There’s The Signpost Up Ahead…

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Anybody still want to fight with me about how many decks the Defiant has?

Enterprise NC-16A

Enterprise NC-16A – Washington, D.C., circa 1938. “Goodyear Blimp at Washington Air Post.”

Solid Potato Salad – The Ross Sisters – 1944

Via Luna, the most mind boggling display of dancing\acrobatics that I have ever seen. Had to pick up my jaw a couple of times. No one today has anything on these babes.

Hollywood at War

During WWII, Southern California was a hotbed of aviation industry. To help camouflage these strategic factories, Hollywood did what they do best.  Above is the Lockheed plant before getting the star treatment, and below, after. Click to the next page for more amazing work by our tinsel town forefathers…

The Fountainhead

Novelist Ayn Rand, overlooking RKO studios , and what would later become part of Paramount Pictures. Image circa 1938.

One of my favorite movies is “The Fountainhead” with Gary Cooper, from Rand’s book of the same name. Cooper plays Howard Rourke, an architect who will not compromise his work. It was directed by the great King Vidor, with a script by Rand. Anyone who loves design will find this movie fascinating. On the next page are two knockout scene samples. Incidentally, this film features matte paintings by famed space artist Chesley Bonnestell, and a score by the incomparable Max Steiner.

Wally Wood’s “My World”

Many of you may not be aware, but MAD Magazine used to be part of a line of comic books in the 1950′s, known as EC. They were among the best comics ever illustrated, and IMO they’ve never been equaled.

When comic books came under fire in the 1950′s during the communist witch hunts, EC’s publisher William M Gaines refused to allow his company’s work to be censored. He discontinued his popular line of comic books… except for one… MAD. Gaines then turned Mad into a magazine so that it would not fall under the jurisdiction of the comics code censorship board. EC fights for freedom of speech! In the 30 odd years Bill published MAD magazine, there was never a single outside advertisement in it. MAD magazine would not be influenced by advertisers in any way shape or form, and it went on to become one of the most hilariously revolutionary publications ever, and with some of the best humorists, and artists in the world. 

Of the EC line, the science fiction comics were my favorites… incredible art, and incredible stories. Ray Bradbury was such a fan of EC, that he allowed the boys to illustrate his stories for something like 50 bucks a pop. He was just delighted to see his work so beautifully realized. What I’ve been dying to show you folks for weeks is one of my all time favorite EC comics drawn by the supernaturally talented Wally Wood. Wally’s name became synonymous with 50’s sci-fi illustration. He was best known for his tenure as a staffer at EC. Some of you already know Wally for his classic Mad stories such as Superduperman, Little Orphan Melvin, and Batboy and Rubin.

Bill Gaines, and Al Feldstein wrote all of the EC science fiction comics. Bill was the “springboard” guy who would fire off ideas until Al got excited, then go off and write it in a matter of hours. Stories were written with specific artists in mind, and Wood was a natural for their science fiction line. “Woody”, as he was known by the EC staffers, would always knock it right out of the park. My all time Wood work is the all time iconic “My World”, written by Al and BIll for Wally.

“My World” has inspired me many, many, many times over the years, and I am delighted… nay, thrilled… to bring it to you. Welcome to ”My World”.

 

Center Seat

 

I’m sure you’ve heard us talking about “Center Seat”, or seen some of the “Eye Candy” posts attributed to it here on the blog. “Center Seat” is a New Voyages short that we did for the sheer fun of it. I think it’s really cute, engaging, exciting, has great characters, and is authentic old school Star Trek. The one thing I really wanted, and never got!  A sleekened retro Star Trek for mainstream would be fun and artistically gorgeous.  My hopes are still high that we will get that chance.

Later I’ll tell the story of how I thought I was going to be fired by Paramount for my involvement with NV. Turns out the studio does have a heart, and I left a meeting with Paramount lawyers and “Enterprise” producers with a handshake instead of a pink slip…

Nothing Has Changed

Look! That’s me on the right in my bedroom at age 14! TOS is still on the air fresh baked! Look at my room! That’s everything available in 1968! That crazy guy is my buddy Mitch Green. He’s holding a Pan Am Clipper from 2001, and he is still crazy! Looking at this picture it’s pretty clear nothing has changed! Go here -

http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/dougs-desk/

The Incredible Fred Freeman

I don’t even need to ask Rick Sternbach, Andy probert or Mike Okuda if they were influenced by preeminent space artist Fred Freeman. There is no doubt.

A native of West Newton, Mass., Mr. Freeman was a successful commercial artist in New York City from the late 1920′s through the 50′s, doing many illustrations and magazine covers for publications including The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s. These articles were highly influential in convincing the American public that a trip to the moon was a viable. These images came from a 1959 article in This Week Magazine  from the Los Angeles Times.

Tholian Web revisited

A blast from the past for me, this macabre fanzine illustration from 1977 entitled “Tholian Web revisited”. Thirty years old, and I’m still pleased with it. Somebody stop me!

When You Wish Upon A Star (Trek)

In 1979 Geoff Mandel and Doug Drexler bullshitted their way onto the Paramount backlot. I am both ashamed, and proud of myself. Aside from that, we were very well behaved. (Above) 26 year old Doug Drexler on the TMP planet Vulcan set in the Paramount tank. I’m standing next to the practical foot of the collosal Vulcan Master statue . In the picture it would be incorporated into a matte painting. I don’t know about you, but when I saw that sequence in the film, I couldn’t make head nor tail of what I was looking at. It was something that would get fixed in the directors cut many years later.

