The show the network could not kill! — The World of Star Trek was the second real-world Star Trek reference work. Released in 1973, David Gerrold's book was the first to examine the phenomenon of the series as well as assess its format, structure, and writing. Gerrold expanded it in 1984 with text and photos from the first three movies. In 2016, it was reprinted with a new introduction reflecting the show's 50th anniversary.

Description[]

1984 edition back cover

They said it couldn't be done! A science fiction show? On national television?? The network didn't believe it would work. It was the 1960s. Would the public accept a non-human hero with demonic pointed ears? A black woman lieutenant? Impossible!

But Star Trek lives!

This is the story of a phenomenon — a story as strange and wonderful, in its way, as the Enterprise's trip through space. Even the power of the network couldn't stop it. And so Star Trek went on to make entertainment history — with Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan — and now Star Trek III! Here is the complete inside story, as it has never before been told: the men and women who created the Star Trek universe, from scriptwriters' memos to special effects, plus revealing personal interviews with the series' legendary stars.

The legend of Star Trek lives in the hearts of millions — now, discover the truth behind the legend. Writer David Gerrold was on the set, watching it all happen: the feuds, the fun, the love — the magic that is Star Trek. With over 50 pages of photos from your favorite episodes, and stills from all three movies!

Contents[]

1973 edition[]

• Part One: The First World of Star Trek — Gene Roddenberry's Dream
• Part Two: The Star Trek Family — The People Who Made the Enterprise Fly
• Part Three: The Star Trek Phenomenon — Saving Star Trek
• Part Four: Star Trek — The Unfulfilled Potential
• The Return of Star Trek...?

1984 edition[]

• Part One: The First World of Star Trek — Gene Roddenberry's Dream
• Part Two: The Star Trek Family — The People Who Made the Enterprise Fly
• Part Three: The Star Trek Phenomenon — Saving Star Trek
• Part Four: Star Trek — The Unfulfilled Potential
• Part Five: The Return of Star Trek

References[]

"Real" people[]

William Campbell • James Doohan • DeForest Kelley • Walter Koenig • Nichelle Nichols • Leonard Nimoy • Gene Roddenberry • William Shatner • George Takei • Bjo Trimble

Referenced only

Kirstie Alley^MA • Isaac Asimov • Barry Atwater^MA • Majel Barrett • Harve Bennett^MA • Bibi Besch^MA • John D.F. Black^MA • James Blish • Ray Bradbury • Merritt Butrick^MA • Steve Carabatsos^MA • Arthur C. Clarke • Lee Cole^MA • Stephen Collins^MA • Gene L. Coon^MA • Robin Curtis^MA • Joe D'Agosta^MA • Marc Daniels^MA • Charles Dickens • Harlan Ellison • Irving Feinberg^MA • Jerry Finnerman^MA • Paul Fix^MA • D.C. Fontana • Gerald Ford^MA • Ghandi • Jerry Goldsmith^MA • James Goldstone^MA • Barry Goldwater^MA • D.W. Griffith^MA • Lloyd Haynes^MA • Robert Heinlein • Adolf Hitler • James Horner^MA • John Hoyt^MA • Jeffrey Hunter^MA • Matt Jefferies^MA • Joe Jennings^MA • Lyndon B. Johnson • Robert H. Justman • John F. Kennedy • Stanley Kubrick^MA • Mark Lenard • Harold Livingston^MA • Gary Lockwood^MA • Celia Lovsky^MA • Malcolm McDowell^MA • Nicholas Meyer^MA • Mike Minor^MA • Ricardo Montalban^MA • George Pal^MA • Samuel Peeples^MA • Joe Pevney^MA • Fred Phillips^MA • Janos Prohaska^MA • Gayne Rescher^MA • Susan Sackett • Joe Sargent^MA • Jack Sowards^MA • Theodore Sturgeon^MA • Jud Taylor^MA • J.R.R. Tolkien • Douglas Trumbull^MA • Penny Unger^MA • Teresa Victor^MA • Mort Werner^MA • William Windom^MA • Paul Winfield^MA • Robert Wise^MA • Jane Wyatt^MA

