Scott Atwell Star Trek Discussion thread (Series and Films) (4 Viewers)

[Josh Steinberg]

I was interested in that one as well, I don't think it's connected to Roddenberry but I'd still like to see it!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Last night, I watched "The Questor Tapes," completing my viewing of rejected Roddenberry pilots from the 1970s. I had mixed feelings about this one. It wasn't flat-out terrible, but like Genesis II and Planet Earth, doesn't quite work.

I remember reading about this pilot before the others because Leonard Nimoy spent a bit of his memoir I Am Spock writing about it. Apparently Nimoy was Roddenberry's original choice for the role of Questor, the android at the center of the story. The idea is that Questor was being built by a collection if international scientists, including B.J. from M*A*S*H (Mike Farrell) from plans given to them by a mysterious scientist who's gone missing (but is played by Lew Ayres once found). The group of scientists wants to substitute their own programming instead of the program "tapes" left behind by Ayres, but the machinery doesn't respond to these new instructions. Farrell argues that the team should use the original data tapes, but they have been damaged and have been partially erased. Farrell tries installing the damaged tapes but it doesn't appear to be a success, and the android lies there on the tape, lifeless and incomplete. However, once the scientists leave the room, Questor comes to life and begins assembling himself, and flees the building. With an assist from Farrell, Questor sets out to recover his missing programming. Giving urgency to the matter, Questor is equipped with an automatic nuclear detonator to prevent his designs from falling into the wrong hands or being misused, and he will self-destruct if he is unable to find his answers in time.

More than anything, I found this pilot to be dull. It runs a little over ninety minutes (which would have filled a two-hour timeslot), but it takes a long time to go over smaller details, and then rushes through more consequential plot points. It's uneven. Ultimately, I think that's because the concept is flawed. There's a sort of a twist ending to the pilot that didn't work for me:

Spoiler

When Questor discovers his creator, played by Lew Ayres, the creator reveals that he too is a robot, descended from a long line of robots. Once upon a time, an unknown entity left one behind on earth, before mankind, to guide the planet but never to reveal themselves or interfere with the development of the people. Each robot was expected to last hundreds of years, and then would build their own replacement towards the end of their lifespan. But the supplies left behind have run out, and Questor will be the last robot. Since Questor's creator is dying and Questor's programming tapes are damaged, Farrell agrees to serve as Questor's guide through life, humanity and emotion. But the twist didn't quite work for me, because it immediately rendered Questor as the least interesting thing in this story. If he's the last of a long line of robots who were always here on Earth, what was their story like? If those robots were dropped off on a pre-humanity Earth, what kind of civilization would do that? What did that civilization hope to accomplish? What have the robots seen over history? Have they ever felt a conflict between their programming not to interfere with history and their programming to protect the planet? Any of those things would be more interesting to me than Questor and Farrell exploring the nuance of human emotion.

I imagine if the show had continued, Questor would probably be tasked with saving different people each week, perhaps struggling at times with the conflicts between his programming to help the planet and programming to not change the course of history, with Mike Farrell cheerily explaining why humans are acting so human.

After watching the show, I understand both why Roddenberry might have thought of Nimoy for the part, and why they went with Robert Foxworth instead. Nimoy is a wonderful actor, and his talents aren't in dispute. But the Questor character is a less interesting version of Spock, and I think it would have been impossible for audiences to watch Nimoy in the role and not see a certain Vulcan instead. Apparently Roddenberry was pretty crappy about not letting Nimoy know that he didn't get the part. As he tells it, Nimoy had done an initial round of screen and makeup tests and had been invited back for a second round the next week. When he showed up at the studio, there was a little confusion over who he was there to see, but he ended up bumping into someone he knew from either the costume or props department who was also working on the pilot. This friend asked Nimoy what brought him to the neighborhood. When Nimoy said he was there to test for the pilot, his friend looked embarrassed and told him that Robert Foxworth had been cast the previous week! I'm a little unclear as to whether it was Roddenberry, the network, or both who decided against using Nimoy, but no one told the poor guy before his appointment.

The very best of the Questor concept clearly served as an inspiration for TNG's Lt. Data, and Data is a far better character than Questor. If Questor had been a success, it's likely that we wouldn't gotten Data (or possibly even TNG), so I'm pretty okay with how things worked out in the end.

