Neezee, me, and Anthony can’t resist!
You can take the boy out of the makeup dept, etc, etc…
The caption on the polaroid refers to an old Mel Brook’s-Carl Reiner 2000 Year Old Man routine. While on the writing staff of “Your Show of Shows”, Mel would entertain everyone by doing things like you see me doing here. Reiner would snap into his “man on the street” personnae and ask in mock horror… Sir! What happened to you? Who did this? To which Brook’s would respond… it was the Narzis! (Winston Churchill pronounced Nazis, Narzis). You mean the Nazis beat you like this? Asked Reiner. No! Answered Mel, they taped my face like this!
Anything for a laugh. Here I am amusing Mike Okuda by proving that I can open a book of matches, extract a match, and light it… with my feet! Take that, Cheetah!
After two years in exile at Foundation Imaging, working in Voyager VFX, my return to the art department. Yes, I got down on my hands and knees and kissed my old desk.
(Below) John Eaves wacky sense of humor ran non-stop. I found this on my chair one morning. Wallace and Ladmo would be proud! John, bet you never thought I would save a slice of bread for 12 years!
(Below) If this doesn’t prove I am a fan I don’t know what will. Me wearing one of Jim Cawley’s incredible first season tunics. The short velour shirt was the look I favored overall. Note that I am using the tricorder “Nimoy style”, by keeping the fun side to the audience.
Awesome. I’ll bet you guys had some of the most fun anywhere on the shows.
Man, I must be terribly dull because all I can do when watching those pictures is look for snippets in the background like the oscillation overthruster on the desk and the Bonaventure in the sideview. Well, I can at least say that you returned to the art department in late VOY Season 7, because there’s a sheet of Talaxian computer interfaces from “Homestead” on your desk
Seriously, thanks for the hilarious stories and freat pics! You sure loved the Prometheus bridge, as yout took so many wacky photos on the set!
Did you ever get any work done, Doug? ha ha.
Thanks for posting soem fun pics.
This HOW you get work done, and stay energized!
Always great to see the people who gave us modern Trek have some fun.
And thanks for the bridge pic. Hopefully I´ll someday get to recreate it in 3D.
Speaking of John, don´t forget to congratulate the old fart.
We’re not having nearly that much fun in my office. Also not taking nearly that many pictures either.
Also, I applaud your tricorder wrangling. “Do you know how much we paid for that prop, Nimoy? Show it off!”
USS Prometheus bridge, right?
Well, based on the first image alone, you guys really know how to rock!
And I love the velour tunic and your ‘correct’ tricorder useage. Business in the front…
Oh yeah, see that’s the stuff right there, baby! That’s the staa-uff!
Classic Trek tilt!
Oh yeah, the “man on the street,” classic B&R! Wasn’t the Your Show of Shows Sid Caesar’s baby, as I recall… bit before me time, but I’ve seen clips…
And dude, Bravo chimpy boy! C is always amazed at my own day-to-day footo dexterity use. I tell ‘er it’s the chimpy in me, and you gots-a-goods amount of it too I see, eh! No surprise there!
I’m curious; exiled to FI? Now, what’s that all about, eh? Do share.
And Wallace and Ladmo? Had to Google that one, eh. We had The Ray Rayner Show to fill that wacky morning kids programming nitch. Too funee with John and the bread-heel, and too cool you saved it Doug. I does’a the same thing eh. C opens these boxes in the garage and is like, Oh just throw this junk out, and I’m like, NO WAY EH, this junk is priceless for fun memories sake! Then I have to show her the wacky, and then she gets it.
Love the wacky dude! Big smile on me face with this post Mr. Chimpy!
LLP,
deg
Deg – Nothing meant by the use of the word “exiled”. For the two years I was gone from the art department, I just felt homesick for it!
Oh and nice outfit, and Spocko tri-chops. Be sure and save ‘em for jury-duty, eh.
PLL,
deg
Can you still do that match trick? Where was YouTube back then so we could see this for ourselves!
Can I still do the match trick? I had an accident the last time I did that. I was so into it, I forgot I had hands. The match burned down to my toes, and I couldn’t wave it out. I haven’t gotten back on the horse. Perhaps someday!
Spock holding the tricorder that way always puzzled me. Was he reading the display upside-down, or was it like an iPhone and the display automatically reoriented itself depending on the device’s orientation? Come to think of it, I guess either is plausible.
(And it should be pointed out, in case there’s any confusion, that Churchill’s pronuncation would be “Narzis” with a British accent, so it would sound like “Nozzies.”)
