Podcast
The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast
Hosted by Roddenberry Entertainment · EN
Your weekly deep-dive into the archives of Roddenberry Entertainment, from the personal files of Gene Roddenberry. Each week, "Dr. Trek" himself, Larry Nemecek, and his guest host will take a behind-the-scenes look at documents that haven't been viewed in decades—many being revealed publicly for the very first time!
27episodes
Episodes
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15-6 How an Official Star Trek Stage Show Nearly Reached Broadway
2w ago00:19:36Tap to summarizeThe story of Star Trek's officially licensed 1994 stage production continues this week on The Trek Files as actor Adrian Cohen returns to share even more memories from Star Trek: The Lost Voyage of the Enterprise. Using a rare 1995 review from Total Theatre Magazine as the document of the week, Adrian and Larry Nemecek dig deeper into the ambitious London production that somehow brought transporters, Klingons, time travel, and a full-scale Enterprise bridge to the live stage — all during the height of 1990s Trek mania. This time, Adrian shares stories from the chaotic opening night when the lighting system catastrophically crashed just hours before curtain, forcing the audience to wait until 9:30 PM for a performance that somehow still became a hit with fans. He also reflects on the enormous pressure of portraying Mr. Spock, the audience reaction to seeing the crew materialize live on stage, and the bittersweet realization that the production's planned Broadway future would never quite materialize. Along the way, the conversation uncovers surprising connections to Adrian's later move to America, the early career of producer John Gore, and how one strange theatrical experiment became an almost-forgotten chapter of Star Trek history. Documents and Additional References Total Theatre Magazine review of Star Trek: The Lost Voyage of the Enterprise (Spring 1995) Adrian Cohen on IMDB Reference: Leonard Nimoy John Gore on IMDB John Gore on BroadwayWorld The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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15-5 Inside the 1994 UK Star Trek Stage Show
3w ago00:22:05Tap to summarizeBefore there was streaming Trek or "immersive experiences," there was something almost unbelievable: an officially licensed Star Trek stage play in London in 1994. This week on The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek welcomes actor Adrian Cohen (credited at the time as Adrian Neil), who played Mr. Spock in the ambitious theatrical production mounted during the height of the Star Trek: The Next Generation era. Using a clipping from the London Evening Standard as the document of the week, Adrian recounts the surreal experience of stepping onto a full-scale Enterprise bridge in front of packed houses of passionate British Trek fans. What began as a skeptical audition ("I can't play Spock!") quickly evolved into a whirlwind production featuring transporter effects, Klingons, time travel, elaborate costume changes, and even an Enterprise flying out over the audience. Adrian and Larry explore how producer John Gore approached the material with both reverence and playful theatricality, creating something that celebrated Star Trek rather than parodying it. Along the way, Adrian shares memories of discovering just how intense Trek fandom could be, the pressure of channeling Leonard Nimoy's iconic presence, and the unexpectedly emotional reaction from audiences seeing Star Trek brought to life on stage for the very first time. This week, The Trek Files points a spotlight at a little-known corner of improbable yet completely inevitable Trek history. Documents and Additional References London Evening Standard clipping covering the 1994 Star Trek stage production Reference: Adrian Cohen on IMDB Reference: Leonard Nimoy John Gore on IMDB John Gore on BoradwayWorld The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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15-4 The Face of First Contact
4w ago00:22:37Tap to summarizeThirty years ago, Star Trek: First Contact brought one of the franchise's most important moments to life: humanity's first meeting with the Vulcans. This week on The Trek Files, host Larry Nemecek welcomes actor, writer, and Does It Fly? co-host Tamara Krinsky for a uniquely personal look behind the scenes of that iconic sequence. Using an original production call sheet from April 23, 1996, the conversation takes us to the nighttime shoot at Charlton Flats in the Angeles National Forest, where dozens of extras helped populate the post-war settlement that would witness history. Among them was a young aspiring actor named Tamara, hoping to gain experience and maybe earn a coveted SAG card. What happened next was something straight out of Hollywood legend. During filming, director Jonathan Frakes singled Tamara out from among the crowd, rebuilding part of the scene around her reaction shot. Her featured appearance in the finished film earned her a day-player contract, a SAG membership, and a memory that has stayed with her ever since. Along the way, Tamara shares stories of chilly overnight shoots, watching the legendary cast at work, and experiencing firsthand the creation of one of Star Trek's most beloved cinematic moments. Documents and Additional References Star Trek: Generations II (Star Trek: First Contact) production call sheet, April 23, 1996 Reference: Star Trek: First Contact Reference: Tamara Krinsky Reference: Jonathan Frakes Reference: James Cromwell Reference: Patrick Stewart Does It Fly? podcast The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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15-3 Star Trek IV Call Sheets and B-Tank Memories with Effects Artist Stuart Ziff
