daemon@decwrl.UUCP (02/06/84)
From: akov68::boyajian The "original pilot" you referred to is "The Cage", which starred Jeffrey Hunter as Capt. Christopher Pike (*not* Captain Kirk); Majel Barrett (who later played Nurse/Doctor Chapel) was "Number One", the First Officer. Spock was there, but he was only Science Officer then. This pilot failed to impress the network management, so Roddenberry tried again with "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Later on, when Roddenberry & co. started slipping behind schedule, they cannibalized "The Cage" to provide the background story for "The Menagerie", therefore getting two weeks worth of material after only needing to film one episode's worth (the "present" day scenes). You're lucky if you get a chance to see "The Cage". Though I'm not a particularly rabid trek fan, I *would*, out of curiosity's sake, like to see it; I think "The Menagerie" is one of the better episodes of the series. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC Maynard) UUCP: (decvax!decwrl!rhea!akov68!boyajian) ARPA: (decwrl!rhea!akov68!boyajian@Shasta)
rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe @ N41:48:31, W88:07:13) (02/06/84)
I've seen Roddenberry bring "The Cage" to a few cons or other get-togethers. It's great to see the original, uncut, never aired version complete and without interruption. If you're lucky, you'll also get to see all three blooper reels (two from the TV series, one from ST-TMP). I suppose there is a blooper reel from ST-TWOK, but I've not yet been fortunate enough to see that. The blooper reels are the high point of these things, as far as I am concerned. Oh, it needs to be said: the actor playing Capt. Pike in "Menagerie" (the one in the wheelchair) is not Jeffrey Hunter although Hunter did play Capt. Pike in "The Cage". Also, "The Cage" was used as a basis for "Menagerie" because Roddenberry thought it was a damn good story, and not "too cerebral" for the typical TV viewer (that was the NBC execs' original objection to "The Cage"). One must be prepared for a bit of a shock when viewing "The Cage" (or, for that matter, "Menagerie"). Spock is not at all the personality here we've come to know in later episodes of ST. Majel Barrett (M. Leigh Hudec) is a dark-haired "Number One", second in command on the S.S. Enterprise under Pike. NBC jerks (executives) told Roddenberry that the viewing public "wouldn't believe a woman as second- in-command" and, to add insult to injury, said "And while you're at it, get rid of the guy with the ears." Fortunately, one of the two was saved. Spock retained his appearance, and inherited the composure (made even more extreme later) and rank of Number One. Barrett, of course, took on the role of Nurse (now Doctor) Chapel. Bring in Shatner as James Kirk (the T for Tiberius wasn't there until later--at first they used a different initial), guest stars and ship upgrades and you have the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" featuring the infamous phaser rifle. But that's another story. My log recorder runneth over. Roger Noe ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe
jrl@harpo.UUCP (jrl]) (05/21/84)
I am currently compiling videotapes of shows before they are taken off
the air due to Paramounts subscription offering. The one show that I have
never seen was the pilot "The Cage". Has It ever been aired at all ?
Reply via mail or the net.
Thanks, harpo!jrlables@ut-ngp.UUCP (05/23/84)
<>
Wait, this is the first I've heard of Paramount retracting Star Trek
from syndication! Is this for real? Can they even do this? If they
do, it's a stupid move, the people that are going to buy those tapes
or disks are going to buy them anyway (esp. the disks). Can somebody
clear this up? Shirley they can't/won't do this...
I'll call you Shirley if I want to.
----
-King
ARPA:ables@ut-ngp
UUCP:{ctvax,ihnp4,kpno,seismo}!ut-sally!ut-ngp!ablesjrb@wdl1.UUCP (jrb ) (05/25/84)
#R:harpo:-228800:wdl1:2700002:000:157 wdl1!jrb May 24 14:12:00 1984 _The Cage_ was never aired except as part of _Menagerie_ John R Blaker UUCP: ...!fortune!wdl1!jrb ARPA: jrb@FORD-WDL1 and blaker@FORD-WDL2