Conventions and Cartoons

The decision by NBC to cancel the original STAR TREK series in 1969 paradoxically led to its worldwide popularity. Now that the show was no longer restricted to NBC affiliates, Paramount Pictures, the new owners of STAR TREK were able to syndicate the episodes and the classic series was taken up by independent stations. Before long Gene Roddenberry was barely able to meet the demand placed on his mail-order business selling STAR TREK memorabilia.

Hungry for new storylines, STAR TREK fans began to produce fanzines and newsletters leading to the formation of fan clubs and to the first American-wide Convention, in New York City in January 1972. The upsurge in interest in the show led NBC to reconsider its attitude towards STAR TREK but the cost of reconstructing sets and re-assembling the original crew was deemed too expensive. It was therefore decided to revive the programme in animated form. For budgetary reasons, only the key cast members were hired to provide the voices but a threatened boycott by Leonard Nimoy ensured that Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) and George Takei (Sulu) were also brought into the animated series.

(11k) The Emmy-award-winning cartoon adventure.

The cartoon version of STAR TREK premiered on American television in September 1973. In all, 22 episodes were produced and the programme won the Emmy Award as the 'Best Children's Series of 1974/75.'

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