SDCC-Exclusive TNG Enterprise Monitor Mate Revealed

You don't have to travel to the 24th century or use a tractor beam to snag a Galaxy-class, fifth Federation starship. Thanks to Bif Bang Pow!, fans can celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a San Diego Comic Con-exclusive U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, a/k/a/ a Star Trek: The Next Generation Enterprise Monitor Mate Bobble Ship. The product features a clear base, is crafted of PVC plastic, and measures approximately 2 5/8-inches long by 1 7/8-inches tall (including the base) by 2-inches wide.

The TNG Enterprise Monitor Mate includes a non-damaging adhesive pad that lets you stick it to your computer monitor, car dashboard or any smooth, even surface. Further, it comes packaged on a TNG-themed blister card and is individually numbered with a holographic sticker. It's intended for ages 14 and up.

The first opportunity for fans to grab this limited-edition Monitor Mate will be at San Diego Comic-Con on July 20, 2017 in the Entertainment Earth booth (#2343). Only 350 pieces will be available.

Visit http://eearth.us/ for more information on the limited-edition TNG Enterprise Monitor Mate.

via Star Trek Latest News

WATCH: Planetary Post on Saving Earth from Asteroids

Hello again, StarTrek.com readers. On the new Planetary Post, learn what you can do to help protect our planet from asteroid impact! Whether you are an amateur astronomer, a dedicated Trek fan trying to create a tractor beam in your basement or just a concerned citizen – –you can do something. Find out what as Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Dr. Amy Mainzer (NEOWISE principal investigator) and I discuss current defense strategies and Star Trek solutions. You'll see quick clips from the recent Planetary Defense Conference in Tokyo. And, as a special bonus, watch Bill Nye and Stephen Colbert recreate TV history originally made by Carl Sagan and Johnny Carson.

Don't miss this one, folks!

Learn more about The Planetary Society by going to www.planetary.org. And just tell them The Doctor sent you.

 

via Star Trek Latest News

Bridge Crew Available Now

Star Trek: Bridge Crew, the virtual reality game that immerses fans into the Star Trek universe as they assume the role of a Starfleet officer and complete missions that will determine the fate of their ship and crew, is available now for Oculus Rift, PlayStationVR and HTC Vive. The game, developed by the Ubisoft studio Red Storm Entertainment, is playable cooperatively online with a crew, or solo as captain, and it puts players and their friends directly onto the bridge of a new starship, the U.S.S. Aegis, as they are dispatched to explore an uncharted sector of space.

Beyond an engaging story campaign, Bridge Crew features an Ongoing Voyages mode offering randomized missions for countless hours of solo and co-op adventures on board the U.S.S. Aegis or the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, with the latter authentically recreated from Star Trek: The Original Series. Created exclusively for VR, Bridge Crew utilizes the powerful sense of social presence possible through virtual reality. Through hand tracking and full-body avatars, including real-time lip-sync, players can live out their Star Trek fantasies as they operate the Starfleet ship as captain, engineer, helm or tactical, with each role crucial to the success of the varied missions players encounter. And, only by working together, can the crew successfully complete their objectives.

Further, during an experimental beta period this summer, Bridge Crew will include IBM Watson interactive speech and cognitive capabilities. The addition of IBM Watson will enable players to use their voice and natural-language commands to interact with their virtual Starfleet crew members.

Visit StarTrekBridgeCrew.com for more information about Star Trek: Bridge Crew.

via Star Trek Latest News

Making the Most of Your Convention Experience

Now that Spring is here (in the northern hemisphere), con season is starting. Whether you're preparing for your first convention experience, or you've been to a few before, I have some tips to help make it an out of this world experience.

As background, I've attended the Las Vegas Star Trek convention every year since 2002, plus other Star Trek and general sci-fi and comic conventions in Vancouver BC, Seattle, Portland OR, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City; I think around 80 or so in total since my first one in 1992. Although these tips are specifically for Star Trek Las Vegas, my suggestions apply for most other conventions as well.

Talk to people in line around you. I've met people from all over the US and from all parts of the world, including Japan, England, Scotland, Germany, Australia, Chile, Canada, Spain, Peru, Argentina... A big part of the fun of the convention for me is just talking with other fans, and I see many of them again year after year. If you have business cards, or you put some together on your home computer with your contact information, it makes it easy to trade email addresses or Facebook information, and to share photos once you're back home.

Bring some snacks. There is food available in the hotel in a number of restaurants and quick-service areas, but if you throw a few granola bars, some fruit, beef jerky, or whatever you like to munch on into a backpack, you can save money for purchases in the dealers' room, and save time not walking the hallway and waiting in line to eat. The hotel provides large jugs of ice water and plastic cups in the actual convention hall, in the dealers' room, and outside the convention hall, so you don't have to worry about bringing bottled water unless you really want to. The Rio has some nice buffets and restaurants, but the queues can be long sometimes.

Bring extra batteries and memory cards (or film) for your camera, or a power pack for your phone. Besides getting shots of the stars while they are on stage, you'll see a lot of folks in some cool costumes. Most of them don't mind at all if you take a photo with them. It's always polite to ask permission to take photos of cosplayers before snapping away-- more on that later.

