Announcing FACT TREK

Seven years ago, I started STAR TREK FACT CHECK as a platform to debunk some of the most common myths and misconceptions about the making of Star Trek. I also wanted to share some of the more intriguing production documents I found as I continued to do archival research. In the process, I've been able to connect with a few people who worked on the show, along with dozens of like-minded fans and media historians.

One of those like-minded fans is Maurice Molyneaux, a talented writer and filmmaker who's name you might recognize from the pages of The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine or the credits of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—Crossroads of Time. For the past two years, Maurice and I have been hard at work on an exciting new initiative we're calling FACT TREK.

What is FACT TREK? We have several projects in the works under the FACT TREK umbrella, but to start, we're launching a dedicated website and a Twitter feed where we are going to be sharing many of the little nuggets we've uncovered about the making of Star Trek and its place in television history. You can also follow us on Facebook.

Read our complete FACT TREK mission statement here.

"The Alternative Factor" — What The Hell Happened? (Part 3)

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

Written by Kevin Koster & Michael Kmet

Part One of this piece, originally published in December of 2016, can be read here. Part Two, originally published in August of 2017, can be read here. For Part Three, I am joined by Kevin Koster, a television professional who I have been lucky to know as a result of this blog.

Beyond the obvious contribution of Kevin's commentary, what follows is also the beneficiary of Kevin's decades of production experience, which he used to conduct a detailed analysis of the surviving archival documents related to "The Alternative Factor." This piece would simply not be possible without him.

Please note that all passages from the revised edition of These Are The Voyages - TOS: Season One (2013), by Marc Cushman with Susan Osborn, have been italicized. All other sources are cited in the endnotes of this post.

The story continues on November 16, 1966, the first day of production on "The Alternative Factor." (For a brief filming timeline by scene number, see the end of this piece, prior to the endnotes).

Principal photography commenced on Stage 9 for the bridge scenes that did not involve Lazarus. Janet MacLachlan was present, and given a blue uniform to wear. This was the first of many mistakes -- although a relatively minor one. Lt. Masters was originally written as a chemist; as a member of the medical or science departments, so she would have worn blue. But with the change in the script that had her assigned to engineering, red should have been her new color. Someone forgot to clue-in the wardrobe department.

The color of Masters' uniform isn’t the character’s only wardrobe error. Despite dialogue identifying here as a "lieutenant," Masters wears an ensign’s uniform, with no braid on her sleeve. Neither of these errors can be blamed on last-minute script changes, however. In both Don Ingalls' November 7, 1966 second draft teleplay and the staff rewrite from November 14-18, 1966, Masters is introduced with the following description, and is seen working in engineering:

As Kirk enters, LIEUTENANT CHARLENE MASTERS, an attractive chemoscientist, moves to his side with a report.¹

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967); note Lt. Masters has no rank braid

KEVIN KOSTER: OF COURSE, NOT EVERY PERSON IN ENGINEERING NECESSARILY WORE A RED OUTFIT. RICHARD COMPTON'S SUPPORTING ROLE AS LT. WASHBURN IN "THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE" WAS DONE IN A BLUE UNIFORM, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PART OF THE DAMAGE CONTROL TEAM AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO DELIVERS THE REPORT TO SCOTTY AND KIRK. (INDEED, SCOTTY'S TEAM HAD WASHBURN IN A BLUE UNIFORM AND TWO OTHERS IN GOLD UNIFORMS.) BY THE SAME THINKING, LT. MARLA MCGIVERS IN "SPACE SEED" WORE RED EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A HISTORIAN AND TECHNICALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEARING BLUE. 

Still from "The Doomsday Machine" (1967)

KEVIN KOSTER: THESE DECISIONS TELL US THAT THE PRODUCERS WOULD SOMETIMES SWITCH UP THE UNIFORM COLORS FOR OTHER REASONS. PUTTING WASHBURN IN BLUE AND THE OTHER CREWMEN IN GOLD MEANT THAT THEY COULD HAVE A SPRAY OF COLOR BETWEEN THE RED, GREEN AND BLUE UNIFORMS OF SCOTTY, KIRK, AND McCOY IN THE SHOT WHEN THEY ARRIVE ON THE CONSTELLATION, AND A VARIATION IN VARIOUS SHOTS IN AUXILIARY CONTROL. SIMILARLY, PUTTING MCGIVERS IN RED IN "SPACE SEED" HELPED HER PROVIDE A DIFFERENT LOOK — AND THEN WIND UP IN A RED UNIFORM NEXT TO KHAN’S RED COSTUME AT THE EPISODE'S CLOSE. (IT DIDN’T HURT THAT MADLYN RHUE WAS A REDHEAD; THE RED UNIFORM WAS A NICE WAY TO ACCENTUATE HER HAIR COLOR.)