Last bit of trivia: Gene Coon is credited as a co-writer with Roddenberry (Roddenberry had sole credit for the script's story). Coon apparently died before the show aired. Sadly, the finished pilot lacks much of the spark that Coon brought to his work on TOS.

Overall, glad to have finally seen Questor, but underwhelmed by it - when I watch stuff like this I'm always hoping to find some hidden gem, and sadly, this wasn't that. Interesting for historical reasons as a Trek fan, but not really worth it on its own merits.

 

[Nelson Au]

Josh, I have the Roddenberry pilots and Questor in my cart and I'll place the order.

I didn't read your entire review, but I did see the section about Nimoy. I didn't remember that story. Your critique is very detailed in your analysis of all the pilots. I'll be curious to read them again after I view them and compare thoughts.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Nelson, I look forward to your thoughts - you pick up on a lot of interesting stuff I tend to gloss over or miss entirely and I really enjoy getting your perspective on things we share tastes in.

Really curious to see which is your favorite of the bunch. I think mine is Genesis II.

 

[startrekguy 2012]

Thanks for the write-up Lou from The Wand Company's website.

I haven't really fully shared this with all of you yet, but i have said I have had the privilege of seeing and holding a real screen used phaser and measured and photographed it too! The Greg Jein owned phaser is the last known surviving hero phaser and one I figure I'll never have a chance to see and touch. But I got the second best opportunity! There were many of the second tier level phasers used for long and medium shots, nick-named the midgrade phaser. You can clearly see them, for example Captain Tracy is brandishing one as he threatens to burn down Spock and McCoy. It's also the ones Kara used to threaten Kirk. And they are used in many many other scenes.

I am also fortunate enough to have copies of 2D scans of the Greg Jein phaser. based on the extensive research and many many hours I've spent researching the phaser, i know for sure the Hero phaser is made from the same molds the midgrade is made from. So everything that's described by the Wand Company's description of the Hero and observed about it's non symmetry i can confirm and seen myself. While I have an invitation to do a 3D scan of the midgrade, I think I've got enough measurements and photos to be able to create a pretty accurate replica of the original's non-symmetric form. So my crazy plan is to create 3D data of the original because I know some people will be interested in that. And like the Wand Company, my plan is to do an idealized version averaging out each side's Coke bottle shape.

Now that my Enterprise project is nearly complete, I can start the phaser. I guess now that I've said it, I have to do it!

Here are some photos of the midgrade I had the pleasure to see. As you can see, I'm comparing some of my drawings against the real thing. The P1 you see in the claws of my calipers is very much like the one the Rodent had that he took from McCoy. Its detail is much cruder then the Hero.

View attachment 15062
View attachment 15063
View attachment 15061

The color is a tough aspect too. And i have an extensive library of color systems used in my work and managed to match the colors fairly closely. But my color chips are not exact. So it will be interesting to collect this remote phaser and compare its colors to what I found. The trouble is the color of the midgrade I observed is likely not going to match Greg Jein's from all the repaint's during the series production.

By the way, this midgrade phaser's provenance has been looked into. My friend who owns it said that a Hollywood prop shop acquired the phaser and a few other props after the series ended. Then a real estate agent got them in the early 70's and I've seen photos of him with it at a Halloween party. Then they were sold to a comic book shop and my friend came across them about 15 years ago when the shop contacted him knowing he's a collector. He had no real proof they were real, so he took a chance. The phaser was in a box with the hero communicator, the one Kirk uses to create a sonic blast in Friday's Child, a hypo, the Scalosian weapon and one or two more things.

He went back to Vasquez Rocks with the owner of the Herocomm.com website to recreate that shot from Friday's Child. He's a shot of all three props on that rock.

View attachment 15064

BTW, these props all look a lot smaller in person then they do on TV! The communicator was a real surprise in that regard. That will be the next project after the phaser.

I love the mid grades. Most of the screen shots on TV are of mid grades. Here are a few of my 199S&W's

Thanks for the write-up Lou from The Wand Company's website.

I haven't really fully shared this with all of you yet, but i have said I have had the privilege of seeing and holding a real screen used phaser and measured and photographed it too! The Greg Jein owned phaser is the last known surviving hero phaser and one I figure I'll never have a chance to see and touch. But I got the second best opportunity! There were many of the second tier level phasers used for long and medium shots, nick-named the midgrade phaser. You can clearly see them, for example Captain Tracy is brandishing one as he threatens to burn down Spock and McCoy. It's also the ones Kara used to threaten Kirk. And they are used in many many other scenes.

