I was thrilled to see my first huge Star Trek star, William Shatner, at my first out of state convention, in Springdale, Arkansas on June 15, 1996.
At the beginning of the hour Shatner said he would speak, we would ask questions, and we would get acquainted. Throughout the hour we heard about the movies, the series, future projects, and more.
Generations
A part of Generations that was cut consisted of Kirk orbiting the Earth 3 times and parachuting down into the desert. This scene was shot in the Nevada Desert. Kirk's stunt man hit ground and started running up a hill. Since an actor has to start a scene exactly where the stunt person leaves off, Shatner had to start his part of the scene by running up the hill in a wet suit with tiles on it in beastly hot weather.
While shooting for Generations, Shatner was supposed to interview Patrick Stewart. Thirty minutes late for the interview, Stewart comes in panting. Apparently something made Stewart's cab driver mad. The driver stopped the car, opened Stewart's door, and said "Oh, it's you. If it had been Captain Kirk it wouldn't have been a problem.
Shatner put a lot of thought into his dying scene in Generations. He tried to determine what Kirk would have thought at that moment. He thought he might be frightened and finding something interesting at the same time so that is how he played it. Unfortunately, the camera was too far way to pick it up.
After he did the dying scene, Shatner said he had a great way to bring Kirk back. Kirk stalks Captain Picard. This story became a part of Kirk's book called Resurrection, the second book in a three book series.
Usually when they shoot a ship as under attack and shaking, the actors and actresses do the "Star Trek Shuffle." They lean in a direction as the cameras lean as well. In one of the movies (I believe Generations), the director decided to have the set actually move. As the set was shaking, Shatner planned to grab onto a banister in front of him, but as he grabbed it, it came off and Shatner fell.
The Original Series
Before doing Star Trek, Shatner had done theater, film, and other jobs containing drama. Thus, he was an experienced actor going into Star Trek. One show he had done was "The Twilight Zone."
It took 7 working days to shoot an original series episode so by the end of each season they were so behind that they started receiving scenes to memorize instead of full scripts.
Shatner says at times his shirts were made to rip and often had basted-on sleeves.
Shatner says no one from the show knows why Star Trek became so popular in reruns.
Current Projects
Shatner is currently working on several projects. He and Leonard Nimoy are working on a CD-Rom game. In this game, playing themselves, Shatner and Nimoy face a villain who is about to take control of the Internet right before it reaches a critical mass and becomes the brain of the Earth.
In World War II a General bombed troops with refugees behind them and was affected by his decision for the rest of his life. Shatner would like to write a book that shows Kirk making such a decision and being affected by it for the rest of his life.
Shatner may be in a Broadway revival of Little Abner, but the tour may be longer than he would like.
Past Projects
Shatner says he didn't play the hero in "Tek War" because he wanted to produce more. Shatner regrets "not being hands on enough" at times with "Tek War," and thinks the show may have survived as a series if he had been there more.
William Shatner The Person
Shatner is from Montreal, Canada and feels "displaced" from his family.
Shatner has two Dobermans that he breeds.
Shatner says he has no one most proud moment because he always tries to live for each moment.
Photos courtesy of Patricia Drymon
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Kristin
Hits as of December 31, 1997