Still from "Space Seed" (1967)

Oswald covered 23 scenes and more than 10 pages of script, wrapping at 6:50 p.m., 30 minutes into overtime but otherwise on schedule. 

Cushman and Osborn's account of the first day of production on "The Alternative Factor" matches the archival record. Twenty-three scenes (2-9, 22-24, 26-27, 49-50, 111, 138-139, 141-143, and 146-147), all on the bridge, were completed as scheduled. The first shot was taken at 8:31am and the crew wrapped at 6:50pm. According to the shooting schedule, this constituted 10 2/8 pages of work, while the daily production report calculated the work done as 10 1/8 pages.² Either way, the episode was on schedule.

All seemed well ... at least, on set. It was a different story in the producer's office.  

Earlier in the day, a memo from Stan Robertson arrived. It said nothing about the casting [of a black actress in the role of Lt. Masters] but, instead, focused on a plot device used in the script. Robertson wrote:  

This will confirm our telephone conversation of yesterday, in which I again voiced objections to this script which has as its premise another "duplicate character."... We have gone over this point many times in the past, Gene, and it appears as though we are only continuing to perpetuate the "sameness" which has been one of the continuing criticisms of our series. (SR20-2)

This was a curious note to send to Coon on the first day of production. Robertson had previously approved "this very fine story," duplicate character included. But, now, as the cameras were rolling, he was making it clear that NBC could refuse to air "The Alternative Factor." And that meant NBC would not have to pay for the episode. The network had found its out. 

Within hours, director Gerd Oswald, finishing work on the set, received new script pages for the next day.

In fact, Robertson’s initial letter about "The Alternative Factor," sent to Roddenberry on September 21, 1966 (and quoted in the first part of this article), had cautioned against having any duplicate characters — Lazarus included — as the episode advanced to teleplay.⁴ This was understandable, since Star Trek had already used this plot device three times (multiple characters have duplicates in "The Man Trap," and Kirk is duplicated in both "The Enemy Within" and "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"). Even Bob Justman, who was not on copy on Robertson’s September 21st letter, had anticipated the network's objection, writing in an October 19, 1966 memo to Gene Coon:

Since there is a situation in this story, however, wherein we have two people, in this case, Lazarus and his alter-ego, I was wondering if we had gotten an approval from NBC on this show. Have they raised any objections to having this sort of situation?

Coon had been copied on Robertson’s letter to Roddenberry, but neither he nor Roddenberry did anything to change the direction of the story. Justman's memo should have reminded both men that NBC did not want any duplicate characters in "The Alternative Factor," but if it did, they were not driven to action. Both Don Ingalls' second draft script and the staff rewrite prominently feature a duplicate of Lazarus.

When Stan Robertson saw the pages about to be filmed, he was understandably upset that his creative input had been ignored. However, what Cushman and Osborn assert — that Robertson reacted by threatening to withhold the network's license fee and leave the episode unaired — is contrary to the archival record. Indeed, Robertson’s letter, dated November 16, 1966 (whether or not it arrived "earlier in the day" is purely conjecture), has more to do with future stories yet to be approved by NBC than it does "The Alternative Factor":

This will confirm our telephone conversation of yesterday, in which I again voiced objections to this script which has as its premise another "duplicate character". 

We have gone over this point many times in the past, Gene, and it appears as though we are only continuing to perpetuate the "sameness" which has been one of the continuing criticisms of our series. With our production problems being what they are, which necessitates our having to shoot and release programs in the order in which the scripts are received, I must advise you that we will not accept any other stories so constructed for the remainder of the season.⁵

By November 15, when Robertson called Coon (as was often the case, the program manager sent a letter the next day, to reiterate their phone conversation in print), much of the script had already been finalized, including the deletion of the Lazarus/Masters romance (64 revised pages were issued between November 14-15).⁶ Contrary to Cushman and Osborn's narrative, there was no need for NBC to make a threat to ensure the removal of an interracial romance, and there was no resultant scramble at the last minute to rewrite the episode to NBC's satisfaction.⁷

John Drew Barrymore was visiting wardrobe on this day for final costume fittings. Before leaving, he was given the revised script. And then he quit the production.

Barrymore was visiting wardrobe for final costume fittings on November 16 (per a memo from Joe D'Agosta, Barrymore was fitted for his costume on November 15 and 16, 1966). Barrymore may have received additional script revisions on November 16 — D'Agosta's memo doesn't say. As previously indicated, his memo does say that “Barrymore received script changes on November 14.”⁸

In a memo from the next day to Herb Solow, Joe D'Agosta wrote:

Between 4 and 5 p.m., [Barrymore] sent word that he did not want to do the role and refused to accept a work call for filming the following morning, November 17. With the cooperation of his agent and lawyer, I told him that he was committed and had to report to work. Mr. Barrymore then became unavailable and out of reach. His reasons were that the script changes had altered his character.

