The Undiscovered Country
For a few days now I’ve been thinking of an incident that always makes me smile. I’ve decided that it’s what I feel like writing about.. so that I will smile again today.
It concerns my friend Deforest Kelley, if you were any sort of “trekkie” you already know he played Dr. McCoy in the original series.
Long about the time that Paramount was filming the last of the Original Casts movies, Star Trek 6, I was having a small get together “slash” picnic and had invited Carolyn and DeForest, along with AC Lyles and his lovely wife Martha. (There’s yet another story there.. someday ask me about DeForest and my cat Pookey!) Anyway, by the time the picnic was over De had extended an invitation to me and Sue (De’s fan club president) and another to come to the studio to watch them film a scene in Star Trek 6.
Ooooh, you betcha we’ll come De!! Sounds like fun! I’ve never seen a “real Vulcan” before, will Leonard be there?
No.. but Spock will.
Duh.. smartass!
The day arrived and I even spruced up some. (That means I actually put on makeup so I wouldn’t scare anyone away). We got to the studio and were to report to the producers office where someone would escort us to the set. After we reported in we went to sit outside the office on a bench, where low and behold who came walking around the corner, nearly tripped over my feet and landed in my lap but THE FONZ!!
“oh, I’m so sorry”…
“No problem Mr. Winkler (nearly said Mr Fonzarelli) You can sit on my lap anytime!”
(ACK! Where the heck did that come from?… beats me, but Mr Winkler was smiling! Woohooo!)
We finally got escorted to the set and walked inside. We were told when the red lights come on to be very quiet, since that means they will be doing the actually filming. (ok, gotcha!)
We weren’t there but a moment when Jimmy Doohan and Walter Koenig came over to talk to us. We had all met them at other times at conventions and they remembered us. Jimmy was a hoot! Cracked us up a few times as we waited for De.
Someone looked up and we all looked where they were looking. In walked Kirk and Spock. (hmmm De was right.. I don’t see Leonard.. I don’t think Leonard has ears like those!) I was beginning to feel like we were really seeing Kirk, Spock, Chekov, and Scotty.. So where the heck is De???
The doors opened again and we all looked… ohhhhhh my gawd! Heart be still! It was… McCoy!!! In uniform no less!…. and … and… (heart did a flip) with the “scruffies”!! Ohhhhhhh how I love scruffies! Lol lol …
As he walked towards us it was still McCoy! Must be something about uniforms that makes a man carry himself differently. This was not the same man I had seen a few days before in a plaid shirt, jeans and cowboy boots!
De stopped just a few feet in front of us. “Hi girls, enjoying yourself?”
Ok.. that did it.. finally, it was De again. Now as long as I didn’t look at that uniform I was ok. De mulled around with us and joked with Scotty, when he suddenly made a hand motion for someone to come over. When I looked the director Nick Meyer (the director) was coming towards us.
“I want to introduce you to the girls Nick.”
Graciously Nick held out his hand to shake hands as De introduced us. (I was last to be introduced) Nick put out his hand to me as De began…
“And this one….”
Nick is shaking my hand.
“… This one…” (come on De.. I know you can do it!)
Still shaking hands.. (now would be nice De…)
“ohhh ! Right… Pat”
(finally you little sh*t!… I’ll fix Your Butt … just watch me)
I let go of Nicks hand (who was still shaking it)..”Hugs are so much better when meeting someone” I said, as I threw my arms around Nick Meyers neck.
Ohhhh gawd! What did I just do?… Nick Meyer is ummmm ....short!.. his nose is nearly in my boobs! Aggggggggggggg! But, but.. that’s ok… I’ll show De a thing or two.. or three.
Gads, is De smiling? I sure hope he’s smiling. I guess I should let loose of Nick Meyer huh? Heh.. ok.. I let go..I look at De… TAAADAAA!… HE’S GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR!! …. Ssssssuucccessssss!
Nick Meyer mumbles something to the effect, “I’ve got to meet more guests more often” as he leaves.. *groan… I am totally humiliated! BUT, De is still smiling!
Soon Nick calls the “crew” of the Enterprise over to begin shooting. They are going to shoot the scene where, after just being beamed up from the penile colony of Rura Penthe, Kirk and McCoy are rushed up the elevator to another floor to find Scotty who had discovered 2 of their crew members dead.
The elevator doors opened and Nick Meyer called “action”… my feet wouldn’t move if I wanted them too! Out walked Kirk, and McCoy… wow.. how did he do that? How did he become McCoy when I wasn’t looking? When his mouth opened it wasn’t De anymore! Incredible! We watched in total silence as they did the scene.
I was never more amazed in my life. Well.. ok.. I was just as amazed the time I saw my first site of the Grand Canyon. But… the transformation DeForest made was like night into day. He was the consummate character. I always knew I had thought he was a good actor… but that day I learned he was a whole lot more then “just good.”
I can remember that day like it was yesterday but it was way back in 1991. wow.. 14 years ago. Where did 14 years go?
You best take heed and don’t anyone blink..... You may wake up and find 14 years of your own life gone.
It concerns my friend Deforest Kelley, if you were any sort of “trekkie” you already know he played Dr. McCoy in the original series.