I know Maurice LeMarche kicked off the First Annual “Talk Like William Shatner Day” last month; maybe we can all organize a First Annual “Most Inappropriate Place to Wear a Star Trek Uniform Day”. Jury duty is fine, yes – pioneering even – but what about weddings (not your own)? funerals (also not your own)? synagogue? high school and college graduations? bat mitzvahs? There could be a prize and everything!
Doug: Deg – Nothing meant by the use of the word “exiled”. For the two years I was gone from the art department, I just felt homesick for it!
Oh yeah dude, I didn’t take it as anything negative, I was just interested in the story/reasoning behind that move over there and back, eh.
PLL,
deg
Thanks for sharing these pix. I love the shots of you guys getting tossed around on the Nebula class Prometheus bridge. I also like Doug in stylish classic Trek wear. All the other photos are cool too.
I always assumed Spock was just showing off that big beautiful Vulcan brain, being able to read and analyze complicated tricorder readings upside down.
“Yes, Captain, I’m just that smart …”
Oooooo, I’d go for the “Talk Like William Shatner Day” Jay! Heck, I don’t need a “day” for it even. Daren does a great impression eh. His Kirk Korner clips on his site are friggin’ hilarious!
And while we didn’t dress-up, our wedding had a Star Trek/Star Wars theme goin’ on music-wise (I programmed it all, all genre soundtrack recordings). And Master Yoda was there.
LLP,
deg
BTW Doug, your Narzis pic reminds me of the TZ eps. Eye of the Beholder. Tuttle would be proud of ya, eh.
PLL,
deg
A guy I went to grade school with (and had looooong since lost touch with) had a Star Wars themed wedding last year that made the local paper, complete with pictures (naturally). Jedi robes, princess Leia-ish gowns, the bride’s father was even dressed as a very tall Yoda. Knowing how most women have had their dream weddings planned out in their heads decades before they meet the man they end up marrying, I thought to myself, “Wow, she must really love this guy to have a wedding album full of pictures like this …”
So true, but my wife’s a sci-fi/comic-book Trek geek herself, and not a classic girly-girl “Oh my wedding day! Oh I live for my wedding day!” Bridezilla type of girl, at all. She’s more her own person. And heck, Trek V is the actual thing that sealed the deal between us.
And I had a cousin that had one of those full-on SW weddings. Only saw the pics though as I couldn’t make the wedding.
Oh, and the minister that married us (an old friend of my wife’s family), coincidentally he looked exactly like mustached Scotty in TMP.
LLP,
deg
The one thing that comes through clearly in your “behind the scenes” snippets, Doug, Is that you guys enjoyed the work and each other. That’s a rare thing, in my experience. Great shots as always.
Hmmmmmm, hot-foot anyone…?
LLP,
deg
Hm. Is that really the Prometheus bridge? I recall it being lighter and more curvy.
I typically dont laugh at anyones pain, but in this case the fact that you burned your toe doing th ematch trick made me lol for some reason…
SOrry….
*giggle*
Lot’s of therapy and rehabilitation ensued! It actually was extremely funny, even though it hurt. (In my best Peter Lorre) Pain is pleasure… pleasure pain!
Doug, you are one weird dude.
Why, thank you Doctor!
As someone smarter than me said, tragedy + time = comedy.
Either way, the story is toe-riffic.
Jay! Truer words were never spoken! I think you “nailed” it!
Do I see a Franklin Mint exclusive Deep Space Nine Commemorative plate in the background? Lucky!!
Yeah, I never knew a hot-foot could or would be ever self-inflicted, eh. There’s gotta be a Guinness Record in there somewhere eh. Second thought, maybe a Darwin Award instead.
Just give’ ya some jib Doug.
I’m sure the therapy got ya over the hump afterwards.
LLP,
deg
If you got out of Hollywood with only burnt toes; Dude! You’re way ahead of the game! There are many who’s scars were less delicately placed…though there may be photos…
BTW: I notice whose grabbing for command during the shakeup….Hmmmm!
You guys are cracking me up! (smile!)
I wish my work place was that much fun!!
@Pat Suwalski – I think this is the Prometheus bridge from DS9 season 2 “Second Sight” – It was a Nebula Class Starship used by the terraformer Professor Gideon Seyetik – the guy who tried to re-ignite stars.
Tanru\Pat Suwalski – Believe you are correct about this being Prometheus.
Wallace and Ladmo?! What part of Arizona are you from? I used to love that show before my parents dragged me back east. I heard several years ago that Ladmo died of cancer, but he brought joy to so many little kids that he must have had his own private entrance to the pearly gates.
