Lucy & "Star Trek" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

treky · 06-17-2003, 01:36 AM

This is for all you other "Trekys" out there:
Did you know that Lucille Ball was actully (SP)? responsible for "Star Trek" getting on TV? When they made the first pilot (there were 2 pilots-but that's another story!) no one that saw it liked it, exept her. (the series was shot at Desilu, which later was bought out by Paramount Pictures, & became Paramount Entertainment) She liked science fiction, and she also liked the pilot. So, she wanted them to go with it. And, since she was the head of the studio, no one was willing to argue with her.

LucyFan · 06-17-2003, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by treky
This is for all you other "Trekys" out there:
Did you know that Lucille Ball was actully (SP)? responsible for "Star Trek" getting on TV? When they made the first pilot (there were 2 pilots-but that's another story!) no one that saw it liked it, exept her. (the series was shot at Desilu, which later was bought out by Paramount Pictures, & became Paramount Entertainment) She liked science fiction, and she also liked the pilot. So, she wanted them to go with it. And, since she was the head of the studio, no one was willing to argue with her.

Yeah, I knew that. I find it amazing that Lucille Ball helped (in some way) to get other shows "started" besides Star Trek like for instance Mannix and The Brady Bunch.

Mickey · 06-17-2003, 04:54 AM

Yes, Lucy is to blame for the whole damn Star Trek franchise. For destroying originality and holding back any kind of growth and development in American sci-fi until Babylon 5 arrived on the scene. Bloody Star Trek!

For making a star out of William Shatner, and therefore also for punishing the world with some truly dreadful novelty records...

Mind you, people always use that example to show how good she was at spotting a hit, but Star Trek wasn't a hit. Hence it being axed and thrown on the scrap heap. Only chance got it resurrected and remembered, so it's not the best example to use of her ability to spot a good investment! Other decisions that she made were much more sound.

dawsongirl · 06-17-2003, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mickey
Yes, Lucy is to blame for the whole damn Star Trek franchise. For destroying originality and holding back any kind of growth and development in American sci-fi until Babylon 5 arrived on the scene. Bloody Star Trek! For making a star out of William Shatner, and therefore also for punishing the world with some truly dreadful novelty records...

Mind you, people always use that example to show how good she was at spotting a hit, but Star Trek wasn't a hit. Hence it being axed and thrown on the scrap heap. Only chance got it resurrected and remembered, so it's not the best example to use of her ability to spot a good investment! Other decisions that she made were much more sound.

True, but it is a cult hit. Many of today's classics are really just cult hits, not top 10 masterpieces.

Mickey · 06-17-2003, 07:59 PM

Oh I know. It's just that lately I really hate the show! I used to be a huge fan of Star Trek TOS, then a few years ago I got to see it again for the first time in ages, and I just couldn't stomach it. Kirk made my skin crawl, McCoy was so self righteous I just wanted to hit him, and Spock was just plain boring. Now if they'd made the show about Sulu, Uhura and Chekov I'd be in the front line applauding Lucy's decision to make the thing!

And now, with so many new parts to the saga being made, it's really held back American sci-fi. Everybody seems to want to acknowledge the show in some way, everybody uses the same ideas - only Babylon 5 broke away, and then Paramount nicked the idea with Star Trek DS9 (though that was good, admittedly). Stargate now is the only non Trek-choked American sci-fi in some time.

Rant over, and I know it's not really Lucy's fault. I just wish she's thrown her name behind something else. Irwin Allen maybe! I'm always game for more Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (especially if the sea in question is filled with wobbly monsters with dodgy rubber heads

)

SPLAIN · 06-18-2003, 02:38 PM

We couldn't tell you HATED the show Mick, you should have been more vehement in your comments, LOL! The people at Desilu knew this show as well as Mission Impossible had the potential to be big hits, but the studio had fallen on hard times and they didn't have the money to do justice to the pilots they would be making for both shows, so they went to Lucy and asked her to use her own money to make proper pilots, then they would SELL to the networks. So she took her own under the table slush fund of 600 thousand dollars that was given to her to keep her happy and at CBS, the same type of arrangement that Gleason and Skelton and others had. She did not see the potential of the series, she actually thought that Star Trek was about movie stars on a trek somewhere, but she trusted her advisors and wanted to protect her investment in Desilu and keep the jobs of the thousands of people who worked there, so she spent her own money to save the studio and eventually provided Paramount with TWO BILLION dollar franchises, Star Trek and Mission Impossible, no wonder they named a building after her there!