Dress up if you can-- it adds richly to the experience. I'd say that at STLV, about 20% of the attendees wear a costume of some sort, or at least a uniform top with jeans. About another 20% wear a Star Trek t-shirt or baseball cap with regular casual clothes, and then the rest are mostly in shorts, jeans, and T-shirts. I like to bring a different costume for every day and really go all-out. In the past, I've dressed like a Klingon, an Andorian, Captain Kirk,  Mr. Data, Lore and a Borg. Creation Entertainment and CBS set up several set reproductions in the hallways, like the Guardian of Forever, a Borg Alcove and a transporter pad, so many fun photos are possible by yourself, or with other convention attendees.

Wear comfortable shoes. If you buy shoes or boots a half to one full size larger than you normally wear, and you use inserts/arch supports, you'll have happier feet at the end of the day. Break them in if possible BEFORE you arrive.

If you Cosplay, bring some props. As Data, I carry a phaser, a tricorder and a mechanical toy cat that I use as Data's pet cat, Spot. As a TOS Andorian, I use an era-appropriate phaser, communicator and tricorder. Props add to the overall "look" of your costume, add interest to photos, and allow you to interact in a fun way with the other people posing with you. Make sure to bring batteries if your props light up or have other electronic parts.

Carry a small repair kit, like some duct tape, some safety pins, a needle or two, and some thread that matches your costume, for quick repairs. In past years, the Las Vegas convention has featured a "Garak's Tailor Shop" cosplay repair booth.

Use hand sanitizer.

If you're using cosplay makeup, bring some to do touch ups to your lips and face after eating or drinking. Keeping it inside of a plastic Ziploc sandwich bag or two keeps it from accidentally leaking.

A few baby wipes or makeup removal wipes in a Ziploc bag can help to clean up spilled food, makeup, etc. from off of your costume.

If you take medication, think you might get a headache, etc., be sure to bring what you will need for the day.

That SOUNDS like a lot to juggle, but you can be strategic to transport your stuff "in character." As Data, I carry a plain black backpack with a Starfleet Academy patch sewn on. A backpack or bag is also useful to stash items from the dealers' room, the program guide and objects to use for autographs.

As far as rules of etiquette that non-cosplayers should know when approaching those in costume at conventions, it's always nice to ask permission first before taking a photo. If you see a cosplayer eating, taking a drink, on a bench with their shoes or mask off, etc., please let them finish before asking for a photo.

Some costumes and makeup jobs are delicate, so please don't "glomp", or violently hug a cosplayer unless they say it's okay. In the same way, please ask before touching a cosplayer or their costume and accessories, and avoid tapping a cosplayer on the shoulder from behind-- it can be unnerving, and some people don't like to be touched.

There have been times that I've been in the restroom changing costumes, or applying makeup, and someone begins a conversation asking me about my costume or makeup– right as I'm trying to concentrate on my quick change and makeup application. It would be helpful– and appreciated– if you really want to know about the costume/makeup, if you would wait outside the restroom and approach the cosplayer after they are done and ready for the world.

If you see a cosplayer hurrying somewhere, they may be on their way to a panel or a photo op that they don't want to miss. It's helpful to have your camera already out and ready to go for a quick photo, rather than in the bottom of a bag, inside of a case, with batteries that you forgot to change first.

If you know the name of the character and you'd like a photo, but you're across the room or down the hallway, instead of yelling, "Hey, can I get your photo?"– when you could be addressing ANYONE there– it's helpful instead to say something like, "Hey– Mr. Data!"– then wait for the cosplayer to turn around– "Could I get a photo?" With so many people there and with so much going on at once, and with cosplayers wearing helmets, masks, effects contact lenses, etc., it's NOT that your request is being ignored– we may just not even realize that you're trying to get our attention.

Despite the Las Vegas location and August date, the actual convention hall tends to be on the chilly side because of the air conditioning. If you get cold easily, you might want to consider a sweater or a long-sleeve shirt.

The dealer's room is large and has a nice variety of treasures for sale, from actual screen-used costumes and props (these can get pricey) to models, toys, patches, fan-made uniforms, action figures, videos, books, art, t-shirts, 8x10 photos, posters, CDs, etc., and not all from just Star Trek. There is merchandise from Star Wars, The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, etc. Most of the vendors are equipped to take credit cards, but having cash on hand doesn't hurt (and can be better for bargaining).

I am not really into autographs or photo ops, but the lines for the most well-known stars can be REALLY long (sometimes over an hour). Photo ops and autographs can sell out quickly, so if there is someone you would really like to get, buy your ticket for them sooner rather than later.

Other supporting actors can be found at booths in the dealers' room or in other ancillary rooms nearby, and generally you just walk up to their table if you would like a photo or an autograph. The Creation website has the price list for each person appearing signing through them, while those actors who have their own booths set their own prices.

I look forward to the Las Vegas convention all year long, and I start preparing months in advance. If you follow these tips, you'll be well prepared for a stellar time with thousands of new friends from around the globe. See you in Vegas!

