There are so many shows in the Star Trek franchise that the original was officially renamed Star Trek: The Original Series (hitherto referred to simply as TOS).
Yet those first three seasons didn’t go well, and Star Trek was canceled. It wasn’t until TOS was picked up and re-aired across the world in syndication that Gene Roddenberry’s vision was eagerly embraced by adoring fans. The rest, as they say, is history.
Perhaps no other entertainment franchise owes as much of a debt of gratitude to syndication as this one, which now includes 11 television series (and counting), 13 feature films, and countless books, video games, conventions, and so on.
But the show very nearly never went beyond a single pilot. And if it weren’t for a particular sitcom star, TOS probably never would have been made.
Who helped this show boldly go where no one had gone before?
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The answer is: Lucille Ball. It’s almost a certainty that without Lucille Ball, Star Trek never would have made it. Gene Roddenberry brought the show to her production company, Desilu Productions, and she almost immediately believed strongly in it.Even after a failed pilot, Ball advocated for it — putting up her own money for a second pilot and ultimately ensuring the show would get picked up. Without her, it’s almost impossible that the Star Trek franchise would be the cultural phenomenon it is today.Source
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