This memo has been misquoted, although not substantially. For comparison, here is the relevant portion of the original:

Memo excerpt from Joe D’Agosta (November 18, 1966)⁹

KEVIN KOSTER: D'AGOSTA'S MEMO STRIKES ME AS HAVING BEEN WRITTEN AFTER THE FACT. HE HAD NO REASON TO WRITE SUCH A MEMO AT THE TIME WHILE THEY WERE IN SCRAMBLE MODE TO RECAST THE ROLE. BUT HE HAD A LARGE REASON TO DRAFT A MEMO AND BACKDATE IT WHEN HERB SOLOW MADE IT CLEAR HE INTENDED TO PRESS CHARGES AGAINST BARRYMORE FOR HAVING FLAKED OUT ON THE SHOW.

There is some evidence to support the idea that D'Agosta's memo was backdated. The shooting schedule for "Tomorrow is Yesterday" was posted on Monday, November 21, 1966, and indicated a full day of shooting (11 5/8 pages) was planned for the episode the coming Friday, November 25, 1966.¹⁰ On top of that, the daily production report for "The Alternative Factor" from November 18, 1966 (the supposed date of D'Agosta's memo) indicated the shoot was only 1/4 day behind.¹¹

However, D'Agosta's memo contends that by Friday, November 18, 1966, the company knew it would not finish "The Alternative Factor" until the following Friday, and also knew it would have to carry Michael O'Herlihy (directing "Tomorrow is Yesterday") an extra day as a result.¹² This conclusion is not consistent with a 1/4 day delay — a delay which either episode could have conceivably made up at that point.

Robert Brown was 38 when he was tossed a live hand grenade called "The Alternative Factor."

Most sources indicate Robert Brown was born on November 17, 1926; when he was called in to appear in "The Alternative Factor" on November 17, 1966, he was not 38 — he had just turned 40.

Robert Brown featured on a lobby card for The Flame Barrier (1958)

Prior to this, he worked often on the stage, including shows on Broadway. In 1958, he snagged a prominent role in the sci-fi movie The Flame Barrier. 

Although The Flame Barrier was released in April of 1958, Brown actually snagged the role in December of 1957. His casting was announced in the December 11, 1957 issue of Daily Variety:

Arthur Franz and Robert Brown were set for the male leads in "The Flame Barrier" which will be made under the Gramercy Films banner for United Artists release.13

Robert Brown and William Shatner in "Colossus" (1963)

In television, Brown found notable guest spots on series such as Perry Mason, Wagon Train, and Bonanza. In 1962, he starred with William Shatner in the unsold TV pilot called “Colossus.”

A bit of background and clarification: "Colossus" was a pilot episode about two pioneers in California (one Irish, one Swedish) that aired as an installment of The Dick Powell Theater on March 12, 1963. Daily Variety confirms it was filmed in early 1963, not 1962.¹⁴ William Shatner (as the Swede) and Robert Brown (as the Irishman) starred and Frank Overton, who played Sandoval in "This Side of Paradise," played the heavy. Despite a good notice in Variety, which singled out Brown and Shatner for praise and deemed the hour "an excellent spinoff which could make for a highly entertaining series," the pilot was not picked up and the actors moved on to other roles.¹⁵

[Robert Brown] said, "I got a call on my birthday [November 17] and it was from Roddenberry. Shatner and I had gotten along really well while making 'Colossus,' and Roddenberry said, 'Shatner gave me your number; I hope you don’t mind me calling.' I didn’t know who Roddenberry was. I didn’t know what Star Trek was."

Although Brown says he didn't know Roddenberry when he received his call, it appears Roddenberry knew Brown. In an October 14, 1964 memo to Kerwin Coughlin, who cast the show's first pilot, Roddenberry had suggested Robert Brown as one of several names for the role of Jose Tyler.¹⁶

"I drove in and Roddenberry greeted me and said, 'You just follow me back to makeup and don't worry, we'll find a place for you to live near the studio.' I said, 'What are you talking about?' He said, 'Well, you got the part. Shatner says you can handle it. So, after I called you, my office called your agent to talk about the script.' I said, 'What script? I haven’t heard anything about it. I'm not familiar with this show or the genre, so I don't think so. Thanks, but no.' He said, 'Listen, you're an actor, you're from the theater, you can do this. Look, I'll tell you what we’ll do -- I've got a contract with Shatner that says nobody can get more money than he does, but I'll arrange something. We'll pay you what he makes and I'll put in a little extra myself.But you can't tell him or else I'll sue you.' And then he reached in his pocket and gave me five dollars. He said, 'Here.'"

During the first season of Star Trek, William Shatner earned $5,000 per episode.¹⁷ Robert Brown, contrary to Roddenberry's bluster, earned less than half of that amount as Lazarus #1 and #2, taking home just $2,000 for the dual role.¹⁸ In fact, had John Drew Barrymore appeared as originally agreed, he would have been paid more than Brown — $2,500.¹⁹ Roddenberry may have told Robert Brown he would be paid the same figure as William Shatner, but if he did, it was an empty promise.