I am also fortunate enough to have copies of 2D scans of the Greg Jein phaser. based on the extensive research and many many hours I've spent researching the phaser, i know for sure the Hero phaser is made from the same molds the midgrade is made from. So everything that's described by the Wand Company's description of the Hero and observed about it's non symmetry i can confirm and seen myself. While I have an invitation to do a 3D scan of the midgrade, I think I've got enough measurements and photos to be able to create a pretty accurate replica of the original's non-symmetric form. So my crazy plan is to create 3D data of the original because I know some people will be interested in that. And like the Wand Company, my plan is to do an idealized version averaging out each side's Coke bottle shape.

Now that my Enterprise project is nearly complete, I can start the phaser. I guess now that I've said it, I have to do it!

Here are some photos of the midgrade I had the pleasure to see. As you can see, I'm comparing some of my drawings against the real thing. The P1 you see in the claws of my calipers is very much like the one the Rodent had that he took from McCoy. Its detail is much cruder then the Hero.

View attachment 15062
View attachment 15063
View attachment 15061

The color is a tough aspect too. And i have an extensive library of color systems used in my work and managed to match the colors fairly closely. But my color chips are not exact. So it will be interesting to collect this remote phaser and compare its colors to what I found. The trouble is the color of the midgrade I observed is likely not going to match Greg Jein's from all the repaint's during the series production.

By the way, this midgrade phaser's provenance has been looked into. My friend who owns it said that a Hollywood prop shop acquired the phaser and a few other props after the series ended. Then a real estate agent got them in the early 70's and I've seen photos of him with it at a Halloween party. Then they were sold to a comic book shop and my friend came across them about 15 years ago when the shop contacted him knowing he's a collector. He had no real proof they were real, so he took a chance. The phaser was in a box with the hero communicator, the one Kirk uses to create a sonic blast in Friday's Child, a hypo, the Scalosian weapon and one or two more things.

He went back to Vasquez Rocks with the owner of the Herocomm.com website to recreate that shot from Friday's Child. He's a shot of all three props on that rock.

View attachment 15064

BTW, these props all look a lot smaller in person then they do on TV! The communicator was a real surprise in that regard. That will be the next project after the phaser.

I love mid grade fiberglass phasers

 

[startrekguy 2012]

I love the mid grades. Most of the screen shots on TV are of mid grades. Here are a few of my 199S&W's

I love mid grade fiberglass phasers

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Did you make those? Neat!

 

[startrekguy 2012]

I do make the display stands in my prop shop. I buy up as many of the S&W fiberglass midgrades as I can, refurbish them (they most often require that) and then re-sell them. Right now have only one ready (shown). This one is extra clean (Spock's Brain episode colors). Next up will be a fiberglass copy of the Asherman P1 and then three more P2 redo's. After that it's game over till someone can muster: (a) the skills, (2) doe, and (3) permission, to make more. Fiberglass short-runs are very hard to make and even harder to complete once the shells are made (not at all like resin or styrene). Just thinking about

sanding this stuff for paint makes me itchy all over,

 

[startrekguy 2012]

Thanks for the write-up Lou from The Wand Company's website.

I haven't really fully shared this with all of you yet, but i have said I have had the privilege of seeing and holding a real screen used phaser and measured and photographed it too! The Greg Jein owned phaser is the last known surviving hero phaser and one I figure I'll never have a chance to see and touch. But I got the second best opportunity! There were many of the second tier level phasers used for long and medium shots, nick-named the midgrade phaser. You can clearly see them, for example Captain Tracy is brandishing one as he threatens to burn down Spock and McCoy. It's also the ones Kara used to threaten Kirk. And they are used in many many other scenes.

I am also fortunate enough to have copies of 2D scans of the Greg Jein phaser. based on the extensive research and many many hours I've spent researching the phaser, i know for sure the Hero phaser is made from the same molds the midgrade is made from. So everything that's described by the Wand Company's description of the Hero and observed about it's non symmetry i can confirm and seen myself. While I have an invitation to do a 3D scan of the midgrade, I think I've got enough measurements and photos to be able to create a pretty accurate replica of the original's non-symmetric form. So my crazy plan is to create 3D data of the original because I know some people will be interested in that. And like the Wand Company, my plan is to do an idealized version averaging out each side's Coke bottle shape.

