A biography of Star Trek's creator, based on access to his files and associates, and to Gene Roddenberry himself. Its topics include the genesis of Mr Spock, the identity of the original Klingon, Roddenberry's desert plane-crash, the women in his life, and the break-up of his first marriage.

A biographer goes in search of Gene Roddenberry, creator of the world’s most successful science fiction franchise. This book reveals how an undistinguished writer of cop shows set out to produce “Hornblower in space” —and ended up with Star Trek, an optimistic, almost utopian view of humanity’s future that has been watched and loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world. Along the way, Lance Parkin examines some of the great myths and turning points in the franchise’s history, and Roddenberry’s particular contribution to them. He looks at the view that the early Star Trek advanced a liberal, egalitarian, and multi-racial agenda; charts the various attempts to resuscitate the show during its wilderness years in the 1970s; explores Roddenberry’s initial early involvement in the movies and spin-off Star Trek: The Next Generation (as well as his later estrangement from both), and sheds light on the colorful personal life, self-mythologizing, and strange beliefs of a man who nonetheless gifted popular culture one if its most enduring narratives.

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek: The Motion Picture with this classic movie novelization written by legendary Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry! The original five-year mission of the Starship Enterprise to explore strange new worlds and to seek out new life and new civilizations has ended. Now James T. Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy, and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise have separated to follow their own career paths and different lives. But now, an overwhelming alien threat—one that is ignoring all attempts at communication and annihilating all opposition in its path—is on a collision course with Earth, the very heart of the United Federation of Planets. And the only vessel that Starfleet can send in time to intercept this menace is a refitted Enterprise, with her old crew heeding the call to once again boldly go where no one has gone before….

The Star Trek phenomenon has grown since its creation by Gene Roddenberry, into several successful television series, numerous feature films, and a multi-million dollar merchandizing industry, including over 100 novels. This biography of Roddenberry exposes him as a contradictory and obsessive personality.

Described as a mindwalk with Gene Roddenberry, the creator of one of the best-loved series on television, this book is the only biography of Roddenberry written with his complete approval and cooperation. Compiled with an insight gained when the author lived in the Roddenberry home, Star Trek: The Last Conversation intimately captures Gene's philosophy of the future and of humanity.

Inside Trek is an unauthorized, behind-the-scenes look at the making of televisionOs most beloved series, filled with never-before-told stories about the actors, the writers, and everyone else who made Trek what it is--most importantly, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. For over seventeen years, Susan Sackett was RoddenberryOs executive assistantDand secret lover. She has an insiderOs view with Trek secrets you've never heard before.

Author Marc Cushman had the honor of befriending both Gene Roddenberry and Robert H. Justman, who cooperated in the development of this three-book series and backed their endorsement with hundreds of never-before-released documents concerning the writing and production of Star Trek, the original series (TOS). After decades of research, hundreds of exclusive interviews, and the inclusion of thousands of documents, from story outlines to scripts to interoffice memos between Roddenberry and his creative staff, correspondences with NBC and Desilu Studios, production schedules, budgets, and even the Nielsen ratings for every episode of the first Star Trek series, These are the Voyages serves as a time machine, taking the reader back to witness the creation, writing and making of Star Trek.--From publisher description.

Rereleased for Star Trek: The Original Series ' 50th Anniversary, this in-depth analysis of the groundbreaking TV show features an updated introduction by Robert J. Sawyer and foreword by David Gerrold Trekkies and Trekkers alike will get starry-eyed over this eclectic mix of essays on the groundbreaking original Star Trek, one of the most culturally impactful TV shows of the last 50 years. Star Trek scriptwriters D. C. Fontana, David Gerrold, Norman Spinrad, and Howard Weinstein, science fiction writers including Allen Steele and Lawrence Watt-Evans, and various academics share behind-the-scenes anecdotes, discuss the show's enduring appeal and influence, and examine some of the classic features of the series. Inside: Communications and media theorist Paul Levinson shows how the unprecedented success of the "seventy-nine jewels" in syndication changed the way we look at television forever. Star Trek writer D. C. Fontana remembers Gene Roddenberry and what it was like on the set and behind the scenes. Hugo Award–winning author Allen Steele explores the strong science fiction tradition that made the show so great. Cultural theorist Eric Greene details the show's complex dialogue with the Vietnam War, highlighting the evolving stances on interventionist politics. Science fiction novelist DON Debrandt contends that the famously logical Spock isn't quite as rational as Star Trek's writers would have you believe. Scientist Robert A. Metzger proves that Scotty's ability to lie makes him the most valuable member of the Enterprise crew. Fanfiction author Melissa Dickinson explains why we still feel compelled to write our own stories about Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the show's memorable characters.

This fascinating portrait presents the many sides of Gene Roddenberry, creator of the phenomenally popular Star Trek and all its spin-offs--and in so doing, gives readers new focus and fresh feeling for the show that has soared beyond time to reach the realm of legend and myth. Includes a complete filmography and 16 pages of photos.