Day 2, Thursday...For this day, in his scenes on the bridge followed by sickbay and the transporter room, Brown's beard was thin, although not yet completely sparse. This would soon change.

Cushman and Osborn's account of the second day of filming — that the production completed scenes of Lazarus on the bridge, sickbay, and finally in the transporter room — does not match the daily production report.²⁰ Only two scene numbers were completed on the bridge — scenes 25 and 61, brief tie-down shots of the viewscreen — and neither involved Robert Brown. Although Brown arrived on set at 9:00am, 35 minutes after the first shot had been taken, he did not go in front of the cameras until later in the day. Instead, the production moved up scenes without Lazarus and filmed them first, giving Brown extra time to learn his lines and to get his costume ready.

KEVIN KOSTER: DAY TWO OF THE EPISODE WAS FRANTICALLY REBUILT TO CAST A REPLACEMENT FOR LAZARUS, TO FIT HIM FOR HIS COSTUME, AND TO FIND SCENES TO SHOOT WHILE THE FIRST TWO IDEAS WERE HAPPENING. THIS HELPED THE NEW ACTOR LEARN HIS LINES, BUT IT WAS MAINLY ABOUT BUYING TIME TO GET HIM TO THE LOT AND GET HIM READY.

Richard Derr in "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

The first shot completed on the second day was on the bridge (seen above). This had been scripted as a, "TIE IN SHOT with Kirk visible in his seat," but it was filmed without seeing Kirk or the command chair.²¹ Eddie Paskey was featured at the helmsman’s station and an unidentified background artist filled the navigator’s position. This same shot would be used both for for wider viewscreen coverage of Richard Derr and, later in the episode, for wider viewscreen coverage of the phaser blasts destroying the timeship on the planet.

KEVIN KOSTER: THIS WAS AN EASY WAY TO GET THEIR FIRST SHOT OFF QUICKLY. THEY THEN MOVED TO THE BRIEFING ROOM FOR SCENE 105A, A NEARLY THREE PAGE TECHNOBABBLE SCENE WITH KIRK AND SPOCK, FORCING SHATNER AND NIMOY TO LEARN THIS STUFF WITH NO PREPARATION. THEY RUSHED IN RICHARD DERR (WHO HAD NOT BEEN SCHEDULED TO WORK UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY) AND QUICKLY FILMED HIS VIEWSCREEN COVERAGE AS THE COMMODORE FOR SCENE 26A AGAINST A WALL IN SICKBAY.

Once Derr wrapped, DeForest Kelley and William Shatner shot the only remaining scene in sickbay without Lazarus (scene 51, originally scheduled for day six). With this material out of the way, Robert Brown finally went before the cameras, completing scenes 79-81 in the briefing room with Shatner, Nimoy, and Janet MacLachlan.²²

Incidentally, scenes 79-81, which cover 1 6/8 pages, were left off the shooting schedule by mistake. This lapse could only have added to the confusion in 1966 as well as the problems Cushman and Osborn have had in reconstructing the production timeline.²³ Finally, the production moved to the transporter room, where they completed three short scenes. Contrary to Cushman and Osborn's account, Brown did not film any scenes in sickbay on this day; those scenes would not be completed until the following Monday (day four).²⁴

Nichelle Nichols and Arch Whiting (as the assistant engineer) showed up for their scheduled calls on day two, but due to Barrymore's sudden disappearance, they did not go before the cameras. As a result of all this chaos, Nichelle Nichols and Eddie Paskey (as Lt. Leslie) ended up working an extra day on the episode, while Arch Whiting worked two extra days — costing the production an extra $575.²⁵

With all the confusion, care normally shown in the making of Star Trek was now nowhere in sight. For a scene in the transporter room, Lazarus knocks out the transporter technician and beams himself to the planet. One must wonder where he learned to operate the transporter. 

Lazarus' ability to operate the transporter controls was in the shooting script — it had nothing to do with any chaos John Drew Barrymore sparked on the set. This was a necessary change from Ingalls' second draft, where Lt. Masters mutinied and operated the transporter controls.²⁶ In the shooting script, Lazarus’ ability was justified with the description, "Lazarus #1 studies the control panel quickly, punches a button, pushes the slide energizer, hurries to stand on a transporter plate."²⁷ Considering that Lazarus' timeship appears more advanced than the Enterprise, this moment is far from the script’s greatest leap in logic.

KEVIN KOSTER: ONE AREA WHERE SLOPPINESS DID APPEAR WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL CALL SHEET FOR THE 17TH TRIED TO BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHICH LAZARUS WAS TO BE SEEN IN EACH SCENE — BETWEEN THE INSANE LAZARUS OF OUR UNIVERSE AND THE CALMER, SANER VERSION FROM THE OTHER UNIVERSE. THAT SPECIFICITY WAS TOTALLY DROPPED THE MOMENT THAT BARRYMORE'S FLAKEOUT DESTROYED THE SCHEDULE. FROM THAT TIME FORWARD, THE SECOND A.D. WRITING THE CALL SHEET WAS JUST TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT SCENES ON THE PAGE AS THE PLAN KEPT CHANGING.

