TerraCon (Florida con)

You may be looking for the UK Star Trek series of cons called TerraCon.

Convention
Name:	TerraCon
Dates:	winter 1977
Frequency:	once
Location:	Tallahassee, Florida
Type:
Focus:	Mark Lenard, Star Trek: TOS
Organization:
Founder:	Barbara Metzke and Gail Saville
Founding Date:
URL:
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TerraCon was a 3-day convention featuring the actor Mark Lenard.

It was held in the winter 1977. It was headed by Barbara Metzke and Gail Saville, two fans who shortly thereafter became the presidents of the Mark Lenard International Fan Club.

This con had a lot of mishaps and cringe moments. A similar con a few years later (also full of mishaps and cringe), was held by the same two fans. This second con was called NonCon.

Something must have occurred at this convention as several years later, a fan named Robert S. Sayes wrote "She Stayed Out," an account of trying to convince the actress Joanne Linville (who portrayed the female Romulan Commander) to come to this convention. In it, Sayes wrote: "considering the outcome of the con I was glad she had not participated."

Generated a Scrapbook

Incidentally, on TerraCon - Gail and I worked up sort of a "memory book" for him, utilizing pic­tures that most of the Tallahassee ST club members took. We captioned it and included a poetic intro and prosaic conclusion. I gave him the book in NY and he went through it, smiling and reminiscing.

Con Report

A lengthy con report plus a photo of Lenard eating a banana is "The Trials and Tribulations of Tallahassee's TerraCon, OR A Study of Mark Lenard's Endurance." It was written by Barbara Metzke and Gail Saville and printed in Despatch #30:

GAIL: Thursday. night we went to the airport to pick up Mark Lenard. The plane landed and a rush of people came off...but no ML. Another group... but no ML! Finally, we got down to a trickle of people.. .still no ML!! (but definitely a twinge of panic.) We began to wonder if he had missed the plane—or . if we had neglected to recognize him (?!) and missed him.

We were relieved when he arrived—the last one off the plane. The first glimpse we got of Mr. Lenard, he was clutching two pillowcases full of books and materials—his carry-on bag having broken on the plane, (it was, in fact, a brown shopping bag, of which only the handles survived.) He put the loaded pillowcases down and greeted us with a helpless, open-armed gesture. As we scurried to help him retrieve his things, his attitude of utter dismay instantly endeared him to us.

We had decorated the car especially for him, we said. It sported an "authentic” flag of 40 Eridani and a sign which read "Government Vehicle—Vulcan Embassy." His only comment was, "I see the Vulcans got here before me." Since we weren't yet used to his quiet, almost Sarek-like manner, we weren't exactly sure if he was pleased, annoyed, indifferent, or simply thought we were all a little crazy. As we got to know him it appeared to be a lot of the "pleased" and a little bit of the "crazy."

[much snipped]

BARBARA: ... I conducted ORH around the art and model exhibit. I had told ML that Shane Johnson, a young man from Charleston "with a definite gift”, had brought several nice drawings of the Enterprise crew. One portrait of Spock had caught both Gail's and my attention. We had decided to "go havers” to purchase it as soon as we saw it. Anyway, when ML got to the picture of Spock, he turned and looked at me. Having learned that Gail and I were also LN fans, he asked, "And I suppose you like this picture the best?” I hesitated, only briefly. "Well, yes, I do. Spock's eyes have such an expression; the drawing says so much." ML straightened a little. As he spoke, I realized that he'd gone into Sarek. "But that draining expresses emotion. Spock would not look like that. We Vulcan would allow himself to show emotion such as this portrays." How does one argue with a Vulcan ambassador? I decided on tact and a mild, subdued response. "That is true. Spock would probably never show the emotions that are in those eyes." "It is a dreamy Spock," he added. "Yes, I suppose it is." "The gaze has been put there by the artist.” ”But it’s kind of nice.” We dropped the issue and ML went back to being ML.

GAIL: During his talks, Mr. Lenard slipped in a few ST anecdotes. One day, after working on the show ”Journey to Babel,” ML and Jane Wyatt parted, went to their dressing rooms, and removed their makeup. On his way home, ML happened to run into Miss Wyatt in the parking lot. He waved and said hello, but without his Sarek makeup, she. didn’t recognize him and even seemed a little suspicious of the brash young man trying to ”pick her up.” When she asked who he was, he said, ”I’m your husband.” ML added that should anyone wonder, Spock’s parents met in Paramount’s parking lot. When asked if Sarek would be in the upcoming ST movie, ML replied that no one knows for certain yet, though he was included in the latest story idea. However, ML added, ”The writers may not want Spock’s father trailing his 50-year-old son around.” ML also informed us that he has just completed a prospective TV pilot of "Logan’s Run.” He portrays OMO, a robot made by the ancients who ’"makes all the other robots” and is a cross :between the tin man of Oz and Spock.”