Now that my Enterprise project is nearly complete, I can start the phaser. I guess now that I've said it, I have to do it!

Here are some photos of the midgrade I had the pleasure to see. As you can see, I'm comparing some of my drawings against the real thing. The P1 you see in the claws of my calipers is very much like the one the Rodent had that he took from McCoy. Its detail is much cruder then the Hero.

View attachment 15062
View attachment 15063
View attachment 15061

The color is a tough aspect too. And i have an extensive library of color systems used in my work and managed to match the colors fairly closely. But my color chips are not exact. So it will be interesting to collect this remote phaser and compare its colors to what I found. The trouble is the color of the midgrade I observed is likely not going to match Greg Jein's from all the repaint's during the series production.

By the way, this midgrade phaser's provenance has been looked into. My friend who owns it said that a Hollywood prop shop acquired the phaser and a few other props after the series ended. Then a real estate agent got them in the early 70's and I've seen photos of him with it at a Halloween party. Then they were sold to a comic book shop and my friend came across them about 15 years ago when the shop contacted him knowing he's a collector. He had no real proof they were real, so he took a chance. The phaser was in a box with the hero communicator, the one Kirk uses to create a sonic blast in Friday's Child, a hypo, the Scalosian weapon and one or two more things.

He went back to Vasquez Rocks with the owner of the Herocomm.com website to recreate that shot from Friday's Child. He's a shot of all three props on that rock.

View attachment 15064

BTW, these props all look a lot smaller in person then they do on TV! The communicator was a real surprise in that regard. That will be the next project after the phaser.

Love these

 

[Josh Steinberg]

How much would something like that sell for? I can't imagine it'd be in my budget but a fan can dream

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey Jon, welcome to the Home Theater Forum! Very nice job on those phaser re-builds and stand!

Wow, your post took me by surprise and put me out somewhat. When you quoted my post, I had to go back in the thread to remind myself when I made that post. I was also surprised as your post referred to props and it was someone whose a collector in the prop world. So few people here on this forum are into this.

After reading your post, it took me back to the opportunity to actually examine and measure the midgrade phaser. I have been sort of out of the prop collecting world for a couple of years since. I wasn't aware of who is making the S&W midgrade. In doing a search, it turned out the S&W phaser is from one of the guys I actually met at the prop gathering of the "West Coast Prop collector". I found an eBay auction that had ended for a midgrade pistol phaser. In the description, it talks about the people who were involved in making it. The principle guy being Ron Shanko. Now the odd thing is I actually met him there that day. The eBay description also mentions at the prop gathering several other guys who I also met. Plus it mentions my name! It concerns me to see someone post that story on an eBay auction. I suppose he wanted to establish provenance. It's somewhat private information from a prop forum for members use. Anyway, its out there. The West Coast Collector and a couple of his friends I met that day are cool guys and love prop collecting. Also super nice guys who are happy to share information.

It was truly a great memory and it opened my eyes to a larger community of fans who make prop collecting a real hobby. So that was really cool and a great resource. You see, as I mentioned in the earlier post, ever since I was a pre-teen, my goal was to have a replica of the props in Star Trek. In my youth, I was happy to have made a fairly good replica from scratch from just the screen captures (Photos off the TV Screen!) and The Making of Star Trek and any film clips I could find. Then I went to college and started my life in my career so it fell off the radar. Then after a disaster in my life about 10 years ago, I sort of retreated and came back to the phaser project and tried to do accurate CAD drawings in hopes to make my next generation of phaser an accurate one. This was partly inspired by the casting of the real midgrade that became available and the Master Replicas of the time and of a John Long kit that came out that wasn't very accurate. The work developed in CAD and I sought feedback on the prop forums. That led to meeting the West Coast Collector and seeing the real midgrade and Alpha Hero communicator.

My job involves using a CAD tool to create 3D models of the designs I'm developing, so I thought I'd use the tools of my trade to make an accurate model of the phaser. This turned out to be a really serious effort and it burned me out about 3 years ago. I'm obsessive in my striving for accuracy, I spent 5 years at it! I measured the heck out of the midgrade on the three opportunities I had to examine it. Because it was so asymmetrical, I had to take many measurements. All because I wanted to develop an accurate CAD model of the phaser in all its inaccurate asymmetry. Then I would use the data to create an idealized symmetrical phaser. The Wand guys did that with their remote prop and it sort of took the wind out of my effort. I was burned out as I said. So I am taking a short break from this project. But I will return to it.

