aark (09/27/82)
"I need an answer once and for all. Is "Trouble with Tribbles" taken from Heinleins "Rolling Stones"?? It seems very close and I've only heard speculation...." Read the book titled "The Trouble With Tribbles" by David Gerrold, who wrote the screenplay for the Star Trek episode. It's a fascinating account of how a Star Trek episode is made, from initial conception through production, and a sort of autobiography - "The Trouble With Tribbles" was Gerrold's first SF story sale. Anyway, in the book Gerrold relates how he came up with the idea completely (he thought) on his own. He was flabbergasted when the Star Trek legal department pointed out the similarities to Heinlein's "The Rolling Stones." He had read Heinlein, of course, but had forgotten all about the flat cats (at least consciously). When contacted, Heinlein graciously consented to let the show be produced without demanding royalties or credit, provided that Gerrold give him an autographed copy of the script. Alan R. Kaminsky ...ihps3!ihuxv!aark