Robert Brown in "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

When Oswald wrapped at 7 p.m., he was one-half day behind.

According to the daily production report, despite all the problems on the second day of filming, the cast and crew were able to scramble and complete over eight pages of work. When Gerd Oswald wrapped at 7:22pm (not 7:00pm), he was only a quarter day day behind schedule, not a half day behind.²⁸

KEVIN KOSTER: OSWALD AND THE TREK UNIT DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB ON THE 17TH IN GETTING OVER 8 PAGES IN THE CAN. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT A HALF DAY BEHIND.

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

Day 3. On Friday, the company finished the scenes intended for the previous day - sequences on the bridge and in the ship’s corridors...The scenes in the alternate engineering set were planned to come next but Oswald barely got started on this before calling for a wrap at 7:15 p.m., a full hour into overtime. 

Based on the daily production report, this is largely accurate — the third day was spent completing Lazarus' scenes on the bridge, followed by scenes in the ship's corridors — although, confusingly, Cushman and Osborn also say Brown filmed his bridge scenes on the second day. The archival record is a bit murky when it comes to what the company planned to shoot next (but didn't film when they ran out of time). They may have planned on moving to engineering, but this is only speculation, not fact.

There are two call sheets for November 18, 1966 at UCLA — a second one had to be prepared when John Drew Barrymore didn't show, which threw the schedule out the window — but even the revised call sheet does not match what was filmed.²⁹ That call sheet begins with the bridge scenes (60-64, 66-68) that were shot on the third day, but then lists scenes (52-53) in the recreation room that wouldn't be filmed until the following Monday, and only after that lists scenes in the engineering section. It’s possible a third call sheet was prepared with another revised plan, but if so, it does not survive at UCLA.

There was one set, however, that we know was scheduled (but not shot) for day three — the negative magnetic corridor. Shooting this set at the end of the day on Friday had always been the plan, going back to the original shooting schedule, and we know it was still their intention to film it on the day, since the three stuntmen needed for the scene (one for Kirk, two for Lazarus) were on set at 11:00am, and stayed on set until they went home at 7:15pm, without going before the cameras.³⁰ As a result, they would have to be paid to come back on another day — an additional, unplanned cost.

KEVIN KOSTER: THE PRODUCTION REPORT FOR THE 18TH SHOWS THAT SHATNER STAYED UNTIL 7:15PM, TOO. THE COMPANY WRAP TIME WAS 7:15PM. NICHELLE NICHOLS WAS RELEASED AT 6:00PM AND "LEONARD NIMO" [SIC] WAS RELEASED AT 5:00PM. THE PRODUCTION REPORT ALSO INDICATES THE COMPANY GOING OVER TO STAGE 10 AT THE END OF THE DAY. I BELIEVE THE PRODUCTION REPORT IS SHOWING THAT THEY MOVED OVER TO THE NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR AND STARTED TO WORK OUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO WHEN THEY SHOT IT. THEY WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A CHANCE THEY COULD FILM ANYTHING THERE ON THE 18TH. WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THEY COULDN'T, THEY WRAPPED THE COMPANY, BUT AT LEAST HAD A STRONGER IDEA OF WHAT MATERIALS THEY WOULD NEED WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE SET THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY.  

THIS ADDS TO MY THINKING THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THIS SET WOULD TAKE THEM TOO LONG, WHICH MEANT THAT THE NEXT EPISODE’S DIRECTOR, MICHAEL O'HERLIHY, WOULD HAVE MOST OF THAT DAY TO FILM SCENES FOR "TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY". AND SINCE O'HERLIHY WAS FAMOUSLY ONE OF THE FASTEST TELEVISION DIRECTORS IN HOLLYWOOD HISTORY, IT FOLLOWS THAT BOB JUSTMAN WAS NOW THINKING THEY’D STILL BE ON SCHEDULE FOR THE SEASON BY THE END OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

The Many Beards of Lazarus (Stills from "The Alternative Factor," 1967)

Fortunately, on this day, Brown's beard matched from the day before. Again, that would soon change. 

It seems silly to even address this point, but since Cushman and Osborn find it necessary to describe each of the various stages of Lazarus' facial hair, I must point out that much of their analysis is incorrect. This is how they describe Lazarus' beard during each day of the shoot (note that no scenes of Lazarus were completed on day one):

Day 2: "Brown's beard was thin, although not yet completely sparse."
Day 3: "Brown's beard matched from the day before."
Day 4: "...the beard looked the same..."
Day 5: "...makeup did a horrible job with Brown's fake beard. It was much thicker than in any of the scenes shot on stage."
Day 6: "The beard that arrived this day for Robert Brown was again the thick one."
Day 7: "The direction is better here, as is the beard." 