Eric Allan Hall has been costuming since 1987. A lifelong Star Trek fan, he's  been featured in his Borg costume in the documentaries Trek Nation, by Rod Roddenberry, and in William Shatner's Get A Life. Transplanted to Utah from the Seattle area in 2001, Eric has attended about 80 conventions since he first started cosplaying – often with his family.

via Star Trek Latest News

Poll Says Favorite Holodeck Episode Is...

Which is the best holodeck episode? That's the question we asked you, the fans, for our most-recent StarTrek.com poll. Readers could select from "The Big Goodbye," "Bride of Chaotica!," "Elementary, Dear Data," "A Fistful of Datas," "Future Imperfect," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Our Man Bashir," "Ship in a Bottle," "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" and "Worst Case Scenario." Thousands of fans voted, and here are the results:

Elementary, Dear Data (18%)

Ship in a Bottle (14%)

Our Man Bashir (12%)

A Fistful of Datas (11%)

Bride of Chaotica! (9%, 306 votes)

It's Only a Paper Moon (9%, 303 votes)

Take Me Out to the Holosuite (8%)

The Big Goodbye (7%)

Worst Case Scenario (6%)

Future Imperfect (5%)

Where among the results did your holodeck episode of choice land?

via Star Trek Latest News

Remembering TOS Stuntman Vince Deadrick, Sr., 1932-2017

StarTrek.com is saddened to report the passing of Vince Deadrick, Sr. The veteran stuntman and stunt actor, who worked on Star Trek: The Original Series and was the father of Star Trek: Enterprise stuntman/stunt coordinator Vince Deadrick, Jr., died on Saturday, May 27 at the age of 84. At the behest of his son, during a visit to the Enterprise set, the elder Deadrick performed an uncredited stunt in the episode "Borderland."

Among the TOS episodes in which the St. Louis-born Deadrick appeared were "Balance of Terror," "What Are Little Girls Made Of?," "Shore Leave," "The Doomsday Machine," "The Apple" and "Mirror, Mirror." His dozens of non-Trek stunt and/or acting roles included Dirty Harry, The Towering Inferno, The Lady in Red, The Beastmaster, Beverly Hills Cop, Commando, Lethal Weapon 4, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, CSI: Miami and Numbers.

Deadrick would have turned 85 in August. Please join StarTrek.com in offering our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and fans.

via Star Trek Latest News

No End In Sight: Unresolved Story Arcs

The extensive detail of the Star Trek universe lends realism and limitless storytelling potential to every episode. A specific scenario may continue a previous story arc or send our heroes off into new and unknown realms of exploration. The beauty of having so many avenues to pursue brings the unfortunate inevitability that certain intriguing storylines will not be revisited due to time constraints. Excluding elements introduced in series finales, such as the fate of Captain Sisko or the current status of the Borg Collective, what unresolved plot mysteries stand out above the rest?

Fan-favorite Denise Crosby returned to Star Trek: The Next Generation as the half-human, half-Romulan Commander Sela in the episodes "The Mind's Eye," "Redemption," "Redemption II" and "Unification II." Sela's animosity toward the Federation resulted in nefarious attempts to influence the Klingon Civil War, annex Vulcan, and heap guilt upon Captain Picard over the death of Tasha Yar. The calculating commander seemed a likely candidate to appear again, particularly at times pivotal to the future of Romulus. Would the Romulan alliance with the Federation during the Dominion War received Sela's approval? Did Praetor Shinzon consider Sela a friend or a foe? In addition, Sela's unresolved issues with Captain Picard held the seeds for many prospective storylines.

The unique relationship between Worf and Kurn endured many hardships, but the two brothers parted ways in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Sons of Mogh." The Klingon Empire seized Kurn's lands and removed him from the High Council due to Worf's refusal to help Chancellor Gowron invade Cardassia. In order to prevent Kurn from allowing someone to take his life, Worf chose to give Dr. Bashir permission to wipe Kurn's memory and alter his facial features. After the surgery, Worf informed Kurn that he was now Rodek from the honorable House of Noggra. While Kurn's new identity provided a sense of closure to the story arc, the question of "Rodek's" fate never received an answer. Did the sons of Mogh ever encounter each other again? When the Klingon Empire and the Federation mended fences, did Worf feel guilty about his decision? Nevertheless, so many stories needed to be told aboard Deep Space 9 that a follow up with Rodek never occurred.

The U.S.S. Voyager crew awakened the remnants of the hostile Vaadwaur race in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Dragon's Teeth," and it appeared as if the Vaadwaur would become another Delta Quadrant belligerent. Despite escaping their entombment, the Vaadwaur never materialized as a recurring species. Future interactions between the expansionist Vaadwaur and other nearby species, including the Turei, Devore, Borg, and even the Voyager crew, held significant promise for potential episodes. Would the Vaadwaur, rendered nomadic with a depleted population and outdated technology, be able to keep up with the region's current occupants? The battle the dormant race fought against Voyager and the Turei fleet indicated that this dragon's teeth remained sharp.

