Whatever Happened to Ted Sturgeon?
Yes. He worked on two more scripts.
Sturgeon finished his part of writing Amok Time in April 1967 (to be taken over at that point for rewriting by producers Gene Coon and Gene Roddenberry, who had both done a fair share of rewriting on his first script, Shore Leave). He was immediately put on assignment to write a second episode for Season Two, called The Joy Machine. He turned in a story outline in May and a revised outline in June. After that he was paid to write a first draft script. The script arrived too late to be filmed as part of the second season and was carried over to the third. Since there were many problems with the material, particularly in regard to budget, it was reassigned to a seasoned television writer (Meyer Dolinsky, who had done well with his handling of the teleplay for Plato’s Stepchildren, a property the producers were excited about). The Joy Machine was rewritten and then prepared to be shot as episode Number 25 for Season Three, with William Shatner assigned to make his directorial debut. When NBC suddenly cut its order for episodes back from 26 to 24, the project was dropped.
Theodore Sturgeon
During this time, Sturgeon had been on a fourth Star Trek® assignment, writing Shore Leave II, also for the third year. He turned in a story outline in April 1968. Robert Justman, the series co-producer, had issues with the material and wrote to the series new “first chair” producer, Fred Freidberger: “Dear Fred: Welcome aboard! I have read Ted’s outline. In my opinion, there are only a few minor things lacking in this submission. And these are: 1) Story; 2) Peril; 3) Conflict; 4) Believable characterizations. Ted has provided us with all the schticklach we need to insert into a proper story. Since we are lacking a proper story, perhaps we ought to get one.”
Sturgeon was given “notes” as to how to restructure his story and sent home to work on the script. As had happened with the delivery of the teleplays for Shore Leave, Amok Time and The Joy Machine, this one was late in arriving. Gene Roddenberry, due to his military experience and his working for the Los Angeles Police Department, was very rigid regarding tardiness from writers, and instructed Freidberger to “cut off” the assignment. Sturgeon was paid for his fourth Star Trek story and left the series with a track record of two produced and two left in limbo.
Sturgeon held no hard feelings. In fact, he respected Roddenberry and understood the producer’s right to enforce the rules of a television production. He said, Star Trek® was was a very pleasant experience for me. I think it was what Gene was as a man and producer and what I am as a man and writer that was primarily responsible for that respect.”
And now you know. For all of the drama that went along with this story, and hundreds more like it, turn to a different page in the upcoming book These are the Voyages – TOS, Season One by Marc Cushman, to be published by Jacobs/Brown Press in July 2013.
Sturgeon finished his part of writing Amok Time in April 1967 (to be taken over at that point for rewriting by producers Gene Coon and Gene Roddenberry, who had both done a fair share of rewriting on his first script, Shore Leave). He was immediately put on assignment to write a second episode for Season Two, called The Joy Machine. He turned in a story outline in May and a revised outline in June. After that he was paid to write a first draft script. The script arrived too late to be filmed as part of the second season and was carried over to the third. Since there were many problems with the material, particularly in regard to budget, it was reassigned to a seasoned television writer (Meyer Dolinsky, who had done well with his handling of the teleplay for Plato’s Stepchildren, a property the producers were excited about). The Joy Machine was rewritten and then prepared to be shot as episode Number 25 for Season Three, with William Shatner assigned to make his directorial debut. When NBC suddenly cut its order for episodes back from 26 to 24, the project was dropped.
Theodore Sturgeon
During this time, Sturgeon had been on a fourth Star Trek® assignment, writing Shore Leave II, also for the third year. He turned in a story outline in April 1968. Robert Justman, the series co-producer, had issues with the material and wrote to the series new “first chair” producer, Fred Freidberger: “Dear Fred: Welcome aboard! I have read Ted’s outline. In my opinion, there are only a few minor things lacking in this submission. And these are: 1) Story; 2) Peril; 3) Conflict; 4) Believable characterizations. Ted has provided us with all the schticklach we need to insert into a proper story. Since we are lacking a proper story, perhaps we ought to get one.”
Sturgeon was given “notes” as to how to restructure his story and sent home to work on the script. As had happened with the delivery of the teleplays for Shore Leave, Amok Time and The Joy Machine, this one was late in arriving. Gene Roddenberry, due to his military experience and his working for the Los Angeles Police Department, was very rigid regarding tardiness from writers, and instructed Freidberger to “cut off” the assignment. Sturgeon was paid for his fourth Star Trek story and left the series with a track record of two produced and two left in limbo.
Sturgeon held no hard feelings. In fact, he respected Roddenberry and understood the producer’s right to enforce the rules of a television production. He said, Star Trek® was was a very pleasant experience for me. I think it was what Gene was as a man and producer and what I am as a man and writer that was primarily responsible for that respect.”
And now you know. For all of the drama that went along with this story, and hundreds more like it, turn to a different page in the upcoming book These are the Voyages – TOS, Season One by Marc Cushman, to be published by Jacobs/Brown Press in July 2013.
Watch for These are the Voyages — TOS, Seasons Two and Season Three, set for publication by Jacobs/Brown Press later in 2013.