Lucyfreak86 · 06-20-2003, 03:07 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Lucy is responsible for the Brady Bunch? I HATE the BBs!!!!!!

SPLAIN · 06-21-2003, 07:40 PM

How on earth is she responsable for that show being on? Because she did a movie called Yours mine and ours and it got copied for tv?

06-17-2003, 01:36 AM	#1
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Lucy & "Star Trek" This is for all you other "Trekys" out there: Did you know that Lucille Ball was actully (SP)? responsible for "Star Trek" getting on TV? When they made the first pilot (there were 2 pilots-but that's another story!) no one that saw it liked it, exept her. (the series was shot at Desilu, which later was bought out by Paramount Pictures, & became Paramount Entertainment) She liked science fiction, and she also liked the pilot. So, she wanted them to go with it. And, since she was the head of the studio, no one was willing to argue with her.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

06-17-2003, 04:54 AM	#3
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Yes, Lucy is to blame for the whole damn Star Trek franchise. For destroying originality and holding back any kind of growth and development in American sci-fi until Babylon 5 arrived on the scene. Bloody Star Trek! For making a star out of William Shatner, and therefore also for punishing the world with some truly dreadful novelty records... Mind you, people always use that example to show how good she was at spotting a hit, but Star Trek wasn't a hit. Hence it being axed and thrown on the scrap heap. Only chance got it resurrected and remembered, so it's not the best example to use of her ability to spot a good investment! Other decisions that she made were much more sound.

06-17-2003, 07:59 PM	#5
Mickey Ranger Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 12, 2002 Location: The UK, and still finding Desi funnier than Lucy Posts: 960	Oh I know. It's just that lately I really hate the show! I used to be a huge fan of Star Trek TOS, then a few years ago I got to see it again for the first time in ages, and I just couldn't stomach it. Kirk made my skin crawl, McCoy was so self righteous I just wanted to hit him, and Spock was just plain boring. Now if they'd made the show about Sulu, Uhura and Chekov I'd be in the front line applauding Lucy's decision to make the thing! And now, with so many new parts to the saga being made, it's really held back American sci-fi. Everybody seems to want to acknowledge the show in some way, everybody uses the same ideas - only Babylon 5 broke away, and then Paramount nicked the idea with Star Trek DS9 (though that was good, admittedly). Stargate now is the only non Trek-choked American sci-fi in some time. Rant over, and I know it's not really Lucy's fault. I just wish she's thrown her name behind something else. Irwin Allen maybe! I'm always game for more Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (especially if the sea in question is filled with wobbly monsters with dodgy rubber heads )

06-18-2003, 02:38 PM	#6
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	We couldn't tell you HATED the show Mick, you should have been more vehement in your comments, LOL! The people at Desilu knew this show as well as Mission Impossible had the potential to be big hits, but the studio had fallen on hard times and they didn't have the money to do justice to the pilots they would be making for both shows, so they went to Lucy and asked her to use her own money to make proper pilots, then they would SELL to the networks. So she took her own under the table slush fund of 600 thousand dollars that was given to her to keep her happy and at CBS, the same type of arrangement that Gleason and Skelton and others had. She did not see the potential of the series, she actually thought that Star Trek was about movie stars on a trek somewhere, but she trusted her advisors and wanted to protect her investment in Desilu and keep the jobs of the thousands of people who worked there, so she spent her own money to save the studio and eventually provided Paramount with TWO BILLION dollar franchises, Star Trek and Mission Impossible, no wonder they named a building after her there!

06-20-2003, 03:07 PM	#7
Lucyfreak86 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 16, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 32	NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Lucy is responsible for the Brady Bunch? I HATE the BBs!!!!!!

06-21-2003, 07:40 PM	#8
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	How on earth is she responsable for that show being on? Because she did a movie called Yours mine and ours and it got copied for tv?