70s Trek: Star Trek in the 1970s

70s Trek: Star Trek in the 1970s

Author: Bob Turner & Kelly Casto Language: English Episodes: 131
Dive into the fascinating decade when Star Trek lived on without a single new episode airing on television. Hosts Bob Turner and Kelly Casto guide 70s Trek: Star Trek in the 1970s through a detailed exploration of how a cancelled series refused to fade away. This podcast digs into the people who kept the flame burning-the original cast finding new voices in animation and convention halls, the writers and artists expanding the universe in novels and comics, and the passionate fans who created a blueprint for modern fandom. Each discussion connects the dots between the show's internal creative shifts and the wider cultural currents of the seventies that it both reflected and influenced. You'll hear about the specific efforts, from fan-led letter campaigns to Paramount's strategic decisions, that slowly built the momentum leading to a theatrical rebirth. It's a story of resilience and reinvention, examining not just what happened but how it felt to be part of that enduring phenomenon during those years. For anyone curious about the hidden history between the original series and "The Motion Picture," this podcast offers a rich, conversational deep dive into the community and commerce that made a comeback inevitable. Join Turner and Casto as they unpack the legacy of a show that was technically off the air, yet somehow more alive than ever.
Episodes
Star Trek in Dynamite Magazine - Episode 124 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:01
During the 1970s, it was one of the most widely read magazines by kids. Dynamite Magazine was published by Scholastic, Inc. from 1974 to 1992. During its run, it was the most successful magazine for the company...ever! D…
Star Trek The Motion Picture - Episode 123 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:09
Gene Roddenberry and Paramount had been working on it for 4-½ years, and fans had been waiting for over ten. In December 1979, it was finally here. Star Trek The Motion Picture was in theaters. And this week we will be g…
Star Trek Producer John D.F. Black - Episode 122 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:48
He was one of the original producers of Star Trek and helped launch the show. John D. F. Black was hired in 1966 as an Executive Story Consultant. He passed away in November 2018 at the age of 85. With his passing so rec…
The Corbomite Maneuver - Episode 121 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:37
It was the 10th episode to air in the first season, but was actually the first one to go in front of the cameras after Star Trek had been sold to NBC. The Corbomite Maneuver aired on November 10, 1966. And despite it bei…
Star Trek The Motion Picture's Premiere - Episode 120 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
It was the first major film adaptation of a TV show...A show that had been off the air for ten years! December 7th, 1979: It's the day Star Trek The Motion Picture premiered. And fans had been eagerly awaiting this day f…
Star Trek and The 1970s - Episode 118 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:30
The tagline of 70s Trek has been, "The decade that built a franchise." This week, we take a deep dive into the 1970s. The show has been about how Gene Roddenberry, Paramount Pictures and others worked in the 70s to bring…
Star Trek Designer Syd Mead - Episode 117 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:35
On this episode of 70s Trek, we'll discuss the man who designed V'Ger. Syd Mead was brought in to do one job: That was designing something strange and unusual for the alien craft seen in Star Trek The Motion Picture. Wha…
Star Trek The Motion Picture: The Novel Part 2 - Ep 116 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:16
This week we are wrapping up Gene Roddenberry's novelization of Star Trek The Motion Picture. This was Gene's only book and was based on an early script by Harold Livingston. Of course, the script was based on a story by…
Star Trek The Motion Picture: The Novel - Ep 115 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:53
It's the first Star Trek novel published by Pocket Books, and the only book Gene Roddenberry ever wrote. The novelization of Star Trek The Motion Picture was based on an earlier version of Harold Livingston's script. Bec…
Stephen Collins & Persis Khambata - Episode 114 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:20
When Star Trek The Motion Picture hit theaters, fans saw two new additions to the cast. During The Original Series, we got to meet guest characters that helped to tell that week's story. But they were never members of th…