When Brown started filming on the second day of production, his beard was so sparse that it was barely visible on camera. The next two days, his beard was again sparse, but it was thick enough to be readable on camera. When the company moved to Vasquez Rocks during days 5-6, Brown suddenly had a thick, full beard that did not match any of the previous days' work. On day seven, although Brown was given a sparser beard, it was still too thick to match his look from the previous days spent on stage (days two, three, and four). And to top it all off, the two stuntmen doubling for Lazarus on day seven had beards that were barely readable on camera (see the account of the final day of filming below for an image showing the two stuntmen).

Day 4. Come Monday, filming took place in an area of engineering identified in the script as "Lithium Crystal Recharging Section." This information was supposed to go on the door outside. The sloppiness continued and the sign by the door merely read "Engineering," adding to the confusion.

In the shooting script, the location is identified as "INT. ENGINEERING — LITHIUM CRYSTAL RECHARGING SECTION."³¹ No signage is indicated. In the shooting schedule, the location is identified as "INT. ENGINEERING SECTION," and the schedule refers to a "Sign for Engineering Section" under both "PROPS" and "SET DRESS."³² There's no indication in either the script or the shooting schedule that "Lithium Crystal Recharging Section" was supposed to appear on any signage.

As the day progressed, the company moved to the recreation room, followed by a move to sickbay...Oswald wrapped at 6:50 p.m.

Based on the daily production report, this description of the fourth day, Monday, November 21, is in the wrong order. Filming started in the recreation room, then moved to engineering. The wrap time is also wrong — the crew did not wrap until 6:55pm. DeForest Kelly has a slightly later wrap time listed — 7:00pm — possibly a typo.³³

However, Cushman and Osborn fail to convey a crucial detail here — the company wasn’t supposed to be filming on the stage at all that Monday.

KEVIN KOSTER: IT IS STANDARD PROCEDURE TO SHOOT EXTERIOR DAY WORK AS EARLY IN THE WEEK AS YOU CAN, TO TAKE THE EARLIEST CALL TIME POSSIBLE. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH THE WINTER, WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN MUCH EARLIER. THERE'S ALSO THE WEATHER FACTOR — IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO SHOOT YOUR EXTERIORS EARLY AND AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF BAD WEATHER SHUTTING THE COMPANY DOWN. ACCORDINGLY, THE SHOOTING SCHEDULE FOR "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR" NOTES THAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO GO TO VASQUEZ ROCKS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AND TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22. FOLLOWING THIS PLAN, EXCEPT FOR THE NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR, THEY WOULD HAVE FINISHED THE EPISODE ON STAGE ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23.³⁴

The surviving call sheet for Monday, November 21 shows that the production was prepared to go out and shoot at Vasquez Rocks, but that this was a "weather permitting" call — meaning there was a forecast of potential rain. The call sheet clearly notes that, "in case of bad weather on Monday the cover call will be INT Sick Bay - Stage 9, Recreation Room - Stage 9."³⁵ Weather reporting from The L.A. Times confirms that it rained in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 20 and that "occasional rain" was predicted for Monday, November 21.³⁶ Additional reporting confirms that there were at least "a few scattered showers on Monday," which forced the company to stay on the stage and shoot anything it could there.³⁷ This was the third day in a row on the episode to have its shooting schedule scrambled (only this time, it was not due to John Drew Barrymore’s behavior).

The daily production report tells us there was a mess in the morning, since the crew had a 6:00am call, but the cast was not on set until 7:30am, and the first shot was not completed until almost an hour later (at 8:20am).³⁸ There was probably a scramble getting the cast on stage rather than the planned location, and also time lost getting filming equipment off the trucks and back on the stage.

KEVIN KOSTER: THERE WAS ALSO A SIT-DOWN BREAKFAST THAT I’M SURE BOB JUSTMAN HAD SERVED TO MAKE SURE NOBODY WENT INTO MEAL PENALTY, AND TO HELP ACCOMMODATE ALL THE CONFUSION OF NOT GOING TO LOCATION THAT MORNING. THE DAY'S CALLTIME WAS 6:00AM, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT A MANDATORY UNION MEAL BREAK AT 12:00PM (AS YOU MUST BREAK FOR A MEAL EVERY SIX HOURS). SINCE THEY'D ALREADY PAID FOR THE CATERER AND THE BREAKFAST, BOB JUSTMAN CLEARLY MADE THE CALL TO SERVE A BREAKFAST (FROM 7:00-7:30AM) ONCE THE GEAR WAS OFF THE TRUCKS AND EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT THEY WOULD BE DOING. NOW THE COMPANY WAS GOOD TO GO FOR ANOTHER SIX HOURS. THE DAILY PRODUCTION REPORT SHOWS THAT THEY BROKE FOR LUNCH FROM 1:00-2:00PM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF PROP AND EFFECTS CREW, WHO TOOK A SHORTER BREAK SO THEY COULD COME BACK EARLY TO RIG THE SPARKS/SMOKE GAG IN THE ENGINEERING AREA.³⁹ I BELIEVE JUSTMAN KEPT THE CATERER TO A MINIMUM DAY AND THEN DISMISSED HIM TO STAND BY FOR FOR THE TUESDAY CALL. (THE HOUR LONG BREAK INDICATES THAT EVERYONE WENT TO THE COMMISSARY AND BOUGHT THEIR OWN LUNCH.)