Characters[]

Adam • Ahab • Balok • James Bond • Phillip Boyce • Rhett Butler • Christine Chapel • Liviana Charvanek • Pavel Chekov • Robinson Crusoe • Decius • Willard Decker • Matthew Decker • Devil • Albert Einstein • Elaan • Charlie Evans • Lucas Fellini • Benjamin Finney • Frankenstein • Frankenstein's monster • Sigmund Freud • Dorothy Gale • Gav • Barry Giotto • Amanda Grayson • Guardian of Forever • Hamlet • Adolf Hitler • Hodin • Sherlock Holmes • Horatio Hornblower • Attila the Hun • Ilia • Kang, son of K'naiah • Boris Karloff • Edith Keeler • John F. Kennedy • Keras • George Samuel Kirk, Jr. • James T. Kirk • James T. Kirk (android) • Kloog • Koloth, son of Lasshar • Korax • Krell • Kruge • Lal • Landru • Lang • Losira • Maab • Mara • David Marcus • Carol Marcus • Marta • Angela Martine • Leonard McCoy • Joanna McCoy • Ming the Merciless • Gary Mitchell • Mickey Mouse • Harry Mudd • Natira • Nomad • Number One • Odona • O'Herlihy • Scarlett O'Hara • Oedipus • Pan • Christopher Pike • Tongo Rad • Janice Rand • Kevin Riley • Mira Romaine • Ruk • Saavik • S'alath • Sarek • Montgomery Scott • Ebenezer Scrooge • Rod Serling • Rota Sevrin • Shahna • Khan Noonien Singh • Spock • Spock (mirror) • Stonn • Hikaru Sulu • Hikaru Sulu (mirror) • Superman • Surak • Talosian Magistrate • Thann • Thelev • Robert Tomlinson • T'Pau • T'Pring • Tarzan • Clark Terrell • Trelane • Nyota Uhura • Nyota Uhura (mirror) • V'Ger • Vaal • Janet Wallace • John Wayne • Xon • Yarnek

Starships and vehicles[]

aircraft carrier • airplane • Boeing 747 • Botany Bay • USS Constellation (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • cruiser • Enterprise • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Enterprise (Enterprise-subclass refit Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Excelsior (Excelsior-class) • Galileo (class F shuttlecraft) • USS Grissom • jet • Klingon battlecruiser • Klingon bird-of-prey • ChR Memenda (Vas Hatham-class Romulan bird-of-prey) • USS Reliant • Saturn V • shuttlecraft • space shuttle • starship • submarine • V-2 rocket

Ground vehicles[]

automobile (Buick • Corvette • taxi) • bicycle • bus • fire truck • truck

Locations[]

Alpha Centauri • Ceti Alpha V • Delta V • Eminiar VII • the galaxy • Garden of Eden • Genesis Planet • Luna (Clavius crater) • Magellanic Clouds • Mars • Organia • Oz • Regula I space station • Sol • Triskelion • Vendikar • Vulcan • Vulcan Science Academy

Earth locations[]

Beta III • America • Burbank • Canada • Chicago • Cleveland • Colorado • Czechoslovakia • Denver • Detroit • Earth • Edwards Air Force Base • Empire State Building • England • Georgia • Germany • Great Britain • Griffith Park • Hollywood • Hungary • Iowa • Israel • Japan • Jet Propulsion Laboratory • Kansas City • Korea • Los Angeles • Miami • Milwaukee • Montreal • New Orleans • New York City • Oregon • Pasadena • Pennsylvania • Poughkeepsie • Russia • San Francisco • San Francisco Naval Yards • Seattle • South Carolina • Texas • United Kingdom • United States • Vietnam • Washington, D.C.

