THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 2, 1997 TAG: 9701310087
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 139 lines
AFTER GENE RODDENBERRY created ``Star Trek'' for NBC 31 years ago, he spent time in London writing another science-fiction series that did not go boldly into primetime.
That series was ``Battleground Earth.''
The scripts for ``Battleground Earth'' lay forgotten in a bottom desk drawer for 21 years until Roddenberry's widow dug them out with the idea of producing a series for syndication this year. Tribune Entertainment will make it happen.
``Battleground Earth'' is scheduled to premiere in September.
``For one reason or another, `Battleground Earth' never got made,'' said Majel Barrett Roddenberry at the recent convention of the National Association of Television Programming Executives in New Orleans. ``Gene kept it on the back burner with the idea of doing it some day. We're finally ready to go into production.''
She's a tall woman, thin, with high cheekbones, and a wardrobe that runs to furs and scarves. They met - the young actress and the former Los Angeles cop turned producer - when Roddenberry cast her in the pilot episode of ``Star Trek.'' (She later returned to the starship Enterprise as counselor Deanna Troi's mother in the ``Star Trek: Next Generation'' series.)
Gene Roddenberry's name on a TV project means money in the bank. On the strength of Roddenberry's concept alone - no pilot has been filmed, no cast members chosen - ``Battleground Earth'' sold to TV stations in 75 percent of the U.S. markets, including Hampton Roads. (WGNT will carry the series.)
The concept of ``Battleground Earth'': Early in the 21st century, 71 aliens who call themselves the ``companions'' come to Earth to rid the planet of all diseases, end hunger and stop wars. Earth becomes a Utopia.
Sounds great. But beware the ``companions.''
``The aliens with their advanced science and culture present a danger to the human race,'' said Majel Roddenberry.
I have it all figured out, I said to Gene Roddenberry's widow.
``They've come to Earth to eat us.''
No, she said. They've not been sent here to eat us. ``But they are a threat. They are an ominous presence.''
These ominous Roddenberry ``companions'' were the talk of NATPE, where new syndicated programs to make the heart beat faster and the pulse quicken were scarce. Who can get excited about ``Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The Series''? It will be a lean year in syndication.
The trends in syndicated programming for 1997:
Old is new - The studios will take such movie titles as ``Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, ``101 Dalmatians,'' ``Fame,'' ``Total Recall,'' ``Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'' and ``Ghostbusters'' and put them on weekly series - live and animated. ``Conan, the Adventurer,'' with Ralf Moeller and his bulging biceps in the title role, is also heading to a TV station near you.
Old is new, Part 2 - When the syndicators aren't reviving movie titles, they are bringing back names from TV's past. The ``All New Capt. Kangaroo'' without Bob Keeshan will begin production soon in Florida. The new captain has yet to be cast. Connie Chung is coming back to weekly TV to host a magazine show with her husband, Maury Povich. ``Knight Rider'' returns as ``Team Knight Rider,'' and two old game shows, ``Match Game'' and ``Card Sharks,'' will get a new look in 1997.
Alan Thicke is hosting a game show (``Pictionary''). ``The People's Court'' returns with former New York City mayor Ed Koch on the bench.
Action is still big in syndication - Ten beat-'em-up, smash-'em-up series including Roddenberry's ``Battleground Earth,'' ``Pensacola: Wings of Gold,'' ``Night Man'' and ``Soldier of Fortune'' had buyers lining up at NATPE. ``Ghost Stories,'' produced by New Dominion Pictures in Virginia Beach, was among the new dramas on display in New Orleans.
Less talk - While there were almost a dozen new daytime talk shows offered to syndicators a year ago, only five new ones are for sale in 1997. ``Vibe'' is a late-night talk show for the hip. Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw hosts ``The Home Team.'' Gayle King's new talk show will be seen in 75 percent of U.S. markets. The Arthel Neville-Fred Roggin talker is also fairly hot. So is ``Martha Stewart Living.''
Familiar names - Among the network shows being offered into syndication for the first time at NATPE were ``The X-Files,'' ``Walker, Texas Ranger,'' ``NYPD Blue,'' ``Frasier,'' ``Living Single'' and ``Grace Under Fire.''
Shifting gears and careers - Ozzie Smith, who defined the art of playing shortstop in the major leagues, has retired, and will host ``This Week in Baseball.'' Marcia Clark, who says she's too famous to go back being a trial lawyer, was in NATPE selling her series, ``LadyLaw,'' which is about women in all arms of law enforcement. Former pro basketball player John Salley has a new talk show.
Kid vid - With the Federal Communications Commission ordering stations to carry three hours of educational children's programming this year, syndicators are scrambling to get in on that action. Trouble is, most of what was offered at NATPE (``Mummies,'' ``X-Men,'' ``Marvel Superheroes'') hardly qualifies as TV good for your children. A promising development: ``Popular Mechanics for Kids.'' Also for sale are new shows for teens including a sitcom, ``Student Bodies,'' and game shows ``Click!'' and ``Peer Pressure.''
If ``Battleground Earth'' succeeds, look for Gene Roddenberry to give us more sci-fi from the grave. His widow says he did the outlines for another half dozen series before he died in 1991, and there are 22 completed scripts for still another series.
``He just wrote and wrote and wrote,'' said Majel Barrett Roddenberry. ``The man was driven to create 20th century mythology.''
He had intended to leave ``Star Trek'' behind in the 1970s, and go on to producing other TV projects. But the success of the ``Star Trek'' franchise - the series' spinoffs and the motion pictures - kept Roddenberry tied to ``Star Trek.''
Said his widow, ``I remember Gene telling me in the 1980s that if he was destined to do `Star Trek' for the rest of his life, then so be it.''
While ``Star Trek'' has taken in billions, Roddenberry was not as wealthy as you might think. Roddenberry, said his widow, did not share in very much of the estimated $4 billion which the ``Star Trek'' franchise so far has generated in TV rights, video rentals, movie grosses and merchandising.
``The way Gene figured it at the time of his death, Paramount owed his estate between $700 and $800 million,'' said Majel Roddenberry. She remembers when he was a struggling writer who couldn't make his mortgage payments.
Six years after his death, Roddenberry's widow is waiting for her husband's estate to be settled. While she waits, she works on ``Battleground Earth,'' soon to begin shooting in Toronto.
Her priority is to cast the male lead - a character to be named Boone for Richard Boone of ``Have Gun, Will Travel.'' Gene Roddenberry wrote for that show.
``When I see the actor who's right for the part, I'll know,'' said Majel Roddenberry, who was cast as Number One, the starship's executive officer, in the pilot episode of ``Star Trek'' that NBC rejected. She was later cast as nurse Christine Chapel.
Jeffrey Hunter first played the captain of the Enterprise (Capt. Christopher Pike) to be replaced later by William Shatner.
Majel Roddenberry wanted James Coburn to play the captain when Hunter left to pursue a career in films. Her husband rejected the idea. ``Gene said he didn't have enough sex appeal,'' she said. (Coburn later showed plenty of magnetism playing a secret agent in ``Our Man Flint'' and ``In Like Flint,'' which were spoofs of the James Bond flicks).
And why did Hunter leave ``Star Trek''? Was Gene Roddenberry unhappy with his performance in the pilot?
Just the opposite. He liked Hunter. But Hunter's wife did not like ``Star Trek,'' and talked him out of staying with the role of starfleet commander. She expected him to be a big movie star.
Enter Shatner.
``I'm looking for the new Kirk,'' said Majel Roddenberry. ``He must be a good actor who fills the screen with presence.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
``Night Man'' typifies the trend toward action series in new
syndicated programming.
["Battleground Earth"...]