Long about the time that Paramount was filming the last of the Original Casts movies, Star Trek 6, I was having a small get together “slash” picnic and had invited Carolyn and DeForest, along with AC Lyles and his lovely wife Martha. (There’s yet another story there.. someday ask me about DeForest and my cat Pookey!) Anyway, by the time the picnic was over De had extended an invitation to me and Sue (De’s fan club president) and another to come to the studio to watch them film a scene in Star Trek 6.
Ooooh, you betcha we’ll come De!! Sounds like fun! I’ve never seen a “real Vulcan” before, will Leonard be there?
No.. but Spock will.
Duh.. smartass!
The day arrived and I even spruced up some. (That means I actually put on makeup so I wouldn’t scare anyone away). We got to the studio and were to report to the producers office where someone would escort us to the set. After we reported in we went to sit outside the office on a bench, where low and behold who came walking around the corner, nearly tripped over my feet and landed in my lap but THE FONZ!!
“oh, I’m so sorry”…
“No problem Mr. Winkler (nearly said Mr Fonzarelli) You can sit on my lap anytime!”
(ACK! Where the heck did that come from?… beats me, but Mr Winkler was smiling! Woohooo!)
We finally got escorted to the set and walked inside. We were told when the red lights come on to be very quiet, since that means they will be doing the actually filming. (ok, gotcha!)
We weren’t there but a moment when Jimmy Doohan and Walter Koenig came over to talk to us. We had all met them at other times at conventions and they remembered us. Jimmy was a hoot! Cracked us up a few times as we waited for De.
Someone looked up and we all looked where they were looking. In walked Kirk and Spock. (hmmm De was right.. I don’t see Leonard.. I don’t think Leonard has ears like those!) I was beginning to feel like we were really seeing Kirk, Spock, Chekov, and Scotty.. So where the heck is De???
The doors opened again and we all looked… ohhhhhh my gawd! Heart be still! It was… McCoy!!! In uniform no less!…. and … and… (heart did a flip) with the “scruffies”!! Ohhhhhhh how I love scruffies! Lol lol …
As he walked towards us it was still McCoy! Must be something about uniforms that makes a man carry himself differently. This was not the same man I had seen a few days before in a plaid shirt, jeans and cowboy boots!
De stopped just a few feet in front of us. “Hi girls, enjoying yourself?”
Ok.. that did it.. finally, it was De again. Now as long as I didn’t look at that uniform I was ok. De mulled around with us and joked with Scotty, when he suddenly made a hand motion for someone to come over. When I looked the director Nick Meyer (the director) was coming towards us.
“I want to introduce you to the girls Nick.”
Graciously Nick held out his hand to shake hands as De introduced us. (I was last to be introduced) Nick put out his hand to me as De began…
“And this one….”
Nick is shaking my hand.
“… This one…” (come on De.. I know you can do it!)
Still shaking hands.. (now would be nice De…)
“ohhh ! Right… Pat”
(finally you little sh*t!… I’ll fix Your Butt … just watch me)
I let go of Nicks hand (who was still shaking it)..”Hugs are so much better when meeting someone” I said, as I threw my arms around Nick Meyers neck.
Ohhhh gawd! What did I just do?… Nick Meyer is ummmm ....short!.. his nose is nearly in my boobs! Aggggggggggggg! But, but.. that’s ok… I’ll show De a thing or two.. or three.
Gads, is De smiling? I sure hope he’s smiling. I guess I should let loose of Nick Meyer huh? Heh.. ok.. I let go..I look at De… TAAADAAA!… HE’S GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR!! …. Ssssssuucccessssss!
Nick Meyer mumbles something to the effect, “I’ve got to meet more guests more often” as he leaves.. *groan… I am totally humiliated! BUT, De is still smiling!
Soon Nick calls the “crew” of the Enterprise over to begin shooting. They are going to shoot the scene where, after just being beamed up from the penile colony of Rura Penthe, Kirk and McCoy are rushed up the elevator to another floor to find Scotty who had discovered 2 of their crew members dead.
The elevator doors opened and Nick Meyer called “action”… my feet wouldn’t move if I wanted them too! Out walked Kirk, and McCoy… wow.. how did he do that? How did he become McCoy when I wasn’t looking? When his mouth opened it wasn’t De anymore! Incredible! We watched in total silence as they did the scene.
I was never more amazed in my life. Well.. ok.. I was just as amazed the time I saw my first site of the Grand Canyon. But… the transformation DeForest made was like night into day. He was the consummate character. I always knew I had thought he was a good actor… but that day I learned he was a whole lot more then “just good.”
I can remember that day like it was yesterday but it was way back in 1991. wow.. 14 years ago. Where did 14 years go?
You best take heed and don’t anyone blink..... You may wake up and find 14 years of your own life gone.
posted by DesLily | 3:07 PM
2 Comments:
what a nice story that was to read, Pat. Maybe you should write a book with all your experiences such as these!
betty
I think I stereotype actors too much. Deforest Kelley will always be Dr. McCoy in my mind. I guess it is because of little boy who loved Star Trek so much.
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