By Mary O’KEEFE

Sixty years ago, on Sept. 8, 1966, “Star Trek” the original series debuted with the episode “The Man Trap” written by George Clayton Johnson. 

I didn’t watch “Star Trek” when it originally aired but I did discover it when it went into syndication just a few months after it was canceled on June 3, 1969. I was hooked from first hearing “Space – the final frontier….” 

Almost everyone my age remembers the Moon landing on July 20, 1969, but I had been following the space program long before that. My older cousins would read  articles about the “space race” and there would be almost nightly updates from Walter Cronkite.

I was so hooked on the “space race.”

For me the fascination was less about the science and more about the science fiction aspect of our journey into the “final frontier.” My imagination had always been active but with all of this science happening around us, instead of just in laboratories, there were so many story possibilities. 

“Star Trek” was not just a science fiction television show – it was a classroom with teachers educating us in subtle ways. It showed us that the future could be a positive place. “Star Trek” had people of color, women, and those of other cultures all working together with one goal – exploration. And the future looked promising. There was an optimism about this “five-year mission” the Enterprise crew was on. 

The topics that were covered by “Star Trek” were relatable to what was happening in society and Roddenberry, and his writers, were holding a mirror up to all of us making us look at our reflection – whether we liked it or not. 

The second episode of season one was “Charlie X;” this was adapted from a simple premise by Roddenberry titled, “The Day Charlie Became God.” 

Dorothy Fontana was Roddenberry’s secretary at the time but she was wise – and incredibly talented. She earned, and was encouraged, to write the episode that became “Charlie X.” The story was about a young man, portrayed by Robert Walker Jr., who was the sole survivor of a transport ship that crashed when he was young on the planet Thasus. The Thasians found him and raised him the best way they knew how but he was alone, without human contact, for most of his life until a cargo ship found him. By then Charlie was 17. 

Dorothy said in interviews that this was a character story about a young person being raised in isolation, without human touch, without human teachings. He was undisciplined. However, Charlie had powers given to him by the Thasians to survive. 

When he arrived on the Enterprise those powers, along with teenage angst and hormones, did not mix well. He hurt people, threatened Capt. Kirk (never a good idea) and became a typical teenager – but one with superpowers. In the end the Thasians came for Charlie. They gave him the power of survival but he couldn’t be allowed into other societies as he could hurt those members. As he leaves with the Thasians he cries that he wants to stay on board the Enterprise. He promises to “be good” but there is no doubt he has to leave. He cries out to Yeoman Janice Rand, on whom he had his very first crush: “I can’t even touch them. Janice, they can’t feel … They don’t love. Please, I want to stay.” 

Walker Jr.’s portrayal of a this complex teen was heartbreaking; even when he was making people “disappear” the audience wanted a way to save him. The ending was reality – not the perfect ending where everyone smiled at the camera (which was common in television back then). That made “Star Trek” different. It never pandered to a happy ending – it focused more on the story, the characters and so often the political atmosphere of the time.  

And yet many of those episodes are still relevant today which, I think, is why the franchise has not only lasted 60 years but has spawned so many series and films. It was never about the toys, lunch boxes and other merchandise. “Star Trek” was, and is, about the story. 

And to that I want to mention my friend Dorothy Fontana. She had turned in her first episode of “Charlie X” with her full name on the script; however, she found studio head resistance because “women can’t write science fiction.” And so “DC Fontana” was born.  

Years later my husband worked at a special effects company with Dorothy’s husband. He was there for about a year before letting me know of the connection with Dorothy Fontana. He, and apparently the entire company, were worried that I would no longer act like the wife of a crew member but turn into a dreaded “Trekkie.” They, including my husband, were really concerned that I would ask to kiss Dorothy’s ring or “trek out.” To be honest, I could see where their concerns were coming from; often Dorothy would find people going through her trash looking for discarded scripts for “Star Trek – The Next Generation” and Dorothy and her husband had some extreme encounters with other Trekkies. So when I finally met her I tried to control my inner Trekkie and attempted to retain enough human language to have a conversation with this writing icon. 

Every so often there is a moment where I am reminded that I am from a small town in the midwest – and this was one of those moments. I remember watching those wonderful episodes of “Star Trek” and seeing DC Fontana’s name. I remember the first time I realized that DC was a female writer. Then I was just standing there on a movie set talking to her. 

I am so lucky that I went from being awestruck to impressed to having a friendship with her. I am so lucky that I was able to talk to her about writing and that she not only took me seriously but inspired me. There was one time when I had a question about a project I was working on and reached out to her. She said, “I have someone who could help you” and I soon got a call and it was Harlan Ellison: “Hi, Dorothy told me to call,” he said. Harlan Ellison was calling me and talking to me about writing. We spoke for a long time. He was so kind and supportive. 

Dorothy and I had many “writer” talks but we also talked about her cats and about life in general. 

One of the last times I spent with her was at a taping of “The Big Bang Theory.” We walked under a framed napkin that was autographed by Leonard Nimoy. Dorothy was at the taping the episode, “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” where the character of Penny gave Sheldon a napkin and apologized that Mr. Nimoy had wiped his mouth with it. Sheldon was so overcome … he had Leonard Nimoy’s DNA and could some day clone him. 

After the taping Dorothy asked the producers if they wanted a real DNA napkin for the show. Of course they said yes, and Dorothy called “Leonard.” 

At “The Big Bang Theory” taping, Dorothy and I sat together and she would point out intricacies of the story while my daughter and Dorothy’s husband Dennis Skotak sat together and talked physics. After the taping we walked the set and took a photo while sitting on the show’s famous couch. I didn’t realize how sick Dorothy was; that night we laughed and had so much fun. Dorothy passed away on Dec. 2, 2019. It is said, “Don’t meet your heroes” but I am telling you it was great meeting my “heroine.”

Congratulations “Star Trek” and here is to another 60 years of “boldly going where no one has gone before….”

It will be hot for a few more days. The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning through tonight at 8 p.m. 

Although Wednesday was supposed to be the hottest day of the week at 106 degrees, today will be very close to those temperatures with a high expected just below triple digits. Due to expected high humidity, the nights will not seem much cooler. On Friday the temperature will drop a little – to the low 90s. On Saturday and Sunday it will be closer to normal temperatures with highs in low 80s to mid 70s. The humidity should be less as well as we work our way through to Tuesday. 

CVW is very excited introduce our readers to Gregg Inboden, who has a weather station at his home near Two Strike Park. He is willing to share his data with CVW in regard to rainfall, humidity and sunrise/sunset. 

It is very difficult to find any information regarding rainfall received in the Crescenta Valley; NOAA has monitors in Burbank and downtown Los Angeles but none that are easily accessible in the Crescenta Valley. We are grateful that Gregg will be sharing this information and that finally, CV will have a more accurate reporting of our rainfall. 

From Gregg Inboden: Since Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. the CV area received 1.52 inches of rain with the outside humidity of 49%.