"Mudd's Women," 50 Years Later

"Mudd's Women" aired 49 years ago today, or on October 13, 1966. The episode -- the third of Star Trek: The Original Series' first season -- marked the  first appearance of Roger C. Carmel as Harry Mudd, the likeable conman who keeps the company of almost-too-perfect ladies.

Here are some facts, figures and anecdotes about "Mudd's Women."

Carmel, the fan-favorite actor played the irascible Mudd, appeared again in "I, Mudd" and also voiced the character in "Mudd's Passion," an episode of The Animated Series. He died in 1986 at the age of 54.

The idea for the story sprang from a concept by Gene Roddenberry called "The Women." It was introduced in... March, 1964, a long while before "Mudd's Women" came into being.

"Mudd's Women" was one of the three options considered to serve as Trek's second pilot.

Spock, here, is referred to as "Vulcanian."

That guy in green overalls? It's Eddie Paskey as Connors, though Paskey would be seen throughout Star Trek usually as Lt. Leslie -- and attired in red.

This was director Harvey Hart's one and only TOS episode. According to Memory Alpha, here's why he helmed just the one episode: "The production of this episode went a day over schedule. According to Bob Justman and Herbert Solow, this was due to the intricate camera setups used by director Harvey Hart, which had good results but were too time-consuming. Hart also made things difficult for the editors by "camera cutting" the show, leaving few choices of shot available. Due to these factors, Hart was not invited back to the show."

Hart died of a stroke in 1989. He was only 61 years old.

One of our favorite lines, spoken by Mudd to his women: "But men will always be men no matter where they are."

"Mudd's Women" is one of just two episodes in which the crystal that power the Enterprise are called lithium rather than dilithium.

The quarters used by Mudd and his ladies, according to Memory Alpha, was the set for Kirk's quarters, with all of the furnishings removed.

Another favorite line: "You'll find out that ship's captains are already married, girl, to their vessels," said by Mudd to Eve... about Kirk.

Karen Steele, who played Eve McHuron, died in 1988 at the age of 56. Her best known project beyond TOS was the movie Marty.

According to Memory Alpha, via Starlog Magazine, "a lengthy monologue in which Harry Mudd attempted to persuade Uhura into taking the Venus drug was also excluded from the episode. The scene's removal was because it was deemed too wordy and long."

Susan Denberg, who hailed from Austria, had quite a run between 1966 and 1967. She was Playmate of the Month for Playboy's August 1966 issue, appeared in Star Trek in 1966 and in 1967 co-starred as the monster alongside Peter Cushing in Hammer Films' Frankenstein Created Woman.

And one last favorite line, said by Spock to McCoy: "The fact that my internal arrangement differs from yours, doctor, pleases me no end."

via Star Trek Latest News