By the end of the day, almost all of the show's stage work had been completed, save for the scenes set in the negative magnetic corridor. The work finished on day four included about 2 1/8 pages between Kirk and Lazarus that were shot in Kirk's quarters (scene numbers 29). This scene had been scripted for sickbay, and was scheduled to be shot on that set, but ended up being shot in Kirk's quarters. This set had not been scheduled to appear in the episode at all; the reasons for the change is unknown.⁴⁰ This was an odd change, since the viewer is left wondering why Kirk would be willing to invite an unstable stranger into his quarters without a security detail.

KEVIN KOSTER: BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. ON THE PRODUCTION REPORT FOR MONDAY 11/21, THERE ARE TWO MORE NAMES IN THE CAST, ONE OF WHICH HAS A REALLY ODD TIME ON IT. CAREY FOSTER AND TOM STEELE ARE LISTED AS ACTING IN A SCENE IN THE MORNING, WHICH WOULD PUT THEM IN THE RECREATION ROOM WORK. NO MAKEUP TIME IS SHOWN FOR THEM. FOSTER HAS AN ON-SET TIME AT 10:30AM, AND STEELE HAS A TYPO FOR HIS ON-SET TIME AT 2:00 - BOTH ARE SHOWN AS HAVING BEEN DISMISSED AT 11:45AM. I BELIEVE THAT BOTH WERE WORKING AS BACKGROUND ARTISTS AND WERE UPGRADED TO CAST. (THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIRED AS SCREEN EXTRAS GUILD B.G. AND THEN CONVERTED TO SCREEN ACTORS GUILD CONTRACTS ON THE SET.) 

LOOKING AT THE BACKGROUND ARTISTS AREA OF THE PRODUCTION REPORT, WE CAN SEE ONE INDICATION OF THIS - AN EXTRA WHO WAS CONVERTED TO SAG AS OF 10:30AM. (THE PRODUCTION REPORT ALSO SHOWS ANOTHER 4 B.G. WHO CAME IN AT 7:30AM OR 8:00AM AND WERE DISMISSED AROUND NOON - THOSE SHOULD BE THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE REC ROOM.) LOOKING AT THE SCENE IN THE EPISODE, IT APPEARS THAT STEELE MAY BE THE LAUGHING CREWMAN WE SEE IN THE SURVIVING FOOTAGE AND FOSTER MAY BE THE YOUNG WOMAN MAKING GOO GOO EYES AT LAZARUS FROM THE NEXT TABLE. I BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER THEY DID TO EARN THESE UPGRADES IS IN THE LAZARUS/SPOCK SCENE THAT WAS FILMED ON THIS DAY, BUT CUT FROM THE EPISODE. WHATEVER THEY DID, IT WOULD NEED TO HAVE INVOLVED A LINE OF DIALOGUE - JUST HAVING A "SILENT BIT" WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY HAVING THEM ADDED TO THE CAST. (THE PRODUCTION REPORT ALSO SHOWS 3 B.G. WHO CAME IN AT 6:30AM WITH A DISMISSAL TIME OF 6:45AM - I BELIEVE THOSE THREE TO BE THE B.G. SECURITY GUARDS WE WOULD SEE ON LOCATION, AND THAT THEY WERE SENT HOME RIGHT AFTER THEY ARRIVED AT DESILU.)

THERE’S ONE MORE WRINKLE HERE. THE RAIN-OUT GENERATED YET ANOTHER DAY FOR THE STUNTMEN. GARY COMBS AND AL WYATT WERE HIRED TO DO THE CORRIDOR SEQUENCE AND THE PLANET SCENES AT VASQUEZ ROCKS. THIS SHOULD HAVE MEANT THAT THEY WOULD WORK FRIDAY, MONDAY, AND TUESDAY. INSTEAD, THEY WOUND UP BEING PAID FOR FRIDAY AND MONDAY WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING AND THEN WORKING TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY. BILL CATCHING WOUND UP BEING PAID FOR BOTH FRIDAYS.