May 2600:20:36Tap to summarizeThe Trek Files welcomes back visual effects veteran Stuart Ziff for a firsthand trip into the making of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. This time, the documents are original production call sheets from April 1986, detailing the now-legendary "B-Tank" shoot where the Klingon Bird-of-Prey splashed down into San Francisco Bay with George and Gracie the humpback whales. Stu recalls the practical filmmaking wizardry behind the scenes: giant wave machines, lightning rigs, whale effects, and an enormous outdoor water tank built on the Paramount lot. Along the way, he shares stories about building a mechanical whale eye (for the wrong side of the whale), experimenting with blue dye for the tank water, and watching old Hollywood effects crews create movie magic in real time. Larry and Stu also circle back to Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Stu's experiences during the turbulent Robert Abel & Associates era, including a revealing memory involving a young Paramount executive named Jeffrey Katzenberg. It's a fond look back at the kind of filmmaking that required wind machines, carbon-arc lightning effects, scuba divers, towels, and "wetsuits for cast and crew." Plus: Stu discusses the new documentary being produced about his life and career, and how fans can help support it. Documents and additional references Star Trek IV production call sheets, April 18–24, 1986 Stuart Ziff documentary campaign: Indiegogo – The Stuart Ziff Documentary Reference: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Reference: Leonard Nimoy The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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15-2 Stuart Ziff on the Troubled Effects Production of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
May 2200:23:35Tap to summarizeBefore Star Trek: The Motion Picture reached theaters, its visual effects production was already becoming legendary… for all the wrong reasons. This week on The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek welcomes visual effects veteran Stuart Ziff for a firsthand account of the chaotic early days of TMP production under Robert Abel & Associates. Using internal memos and legal correspondence from 1977 and 1978, Larry and Stu trace the rapidly escalating budget, the mounting pressure from Paramount, and the growing realization that the ambitious effects work was spiraling out of control. But this isn't just a story about production disaster. Stu shares what it was actually like inside Abel's experimental effects operation during a revolutionary moment in Hollywood filmmaking, where engineers, artists, and filmmakers were inventing techniques on the fly in the years between Star Wars and the digital era. Along the way, Stu reveals how some of his work survived the production shakeup and made it into the finished film, including contributions to the unforgettable V'Ger probe sequence aboard the Enterprise bridge. It's a candid look at one of the most turbulent creative periods in Star Trek history, and a reminder that sometimes cinematic magic emerges from absolute chaos. Documents and additional references: December 6, 1977 legal correspondence regarding Robert Abel & Associates' agreement for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. May 17, 1978 Paramount memo objecting to Robert Abel & Associates' revised visual effects budget. Guest: Stu Ziff Reference: Star Trek: The Motion Picture Additional reference: the upcoming Stu Ziff documentary crowdfunding campaign at Indiegogo – Stuart Ziff Documentary Project The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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15-1 Tawny Newsome on the Lost Lwaxana Troi Sitcom Pitch
May 1900:28:37Tap to summarizeWhat if Star Trek had spun off into a full-blown sitcom starring Lwaxana Troi? To kick off Season 15 of The Trek Files, Larry Nemecek welcomes actor, writer, comedian, and Star Trek: Lower Decks star Tawny Newsome for a deep dive into an early-1990s pitch centered on Majel Barrett Roddenberry's Betazoid ambassador. The document up for discussion is a never-produced sitcom concept built around Lwaxana Troi; equal parts fish-out-of-water comedy, family chaos, and larger-than-life Trek energy. Together, Larry and Tawny unpack why the pitch feels both very of-its-time and strangely ahead of its time, especially now that Star Trek comedy has found new life through projects like Lower Decks. As someone who has not only starred in Trek comedy but also developed her own comedic Trek ideas, Tawny brings a unique perspective to the conversation: what makes sci-fi comedy work and how Gene Roddenberry's world always had room for humor alongside the philosophy and adventure. It's a fascinating look at a road not taken in Star Trek history and a reminder that sometimes the weirdest ideas in the archive are the most revealing. Documents and additional references ca. 1992 sitcom pitch centered on Lwaxana Troi and a proposed Star Trek comedy spinoff Guest: Tawny Newsome Reference: Lwaxana Troi Additional reference: Star Trek: Lower Decks The Trek Files Season 15 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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14-24 Denise Crosby on Auditioning for TNG: How Macha Hernandez Became Tasha Yar
