Leonard Nimoy, Gene L. Coon, and Bonanza

[Steve67]

An interesting Star Trek connection via the second-season Bonanza episode, "The Ape": The episode was written by Gene L. Coon and guest starring in a small role was Leonard, who played a real weasel. Anyway, I was unaware of Coon's involvement with Bonanza, so did Coon remember Nimoy from his part on Bonanza and was Leonard cast as Spock with that earlier role in mind?

 

[Neutral Zone]

It's possible, directors and producers tend to remember people who they think are good actors.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Didnt Coon join Star Trek after Nimoy?

 

[Kegg]

Didnt Coon join Star Trek after Nimoy?

Yep. During season one. Nimoy was there from the pilot. I think Nimoy may have had a role in The Lieutenant, which the other Gene worked on, but I'm not sure.

 

[Maurice]

"The Ape" was from 1960.

Nimoy was on Star Trek by 1964's 1st pilot.

Coon joined Star Trek in 1966.

Actors worked a lot of different shows, as did writers. It's just coincidence.

 

[Ward Fowler]

One show with a huge Trek connection is Mannix. My wife and I just finished watching the first season, and it's filled with guest stars that also made an appearance on Star Trek. It's probably no coincidence that Desilu produced the show and Herb Solow oversaw the production. Anyone who hasn't watched Mannix should give it a try. It's quite a fun and enjoyable show.

 

[trevanian]

There are many BONANZA/TREK connections ... Montalban and Madlyn Rhue played a mixed-race couple on BONANZA, for one.

Coon wrote a very early ep of the show that pretty much meant the series couldn't get any better -- ends with a near-genocidal massacre, as the cavalry not only gets there in time, it COMMITS the act, but on the wrong group.

The humor on BONANZA is very much in the vein TREK mined, as in a little forced at times and a little offensive at others, but hey, the 60s, right?

 

[Christopher]

One show with a huge Trek connection is Mannix. My wife and I just finished watching the first season, and it's filled with guest stars that also made an appearance on Star Trek. It's probably no coincidence that Desilu produced the show and Herb Solow oversaw the production.

You can say the same about Mission: Impossible. Which actually gained Nimoy as a regular right after ST ended.

 

[Ward Fowler]

One show with a huge Trek connection is Mannix. My wife and I just finished watching the first season, and it's filled with guest stars that also made an appearance on Star Trek. It's probably no coincidence that Desilu produced the show and Herb Solow oversaw the production.

You can say the same about Mission: Impossible. Which actually gained Nimoy as a regular right after ST ended.

That's a good point. Mannix took me by surprise though. Being familiar with the history of TOS and having watched M:I, I knew about that connection. But I was shocked when I saw Trek guest stars in in 3/4 of the first season of Mannix. I didn't even know Herb Solow and Desilu were involved. It was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Therin of Andor]

That's a good point. Mannix took me by surprise though.

Don't forget African American actress, Gail Fisher, as Mannix's widowed secretary, the ironically-named Peggy Fair. A bit of an Uhura influence there, at a time when strong African American female roles were rare, perhaps? The role even scored her an Emmy and two Golden Globes.

There are quite a few Batman/Star Trek actor connections, and Twilight Zone/Star Trek connections.

 

[trevanian]

That's a good point. Mannix took me by surprise though.

Don't forget African American actress, Gail Fisher, as Mannix's widowed secretary, the ironically-named Peggy Fair. .

Ties it back very nicely to GLC, since HIS secretary was black, and zapped a bigoted passerby with, "Hi I'm Gene L's Coon."

 

[WisTrekFan]

I am watching the second season of Mannix right now. The other night I watched an episode that William Windom guest starred. He pretty much played a crazy character similar to Decker.

 

[Steve67]

You can say the same about Mission: Impossible. Which actually gained Nimoy as a regular right after ST ended.

Arlene "T'Pring" Martel and Leonard have an almost-reunion in M:I's fifth-season episode, "Terror", but they do not share a scene together.

Nimoy and Mark Lenard do have a reunion in the M:I episode, "The Rebel", also from season five.

Have the first three seasons of Mannix, and love that program, too.

 

[Ward Fowler]

That's a good point. Mannix took me by surprise though.

Don't forget African American actress, Gail Fisher, as Mannix's widowed secretary, the ironically-named Peggy Fair. A bit of an Uhura influence there, at a time when strong African American female roles were rare, perhaps? The role even scored her an Emmy and two Golden Globes.

There are quite a few Batman/Star Trek actor connections, and Twilight Zone/Star Trek connections.

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that Nichelle Nichols was up for the role of Peggy but Roddenberry wouldn't let her out of her Trek contract.

I am watching the second season of Mannix right now. The other night I watched an episode that William Windom guest starred. He pretty much played a crazy character similar to Decker.

I'm watching the 2nd season right now as well. I watched the Windom episode the other day. He was also in a first season episode.

 

[RandyS]

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that Nichelle Nichols was up for the role of Peggy but Roddenberry wouldn't let her out of her Trek contract.

Yep. that story comes from Nichelle herself in her book Beyond Uhura.

 

[Maurice]

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that Nichelle Nichols was up for the role of Peggy but Roddenberry wouldn't let her out of her Trek contract.

Yep. that story comes from Nichelle herself in her book Beyond Uhura.

Wait, wasn't she a day player in the first season?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Wait, wasn't she a day player in the first season?

Yep. Peggy Fair doesn't appear until Comes Up Rose (5 October 1968), according to IMDb. "Mannix" started airing 16 September 1967. TOS Season Two started airing one day earlier with Amok Time on 15 September 1967.

 

[Steve67]

I am watching the second season of Mannix right now. The other night I watched an episode that William Windom guest starred. He pretty much played a crazy character similar to Decker.

I'm watching the 2nd season right now as well. I watched the Windom episode the other day. He was also in a first season episode.

Steve Ihnat was another Trek actor who appeared on M:I and Mannix.

The Desilu commissary must've been quite a place!

I always had a little crush on Gail Fisher; amazing speaking voice and she was just so pretty. Shame that Mannix was essentially the long and short of her career.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I always had a little crush on Gail Fisher; amazing speaking voice and she was just so pretty. Shame that Mannix was essentially the long and short of her career.

Gail Fisher was the centre of a media controversy here in Australia in the 70s!

Both Gail Fisher and Glenn Ford were invited as celebrity presenters at our annual Logie Awards. At the last minute, Glenn Ford absolutely refused to sit next to her... because she was African American. The organizers quickly negotiated with "Number 96" actress, Elaine Lee, to leave her castmates' table and be Glenn Ford's "date" at the international guests' table for the evening. Then, not too long afterwards, Elaine was asked to go back to her original table because... Glenn Ford had discovered that Elaine Lee was a caucasian South African! Truly bizarre!

 

[Nerys Myk]

What?????