,

and it was amazing to see.

As it came out, the band started playing

the theme music from "Star Trek."

And we jumped up as one, and

were cheering and screaming.

It was just the most remarkable moment.

And, you know, across

the nose of the shuttle

was the word "Enterprise."

For the first time, I

realized that there was a significance

beyond the fact that we

were a television show

that went on once a week.

That we really had an

influence in the culture.

And I guess it was the first time

that I really felt

that I could take a bow.

Up until then, my sense

was, "I'm a supporting character

"with very little to do.

I'm riding the coattails of

this television project,

and I haven't really

contributed very much.

Well, that was all

true, but I realized then

that I was part of a

group that, as a group,

we had an influence.

That we had an influence in society

Because of "Star Trek," I

am all the things I just said.

Engineer, physicist,

doctor, psychiatrist.

I've joined the military.

I became a policeman.

But the most potent, I think,

are the stories where someone comes up

and looks you in the eye and says,

"Star Trek was the only time in my house

where there was peace.

Where my dad or my mother or

the abuse or the alcohol,"

or whatever it was, "the

only time where we sat together

and it was peaceful and trouble-free."

And... and it's heartbreaking.

And it's true.

You can see it in their

eyes how true it is

and how important it is.

There are people who have

gone to nine foster homes,

and the only steady thing in

all of those foster homes

was that the family watched "Star Trek."

"Star Trek" over the

years has inspired people.

And whether it's inspired

them to follow their dreams

or believe in themselves,

I mean, that's the... one

of the key messages

in "Star Trek" is,

"You're a great person.

You have valid thoughts, valid ideas.

Never think of yourself

as less than anyone else.

Now go out there and

follow your dreams."

We were talking earlier, Doug,

before we started shooting

here and I just found out,

somehow, just found out

about a book right here.

How could you have missed this book?

Here it is, "The Making of Star Trek."

That's the book.

- The book.

- The book.

That book changed my life completely.

That book came out, I guess, like,

the second season of "Star Trek."

- Uh-huh.

- I was crazy about the show.

That book was, I mean for me,

it was like Popeye downing

a can of spinach.

- Can I see it?

- I mean, look at this.

This is the diagram of the bridge.

Honestly, I mean, it

totally gave me a direction.

I knew what I wanted to

do after I read that book.

And I could say that "Star

Trek" and that book

made me who I am today, and

that kinda sounds a little sad.

But, you know, it led

me to a couple of Emmys.

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