Races and cultures[]

Andorian • android • Asian • Deltan • elf • goblin • Gorn • Horta • Human (African • American • Chinese • Christian • English • French • German • Greek • Irish • Japanese • Jewish • Mexican • Mongol • Nazi • Polish • Russian • Scotsman • Scottish • Swahili • Turkish) • Kelvan • Klingon • Organian • Rigelian • Romulan • Tellarite • troll • Vulcan

States and organizations[]

Federation • IBM • Industrial Light & Magic • Kelvan Empire • MENSA • NASA • Paramount • Paramount Pictures • Roman Empire • Romulan Empire • Royal Air Force • Starfleet (command division • operations division • sciences division) Starfleet Command • United States Air Force • United States Navy

Science and classification[]

agony booth • airlock • artificial gravity • atomic power • class M • cloaking device • communications • communicator • computer • engine • engineering • environmental suit • force field • force screen • gas mask • Genesis device • hypospray • interstellar communication • Jefferies tube • jet engine • laser beam • laser cannon • library • library computer • life support • lirpa • machine • magnetic boot • metal detector • missile • PADD • phaser • photon torpedo • radar • radio • robot • robot torpedo • shields • stylus • subspace radio • sword • television • time portal • tractor beam • transporter • transporter room • turbolift • United Space Ship • video tape • viewscreen • warp drive

Ranks and titles[]

admiral • advisor • ambassador • astronaut • botanist • captain • captain of engineering • chief engineer • commander • communications officer • cook • cop • cowboy • crewman • dentist • detective • diplomat • doctor • ensign • Federal Marshal • first officer • guard • helmsman • high priest • hijacker • historian • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • mason • mechanic • medical officer • mess officer • miner • mobster • mutineer • nun • nurse • officer • philosopher • policeman • porter • President of the United States of America • priest • princess • science officer • scientist • senator • sergeant • slave • soldier • steward • teacher • traitor • yeoman

Media[]

2001: A Space Odyssey • Bewitched • Bonanza • Buck Rogers • Doc Savage • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde • Doctor Who • Flash Gordon • Forbidden Planet • Genesis II • Godzilla • Gunsmoke • I Love Lucy • King Kong • Mission: Impossible • Planet of the Apes • The Outer Limits • The Twilight Zone • The Untouchables

Star Trek publications[]

Chekov's Enterprise • Concordance • The Making of Star Trek • On the Good Ship Enterprise • The Trouble with Tribbles (reference)

Star Trek series and films[]

The Original Series • The Animated Series • Star Trek: Phase II • The Motion Picture • The Wrath of Khan • The Search for Spock

Star Trek episodes[]

A Piece of the Action • A Private Little War • A Taste of Armageddon • All Our Yesterdays • Amok Time • And the Children Shall Lead • The Apple • Arena • Balance of Terror • Bread and Circuses • By Any Other Name • Catspaw • The Changeling • Charlie X • The City on the Edge of Forever • The Cloud-Minders • The Conscience of the King • The Corbomite Maneuver • Court Martial • Dagger of the Mind • Day of the Dove • The Deadly Years • The Devil in the Dark • The Doomsday Machine • The Empath • The Enemy Within • The Enterprise Incident • Errand of Mercy • For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky • Friday's Child • The Galileo Seven • The Gamesters of Triskelion • I, Mudd • The Immunity Syndrome • Is There In Truth No Beauty? • Journey to Babel • The Lights of Zetar • The Man Trap • The Mark of Gideon • The Menagerie • Miri • Mirror, Mirror • The Naked Time • The Omega Glory • Operation -- Annihilate! • The Paradise Syndrome • Patterns of Force • Plato's Stepchildren • The Return of the Archons • The Savage Curtain • Shore Leave • Space Seed • Spectre of the Gun • Spock's Brain • The Squire of Gothos • That Which Survives • This Side of Paradise • The Tholian Web • The Ultimate Computer • Tomorrow is Yesterday • The Trouble with Tribbles • Turnabout Intruder • The Way to Eden • What Are Little Girls Made Of? • Where No Man Has Gone Before • Who Mourns for Adonais? • Wolf in the Fold