Somehow — maybe by unconscious design — Barbara and I tended to "gofer” more things for ML than did his assigned gofer (which, of course, was fine with us). Running one errand got us an invitation to "come in and chat” (and naturally we accepted!). His suite, we discovered, was decorated like a furniture warehouse... with every conceivable type of furniture jammed into every available square inch of space. We squeezed into seats around an enormous dining table and talked about Star Trek, the movie, various roles ML had played, the ST actors (he’s particularly fond of Walter Koenig and DeForest Kelley), his daughter Roberta’s interest in oceanography, and various other topics. We had been discussing David Gerrold and "tribbles” when out of the blue ML asked, ”Do you know which character got more mail than Spock in a two week period?” Neither of us said anything — not wanting to get the answer WRONG — although we were reasonably sure it was not David Gerrold or a tribble. Finally, ML said, ”I’m trying to keep a poker face,” and Barbara bravely ventured, "Sarek?” (She was right—though it occurred to us that it might just as well have been the Romulan Commander). Barbara and I decided later that those were the most memorable moments of the entire convention.

BARBARA: Halfway through the lecture Saturday morning, we noticed ML clearing his throat rather frequently. He was scheduled to speak for one hour only but always went over with "just two more questions” — and we had inadvertently forgotten to supply him with the traditional speaker’s water. I slipped out, grabbed a glass of water, and returned. As a break occurred in the questioning, I ran up the steps and handed the water to ML. ”Oh, well, thank you,” he replied, slipping into his Sarek role. ”It’s not green, as it is on Vulcan, but I suppose I shall have to get used to Earth water while I’m here.” Everyone enjoyed the joke. Gail and I continued to devise yet another plan.

GAIL: Barbara and I were instantly and simultaneously inspired by ML’s remark and presented him with a glass of brilliant, emerald green water the next time he spoke. "Now I feel at home,” he said and then added, "I'll leave it here in plain view so you’ll know I’m the real thing.” To our surprise, he sipped at it throughout his talk, although another glass of fresh, CLEAR, "Earth" water was available on the podium. Afterwards, when we told him we hadn't meant for him to drink the green water, he smiled and said "I know.” We should have known that being well-trained in his craft, he would use it as a clever theatrical prop to stir audience interest (which it did—a credit to his acting ability).

On Saturday afternoon, a remark of ML's about his role as Urko from "Planet of the Apes" being the adversary of humans, prompted still another "game." When he took the stage Sunday afternoon, a banana with a bright red ribbon was lying on the podium, waiting for him. Attached to it was a note of greeting which read, "To Urko, with love, from the humans." Although he later told us that the "banana bit" had been pulled on him before, it was rather "nostalgic" for him and a big hit with the audience, prompting all sorts of "banana pix" with various poses.

[...]

BARBARA: ...the topic of conversation returned to the art exhibit. ML informed us that Shane had given him his choice of any of the pictures he had brought. I took the bait and asked ML which picture he had chosen. "Oh, your dreamy Spock," he replied. I went livid. "You booger!" I said. He seemed shocked and pleased and a little concerned. "Maybe I should let you have it. I can give it to you," he added. "No, no, that’s all right. I’ll get Shane to do another for me," I said. I would not have reacted so violently if ML hadn't tried to dissuade me from my attachment to that particular portrait the day before. Perhaps he was acting in behalf of Sarek, removing the disgraceful and offending object from public view.

[much snipped]

GAIL: At the costume call, ML served as one of the judges. (We did manage to keep him busy — so much so that he;ll probably swear off conventions for a while, just to recuperate). Barbara appeared as the female Romulan Commander, which seemed to please ML (and every other male) to end. I arrived as the green Orion slave girl and tended to fall into character, making myself a source of amusement. "Are you sure you’re sober?” ML asked once, and then inquired of Barbara later "Have you ever seen her act like that before?" He consented to pictures but was concerned I might turn him green. (I didn’t) and had Barbara check him over after I left. (I did tend to leave "my mark" little green foot and fingerprints wherever I went. Washing it off, I found, was a chore. In fact the bathtub looked as if a Vulcan had tried to commit suicide in it.)

[much snipped]

[Later as he was leaving...] "I feel like I’ve been here 6 months!" he remarked at the airport, and since he tends to be somewhat inscrutable at times, we couldn’t tell if that was a complement or not. He either was beginning to feel like "family" or else it had been the longest 3 days of his life. He then shook our hands, kissed our cheeks (which we accepted calmly until AFTER we left the terminal and were out of earshot) and invited us to call him if we ever got up to New York. (We immediately began planning for a trip.) "You’re probably the most patient person I've ever met," I told him, wanting him to know how much we appreciated his cordial attitude. "Don’t you believe it," Our Reluctant Compliment Acceptor replied. "Well, you certainly seem to be. You put up with a lot and were so tolerant..." "It’s easy to be patient when you’re not under pressure," ML explained. "Or maybe you’re just a good actor," added Barbara. Regardless, we still think he was more than worthy of the praise. There was a lot of stumbling and bumbling through our first convention, but ML was always kind, friendly and polite towards all the conventioneers. He took time with each person, talking with them, expressing an interest in them by asking personal questions, posing for endless pictures (and tickling all the girls and children). We doubt that a nicer guest star could have been found. Concerned that we might be late for work (or perhaps because one more moment with us might have driven him over the brink), ML said, "Go now, and don’t look back." We WERE reluctant to let him go, and as soon as we left, we began to miss him. It’s now quite some time since the convention and we STILL do but at least we have tapes of his talks to reminiscence.