Entertainment: Gene Roddenberry To Be Inducted Into TV Hall of Fame

The geek inside me was compelled to post this story.

:)

After so many years it is about time that Gene's contribution to television is to be finally recognized.

I agree. He gave wonderful contributions to entertainment and I think also to science. After all the Motorola Razor looks a lot like the communicator from Star Trak.

Gina C wrote:

I agree. He gave wonderful contributions to entertainment and I think also to science. After all the Motorola Razor looks a lot like the communicator from Star Trak.

Dr. Martin Cooper (Motorola's former general/project manager) was, in fact, influenced by Trek's communicator prop. To paraphrase Cooper; 'what can we (Motorola) do to provide that type of personal communication to the masses.' The rest is history as Cooper took fiction to reality.

Coopers end product (the size of an Army radio handset) was not the small portable device as seen on Star Trek but it worked.

I think the first cell call was performed by Cooper in '75 to his rival at Bell Labs, if I recall correctly.

Mr. Roddenberry also gave scientists the 'idea' of transportation via the 'transporter'.

He was brave enough to insist upon the first black woman, white man kiss on the TV screen. The man had a vision and shared it with the entire world. Even though he faced severe censorship, he continued with the scene between Lt. Ohura (sp) and Capt. Kirk.

I really liked Irwin Allen's stuff too.

Josh Owens wrote:

I really liked Irwin Allen's stuff too.

Josh, I have to admit, Irwin Allen sounded familiar to me, but I had to look him up.

I loved Time Tunnel and Lost in Space. I remember Dr. Smith 'eating' food capsules on one show and then, a bit later, a news broadcast talked about people in the 1980's or 90's getting all their needed food intake from pills.(And I'm not talking about vitamins.)

Time Tunnel, well I just loved looking at James Darren. Nuff said.

Gina C wrote:

Mr. Roddenberry also gave scientists the 'idea' of transportation via the 'transporter'.
He was brave enough to insist upon the first black woman, white man kiss on the TV screen. The man had a vision and shared it with the entire world. Even though he faced severe censorship, he continued with the scene between Lt. Ohura (sp) and Capt. Kirk.

Gene used Trek to address various social issues of the time, which was his intent along with telling a good story. You are right about the censorship but Gene slipped more things by the censors than were caught, much to the annoyance of NBC. He was a slick weasel.

He also liked his women and his wife knew it. Gene knew Nichelle (Uhura) Nichols much better than Kirk did, if you get my meaning.

Every time there was a costume fitting for a female guest star Gene was right there tugging away at the costume and always suggesting things should be higher, lower or smaller.

But yes, he did have vision for sure. I met Gene in 1976. He was a soft spoken individual with the ability to think far beyond his forehead. When the subject of censorship came up during our conversation I noticed a very satisfying smirk form.

A bit of trivia; Gene was a pilot of a B-17 during WWII.

Josh Owens wrote:

I really liked Irwin Allen's stuff too.

Yep, I remember you mentioning that months ago. Lost in Space!

You and I need to hit the road to Derby City if Dick Tufeld (voice of the robot) ever returns to Louisville's WonderFest con. You'll love it, trust me.

P.S. http://www.wonderfest.com

Robert I think I know you. Are you the person that made the galaxys edge bbs?

Sounds good to me Roberto. The show was way before my time, but I grew up on the reruns.

Geek Jeff wrote:

Robert I think I know you. Are you the person that made the galaxys edge bbs?

Yes, I am. Only a few had knowledge of that site. Who are you?

The site was taken offline about a year ago (maybe two) due to a problem I had with the Joomla portal system. Additionally, I thought Frankfort would not fully support a locally targeted sci/fi forum so I placed the project on a back burner, so to speak, for latter reconsideration.

Josh Owens wrote:

Sounds good to me Roberto. The show was way before my time, but I grew up on the reruns.

The show wasn't before my time but I grew up on the reruns just as you did albeit several (ok, many) years earlier.

Robert, what do you think about the Star Trek movie?

I was sorely disappointed in the Lost In Space movie, and the Dukes of hazzard movie. It is hard to recreate classics and keep them genuine. I may go to see it eventually, I haven't decided yet./