The experience also opened my eyes to a darker side of the prop world. I am not meaning to cast a negative view on everyone in the hobby. There was some negative postings about one guy who sold garage kits because he was acting like he was the absolute expert and knew everything about the phaser, so he was playing games with the collectors. And there are one or two others who made some kits and failed to deliver. ( I think this is why those S&W fiberglass phasers are so rare) There was a lot of squabbling amongst forum members about accuracy and it reached a point that I could see it became no fun. So that was another reason I drifted away. It didn't take away from my original goal from my teens to build my own phaser as accurate as I could for my own personal satisfaction. I was never in this game for a profit motive. It was probably that reason that got some people in trouble on those forums. At most, I'd make a few for friends and as gifts. But who knew from so long ago as a kid, I never imagined I'd get to see the real phaser in person, let alone hold and measure and photograph it!

I've recently studied the use of a new rendering program for work that is accurate to how light behaves and how it recreates materials. So I used that software for my midgrade hand phaser CAD. I also just last January used it on my Enterprise model. The recent Smithsonian restoration of the Enterprise gave me new found enthusiasm for that project. I had revised my Enterprise CAD a little based on the recent photos from the Smithsonian and re-rendered it.

I think I'v shown some of these before, so excuse me if I'm reposting.
Here's the renders of the phaser, midgrade P1 and hero P1. The P1 Hero was done a little over a year ago. Getting close. The CAD used in these renders are the actual CAD that I will use to build them.

And the Enterprise render I'm trying to recreate the photo that the Smithsonian released. I'm still not happy with it as it needs weathering on the hull. I did it for fun and to improve my skills.

(excuse the small watermark I added. With all the stealing on the web, it might be a good idea)

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey Josh, if you can afford the Wand company phaser remote, I bet you'd be happier with that. At $150, its a great replica with light and sound. The hand made phasers are great too for the collectors who are looking for the most screen accurate. So the little bumps and bends and chipped paint look more like the real thing. I was never fully into that. My goal is to make something that looks real and manufactured as if it was a real Starfleet phaser. But I honestly understand the reasons some people like the roughness of a midgrade. Some prefer them. After embarking on this effort, I can see the reasons some like it and I may build one myself as a rough midgrade. To each their own of course!

From what I can see in those photos from Jon's second set, they look like they recently left the Paramount prop shop in 1966 and were used a little. Really good work!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I was given that communicator from the Wand company that works with your phone via Bluetooth - it is pretty amazing.

I'm thinking that a midgrade phaser would be cool because it would be more like what they had on set. So then I'd have both a high tech Trek toy and something like they used to actually make Trek.

My building skills are nowhere near that good. At best, I can assemble one of those "skill level: easy" model rocket kits.

 

[Nelson Au]

I still have to pick up the Wand communicator.

I see what you mean Josh. I get it, it's that tactile connection that sort of brings you closer to what it must have been like when the series was made, if I can sort of paraphrase Data. That reminds me, the Velcro on the midgrade phaser I saw had fine gold, red and blue fabric threads caught in it still. Isn't that amazing?

 

[startrekguy 2012]

How much would something like that sell for? I can't imagine it'd be in my budget but a fan can dream

If you do a google search you will find they have been selling well at $2,400 delivered.

 

[Nelson Au]

Josh, I've finally seen Genesis II last night. I kept looking in your Blind Buys thread for your review but it wasn't there! Makes sense it's here.

Here's my immediate gut reaction which I already had before I even put the disc in, terrible 1970's fashions and men's hair styles! Ha, ha. As I said, I remember seeing this air. I've been in this odd point that even though I lived in those times, there's some nostalgia for that period, it seems that the resultant societal changes in the world from the anti-establishment in the 1960's resulted in the look and feel of the 1970's. Sometimes to me there's a lot of poor design and fashion during that era, not a result of the anti-establishment. The 1960's feels a lot more influential. It's not all bad, it's just a personal reaction I've been having of late. There's great music from the era and there's some cool designs in films and products and cars and some fashion. Interesting as I'm in a creative design field that I'd have this sort of reaction. I can say that the results of the anti establishment has resulted in a lot more free thinking which is a good thing.

However, my reaction to Genesis II. Which are random and are going to have spoilers.