In the second part of the Voyager episode "Unimatrix Zero," the Borg Resistance formed when drones separated from the Collective and assumed control over many Borg cubes and spheres. The resistance consisted of a variety of species spread throughout the galaxy and represented a unique political entity. Newly freed and with advanced vessels, this amalgamation of races no longer considered themselves Borg, but most found themselves far from home. Did small groups form, or did the entirety of the resistance remain a unified faction? If so, how would they affect the balance of power across the Milky Way? While their primary function focused on tackling the Borg and freeing more drones, there exists no doubt that their interactions inevitably extended to other species, from Romulans and Cardassians to Hirogen and Kazon. Though small in number, the Borg Resistance immediately found itself a galaxy-wide political player.

During the Dominion War, the lack of reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant forced the Founders to breed new Jem'Hadar warriors in the Alpha Quadrant. The DS9 episode "One Little Ship" introduced the new "Alphas" and the friction with their "Gamma" counterparts. The rift between the Alphas and Gammas never progressed beyond this incident, but the prospect of conflict amongst the Jem'Hadar seemed inevitable. The by-the-book nature of the Gammas clearly clashed with the forward-thinking philosophy of the Alphas, but would their loyalty to the Founders prevent an open dispute? As the ramifications of such dissension never bore another mention, it can be assumed that the Founders either quelled the differences or minimized the leakage of any information about combat between Alphas and Gammas.

An aura of mystery and terror surrounded the Borg from the moment Federation outposts disappeared near Romulan space and the U.S.S. Enterprise-D encountered its first Borg Cube in the TNG episodes "The Neutral Zone" and "Q Who," respectively. Much was revealed about the Borg over the next two decades, but information about their exact origins continues to be elusive. In Star Trek: First Contact, the Borg Queen stated that her species began without synthetic components, while Dr. Crusher noted the assumption that the Borg originated in the Delta Quadrant. Nevertheless, precise information about the Collective's creation and the species that initiated its creation never materialized. In this circumstance, a lack of knowledge may be preferable, as the nature of the unknown adds an element of intrigue to the Borg and evokes a primal fear, much like a cave shrouded in darkness.

TNG re-introduced the popular characters of Leonard "Bones" McCoy and Montgomery "Scotty" Scott from Star Trek: The Original Series in the episodes "Encounter at Farpoint" and "Relics." McCoy, a 137-year-old admiral at the time, saw the Enterprise-D off on her maiden voyage, whereas Captain Picard's crew rescued Captain Scott from a crash site on a Dyson sphere. McCoy soon left to board the U.S.S. Hood, and Scotty procured a shuttlecraft to travel to places unknown. What happened to these two legendary figures? Admiral McCoy's temperament indicated he had no plans of retiring, yet his lack of a uniform made it appear as if he either held a unique position in Starfleet or no longer served in a full-time capacity. Scotty's newfound rejuvenation clearly implied that he hoped to find an active role for himself, and the revelation in Star Trek (2009) that he discovered the equation for transwarp beaming proved his title as a miracle worker held true even in the 24th-century. Yet, while clues do exist, the precise career paths of Admiral McCoy and Captain Scott remain unknown.

The perception of these storylines as unresolved should not be viewed as a criticism, as Star Trek's very nature instills in its writers' inspiration to go boldly into the unknown, rather than revisit prior story arcs. The fact that so many interesting mysteries perpetuate this fictional universe is a testament to the creative talents behind the episodes. As the popularity of Star Trek continues to increase, the opportunity to discover the answers to some of these questions may arise in the future.

Jay Stobie is a science fiction writer who admits he has a perfectly normal obsession with Star Trek. He can be found on Twitter at @CaptStobie.

via Star Trek Latest News

Smuggler's Heavy Escort R&D Promotion

Star Trek Online, from now until June 15th, 2017 at 10am PST, will be featuring a promotion that will provide an extra bonus when purchasing Research & Development Packs from the C-Store.

During this promotion, all Research & Development Packs purchased from the C-Store and opened will reward the character opening them with either 10 Lobi Crystals, or a brand new Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort [T6], in addition to the standard contents of the Research & Development pack.

This starship – adapted straight from the screen of "Unification, Part I" (Star Trek: The Next Generation, 5x07) – has been given additional backstory and weight in the larger universe of Star Trek Online, as part of Cryptic's continuing celebration of the 30th Anniversary of TNG. Prepare to embrace your inner smuggler, as you captain this well-armed civilian warship, which combines formidable combat prowess with the amenities previously only seen on Freighter-type vessels.

Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort [T6]

After inheriting a fleet of these armed vessels from her deceased ex-husband, the musician and entrepreneur Amarie used these ships - commonly considered to represent the pinnacle of civilian warship engineering - to carve out an economic empire for herself over the course of many years. Now seeking retirement, she has worked with an old Ferengi business contact to sell off the fleet, and the means to produce more of these formidably-armed freighters. Ever a vain one, Amarie insisted her name be affixed to the starships as part of the contract.

Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escorts are heavily-armed and armored, and capable of standing toe-to-toe with most modern warships of the modern era. In addition to its considerable armaments, each of these vessels puts a full suite of freighter amenities at the disposal of their captain and crew, accessible by visiting the ship's interior.

This starship features a Lieutenant Commander Universal/Intelligence Specialist Bridge Officer seat and a Lieutenant Tactical/Pilot Specialist Bridge Officer seat.

Ship Details

• Tier: 6
• Faction: All
• Availability: R&D Promo
• Rank Required: Rear Admiral, Brigadier General or Sub Admiral I (Level 40)
• Hull Strength: 34,500 at level 40, 39,675 at level 50 and 46,000 at level 60
• Shield Modifier: 1.35
• Fore Weapons: 5
• Aft Weapons: 2
• Device Slots: 2
• Bridge Officer Stations: 1 Lieutenant Tactical/Pilot, 1 Commander Tactical, 1 Ensign Engineering, 1 Lieutenant Commander Science, 1 Lieutenant Commander Universal/Intelligence
• Console Modifications: 5 Tactical, 2 Engineering, 4 Science
• Base Turn Rate: 15 degrees/second
• Impulse Modifier: 0.2
• Inertia: 50
• +15 to Weapon Power, +5 to Engine Power
• Console – Universal – Supplemental Weaponry
• Can Load Dual Cannons
• Cloaking Device
• Heavy Weapon Slot
• Heavy Weapon - "Slamshot" Magnetic Artillery
• Onboard Amenities:
• • Trader Contact
  • Quartermaster Vendor
  • Bank, Mail, and Exchange Access
• Starship Mastery Package (Destroyer)
• • Precise Weapon Systems (+Accuracy)
  • Enhanced Weapon Banks (+Crit Severity)
  • Devastating Weaponry (+Crit Chance)
  • Enhanced Weapon Systems (+All Damage)
  • Reverberation (Starship Trait)

"Slamshot" Magnetic Artillery (Heavy Weapon)

This slow-firing kinetic cannon suffers from an accuracy penalty, but can cripple a foe with a single shot when it hits. In addition to a high-damage payload, it leaves a lingering Kinetic Damage Resistance Rating debuff on the target.

It may be upgraded like a standard weapon, swapped out for another Heavy Weapon, and placed in any other starship's Heavy Weapon Slot.

Console – Universal – Supplemental Weaponry

Every Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort (T6) comes equipped with the Console - Universal - Supplemental Weaponry. When this console's ability is activated, two artillery launchers will unleash a series of kinetic damage blasts into the space within 5km ahead of the vessel in a 180' degree arc, over the course of several seconds. Each foe caught in this barrage will receive heavy kinetic damage with a chance of having their shields knocked offline with each hit.

This console also provides a passive boost to Critical Severity with Kinetic Weapons, and Tactical Readiness.

This console may be equipped in any console slot, but may only be used on the Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort (T6). You may only have one of these consoles equipped at a time.

Reverberation (Starship Trait)

After achieving Level 5 in your Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort (T6), you will unlock the Reverberation Starship Trait. While this starship trait is slotted, dealing damage to any foe with a Projectile weapon will grant you a Reverberation Charge at a maximum rate of 1 per second. Each Reverberation Charge grants a stacking 10% chance to knock your opponents' shields offline for 5sec when using Projectile weapons. On a successful deactivation, all charges are consumed and you are locked out of building up charges for several seconds.

Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort (T6) – Admiralty Ship Stats

• ENG:  20
• SCI:  44
• TAC:  62
• SPECIAL:  Ignores +/- ENG from Events

Miscellaneous

Every Amarie-class Smuggler's Heavy Escort features a brand new custom bridge and interior, which includes many of the amenities seen in lower-tier Freighters. These features include:

• Trader Contact
• Quartermaster Vendor
• Bank, Mail, and Exchange Access
  
  

NOTE: The above stats and systems are subject to change.

Jeremy "BorticusCryptic" Randall
Lead Systems Designer
Star Trek Online

via Star Trek Latest News

Shatner Talks New Book, Kirk & More

The irrepressible, unstoppable William Shatner is back in action with a flurry of projects. Star Trek's iconic Captain Kirk has a new book, The Spirt of the Horse: A Celebration in Fact and Fable, out this week from St. Martin's Press – and we have an excerpt. In it, he shares not only his deep love of horses, but also the actual writings of literary figures ranging from Jonathan Swift to Aesop to Jack London. Shatner has also just wrapped a new film, Senior Moment, a comedy that reteams him with Christopher Lloyd, his Star Trek III: The Search for Spock nemesis. And, of course, there's more. StarTrek.com caught up with Shatner the other day for a phone interview in which he discussed all of the above and revealed that he is really, truly ready, willing and able to play Kirk one more time…

What made now the time to write a book about your love of horses?

I've been evolving to a philosophical place over years and this personal evolution, spiritual evolution, with the horse has been taking place both inside and outside with the people that I've talked to who hold similar views and are much better at expressing it than I. I've learned from people and I've evolved in my own life.

What's your earliest recollection of experiencing the majesty and raw power of a horse?