Other references[]

18th century • 20th century • 1920 • 1930s • 23rd century • alien • alternate reality • Alice series • Amazing Grace • amber • American Civil War • antimatter • ape • Apollo program • army • arthritis • auto destruct • bagpipes • balloon • baseball • bathroom • battleship • beam • Beyond Antares • birthday • blastoneuron • blood • bluff • bone • book • brain • bridge • briefing room • cabin • camera • captain's chair • carrier pigeon • Catholicism • cave • cement • centrifuge • chess • Christmas • Christmas tree • city • civilization • cobra • coffee • cold war • college • colonist • colony • comet • comic book • computer • Constitution of the United States • copper • corbomite • cordrazine • corridor • courtroom • crew • culture • dandelion • day • decade • destroyer • détente • dilithium crystal • dimension • dinosaur • divorce • doberman • dog • dollar • dragon • dress uniform • drug • drydock • dungeon • ecology • egg • emotion • engine room • English language • espionage • execution • fairy tale • fanzine • Federation • Federation law • fencing • festival • first contact team • five-year mission • fly • food slot • funeral • galactic barrier • galaxy • galley • gambling • gas • god • gold • government • graduation • gravity • Great Bird of the Galaxy • haiku • hair • Halloween • heart • heaven • helium • helm • helmet • high school • history • honor • hospital • hour • illusion • ion • Japanese language • judge • jungle • karate • katra • kazoo • Kobayashi Maru scenario • Kolinahr • koon-ut-kal-if-fee • language • launch pad • lead • lieutenant • light • light year • literature • logic • love • machete • magazine • magic • marriage • matter • medal • medical • mind meld • mining • minute • mob • money • month • moustache • movie • mugato • mustache • myth • newspaper • opera • Organian Peace Treaty • painting • parade • peace • peace treaty • peanut butter • petroleum • philosophy • pilot • plague • plak tow • planet • planetoid • play • police • pon farr • Prime Directive • quadrant • quarantine • races and cultures • radar • radiation • rat • record • recreation room • refit • registry number • restaurant • rock • rocket • Romulan ale • salt vampire • schizophrenia • school • science • science fiction • second • security • ship commissioning • shore leave • shuttle • sickbay • silicon • slavery • sleeper ship • soap opera • solar system • soup • space • space station • spaceship • special effects • speed of light • spore • star • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2240s-2265) • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (early 2270s) • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • starship • steel • submarine • surgery • tachyon • technical journal • technology • television • Theory of General Relativity • three dimensional chess • time • toilet • tool • transporter room • transwarp drive • treason • tribble • United Space Ship • universe • vacuum • venom • virus • Vulcan lute • Vulcan nerve pinch • Vulcan Peace Sign • war • weather • wedding • whale • World War I • World War II • year • zenite • zero gravity • zombie

Timeline[]

Production history[]

April 1973

First published by Ballantine Books. (ISBN 978-0-345-23403-2)

November 1975

Seventh printing. (Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-345-24938-8)

November 1979

Updated cover. (Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-345-28571-3)

May 1984

Revised edition by Bluejay Books. (ISBN 978-0-312-94463-6)

April 1986

British paperback edition by Virgin Books. (ISBN 978-0-7535-0090-3)

November 1986

Fifth Bluejay printing. (ISBN 978-0-312-94463-2)

28 January 2014

Kindle edition. (BenBella Books, ISBN 978-1-939529-57-2)

6 September 2016

50th anniversary introduction, Ty Templeton cover art. (Comicmix, hardcover: ISBN 978-1-939888-47-1, paperback: ISBN 978-1-939888-43-3)

Appendices[]

Background[]

• Author David Gerrold thanked Starlog for providing interviews in his coverage of the first three movies, and credited the magazine on the title page of the 1984 edition.
• Format and concept recommendations in the book, such as making Pavel Chekov a security chief, adding additional exits to the bridge, showing that bathrooms existed on starships, and setting a precedent that the landing party should not be led by the ship's CO, were reflected in future Star Trek productions. Producer Harve Bennett^MA told Gerrold that the book was helpful in the planning stages of his films.
• Gerrold cited 67 Star Trek episodes by name.