While watching the action sequence in the later part of the film, I reacted out loud that this feels like The Time Machine! 20th century man awakes in the future to find that mankind is enslaved by mutants. And for what purpose then to serve the mutants. Also there are shades of The Planet of the Apes films of the era. Man fighting against those that enslave him. And also the later generations lost the knowledge of the technology that's left behind.

As I've seen this, I had forgotten about the stims. When those were revealed, I had a visceral reaction to remembering that! And to see Marriette Hartley reminded me of the 1970's women's hair styles. I couldn't help but wonder if her character, had thebseries been made, was going to continue to be a sympathetic one. One who helps Dylan, but might still have her own agenda, or if she befriends the people of Pax.

As I watched it really was hard to tell at first who were the good guys and who were the bad. Because as soon as they took Lyra-a away, the Pax facility seemed a lot more sinister. Especially when Dylan asks about the music he heard and was told he didn't hear any music. I know now that was done to protect the arts. But then as Dylan enters Lyra-a's world, there's that sense of unease again. I could easily see William Shatner as Kirk reacting to the society when Dylan is enjoying a meal with Lyra-a at her place and beginning to question the servants and why they are doing that job.

I don't recall if it was clearly explained why the Mutants became, except I can only guess from World War 3 and nuclear war, the people above ground evolved that way.

After reading up the Wikipedia entry, I can see that Tyrania is just one faction on earth, that Dylan would have been involved in other populations around the world that the underground subshuttle would allow them access to.

At the end when Commodore Stone, I mean Primus Kimbridge or Yuloff asks Dylan to promise to never use violence, I thought it was a half hearted promise. I didn't think he'd really agree to forgo his basic 20th century thinking. I'm sure he would have been at odds with the Primus and that would be part of the conflict in the series. We saw Kirk often violate orders or the Prime Directive to do the right thing. So I didn't think Hunt was going to be a pacifist. I think he'll be trouble and his value to Pax comes from his knowledge of the 20th century in solving mysteries or unlocking technologies for the people's to use. His last line to Harper-Smythe about her pancreas was a rip off to that naughtiness.

Overall, it was a fair pilot. It revisits territory we saw in Star Trek but set on Earth. And it's tone is also on display in early Star Trek The Next Generation. I'll follow up with the second pilot for sure. Not sure when. I did have an interesting thought, even after all these years of studying Star Trek, I had not really invested in the other pilots Roddenberry developed outside of Star Trek. It's interesting that he tended to revisit similar territory that would later evolve into that Humanist philosophy he came to be known for. The pacifist nature of the Pax and earlier the Halkins. I suspect there's more I'm not recalling now, but other things that come back in later series. I'm trying to think if there was an overall theme being discussed in the pilot or commentary about society in the story. I don't think there was.

Further random trivia thoughts, I wasn't surprised to see William Ware Theiss in the credits. I was surprised to see Jerry Finnerman in the credits as his trademark lighting wasn't on display. I did spot Majel Barrett. The electric cart used to transport people around reminded me of Fantastic Voyage and You Only Live Twice. Funny to see Leon Askin as the slave handler.

 

[startrekguy 2012]

Well that 25% discount suaded me. Phaser bought. (its gonna be my christmas present..)

Interesting shot of one of the hero props - anyone ever notice the left side of the phaser had a velcro strip for the actors to attach it to their uniforms?

The velcro has a silver line painted down the center to match the rail on the right hand side of the phaser 1. I knew velcro was used. Never knew it was so prominent.

Interesting write up about the replica and the original:

May be of some help to you with your project Nelson.

 

[startrekguy 2012]

Thanks for the write-up Lou from The Wand Company's website.

I haven't really fully shared this with all of you yet, but i have said I have had the privilege of seeing and holding a real screen used phaser and measured and photographed it too! The Greg Jein owned phaser is the last known surviving hero phaser and one I figure I'll never have a chance to see and touch. But I got the second best opportunity! There were many of the second tier level phasers used for long and medium shots, nick-named the midgrade phaser. You can clearly see them, for example Captain Tracy is brandishing one as he threatens to burn down Spock and McCoy. It's also the ones Kara used to threaten Kirk. And they are used in many many other scenes.

