Who was the original captain of the USS Enterprise?
- Thread starter Duane
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From what is actually mentioned on screen, Pike was captain before Kirk. No mention of April is ever made on live-action Star Trek.
Robert April was the name of the captain in Rodenberry's notes when coming up with Star Trek. That name later changed to James Winter, and then later to Christopher Pike. It was changed again to James Kirk when Hunter dropped out and Shatner stepped in.
The Robert April name then cropped up during TAS's "Counter-Clock Incident" and was depicted as the first captain of the Enterprise.
The canon status of TAS is currently a very gray area as somethings have been adapted into canon, while others have been outright ignored. Whether this applies to April or not, remains to be seen (however, it should be noted that the same episode also introduced other questionable items in terms of canon value, such as the first ship to have warp drive [which was not The Phoenix]).
The April character was later used in two novels, "Final Frontier" and "Best Destiny" by Diane Cary, but this version of April different personality-wise. However, some cues were taken from CCI, such as the name of his wife and her position on the Enterprise.
April was later then added as an entry for the Star Trek Encyclopedia and used a photoshopped image of Gene Roddenberry's head on a gold command uniform.
April also was featured in the Marvel Comic "Star Trek: Early Voyages" as a recurring character. Again, he was depicted differently from the way he was on TAS and how he was in Carey's books.
April also appeared in another Pocket Book story about a young Spock. I haven't read it, but given the little info I know about it (Pike was April's first officer), it seems like it might be another interpretation of April as well. I could be wrong though.
So...yeah. April was never seen/referenced live-action, on screen. He made one appearance in TAS, but the canon status on that is shaky, and has appeared in very few Trek expanded universe stuff.
Sorry for the long-winded response, but I'm a bit of an April fan.
Robert April was the name of the captain in Rodenberry's notes when coming up with Star Trek. That name later changed to James Winter, and then later to Christopher Pike. It was changed again to James Kirk when Hunter dropped out and Shatner stepped in.
The Robert April name then cropped up during TAS's "Counter-Clock Incident" and was depicted as the first captain of the Enterprise.
The canon status of TAS is currently a very gray area as somethings have been adapted into canon, while others have been outright ignored. Whether this applies to April or not, remains to be seen (however, it should be noted that the same episode also introduced other questionable items in terms of canon value, such as the first ship to have warp drive [which was not The Phoenix]).
The April character was later used in two novels, "Final Frontier" and "Best Destiny" by Diane Cary, but this version of April different personality-wise. However, some cues were taken from CCI, such as the name of his wife and her position on the Enterprise.
April was later then added as an entry for the Star Trek Encyclopedia and used a photoshopped image of Gene Roddenberry's head on a gold command uniform.
April also was featured in the Marvel Comic "Star Trek: Early Voyages" as a recurring character. Again, he was depicted differently from the way he was on TAS and how he was in Carey's books.
April also appeared in another Pocket Book story about a young Spock. I haven't read it, but given the little info I know about it (Pike was April's first officer), it seems like it might be another interpretation of April as well. I could be wrong though.
So...yeah. April was never seen/referenced live-action, on screen. He made one appearance in TAS, but the canon status on that is shaky, and has appeared in very few Trek expanded universe stuff.
Sorry for the long-winded response, but I'm a bit of an April fan.
Hate to break the news, but it was Archer. 
I interpreted "original" captain in that context as "the first to be put on film."
I interpreted "original" captain in that context as "the first to be put on film."
Actually, in the various drafts of "The Cage," the name went:
Robert M. April (middle initial "T" in the TAS episode)
Christopher Pike
James Winter (in 11-20-64 Revised Draft)
Back to Christopher Pike by the time filming began on 11-27-64
Sir Rhosis
Robert M. April (middle initial "T" in the TAS episode)
Christopher Pike
James Winter (in 11-20-64 Revised Draft)
Back to Christopher Pike by the time filming began on 11-27-64
Sir Rhosis
Actually...there was no "U.S.S." in front of Archer's Enterprise, soblakbyrd said:
Menacing Horta said: Hate to break the news, but it was Archer.*Was wondering when someone was going to say that*
.Bottom line is, if the new movie wants to depict Pike as the first captain of NCC-1701, the people who put April in the Encyclopedia disclaimed his entry as conjecture, so it is fair game, continuity-wise.
Also flashbacks in TNG's "Ship of the Line".
I'd disagree with that. I thought the character in Carey's books was spot on with TCCI (TAS).
Other mentions of April: First USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) captain ("The Making of Star Trek", "Star Trek Concordance", "Who's Who in Star Trek" comic, "Star Trek Chronology", "Star Trek Fact Files"). As commodore and ambassador-at-large (in the expanded "The Counter-clock Incident" novelization in "Star Trek Log Seven", and "A Flag Full of Stars" novel). Flashbacks to his early career as a captain (expanded "The Counter-clock Incident" novelization in "Star Trek Log Seven"; "Constitution Class Launched" article in "Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology", "Final Frontier", "Best Destiny" and "TNG: Ship of the Line", "Captain's Table: Where Sea Meets Sky", "Which Way: Voyage to Adventure", "Starfleet Academy: Crisis on Vulcan" YA novel; "Early Voyages: Flesh of My Flesh" comic and the short story "Though Hell has Barred the Way" in "Enterprise Logs"). Mentioned as confined to quarters with Saurian Virus ("All Those Years Ago...", DC Series I comic annual). Featured as an admiral ("Early Voyages" comics: "Futures", "Thanatos" and "Nemesis").
Also, a street in San Francisco on Earth (Robert April Way), is named for him in the "Crucible" trilogy instalment, "Kirk: The Star to Every Wandering".
Menacing Horta said:
Hate to break the news, but it was Archer.
Who?
No. It was a well-known still of Pike (or Kirk?) in a command shirt from one of the pilots, with a well-known still of Gene Roddenberry's head Photoshopped into position.
Well, it could be that April handed in his notice a few months into the job.
Oh wait, wrong show... that was Doctor Who number 9.
Oh wait, wrong show... that was Doctor Who number 9.
According to the background material prepared for ENT's "In a Mirror, Darkly" the intention was to list in Archer's bio, that Robert T. April as the first captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, commissioned in 2245. The death of Archer was to be noted as being the next day.
Did they work that into some of the Defiant displays? I forget.
Sir Rhosis, are you certain of the date filming began on The Cage? You list 11-27-1964 which is the Friday after Thanksgiving that year... Do you have a reference for that?
Did they work that into some of the Defiant displays? I forget.
Sir Rhosis, are you certain of the date filming began on The Cage? You list 11-27-1964 which is the Friday after Thanksgiving that year... Do you have a reference for that?
Robert T. April.
2245 - 2250.
Christopher Pike became his first officer after a certain point, possibly as early as the ship's original launch.
2245 - 2250.
Christopher Pike became his first officer after a certain point, possibly as early as the ship's original launch.
I've long heard that production began on 11-27-64. Memory Alpha states that the scene with Pike and Boyce in Pike's cabin was filmed on Friday, 27 November 1964.
Sir Rhosis
Sir Rhosis
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