Images[]

Related media[]

• The Making of Star Trek
• The Trouble with Tribbles (reference)

Connections[]

Star Trek reference works
In-universe	Blueprints • Star Fleet Technical Manual • Medical Reference Manual • Official Cooking Manual • Spaceflight Chronology • Monsters • The Motion Picture Blueprints • Maps • Biographies • Klingon Dictionary • Who's Who in Star Trek (Issues 1 • 2) • Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise • The Worlds of the Federation • TNG Technical Journal • TNG Technical Manual • Chronology • Encyclopedia (Volumes 1 • 2 • 3 • 4) • Ferengi Rules of Acquisition • Federation Passport • The Klingon Way • NCC-1701-D Blueprints • These Are the Voyages... • Federation Travel Guide • A Star to Steer Her By • Legends of the Ferengi • Klingon for the Galactic Traveler • Q's Guide to the Continuum • DS9 Technical Manual • The Tribble Handbook • The Klingon Hamlet • Star Trek Cookbook • Celebrations • Starship Spotter • The Hologram's Handbook • The Starfleet Survival Guide • Star Charts • Ships of the Line • Star Trek Legacy Prima Official Game Guide • Captain Kirk's Guide to Women • Haynes Manuals (USS Enterprise • Klingon Bird of Prey) • Federation: The First 150 Years • On Board the USS Enterprise • A Very Klingon Khristmas • Stellar Cartography • Klingon Art of War • Autobiographies (James T. Kirk • Jean-Luc Picard • Kathryn Janeway • Spock • Benjamin Sisko) • Hidden Universe Travel Guides (Vulcan • Klingon Empire) • Shipyards (Starfleet Ships, 2151-2293 • Starfleet Ships, 2294-The Future • The Klingon Fleet • Federation Members • Borg & Delta Quadrant, A to K • Delta Quadrant, L to Z • Alpha Quadrant, A-K • Alpha Quadrant, L-Z) • Illustrated Handbooks (NCC-1701-D • NCC-1701 & 1701-A • Voyager • Deep Space 9) • Body by Starfleet • Kirk Fu Manual • The Star Trek Cookbook • USS Cerritos Crew Handbook
Real world	The Making of Star Trek • The World of Star Trek • Inside Star Trek • Making of The Motion Picture • Compendium • Making of The Wrath of Khan • TNG Companion • Make-Up FX Journal • Where No One Has Gone Before: A History in Pictures • Making of DS9 • The Art of Star Trek • Inside Star Trek: The Real Story • Making of First Contact • Phase II: The Lost Series • TOS Sketchbook • The Continuing Mission • Science Logs • TNG Sketchbook: The Movies • Action! • Secrets of Insurrection • Quotable Star Trek • DS9 Companion • Aliens & Artifacts • The Magic of Tribbles • VOY Companion • Voyages of Imagination • 101 • Star Trek: The Art of the Film • Art of Star Trek Online • A Comics History • 365 • Star Trek Vault • Visual Dictionary • Costumes • New Life and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics • TNG: Warped • The Star Trek Book • 50 Artists 50 Years • Designing Starships (The Enterprises and Beyond • The USS Voyager and Beyond • The Kelvin Timeline • DSC Designing Starships • DS9 and Beyond) • Treknology • The Art of Star Trek: The Kelvin Timeline • Lost Scenes • Official Guide to TAS • The Motion Picture: Inside the Art & Visual Effects • Cocktails: A Stellar Compendium • Art of DSC • VOY: A Celebration • The Artistry of Dan Curry • Designing the Final Frontier • TOS: A Celebration • The Star Trek Book of Friendship • Picard: The Art and Making of the Series

External link[]

• The World of Star Trek article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.