When I was 12, I jumped on a horse, galloped around and thought about how great that is and how great a horse is, but I was just into the excitement of it. The last 30 years or more in which I've been riding, been a horseman, I always thought the horse was more, but I've only begun to really understand how much more a horse is than just being a figure of work.

It's not the old western episodes you did or Star Trek that really set you on your path to owning and breeding horses, but rather T.J. Hooker. Tell us a little about that, which you cover in detail in your book…

I was driving police cars in a barn up and down the aisles chasing the bad guy doing a T.J. Hooker. I became aware of these extraordinary horses in the stalls who were excited, but not crazed. They were also so beautiful and I learned that they were American Saddlebreds. I fell in love with American Saddlebreds. As a result of that, I became involved in Kentucky and I entered the horse world of Saddlebreds and Standardbreds in Kentucky. I became this figure of the horse.

You share excerpts of published stories about horses or those that involve horses. We particularly liked the Jonathan Swift/Gulliver's Travels story you have in there. Which were you personally happiest to share with people?

Well, they all have an interesting cast to them. There's one with an ancient old-timer, about bringing the horse into the house. The way horses were treated, at one time, horses in Arabia were part of the family. They bring them into the tent. There are such wonderfully unique stories. The Gulliver's Travels thing is wonderfully fun. It's hard to put a finger on this one's better than the other. Each is a different take on horses by these various writers whose opinion, in many cases, mimic mine.

You make a comparison in the book between horses and the Enterprise, arguing that "the starship Enterprise was a metaphor for horses of all times and every location, riding that vehicle, that means of transportation, into the sunset." …

Well, the thesis is that horses for the last 10,000 years have been the means of conveyance and the means of taking man on the voyage of discovery. If you want to take the West, for example, Europeans came to the New Land bringing horses with them, the Spaniards down South, the English bringing their Thoroughbreds up North and gradually made their way across the continent on horseback. That's the voyage of exploration. As a result of the horse, the intrusion... Horses had existed in North America thousands of years before, but they had gone extinct. Now, mankind Europeans brought horses back to the North American continent. They multiplied and had to fit into an environment to which they were foreign. There was intrusion into the civilization. That voyage of discovery on the horse is replicated in the voyage of discovery on the Enterprise by the means of conveyance.

You share an anecdote about Christopher Reeve. Horses are wild beasts, and there can be a price to pay for being in their presence, riding them. How hard was it back when Reeves' accident happened to accept it, and what was it like to visit him in rehab?

I knew him vaguely. I met him a couple of times and had spoken to him. He wasn't really even an acquaintance of mine, really, but I identified with him and his accident. I knew he was in the hospital in New Jersey and I was flying to New York, so I went through the New Jersey airport, Newark, and took a car to his hospital. I, of course, called him in advance to see whether he would see me and he accepted with alacrity. I went to the hospital. It had glass doors, and I could see him waiting for me in the wheelchair and I thought, "What am I going to talk to him about?" I came into the lobby where he was sitting in the wheelchair, and he had a battery-driven motor breathing for him. He'd take a gasping breath every three words and get three words out and have to take another breath. I thought, again, "What in heaven's name am I going to say to him?" His first words were, "Talk to me about horses." We spent the whole time talking about our joy of horses.

Your worlds crossed in Star Trek Generations. What did it mean to you to ride a horse on screen in that film? And you'd pushed for that, right?

I did. The writers knew of my interest, so it was written in the stars, you know? It was great fun and Patrick (Stewart) and I joked about it and laughed a lot about it. It was great.

Let's talk about a few other things. If you ever get to play Kirk again, what would you like to explore?

I've written about the aging of Kirk. My books are all about his life as I saw it. I was given to permission to do that, which was in defiance of everything else that Captain Kirk was. Captain Kirk got married and Captain Kirk lost his wife. He has a lot of autobiographical material in those books.

Let us ask you straight-up. How interested are you actually in playing Kirk again?

Oh, it would be incredible to do a film, which is never going to happen… to do a film of Kirk aging. I just finished a movie called Senior Moment in which I played the leading man, an older guy who has a car that he really loves and no personal relationships. He has an accident and the judge takes both his car and his driver's license away because they say he's too old to drive. He pines for his car, and eventually he meets the girl and finally gets the girl and gets the car back. That's the story: kiss the girl, get the car, and I'm the leading man. One more time. I finished Senior Moment a couple of days ago, enthralled by the idea I was given one more chance to do this, to allow all the skills that I still have and to use them and to hone them on playing this role. So, what I would love, what I wouldn't give to play Captain Kirk in the last of his age, the last of his years, doing something reminiscent of the young Kirk.

Your co-star in Senior Moment is Christopher Lloyd, Commander Kruge to your Kirk in Star Trek III. How much fun was it to work with him again, and to do so in a comedy as opposed to a drama?

Hysterical. He's very funny. It was great. We had a great time together.

Last year, you were part of Star Trek Las Vegas. You hosted the cruise. How did you enjoy all 50th anniversary activities?

