STAR TREK AUTOGRAPHS

The 1950s and 60s were decades when Americans were fascinated with all things involving space travel. With the advent of sending men into orbit this increased the interest. In 1966 Gene Roddenberry created the television Sci-Fi adventure Star Trek. It was not an overnight success by any means. Syndication actually put it on the map since it attracted younger non-prime time viewers. Early Star Trek "conventions" were underway almost from the beginning with dedicated fans (mostly younger) showing their support. After the series was cancelled a cartoon series Star Trek: The Animated Series was created with all the major cast except for Walter Koenig providing voices. The lack of Koenig was apparently apparently a cost saving measure. Star Trek became my favorite Sci-Fi show surpassing my previous favorite of Lost in Space. The series expanded to several movies with many of the original stars in the same roles.

Many Star Trek collectors concentrate on the seven or eight major actors/actresses that had recurring roles on the show. For my own collection I tend to expand that (as I tend to do with all my collections) to include some somewhat minor characters and also favorite guest stars. The ones included below are my idea of a good collection.

Unlike most on AML I tend to dislike multi-signed pieces this is due in part to the fact that I do not frame ans display. I prefer the notebook method. That is simply a matter of personal preference many friends have great framed "walls" of autographs. My list for "major" autographs are the first seven the remainder I like to have since they had identifiable roles on the show. The number after the name is the number of episodes according to imdb.

William Shatner (79) Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy (80) Lcdr. Spock
DeForrest Kelley (76) Lcdr. Dr. McCoy
James Doohan (66) Lcdr. Scott (One is credit only)
Nichelle Nichols (70) Lt. Uhura
George Takei (52) Lt. Sulu
Walter Koenig (36) Lt. Chekov
Majal Barrett (36) Nurse Chapel/computer voice
Grace Lee Whitney (8) Yoeman Janice Rand
John Winston (11) Lt. Kyle
Eddie Paskey (60) Lt. Leslie/others
David L. Ross (9) Lt. Galloway/others
Sean Morgan (7) Lt. O'Neill/others
Paul Baxley (10) Security/others

As for guests I merely add ones that were personal favorites of mine. Spock's parents played by Mark Lenard and Jane Wyatt are examples. John Fiedler, Elisha Cook, Jr.,William Schallert, Lee Bergere, William Campbell, Bruce Hyde, Stanley Adams, Roger Carmel, Ian Wolfe, Ken Lynch, Byron Morrow, James Gregory and many others are on my list.

As a collector I am more interested in the signature than the photograph it is on. While I like to have them on Star Trek items is not a necessity for me.

Tags: DeForrest, Doohan, George, James, Kelley, Koenig, Leonard, Nichelle, Nichols, Nimoy, More…

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on March 15, 2024 at 12:49pm

Thank you Eric. Yes, and the great western villain Morgan Woodward is in it, and he apparently found the role physically and emotionally draining. It gets a 7.4 rating on imdb. James Gregory was great in anything he did. Of course, his Barney Miller proved him to be a comic genius in my book.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 15, 2024 at 1:01pm

"he apparently found the role physically and emotionally draining."

It shows! He was superb.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on March 15, 2024 at 1:33pm

What I found amazing was Woodward was only 41 when he did that episode! He was also in a very funny episode of The Lucy Show with John Wayne.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 15, 2024 at 1:43pm

41?!? Method acting? ;)

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on March 15, 2024 at 1:45pm

lol yes born in 1925. Maybe working with Shatner lol.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 15, 2024 at 1:49pm

Good point! And, he had expository lines Big Bill could not swipe!

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on April 30, 2024 at 4:42am

LOU ANTONIO (1934- ) was in the classic Star Trek episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" in 1969, along with the great Frank Gorshin. Antonio described the difficulties in filming that particular episode in his autobiography. Antonio was a familiar face on television and movies working more as a director than an actor. On television, he was in Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, Bewitched, The Monkees, I Dream of Jeannie, The Fugitive, Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible, Night Gallery, and many more. He co-starred with Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick in the wonderful detective series The Snoop Sisters. It was canceled, after only four episodes. In movies he appeared in The Wackiest Ship in the Army, his last film was Frankie and Johnnie Are Married. (2003). His best movie was with Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke. Recognizing this fact his autobiography is titled "Cool Hand Lou." It was surprising to me that he began his directing career in 1967. He directed television shows such as Gentle Ben, The Flying Nun, The Partridge Family, McCloud, The Rockford Files, McMillan and Wife, Diagnosis Murder, Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, West Wing, and Boston Legal among many others. Many of the shows he directed multiple times. Most of his movie work was in made-for-television movies such as Thirteen at Dinner with Peter Ustinov (he appears in the film uncredited), The Girl in the Empty Grave (1977) starring Andy Griffith, The Mayflower Madam (1987) with Candice Bergen and several others. Below is a signed photograph I just received from his website and daughter.