William Shatner still sounds astonished that Star Trek is celebrating its 60th anniversary, decades after he first took command of the Enterprise.
The 95-year-old actor revisited the franchise’s longevity in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, recalling the setbacks that repeatedly left its future uncertain.
Shatner originated Captain James T. Kirk in the series, which premiered on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966, and went on to play him in seven feature films.
He now serves as an executive producer and interview subject in The Sixty-Year Mission: How Star Trek Changed Television and the World, a documentary examining the franchise’s creative history and cultural influence.
Shatner Says the Anniversary Still Surprises Him
“It’s a phenomenon that in our lifetime can’t be repeated,” Shatner said. “Star Trek is unique in the annals of show business.”
He credited syndicated reruns with reaching viewers who had missed the original network broadcasts. After NBC canceled the series in 1969 following three seasons, local stations aired episodes at hours when younger audiences could watch, helping its following grow.
Shatner also described hearing from fans who chose their professions because of the series or found comfort in it during serious personal struggles. He has collected accounts of those encounters for his book William Shatner…And You.
NBC Rejected the First Pilot Before Shatner Joined
Gene Roddenberry contacted Shatner while he was touring in a play and invited him to watch the rejected pilot. The creator was preparing another attempt after NBC agreed to finance a different script and substantially changed cast.
Jeffrey Hunter had played Captain Christopher Pike in that first pilot, “The Cage.” He subsequently left the project, and Shatner joined as Kirk for “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” according to StarTrek.com.
Shatner remembered finding the earlier version “magical,” although he thought its pacing was ponderous for weekly television. He offered suggestions and accepted the part, with the second pilot ultimately securing the series order.
When production stopped, Shatner was divorced and responsible for another household, with little money from the show to cover his expenses. He assembled a summer theater production and traveled east for work, living in his truck with his dog to reduce expenses. He remembered being homesick and lonely during that period.
Shatner Thought the Movies Might End After One Film
Shatner recalled Paramount considering a television movie and another series before bringing him back for 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture, directed by Robert Wise.
He described the production as rushed and said the finished movie had faults. Shatner said it made money but failed to match the success of Star Wars, and he recalled being told that no more Star Trek films would follow.
The next installment, 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, remains possibly the best of the movies in Shatner’s estimation. He praised its attention to the characters and their experience of growing older, crediting its success with reviving the franchise’s theatrical prospects.
The Documentary Brings Together Several Generations of ‘Star Trek’
The Sixty-Year Mission opens at Regal Cinemas on Oct. 9. Writer and director Mark A. Altman previously co-authored the franchise oral history The Fifty-Year Mission.
The documentary combines archival material with interviews featuring Walter Koenig, Jonathan Frakes, Simon Pegg, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Robert Picardo, Ethan Peck and Christina Chong, among others.
Altman said he expected the film to appeal both to longtime fans and viewers curious about what made the franchise endure, according to Deadline.
His Advice to Another Kirk Is About the Story
Chris Pine played Kirk in the rebooted film series, while Paul Wesley has portrayed a younger version in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Shatner recalled how strange it initially felt to see someone else introduced as the character he originated.
“What? I’m Captain Kirk!” he joked. Asked what he would tell the next actor to play Kirk, Shatner said: “Tell a good story. That’s the key to Star Trek.”