Trekplace Interview with Bjo Trimble
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Trekplace Interview with Bjo Trimble |
| Interviewer: | Greg Tyler |
| Interviewee: | Bjo Trimble |
| Date(s): | August 1999 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | Star Trek |
| External Links: | www.trekplace.com, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Trekplace Interview with Bjo Trimble is a 1999 interview with Bjo Trimble. It was conducted via email.
Other Trekplace Interviews
- Trekplace Interview with Bjo Trimble
- Trekplace Interview with Doug Drexler
- Trekplace Interview with Karen Dick
Excerpts
I discovered SF fandom in 1951 when I read a tiny filler in the Los Angeles Times that the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society was holding its anniversary meeting. I went to meet fellow fans, and never looked back. My first convention was the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in 1953. It was called ChiCon II... I met GR at Tricon, another worldcon in Cleveland, OH, in 1966. He'd brought 3 episodes of Star Trek to show the attendees just days before it aired on TV. The whole story is in my now out-of-print book, The Good Ship Enterprise. I came to know him well enough to get into arguments with him. He once said he couldn't hire me to work with him at the studio, because he needed a "yes" person, not a "no" person.
Well, prior to [my letter writing campaign], the Trimbles had organized, directed and run Worldcon Art Shows for 17 years. We already had a reputation for organizing things. I'd never tried to create fandom; it just happened. What happened was that when we mailed the how-to letter to get people to write NBC, I included all the addresses of people who lived nearby and suggested they get together. They did, and formed fan clubs. Had I thought it out, I'd have organized it so it was one huge club, paying us dues. Then we'd be rich by now! Please note that John Trimble was also one of the people who ran the Save Star Trek campaign. I'm just the noisy one, so I get all the publicity. Without John, I could not have done what was done.
In David Gerrold's World of Star Trek, you mention that, although Gene Roddenberry was not the cause of the writing campaign that saved Star Trek, he strongly supported it, even to the point of helping to cover its expenses. Just how involved was Roddenberry in the campaign?
Gene wanted very badly to be completely involved, but we said it would only make NBC say it was a put-up job. Years later, in his book, Herb Solow made exactly that claim, in fact. He didn't even pay expenses, but by the time [David's book came out it was too late to change that impression. I was misquoted on that. Gene did do things like send over platters of food and drink when we were doing a collating of a mailing. At the very last, he paid for postage when we'd run out of funds. But for the most part, fans paid for the Save Star Trek campaign, or it came out of our own pocket.
Your Star Trek Concordance has long been considered the definitive guide to the original Star Trek television series. What inspired you to write the book? What the extent of Dorothy Jones Heydt's involvement in the book? Without videotape, how did you manage to gather such detailed information from each episode?
Dorothy was a very focused person in the 60s, with only 2 interests: Star Trek and her religion. She began making notes on 3x5 cards about everything Trek. I have always liked encyclopedias, and said that would make a book, and we began to work on one. Dorothy and I both watched episodes on TV and on a friend's early VCR (it was tape, wound through the machine much like an old audio tape recorder). We both make many notes. I did the actual writing, though I stupidly credited Dorothy as the total author in the fan edition and me as only the editor. Dorothy's cattiness about females shows up in the original edition. When time came for re-writes, Dorothy had lost interest and turned the project over to me. I took it from there.
The Ballantine edition of the Concordance is copyrighted by both Paramount and yourself. Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual is copyrighted in its author's name. None of the recent licensed Star Trek publications are copyrighted by any party but Paramount. What conditions permitted you to obtain partial copyright of the Concordance, and what caused Paramount to become more possessive of Star Trek merchandise?
Trimble: In those days, nobody at Paramount thought Star Trek would last 30 years! So they didn't care. They signed over all rights to Tribbles to David Gerrold, too. He produced them to sell, and paid for his house with them and the writing he could do because tribble sales gave him the time to write. Lincoln Enterprises got many rights that Par [Paramount Pictures] tried to get back from Majel. Nowadays, Par and Viacom realize they have a major cash cow here, and are far more careful of things. I suspect that our collective sales made Par realize they should be merchandising things better. They still aren't doing so, because they have never hired anyone (me, for instance) who understands fandom or the merchandising of Star Trek.
It has been said that the animated Star Trek series is not considered canon. Did Gene Roddenberry ever consider them canon?
Trimble: Yes, he did. He thought the animateds gave Trek a new life, perhaps helping keep it alive long enough for that movie or new series. He always hoped for that. Later, other people "spoke with Gene's mouth" in saying he hated the animateds. Not in our conversations. The reason Paramount doesn't want the animateds considered canon is they had a huge falling out with Filmation, and had to buy back the rights (which Par hates to do!) and therefore they are "punishing" the animateds by not accepting them.
Would Gene Roddenberry have approved of the more recent Star Trek television series and feature films? If not, what are some of the elements of which he would disapprove?
Trimble: I feel that Gene might have come to like DS9, had he lived to see it. There might have been some changes. Majel recently said that GR would have hated the war in DS9, but frankly I am amazed that she cannot see the same theme in much of what Gene did, including his recent "discovery" of Earth: Final Conflict. The only reason there were not full battles in early Trek is lack of funds to pull it off, and lack of technology to show it. Otherwise, GR would certainly have added it; he knew what audiences liked. I don't know about Voyager; I can't see where it's going, and I don't feel GR would have liked that. I don't think he would have liked the last couple of movies; they were very far removed from the Trek Gene came up with.
You are credited with creating Star Trek Enterprises, a business specializing in the sale of Star Trek merchandise. Majel Barrett-Roddenberry now runs the company under the name of Lincoln Enterprises. (Editor's Note: As of 2004, the company was known as Roddenberry.COM, and Gene Roddenberry, Jr. had a significant role in the company's operation.) Did you have any business experience prior to helping form this company?
Trimble: John and I set up Star Trek (now Lincoln) Enterprises for Gene, only to find that he really wanted to turn it over to his new wife, Majel. We ran several small mail-order businesses prior to setting up ST Enterprises, but always failed due to lack of money to advertise widely (another thing the Internet might have changed). Majel had no business experience, so we left and she took over, the business never really took off as it should have.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek: The Next Generation made Star Trek more mainstream. How did this change the experience of being a fan? As a fan, is it more enjoyable to be part of an obscure group, or part of the mainstream?
Trimble: Though it hasn't totally happened yet, it's easier to be part of the mainstream, because people aren't acting like you may do something weird right in front of their kids. There is a bit more understanding of the intensity of some fans, and that's perhaps a good thing. But in a way, we're losing our fan-individualty, and some of us are a little sad about that. Still, when fully-costumed Klingons show up in a children's hospital, it's worth it to see the faces on everyone, kids and adults. People ask questions, and talk to us, instead of veering off and looking at us out of the corners of their eyes. I've never worn a Klingon costume, but have many friends who do, and have traveled in their company.