Feb 1700:22:51Tap to summarizeBefore she was Tasha Yar, she was Lieutenant Commander Macha Hernandez. For the Season 14 finale of The Trek Files, Denise Crosby joins Larry Nemecek to revisit her original 1987 audition sides for Star Trek: The Next Generation, including early character descriptions that reveal a very different version of the Enterprise's security chief. Denise first read for Deanna Troi before Gene Roddenberry made a pivotal switch, reshaping the role of Macha Hernandez into Tasha Yar to fit Denise's strengths. In this week's episode, Denise reflects on the audition process, her favorite scene between Troi and Yar that was never filmed, and what those early creative decisions revealed about the direction of TNG. She also shares memories of those uncertain early days of production, the risk of launching a syndicated sequel to an iconic series, and the emotional complexity of stepping into (and eventually stepping away from) such a historic role. Along the way, Denise speaks movingly about loss after the Palisades fire, resilience, fandom, and what it means to revisit Star Trek decades later. It's a revealing look at how a character evolves, how casting can reshape canon, and how even discarded script pages tell the story of Star Trek's creative DNA. Documents and additional references Star Trek: The Next Generation Casting Character Bios & Audition Sides (January 30, 1987) Original description of Lieutenant Commander Macha Hernandez and early security chief character concepts. Star Trek: The Next Generation Pilot Casting Sides (February 11, 1987) Troi/Yar audition scene never filmed for TNG. The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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14-23 Star Trek IV's Lost Saavik Scene with Robin Curtis
Feb 1000:29:50Tap to summarizeIn this very special episode of The Trek Files, actor Robin Curtis joins us to revisit a little-known chapter in Saavik's story, one that never made it to screen. Drawing from a pair of early Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home script drafts, we explore a scene that implies Saavik is pregnant with Spock's child, a narrative thread begun in Star Trek III but quietly dropped by the time the final film was released. Robin shares warm memories of working with Leonard Nimoy, the late Harve Bennett, and her fellow castmates, as well as a few eye-opening truths about the unpredictability of Hollywood. Plus, she discusses her return to the role of Saavik in OTOY's Unification, and we recreate the pivotal, never-filmed scene between Kirk and Saavik. It's an emotional, candid, and deeply human conversation about legacy, missed opportunities, and what it means to carry a character with you for decades. Documents and additional references: First Draft (August 23, 1985): Conversation between Kirk and Saavik revealing her pregnancy by Spock. Second Draft (November 18, 1985): Subtle reference via McCoy's line: "I'm a surgeon, not a pediatrician." The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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14-22 How 'The Chase' Inspired Star Trek: Discovery's Final Season
Feb 300:21:59Tap to summarizeBefore Star Trek: Discovery's final season sent its crew in pursuit of ancient secrets, Carlos Cisco had already taken inspiration from one of the most profound episodes of The Next Generation, "The Chase." In this week's The Trek Files, Carlos returns to explore the thematic connections between the 1993 TNG episode and Discovery's modern narrative arc. With Larry Nemecek, he discusses how "The Chase" influenced the creation of the alien species Progenitors and how its ideas about shared ancestry and unity resonated with the story of L'ak and the Breen in Discovery Season 5. Document and additional references: Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase," final draft script (revised Feb 4–10, 1993) Written by Ronald D. Moore & Joe Menosky, directed by Jonathan Frakes. The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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14-21 Questor Rebooted
Jan 2700:22:15Tap to summarizeThis week, we're joined once again by Cash Edwards, who shares an intimate look at his longtime friendship with Star Trek: The Next Generation producer Herbert J. Wright. Their relationship, and shared history with Gene and Majel Roddenberry, sparked a bold attempt to revive one of Gene's most personal concepts: The Questor Tapes. In 2004, Herb, Cash, Rod Roddenberry, and a team that included Mike Okuda and Jules Urbach put together a new pitch for Questor—a project updated for the post-9/11 world but still driven by the timeless Roddenberry themes of evolution, ethics, and survival. From detailed series bibles to pilot treatments and fan outreach, Cash walks us through the chaotic early years of TNG, the roots of Questor, and the bittersweet story behind its final pitch. Document and additional references: Questor promo revision 10 - 2004 The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha All episodes and documents: The Trek Files on Memory Alpha Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise. The conversation continues on Discord with live chats and the Roddenberry Podcasts community! Join today!
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