I am also fortunate enough to have copies of 2D scans of the Greg Jein phaser. based on the extensive research and many many hours I've spent researching the phaser, i know for sure the Hero phaser is made from the same molds the midgrade is made from. So everything that's described by the Wand Company's description of the Hero and observed about it's non symmetry i can confirm and seen myself. While I have an invitation to do a 3D scan of the midgrade, I think I've got enough measurements and photos to be able to create a pretty accurate replica of the original's non-symmetric form. So my crazy plan is to create 3D data of the original because I know some people will be interested in that. And like the Wand Company, my plan is to do an idealized version averaging out each side's Coke bottle shape.

Now that my Enterprise project is nearly complete, I can start the phaser. I guess now that I've said it, I have to do it!

Here are some photos of the midgrade I had the pleasure to see. As you can see, I'm comparing some of my drawings against the real thing. The P1 you see in the claws of my calipers is very much like the one the Rodent had that he took from McCoy. Its detail is much cruder then the Hero.

View attachment 15062
View attachment 15063
View attachment 15061

The color is a tough aspect too. And i have an extensive library of color systems used in my work and managed to match the colors fairly closely. But my color chips are not exact. So it will be interesting to collect this remote phaser and compare its colors to what I found. The trouble is the color of the midgrade I observed is likely not going to match Greg Jein's from all the repaint's during the series production.

By the way, this midgrade phaser's provenance has been looked into. My friend who owns it said that a Hollywood prop shop acquired the phaser and a few other props after the series ended. Then a real estate agent got them in the early 70's and I've seen photos of him with it at a Halloween party. Then they were sold to a comic book shop and my friend came across them about 15 years ago when the shop contacted him knowing he's a collector. He had no real proof they were real, so he took a chance. The phaser was in a box with the hero communicator, the one Kirk uses to create a sonic blast in Friday's Child, a hypo, the Scalosian weapon and one or two more things.

He went back to Vasquez Rocks with the owner of the Herocomm.com website to recreate that shot from Friday's Child. He's a shot of all three props on that rock.

View attachment 15064

BTW, these props all look a lot smaller in person then they do on TV! The communicator was a real surprise in that regard. That will be the next project after the phaser.

The handle is very hard, sorta gunmetal but not. A custom mix of colors and layers. Example http://www.ebay.com/itm/232376111093?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[startrekguy 2012]

Well that 25% discount suaded me. Phaser bought. (its gonna be my christmas present..)

Interesting shot of one of the hero props - anyone ever notice the left side of the phaser had a velcro strip for the actors to attach it to their uniforms?

The velcro has a silver line painted down the center to match the rail on the right hand side of the phaser 1. I knew velcro was used. Never knew it was so prominent.

Interesting write up about the replica and the original:

May be of some help to you with your project Nelson.

Yes, very prominent velcro, image of an S&W; https://goo.gl/photos/nCD66qZda2LfLjWJ8

 

[Nelson Au]

Decades TV is airing a two part episode of Studio One, a live kinescope recording from 1957, an anthology drama. They are airing the episode called The Defender starring Ralph Bellamy and William Shatner in one of his earlier appearances. I'd heard of this episode before and I've been curious to see it fully. It also stars Steve McQueen and Martin Balsam. Shatner and Bellamy play a father and son who are lawyers defending Steve McQueen of murder. I'm only sampling the episode as I understand Shout! has released the first season of The Defenders and it includes as an extra, this Studio One kinescope. So it might be something worth owning.

From what I'm seeing, the acting is quite good and quite a technical feat to see a live performance like this. I've seen the clips from this episode as part of an episode of Boston Legal with Shatner recalling an occurance in his youth. It's interesting as Shatner is 26 years old, his mannerisms and movements are not that different 9 years later as Captain Kirk. But he looks so young here and is really acting like a pro.

Also interesting to see the young McQueen. He's got that energy that he's so well known for. I was amused to also see Ian Wolfe as the judge!

In recent months I've seen Ralph Bellamy in several Universal monster films and a Cary Grant film. Before this, I mainly knew him from his later years. He's much better here in this live performance. Perhaps from his years of experience, or the material here demanded it.

Well, just thought this was pretty cool to see, I'm going to order this series and sit down and really watch the Studio One kinescope. William Shatner may have been accused of overacting, but it would have been interesting if his choices or opportunities had given him more of this level of material to play before and after Star Trek. Well, maybe I'm ahead of myself and I should watch this episode to really gauge his work here.

It was also interesting to see an episode of Route 66 and be surprised to see DeForest Kelley!