Making of Star Trek
by Stephen E. Whitfield
Our Price: $28.56
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Stephen E. WhitfieldEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1986-08-12
ISBN: 0345340191
Number of pages: 30
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Reviews of Making of Star Trek
Book Review: "The" book about the making of Star Trek
Summary: 5 Stars
Back when there was little else written about Star Trek, before David Gerrold's great "World of Star Trek" analysis or Franz Joseph's blueprints, "The Making of Star Trek" was the ultimate. I devoured it as a boy in the early '70s. To this day I don't think anyone can consider themselves a true original series die-hard without having read this book. It really does take you inside the making of the show, but keeps it on a professional level, without salaciousness. That's because the book wasn't written as something for the few Star Trek fans that were known of then, but as a book about how to write for TV, as older printings stated on the cover. That does leave some things out, but those details have been covered since by other books and memoirs.
Since this was written while the series was in production, it's a good view into how people felt then, even refreshing because Trek had yet to become a pop culture colossus, so the book doesn't have any of that built-in reverence. They were making a good TV show that aspired to be something better than most everything else on then, but in the end it was considered just another TV job, certainly not anything that would become legendary.
For instance, "The Defenders," one of the highest praised, most thoughtful and well-written dramas of the '60s, is scarecely remembered by anyone not old enough to have seen it. Part of the issue with that series had to do with rerun-rights issues, but another part had to do with the times then, when TV was still rather young, and shows were thought of as rather disposable, coming and going without much of an afterlife except for "Lucy" and "Honeymooners" reruns. When you think of it in that context, it's easy to see why Gene Roddenberry bailed on Star Trek after it became clear NBC was out to kill it, even though the letter campaign forced them to bring it back for a third year.
The pics and blueprints within the book are cool but may not be as impressive today. At least the blueprints, while not "accurate" by today's standards, were drawn by Matt Jefferies himself. Remember, though, for a long time this was all the reference stuff available. However, if you want what is still a good insider's look into the making of the show, plus Gene Roddenberry's take before even he got sucked into the myth, this is a must-read.
Summary of Making of Star Trek
A complete history of what may be the most popular TV series ever -- the original Star Trek "TM" episodes! Filled with quotations from cast members, memos to and from Gene Roddenberry, biographies of cast members, sketches, photographs, set descriptions, and even budgets and cast schedules, this volume is a fascinating, invaluable behind-the-scenes account of the development and production of the original Star Trek "TM" series.Performing Arts Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Performing Arts Books
The Film Director: Updated for Today's Filmmaker, the Classic, Practical Reference to Motion Picture and Television Techniquesby Richard L. Bare
Wiley; Published: 2000-05-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.75
Price in other shops:
How Movies Workby Bruce F. Kawin
Allyn & Bacon; Published: 1987-03-13; Hardcover; Book
The Sun Soap Quiz Book: 2,000 Questions on Your Favourite TV Soap Operasby Chris Bradshaw
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2008-05-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
Make Your Own Adult Video: The Couple's Guide to Making Sensual Home Moviesby Petra Joy
Collins; Published: 2007-01-03; Paperback; Book
Blessings in Disguiseby Alec Guinness
Fontana; Published: 1986; Paperback; Book
Irish Dancing (Collins Pocket Reference)by Tom Quinn
Harpercollins Pub Ltd; Published: 1998-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $534.56
Harmonyby Heinrich Schenker
University Of Chicago Press; Published: 1980-10-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.90
Price in other shops:
A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, Second Editionby Steven Louis Shelley
Focal Press; Published: 2009-10-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $38.82
Price in other shops:
The Theater Experienceby Edwin Wilson
Mcgraw-Hill College; Published: 1994-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.94
Price in other shops:
Bill Hicksby Kevin Booth
Harpercollins Entertainment; Published: 2005-03-21; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $40.00
Similar Books and other products
Beam Me Up, Scottyby James Doohan, Peter David
Pocket; Published: 1996-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $65.95
![Star Trek: The Next Generation - Next Level [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Star-Trek-The-Next-Generation-Next-Level-Blu-ray-B0064NLQYG-X.jpg)
Star Trek - Star Trek: The Next Generation - Next Level [Blu-ray]Paramount; Release date: 2012-01-31; Blu-ray
Best price: $10.46
Price in other shops:
The Captains - A Film By William ShatnerKoch International; Release date: 2011-10-18; DVD
Best price: $9.88
Price in other shops:
Boarding the Enterprise: Transporters, Tribbles, And the Vulcan Death Grip in Gene Rodenberry's Star Trek (Smart Pop series)Smart Pop; Published: 2006-07-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.48
Price in other shops:
Inside Star Trek: The Real Storyby Herbert F. Solow, Robert H. Justman
Star Trek; Published: 1997-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $50.00
Star Trek Memoriesby William Shatner, Chris Kreski
It Books; Published: 2009-04-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.99
Price in other shops:
Star Trek Vault: 40 Years from the Archivesby Scott Tipton
Abrams; Published: 2011-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops:
The World of Star Trekby David Gerrold
Bluejay; Published: 1984-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.49
Price in other shops:
Star Trek: The Original Series 365by Paula M. Block
Smithsonian; Abrams; Published: 2010-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Inside Star Trek: The Real Storyby Herbert F. Solow, Robert H. Justman
Pocket Books; Published: 1996-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $49.97