It was a lot of work. It was a lot of stuff going on. I took full advantage of the fact that it was the 50-year anniversary. I celebrated with everybody. Now, the 51st year, I'm not doing anything much, just things here and there, like Vegas this summer.

You've got your annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show coming up on June 3. Give us a preview.

We've got Nancy Wilson, the great singer, with a new group (Roadcase Royale), to entertain us. We've got a great dinner, great entertainment in the afternoon, horses and riding. And we've got the joy of being able to help these kids (who benefit from the charities the event supports).

Last question… What else are you working on?

I'll be off in the next few days to do Better Late Than Never, the second season with the four guys that I worked with last year. I've got another book on aging that I've already written. It's just a matter of a re-write and compiling. I've got the second Zero G book (Green Space) coming out. I've got all kinds of documentaries and other things in the works, but those are the major things.

Spirit of the Horse is available this week. Go to amazon.com to purchase it. And additional details about the Hollywood Charity Horse Show can be beamed up at www.horseshow.org.

 

via Star Trek Latest News

Introducing the Klingon Polo Shirt

Today... is a good day to wear a Klingon polo shirt. And the folks at ThinkGeek.com are ready to help. Their new Klingon polo shirt features a smart-looking embroidered Klingon Empire insignia and three buttons along with banded sleeves, comes in black and is made from 100% cotton pique knit.

The Klingon polo comes in sizes Small to 3X, is in stock now and costs $29.99. Go to www.thinkgeek.com to purchase it.

 

via Star Trek Latest News

Catching Up with TNG, DS9 & ENT Guest, John Vickery

John Vickery played three very different characters across the Star Trek spectrum. He portrayed Andrus Hagan, a Betazoid, in the Next Generation episode, "Night Terrors," the Cardassian Gul Rusot in the Deep Space Nine hours, "The Changing Face of Evil," "When It Rains…" and "Tacking into the Wind," and Orak, a Klingon, in the Enterprise installment, "Judgment." The Trek credits are just a few of many on Vickery's resume. He originated the role of Scar in the Broadway production of The Lion King and appeared in numerous other stage shows. And on TV and in film, he's acted in One Life to Live, Rapid Fire, Dr. Giggles, Babylon 5, NCIS and Modern Family, among others.

Vickery is, in his own words, semi-retired these days. However, he still regularly performs with the LA Theatre Works company, having recorded and/or toured such radio-play-style productions as And the Sun Stood Still, Judgment at Nuremberg, The Sisters Rosenweig and The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. Starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, he'll play Nikita Khrushchev in The Tug of War, a drama written by David Rambo and co-starring Matthew Arkin, Hugo Armstrong, Seamus Dever, Matthew Floyd Miller, James Morrison, David Selby, Rich Sommer, Josh Stamberg, Nick Toren and Jules Willcox. StarTrek.com recently spoke to Vickery by telephone, and here's what he had to say:

When you got your first Trek job on TNG, was that an audition?

Yes, the casting director, he cast me in all those Star Treks. I auditioned for the part and… this is funny. I played a Betazoid and you had to wear these black contacts, which made my eyes water. They said, "Do you have any problems with contacts?" I said, "Well, they make my eyes water, but I think in this case it's probably a good thing." And that's because I was unconscious the entire episode and you just heard my thoughts. It was all voiceover with the other Betazoid. I think I got the part because I said, "I think that will actually be a good thing that my eyes are watering," because I was supposed to be in the throes of some kind of mental anguish, and I think they were pleased by that answer. Probably most actors you know when you ask them, "Can you ride a motorcycle?," they say, "Sure," even if they've never ridden a motorcycle before. "Can you ride a horse?" "Of course." I think most actors probably said, "Oh, no, contacts don't bother me." And I was the one actor who said, "Yeah, they bother me a lot."

How well did you get to know the TNG regular cast?

They were extremely nice, and Patrick Stewart, I got to know quite well. I know that when he took the gig he was worried that, because he was from the Royal Shakespeare Company, that it was in some way a downgrade in his respectability. I'm sure he doesn't worry about that now, but back then he wanted to keep his hand in classical acting. So, he had a Shakespeare workshop that he did on weekends in one of the old sound stages on the Paramount lot. We did that for weeks and weeks and weeks and he was a fantastic teacher. We did a lot of Shakespeare.

Your role on DS9 ended up being a recurring role. Was that always the plan?

They said two episodes, and it turned out to be three episodes. The funny thing about that gig was… I did aliens on Babylon 5 as well, and when you play aliens you usually make twice as much money as you're billed for because it takes three hours to get into the makeup and two hours to get it off. So, you're already into overtime, and I think we had some 18-, 19- and 20-hour days on DS9 because it took so long to do the makeup and take it off. I remember that was a very arduous job, but I got paid twice as much as I was offered, so that was good.

How did you enjoy working with Casey Biggs? Did you get to know him? Had you known him before?

I didn't know him before, but he was a pleasure. We had a great relationship. I had known Rene…. Rene Auberjonois. I knew him when I was much younger, from his theater company in San Francisco. I had seen him a lot on stage and we had worked together before. If you're in the business long enough, you usually almost always know or have at least met some of the people you work with when you do something new.