It was 1979, and Star Trek was back in production. The alpha fans of the 1970′s had a lot to do with making that happen. They kept a dead television show in the public eye in such a big way that the studio sat up and took notice… and without the Internet. We were practically a force of nature. No one could explain it. Geoff Mandel and I had become friends through our involvement with the Federation Trading Post, and went on to do numerous fanzines, blueprints and books together, including the first ever Trek magazine, The Star Trek Poster Book.  As Kirk once said, “Fortune favors the bold.”  And if they were making Star Trek again, there was no way they we weren’t getting a peek at it. How it all came about is a long story for a future entry.

A panorama I cobbled together of the surrounding area. To the left of the tank is Virginia City from “Bonanza”. Behind  that a faux mountain range which covered the west side mill. On the far right is “Blue Sky” which still stands today. To the left of that is the water tower, and dividing line between Paramount and Desilu in the 60′s. TOS was filmed on stages right behind it. The so-called “tank” which the Vulcan set stands in, could be filled with water, and was later used in “Trek IV” for the BOP crash into San Francisco Bay. That’s Geoff taking his turn at boot.

Here is the ironic part - many years later when Daren Dochterman (childhood friend of the Federation Trading Post) was overseeing the refitted director’s cut of ST:TMP, he asked me to design statues for the revamped Vulcan sequence. Oh, you beautiful Universe!

TOS – One From The Vaults

One of the coolest things for me right now is coming across what Denise Okuda likes to call ”New-Old Star Trek”. You know… that shot of Nimoy in full Spock gear, leaning against an antediluvian Buick. http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/vintage-nimoy/ A previously unseen image can generate a magical moment, where one can tangibly feel a warm breeze blow from 1967.  In 1967, I was 14 years old, and could scan an entire magazine for the words “Star Trek”  the same way George Reeves used to be able to tally a stack of Franklins by fanning his ear with ‘em.

Breathe deep an article I clipped from a 1967 TV Star Parade, forty two years ago. The photographs are amazing, and I’m willing to bet that for a brief moment you will feel that errant warm breeze blown from 1967.  Neezee, this one’s for you…

TV Star Parade December 1967

Click to the next page. I’ve isolated some of the images … fascinating!

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Chimps Ahoy!

 It’s got a monkey in it, how bad can it be?

The Errand Boy

 

In 1961 Jerry Lewis made a movie called The Errand Boy. It followed Jerry through the Paramount backlot getting into trouble. Most of it takes place up and down Star Trek Avenue and through the DS9 stages. It gives you a real feel of our neighborhood on Star Trek and worth watching just for that. There is one routine in this film that is a classic, it’s Jerry’s pantomime mocking studio executives. The orchestra is none other than Count Basey performing  “Blues in Hoss’ Flat”. Check it out.

http://countbasiefans.com/2008/count-basie-biography/

http://www.amazon.com/Errand-Boy-Stanley-Adams/dp/B0002NY8UI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1236138466&sr=8-1

The Federation Trading Post

If you have any pictures or stories about The Federation Trading Post at 53rd and Third in Manhattan, shout out! I need you help for a future blog! The Federation Trading Post played a part in the genesis of the Trek fandom phenomenon in the late 70′s, and yours truly was there! Imagine! Just TOS! No movies, no TV… as primitive as could be!

Disney’s Man In Space series

 

 Andy Probert, Mike Okuda, Rick Sternbach, and even a low-life like me… one thing we all have in common is that as kids we watched the most influential series about space travel ever… Walt Disney’s Man in Space (1955). It left an  indelible impression on us, and the rest of the country too. Arguably Disney’s Man in Space series, along with a landmark collection of articles in Collier’s Magazine, convinced the American public that space travel was not only feasible, but destined.

If you are new to Man in Space, you are in for a treat. Werner Von Braun, Willy Ley and Heinz Haber were series consultants (evidenced by the accuracy of the predictions). Plus, everybody’s favorite uncle, Dick Tufeld, narrates.

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Days of Future Past – The Trek\NYWF Connection

Twice a week  and for two summers, impressionable eleven year old Doug Drexler was dropped off by his Dad at the front gate of the world of tomorrow. It did not neccessitate a slingshot around the sun, nor did it call for call for Mr. Atoz and his Atavachron.  The lad’s awe inspiring and futuristic destination was not some far flung decade,  but then and there in 1964. It rose from the most unlikely of places… a landfill in Flushing Meadow. It was the  New York World’s Fair, and it was the proverbial world of tomorrow. It would impress him to the core.

As Spock observed, time could be perceived as a river, with eddies and backwashes. Someone else was washed up onto that shore, and our paths undoubtedly crossed at the jetting waters of the iconic Unisphere,  or trekked side by side along the undulating Kodak Moon Deck, or stood in line at Ford’s Magic Skyway. My fellow time traveller was Walter “Matt” Jefferies…  aviator, illustrator, art director, and he would become one of the most important artistic influences in my life.

The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair was the largest international exhibition ever buit in the United States, and it was all about THE FUTURE. Never before, and never again would there be such an amazing conglomeration of optimistic, sci-fi, wet dream, futurism in one place. Matt Jefferies absorbed it all with intense fascination. And so the New York World’s Fair was the birthplace of the Star Trek design ethic. I would never be the same because of it… and although you probably were never there, and most likely never heard of it, neither would you…

Mike and Doug’s Excellent Slingshot Through Time

The incredible eye of Mike Okuda captures a moment of backlot deja vu

 

The two boys stood agape, high above the soundstage floor. But for a few minor details, Mike and Doug had seemingly traveled backward in time 43 years. From that iconic angle. for all they knew, they were watching the shooting crew ready for the first ever appearance of Jeffrey Hunter as a starship captain.