GUEST POST: Writer Jeff Rovin Recalls Angst on the Set of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'

OCTOBER 16, 2023 - When I was invited to write this Guest Post, I floated several ideas. My experience writing books with William Shatner was one (the ZERO-G novels). The impact the James Blish books and Gold Key comics had on Star Trek: The Original Series devotees was another.  

But no – the topic had to be my late August, 1978 visit to the Star Trek: The Motion Picture set in Hollywood.  

I was the film columnist for OMNI magazine, but that was not my golden ticket to the Paramount lot. I was invited by my friend Robert Wise, who was directing. I had met Bob on the set of his film THE HINDENBURG and we hit it off. The director of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL even wrote an introduction for my book on UFO movies. His only request on ST: TMP was that I refrain from reporting on it until after the movie opened. I agreed, publishing my OMNI piece in the April 1980 edition.

That article was all starlight and moonglow. The reality was very different.

Mind you, there was no gloom for me on the first of my many days on the set. Walking onto the bridge of the Enterprise was electric. The set was richer, more detailed, more futuristic than it had been on TV.  And the experience became surreal when Leonard Nimoy arrived in full costume and makeup. He was in character from the moment he strode onto the soundstage (and probably before that). I noticed there was already a stack of photos signed by Nimoy. If you wanted one they were five bucks each, the money going to a charity of the actor’s choosing.

Walter Koenig was there as well, chatty and eager to film. He told me about his cherished Big Little Book collection and said that he was keeping a diary, which became CHEKOV’S ENTERPRISE. When it was published in March 1980 he sent me a copy inscribed, in part, “It ain’t Anton Chekov, but then Anton never had no good pics in his paperbacks….”

Also in costume, dear Persis Khambatta came over and showed me one of the beaded jewelry she had designed to wear on her shaved-bald Deltan head. She was as ethereal in person as Ilia was on-screen.

Find the entire OMNI MAGAZINE article at archive.org.

I had expected more fun memories with Bob Wise as he was one of the cheeriest and kindest men in Hollywood. I mean, he made THE SOUND OF MUSIC, a film that reflected his chronic optimism. 

Sadly, that Bob was not present on the Paramount lot.

The big, looming cloud was that he had not seen a frame of the special effects Robert Abel and Associates were supposed to furnish. When he finally saw the effects they were not as groundbreaking as promised. That poisoned everything and landmines were everywhere. I was there when Walter humbly suggested to Bob that Chekov be given a closeup similar to what the other actors had received. Bob scowled and waved him off with a sharp admonition to keep his “actorish” suggestions to himself.

Walter froze as though he’d been phasered-on-stun; I was no less surprised by the director’s uncharacteristic tone. 

The next outburst occurred when Captain Decker and Admiral Kirk had a scene together. Actor Stephen Collins thought it was his chance to shine. Nope. When the cameras rolled, William Shatner made sure it was about the veteran character, not the newbie. I thought it played great, very impactful. After Bob called cut, Collins stormed over to complain. The director listened, then snapped, “What the hell am I supposed to do about it?”

As Bob explained to me in a corner of the soundstage, the original cast knew their characters better than he did. Bob’s job, as he saw it (Gene Roddenberry too, who was often on the set), was mostly to moderate performances that would seem broad on the big screen. 

At lunch break, I overheard Shatner and Nimoy talking about how to defuse future blowups. This was still early in the shoot and they agreed it would be better, in the future, to alert Bob about potential speed bumps involving Collins or Persis. 

It was not easy for the director to be, in effect, a stage manager. Happily, even sullen and under stress, Bob was still a world-class human being. Walter got his closeup. 

I met Bob in New York after the film opened. He was disappointed that he had been unable to finish all the special effects, forcing several scenes to be cut, and that the film did not have the ‘legs’ of STAR WARS. But he was already looking ahead at other projects.

“Not as far ahead as the 23rd century, though,” he added with a wistful smile.