Trekstars Times

Zine
Title:	Trekstars Times
Publisher:	Trekstars Unlimited
Editor(s):	Stephen H. Lampen
Type:
Date(s):	1975-1976
Frequency:	very infrequent, appeared "when you least expect it"
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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Trekstars Times' was a very infrequent publication of the celebrity booking agency, Trekstars Unlimited.

There were at least two issues.

First Issue, Postmarked November 1975

It contains four pages, its content is almost entirely letters from fans, and answers by Stephen H. Lampen, the company's owner.

front page of issue #1

• introduction about the functions of the newsletter and the company
• fan questions, with answers by Lampen
  • what is the nature of your company?
  • can you give me William Shatner's address?
  • are you a fan club?
  • can Doohan, Takei, Koenig appear at my college/party/con?
  • can you get other non-Trek clients, like David Niven, Hal Clement, and Issac Asimov?
  • do you rent episodes, piano scores?
  • what are the other companies you run through "3P Productions"?
  • why are doing this, as this sounds like a double booking fee for fans and we don't have that much money?
• a debunking of a man trying to pass himself off as "Lee Cronin" (a Trek writer), who in actuality was a fake; Lee Cronin was a pseud of Gene Coon -- this anecdote was used to prove how "Trekstars United" was there to help fans
• an apology to fans regarding potential embarrassment in what letters were printed

Some exceprts:

Bjo Trimble asked: Considering that, in negotiations with the stars, we have to arrange through their agents wouldn't your arrangement be a double commission? We'd pay the agents, and pay you. Somehow, that may work for the professional con-throwers but it doesn't really grab us: we are fans. We don't have $$ to throw around, nor are we awfully interested in paying other fans to do something we can do ourselves: contact stars. Comment?

Stephen Lampen asnwered: Well, fans, this letter's the winner of the bunch and precipitated a long and fruitful discussion with Bjo. I like people who don't beat around the bush! Although I have already discussed these points with Bjo herself, let me stress these points for everyone else. We do not work through other agents. We work directly for the stars. They pay us a percentage of their fee to arrange their convention dates etc. If you wish to arrange with them directly, fine. They are under no obligation to us. However, they may to choose to use us with less reputable or new conventions. Lastly, we do not represent fans - we represent stars. Everything straight, now? Well, this exchange with Bjo produced some interesting suggestions. First, she mentioned that any company working without a name of a person-in-charge and working out of a post office box (as Trekstars pleads guilty to both charges) smacks of the normal ripoff of fans. So let me set it all straight. My name is Steve Lampen, my home address is [address redacted], the phone listed is my business number but is in my home. An answering machine is connected when I'm not in and I will return all calls made to me at that number if I miss them. If you're planning a con - or just have questions - feel free to write, call or visit. However, we would appreciated a call before you showed up! You'll no doubt be disappointed: all you see is a cluttered office with piles of work all around. Not even pictures of the stars we handle!

[Regarding the company's other endeavors]: Trekstars, as mentioned in the original flyer, is the fourth of the 3P businesses. The first was 3P Recording which is a recording studio here in San Francisco, This was my original professional involvment with Star Trek. I recorded James Doohan for some lines in one of the animated episodes and engineered the demonstration tape for Project Communicator, the project supported by the Star Trek Archives to adapt episode soundtracks for the blind by adding dialogue and re-editing. For this Mr. Doohan also did the reading, we are now completing a series of commercials for the Federation Trading Post, a Star Trek store in Berkeley CA, which Arlene Martell read for us. Others are in the works besides our normal recording work. This concern also spawned the Equipment Locator, a publication which is the world's largest list of used professional recording and broadcasting equipment for sale on consignment. This project got me involved in bulk mailing which, in turn, resulted in business #3: 3P Productions, which produces Pitney-Bowes mailing plates for bulk and other mailers who use them for addressing large numbers of letters or catalogs. We also do the actual addressing with a gigantic imprinter. These machines are located in our downtown office at 615 Montgomery St., Suite 211. And then there is Trekstars....

AN APOLOGY: If, by printing any of the comments you wrote to us, we have embarrased you or your organization, we humbly apologize. This was done only to assure you, and all other fans, that Trekstars Unlimited is an open, honest organization whose true aim is to open channels of communication not only between fans and stars, but also between fans. Problems and interests are often shared and solutions can often benefit more than a single person or group. While some of the notes were edited for length only one had anything we removed for any other reason: a name was named which was not necessary to make a negative point.

I have received unconfirmed reports that there will be no less than six, count 'em, six conventions in New York city this coming year. And three of these, I am told, during the same month! This is overkill if it is true. I. truly hope some of those involved will reconsider and re-schedule their show at a slightly different time, if not a different place! Middle America has not had that many cons and, at least from my mailing response, that's where the fans are. So I'm glad to see of all the plans for conventions sprouting up there: those., should be successful! Maybe some of the New York pros could help instead of competing against one another.

Another Issue, Postmarked March 1976

It contains four pages.

cover of an issue mailed out in March 1976

The content:

• a lengthy interview with Grace Lee Whitney
• a lengthy interview with Bruce Hyde