When you think about it Star Trek, you inevitably think of Spock and Captain Kirk. They are the two stars of the shows and movies and have fascinated fans of the franchise since the show’s inception in 1966. But Leonardo NimoyThe Vulcan character of almost didn’t make it through the start of the show’s second season.
According to the oral history “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek: The First 25 Years” (via /Film), Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s production company Desilu, who were behind the series Star Trekhe wanted to pull the plug on the series after the first season, or perhaps cut Spock from the lineup, as it seemed to executives that Nimoy’s salary was too high.
Even though Nimoy was charged for the second William Shatner, who famously rivaled the star power struggle associated with the series, it was a known fact that Spock was the show’s most popular character, with fan mail piling up for the character on a weekly basis. Therefore, Nimoy started renegotiating his contract, asking for more money. He — and Trekkies — felt the show couldn’t go on without him. Desilu, not wanting to spend an extra dime on ‘Star Trek’ in its second season, began contemplating firing Nimoy over the deal. Ironically, however, NBC, which initially didn’t even want to air the show, fought to keep Nimoy.
Marc Cushman, a “Trek” expert and author of several important “Star Trek” manuals, knew of the conflict and put it this way:
“They almost didn’t have Spock for the second season of ‘Star Trek.’ The fan mail got so intense in the first year, bags and bags of mail every day. His agent said, “He’s only getting $1,250 a week and he needs a raise.” But Desilu is losing money on the show and the board was considering canceling it, even though NBC wanted to continue, because it was bankrupting the studio. What broke the deadlock was what didn’t want Spock on the show in the first place: NBC. ‘You’re not doing the show without that guy. Pay him what you need to pay for him.'”
Spock got his raise, and the rest is history. It’s silly to think of Star Trek without him, so it’s nice to hear the studio made the right call.
by Jessica Fisher
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
