Texas Maverick Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 In honor of Women's History Month, we salute Lucille Ball who is famed as a comedian and entrepreneur, but did you know that she also has a special place in the history of science fiction as the savior of Star Trek? In 1964, Ball was the sole owner of Desilu Studios and the first woman to ever run a major Hollywood studio. At the time, Desilu producers were looking for ideas that could be developed into new series and they contracted two ambitious writers to develop pilots: Gene Roddenberry with "Star Trek" and Bruce Geller with "Mission: Impossible." Desilu took the Star Trek pilot to CBS with whom they had a first-refusal agreement but the network rejected it and opted to pick up another new space-themed show "Lost in Space." The studio then took the pilot, "The Cage," to NBC which called it "too cerebral" but, rather than rejecting it outright, they took the unprecedented move of ordering a second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before." The network decided to order a season but the Desilu Board of Directors balked. Fearing that the studio was overstretching itself with three expensive new programs -- Star Trek, Mission Impossible, and a western called The Long Hunt for April Savage -- all but one of the board members voted to cancel Star Trek in February 1966. Lucille Ball, however, had high hopes for the fledgling show and was impressed by Roddenberry’s vision so she used her power as board chair to override the decision. Production of the show continued and the first episode aired in September of that year. As studio accountant Edwin Holly later conceded, "If it were not for Lucy, there would be no 'Star Trek' today." So the next time that you’re watching Star Trek -- or one of the many science fiction future worlds that it inspired -- remember that you have one more reason to love Lucy! For two inspiring picture books to introduce kids to the pioneering Lucille Ball, we highly recommend "Lucille Ball: A Little Golden Book Biography" (https://www.amightygirl.com/lucille-ball-golden-book) and “I Am Lucille Ball” (https://www.amightygirl.com/i-am-lucille-ball), both for ages 4 to 8 For older kids, we recommend the illustrated biography "Who Was Lucille Ball?" for ages 8 to 12 at https://www.amightygirl.com/who-was-lucille-ball For two fascinating books for adult readers about Lucille Ball's life which also explore her support of "Star Trek," we recommend her bestselling memoir "Love, Lucy" (https://www.amightygirl.com/love-lucy) and "Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz" (https://www.amightygirl.com/desilu) To inspire children and teens with more stories of inspiring female trailblazers in the arts, sciences, and other fields, visit our "Role Models" biography section at https://www.amightygirl.com/.../history-biography/biography And for science fiction books for children and teens starring Mighty Girls, visit our "Fantasy & Science Fiction" book section at http://amgrl.co/2wfKIOZ Image credit: Star Trek Appreciation Society 5 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Star Trek is one of my very favorite series of all time. I love all the offshoots of it as well. Lucille Ball was quite something. A very special Lady. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Star Treks Grandmother or Star Treks Godmother ? I say BOTH ! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Kane Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 “she used her power as board chair to override the decision” No splenin by Lucy required. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Maybe not the first. Mable Normand had her own studio way back when. Quote Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893[1][2] – February 23, 1930), better known as Mabel Normand, was an American silent film actress, director and screenwriter. She was a popular star and collaborator of Mack Sennett in their Keystone Studios films,[3] and at the height of her career in the late 1910s and early 1920s had her own film studio and production company,[4] the Mabel Normand Feature Film Company.[5] On screen, she appeared in twelve successful films with Charlie Chaplin and seventeen with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, sometimes writing and directing (or co-writing and directing) films featuring Chaplin as her leading man.[ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 whatever ...i liked lucy and watched regularly , i was never a fan of star wars or star treck or any other of those shows - not that i would ever deprive any of you of the right to watch , i didnt , im glad you can watch , i choose another channel , just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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