Psion! John Eaves was from Phoenix, and he turned this New York City boy into a Wallace and Ladmo fan. John once called me over to his desk… Doug! C’mere and say hi to Wallace, ‘ya big scratcher! Sure enough he had the man on the phone!
Aha! Okay, for a while there, I was hoping we had perhaps crossed paths when our ages were counted in single digits. Now I’m wondering the same about John Eaves! [grins]
Back in 1973 or 74, Wallace and Ladmo ran a contest for a really cool motorized go-cart destined to be owned by the lucky kid whose postcard would be drawn in two weeks (or so). As an adventurous nine year-old, I was infatuated with the freedom to be won by the possession of such a mechanism sheathed in gleaming fiberglass! What kid wouldn’t want a car of their own? Any time Mom or Dad went to the local K-Mart, I’d beg to go with them just so I could stare in wonder at the versions on display. But they were too pricey for my folks who were struggling to make ends meet, and I think my enthusiastic begging for such a toy depressed them even though they laughed it off. They tried to explain the finances to me, and I pretended to understood, but that did nothing to dim my enthusiasm.
So when Wallace and Ladmo ran their contest, it was like fate finally intervened, and I knew my moment was at hand — I rushed to explain to my mom about the contest and how badly I wanted to enter. All I needed was a postcard. My mom, being a loving woman obviously interested in her little boy’s happiness, pulled out a box of postcards she’d been saving. We went through every one and I carefully considered my options. I wanted the most distinct card we could find in the theory that it might stand out and Ladmo would notice its uniqueness and pull it from the bin of so many other, mundane cards. I picked the one with bright, colorful oranges stuck on branches with impossibly dense leaves. It may have been from Florida, although Arizona also has a good citrus industry. We filled it out and sent it in and I waited for the contest.
Mom and I were watching together … I was squatted down in front of our black and white TV as Ladmo dipped his hand in and pulled up … MY POSTCARD! Sure, it was in black and white on the television, but the oranges were clearly oranges still stuck to their over-foliaged branches. That’s when time slowed down. Ladmo didn’t just bring out my card, he lifted TWO, and with a sadistic twist, fate showed me just how cruel the universe can be to an innocent child and his materialistic dreams. Ladmo lifted his middle finger and twisted with his thumb and my post card fluttered back into the bin to rejoin its ill-fated brethren.
I never did get a go-cart as a kid. I think my mom was as disappointed as I was … she’d seen the universe’s wicked humor play out exactly as I did, but that didn’t do anything to change our meager income. These days, I realize I probably would have hurt myself if I had won the thing; I’m rather clumsy with new toys, and the hurt wore off a long time ago.
That’s my “big” Wallace and Ladmo story. That and getting to see them perform live later that spring in Flagstaff.
By the way, I want to thank you for being such a fantastic host and bringing so much of the fascinating backstory of Trek to the rest of us. Giving us a place where we can rub elbows (regularly!) with some of the greatest names in the history of the franchise is a … gift.
Psion – That is an awe inspiring story! Thank you for sharing it! Ha! W&L! Too cool!
ANd thanks for the kind words!
HAAAAA! Doug!!! I haven’t been over in a while and was just catching up on the days I missed and I am glad you saved my bread!!! And it brought out a Wallace and Ladmo fan too. Thanks Psion and sorry you lost,,, I tried every which way to win the coveted Ladmo bag a failed miserably,,,, I even tried as an adult and failed!!! I was glad to see Alice Cooper get the last one on the last show!!! It was funny seeing a grown man sitting in a sea of kids on those bleachers. HAAA! good times!!! Thanks Doug for more cool stuff!!! I found more stuff for you also,,, Found the transforming space station you did with that flex able tunnel section!!!
Love your photo in uniform.
That is a great story Psion! A tad kid-sad sure sure, but a fun read. I too pined for one of those electric cars. My folks were not of means at the time either to afford one, but that was OK. Who knows, maybe I would have ran it in the street as I was (and still am) kind of a dare-devil eh. So who knows, maybe the universe was watchin’ out for you too, eh.
Reminds me of the ol’ Chinese proverb tale of the man with the sick horse… and how everyone said, Oh, it’s so bad your horse is sick. And he would say, Maybe. Maybe not. And then how this leads to his son not being able to ride off to war, and thus not getting killed.
There’s more to it leading up to that point with others always lamenting his bad luck and him always saying: Maybe. Maybe not. But that’s the gist of it.
So, maybe. Maybe not, eh.
PLL,
deg
You don’t happen to have any pics of the Odyssey bridge from the episode “Jem hadar” do you? That set looked sweet.