The Making of Star Trek

The Making of Star Trek is a behind-the-scenes description of the creation of Star Trek: The Original Series, the first Star Trek series. A multi point of view reference book, in which input from a wide range of production contributors, from studio executives to costumers, was processed, it was the first of its kind. Liberally illustrated with two extensive black and white photo sections, this book also contains as illustrative backdrops, memos, technical information, and production concepts from the original pilot through the first two seasons of The Original Series.

For his research, author Stephen Edward Poe was given full access to the stages and offices of Desilu Productions, as part of the deal he brokered between model kit manufacturer Aluminum Model Toys and the studio. Poe, who wrote the book using his stepfather's name of Whitfield (although virtually all his other writing was done under his own name), shared a co-author credit with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. However, Poe wrote the book alone, but made a deal with Roddenberry, in which they agreed that Roddenberry would proofread the book and make his corrections and notifications before it went to print. For this, he would receive co-author credit and half the royalties. It also was thought that the appearance of Roddenberry's name on the book might make it sell better. Ultimately, Roddenberry was not able to review the book due to harsh production deadlines, but received the co-author credit anyway. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story)

For many years this was the sole book title on the production of Star Trek, and thirty years later, Poe would follow up on his work with the similarly conceived 1998 title, A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager.

The work has been an influential one. Not only was it the very first detailed and specialized book title on the production aspects of Star Trek, it was also the very first one for a television show in general, or for that matter one of the very first for the motion picture industry as a whole. Prior to its release, publications about "behind-the-scenes" aspects of motion picture productions, were either restricted to article-length magazine publications, most notably in American Cinematographer, or referenced to in (single point of view) memoirs or biographies of actors and/or directors. It has set the template for all "making of..." reference books on the subject matter that have followed suit.

The book was highly successful, already needing a reprint in November of the same year it was first published, September 1968, followed by a third printing in January 1969. A popular book, it has since then seen numerous reprint runs, first under the Ballantine Books imprint and subsequently under that of Del Rey. It has been to date, the most reprinted Star Trek reference book ever. The 1991 stand-alone Titan Books publication was intended specifically for the UK market only, on the occasion of the Star Trek's 25th Anniversary. Despite its immense popularity, and unlike later reference books, it has not seen any internationally translated versions.

Summary

 * From the first edition book jacket
 * What it is - how it happened - how it works! The Biography of the Leading Science Fiction TV Program.  STAR TREK!  The long, hard battle of television's first tentative step toward adult science fiction, with the complete story on how the U.S.S. Enterprise was designed, her weaponry, equipment and power sources, the original concept behind the show, how the continuity is maintained, backgrounds of the characters, biographies of the stars, and pictures, diagrams, illustrations - the whole authentic history.


 * From the second edition book jacket
 * The Book On How to Write for TV! The only book of its kind!  The complete history of a top TV series - how a television show is conceived, written, sold and produced.

US print history

 * note: this list is currently incomplete


 * Ballantine Books
 * Original cover design
 * No ISBN number
 * 1st printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * 1st printing, (Canadian)
 * 2nd printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * 3rd printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * 4th printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * First revised cover design
 * Attributed ISBN 0345216210
 * 5th printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * 6th printing, (cover price $0.95)
 * 7th printing, (cover price $1.25)
 * Revised ISBN 0345026977
 * 8th printing, (cover price $1.25)
 * 9th printing, (cover price $1.50)
 * Revised ISBN 0345234014 (old SBN 345234014150)
 * 10th printing, (cover price $1.50)
 * 11th printing,
 * 12th printing,
 * Second revised cover design
 * Revised ISBN 0345246918
 * 16th printing,, (cover price $1.95)
 * 17th printing, (cover price $1.95)
 * 18th printing (cover price $1.95)
 * Del Rey Books imprint
 * Second revised (Ballantine) cover design
 * Revised ISBN 0345273486
 * 19th printing,, (cover price $2.25)
 * Revised ISBN 0345276388
 * 20th printing
 * 21st printing
 * Revised cover design
 * Revised ISBN 0345340191
 * 22nd printing,, (cover price $5.99)
 * Retro cover design
 * 27th printing, (25th Anniversary-edition), (cover price $5.99)
 * 33rd printing

Cover gallery
The Making of Star Trek