Damar, in your final episode, killed Rusot and then very coldly but still regretfully said, "He was my friend, but his Cardassia is dead and it won't be coming back."

Exactly. To him, I was a friend, but it was all business, which is the way those characters are. I was the one who wanted to keep the conflict going.

Your next Trek appearance was on Enterprise. How surprised were you to get yet another call to come back to Star Trek?

I think they are very loyal to people. Also, the people who were in makeup were often back on the shows. If you prove you can do it, that you can handle the makeup process and perform well in the makeup, they often asked you back. That makes sense, and it's not like viewers can recognize you. The same thing happened on Babylon 5. Here's an interesting story for you. I had just finished a long run playing Scar in The Lion King at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles when I was cast in "Judgment." They cast me and they also cast my two understudies from The Lion King. So, all three guys that had played Scar in Los Angeles were in that episode. Victor Talmage played another alien, and Granville Van Dusen played the judge, the magistrate, in the courtroom. I'm sure you've heard people say this, but it's true: I think they liked to hire trained theater actors in those parts because you have to deal with all this prosthetics in your mouth and still be able to articulate.

How different was the tone of each set, TNG vs DS9 vs Enterprise?

DS9, just thematically, even watching the show, was a sort of darker experience. TNG was more like, "Hey, we're out to space again and exploring all this new stuff." There was a bit of a difference. Enterprise, there was a little bit of a feeling of, "We don't know how long this is going to last." I would say of all of them, the Next Generation cast was the most, what is the word I'm searching for? Relaxed.

If we said you could play one of your three characters again, which one would it be and why?

I like the Klingons. I played an aging Klingon who was a lawyer. If I could do something a little bit more active as a Klingon, that would be fun. But I enjoyed what I did.

You're about to participate in the LATW production of The Tug of War. Give us a preview…

It's the Cuban Missile Crisis, basically, and I'm old enough to remember that. I was probably about 12 or 13, and I do remember the tension everyone experienced for a couple of weeks. We were on the verge of nuclear war and it was like, "Oh my God, the world could be coming to an end at any moment." I haven't completely read the new script that I just got, but it's lot of the characters we're familiar with from the Vietnam War… Dean Rusk and Robert McNamara and, of course, President Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. I get to play Khrushchev.

What excites you about playing Khrushchev?

It's funny, I don't look anything like him, but it's a radio show. But we'll be doing it in front of a live audience. So, I googled him to find out what he actually sounded like, and here's why: whenever he spoke publicly, you were listening to the translator. He actually had this mid-range voice that's a little bit higher than mine. So, in terms of radio, I'm going to try to use that tone voice. But, because we do it front of a live audience and because the radio audience doesn't care that I don't look anything like him, I'm going to wear the kind of goofy hat he always wore, the kind that looked like he bought it from Sears. I was thinking about shaving my head, but it's a big commitment for something that's only a week long. So, it'll just be the goofy hat when I play Khrushchev.

What else will you be working on once The Tug of War ends its run?

I'm semi-retired. I said to my agent. "You know what? I'm not going to drive all the way down to Manhattan Beach to say, 'Lieutenant, your man is outside' anymore." So, I'm getting very picky and choosy about what I do. I have a great affinity with the LA Theatre Works space, mostly because they always hire good people and I like working with good people. That's not always a guarantee, even when you're doing a Broadway show. Usually, the commitment is short and I love doing the tours because when I was a younger actor, the idea of a tour just didn't interest me at all. I wanted to stay in New York or L.A., but now I enjoy it because I enjoy the travel and I enjoy going to places I would never think about going before. I was in this tiny little college in Iowa on a recent tour, and it was just the most gracious people. This was in the middle of the heartland and the people were so nice and bent over backwards to treat us so well.

But anyway, to answer your question, I'm getting very picky and choosy. I've reached a point where my pension is pretty good because I've worked all my life. So, I said to my agent, "I don't have to work for money anymore. I'm comfortable enough with what I have and I don't need to buy a yacht. So, I'm only going to do what I want to do." All actors do crappy work at some point in their careers for the money and I said, "I'm not gonna do that anymore because I don't need to work for money anymore." What I love is acting. I don't care about the money. I don't care about the fame. I like the acting and I want to make sure the acting is good. So, when I do work, I like to work with good people on good material.

Here's the schedule for the L.A. Theatre Works production of The Tug of War:

WHEN:

• Thursday, May 25 at 8 p.m.
• Friday, May 26 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 27 at 3 p.m.
• Saturday, May 27 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, May 28 at 4 p.m.

WHERE:

James Bridges Theater
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
235 Charles E. Young Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(enter UCLA from Hilgard just south of Sunset Blvd.; park in Lot 3 on the lower level)

HOW:

310-827-0889 or www.latw.org, http://ift.tt/2qkOC2R, and @latheatreworks

ALSO:

The just-released podcast of Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers, which also features Vickery, can be downloaded for free. Click HERE and use promo code "tops" to receive a free mp3 download directly from the LA Theatre Works website.

 

via Star Trek Latest News