UPDATE (9/2/2018): SHARP-EYED OBSERVERS HAVE NOTED THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE BACKGROUND ARTISTS (VINCE CALENTI) WHO PLAYED A SECURITY GUARD ON LOCATION MAY HAVE WORKED ON STAGE IN THE REC ROOM SCENEWORK ON THE 21ST. THE LAUGHING CREWMAN, WHO WE SPECULATED WAS TOM STEELE, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS FRANK DA VINCI. 

THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A NOTE THAT THERE WAS AN OLDER STUNTMAN NAMED TOM STEELE (BORN 1909) WHO APPEARED IN STAR TREK EPISODES AROUND THIS TIME WHO LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ANYONE IN THE FOOTAGE WE HAVE IN THE COMPLETED EPISODE. IF THE SAME TOM STEELE WAS THE ONE GETTING A CONTRACT ON THIS DAY, THEN HE WAS EITHER FEATURED IN THE DELETED MATERIAL FROM THIS EPISODE OR WAS BEING GIVEN A CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER REASON. IF I WAS ABLE TO SEARCH THE DESILU ACCOUNTING RECORDS FOR THE ORIGINAL STAR TREK SERIES, I COULD CONFIRM IF THE TOM STEELE HERE IS THE SAME ONE AS THE TOM STEELE WHO WORKED IN "BREAD AND CIRCUSES," BUT THOSE RECORDS ARE SIMPLY NOT AVAILABLE TODAY, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANYONE LEFT FROM THE PRODUCTION TEAM WHO WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF MEMORY ABOUT A SINGLE DAY ON THE SHOW 52 YEARS AGO. EVEN JOE D'AGOSTA, THE CASTING DIRECTOR WHO IS STILL WITH US TODAY, WOULD NOT LIKELY REMEMBER TWO UPGRADED BACKGROUND PLAYERS OR EVEN AN UNCREDITED STUNT PLAYER FROM ONE EPISODE THAT LONG AGO. 

THE BEST I CAN OFFER HERE IS THAT THE TIMES LISTED ON THE PRODUCTION REPORT TELL US THESE WERE TWO UPGRADED BACKGROUND PLAYERS, AND WHATEVER WORK THEY DID WAS DELETED FROM THE EPISODE AND IS NOW LOST TO HISTORY.  AND I CAN NOTE THAT THERE IS A CAREY FOSTER LISTED AT IMDB WHO HAD MULTIPLE SMALL ROLES IN MOVIES AND TELEVISION SERIES AROUND THIS TIME IN THE 1960s. SHE HAS THREE LISTED EPISODES FROM "THE LIEUTENANT" AND A SMATTERING OF FEATURE FILMS BEFORE THE LISTING ENDS - BUT NEARLY ALL OF THE ROLES ARE THINGS LIKE "COLLEGE GIRL", "FIRST GIRL", "WINTER-A-GO-GO GIRL" AND "PAJAMA GIRL," WHICH SUGGEST AN UPGRADED BACKGROUND ARTIST OR DANCER. THE LISTING FOR FOSTER ALSO INCLUDES A FINAL CREDIT AS AN ASSISTANT CHOREOGRAPHER FOR A 1969 JACK BENNY SPECIAL, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE IN THIS CONTEXT.

The daily production report still indicated they were only a quarter day behind schedule — not bad, given all the curveballs that had been thrown at the production.⁴¹ At this point, they were still planning to spend most of Friday, November 25 shooting "Tomorrow is Yesterday." The shooting schedule for that episode was published on this day (Monday, November 21) and showed the company shooting 11 5/8 pages of "Tomorrow is Yesterday" that Friday.⁴²

KEVIN KOSTER: THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF BOB JUSTMAN THOUGHT THEY WOULD SPEND THE WHOLE DAY ON FRIDAY SHOOTING "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR." AND WHILE A NEARLY TWELVE PAGE DAY SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE, WE MUST AGAIN KEEP IN MIND THAT MICHAEL O'HERLIHY WAS GOING TO BE DIRECTING IT. THE STORIES ABOUT HIM ARE LEGENDARY. HE WAS KNOWN FOR WRAPPING MID-AFTERNOON ON FRIDAYS. 

THERE’S ONE ACCOUNT I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES ON DIFFERENT PRODUCTIONS OF O'HERLIHY BEING READY TO DO HIS LAST SHOT ON ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AFTER HAVING ALREADY DONE NEARLY TEN PAGES OF SCENES. THE STORY IS THAT HE WAS HANDED SIX FRESH PAGES FROM THE WRITERS AND TOLD TO FILM THOSE, TOO. O'HERLIHY IS SAID TO HAVE STUDIED THE PAGES AND THEN ASKED FOR THE CAMERA CREW TO LAY OUT SIX FEET OF DOLLY TRACK AND TO PUT A 50mm LENS ON THE CAMERA. AFTER THEY DID SO, HE IS SAID TO HAVE PUT THE SIX PAGES ON THE STAGE FLOOR, POINTED THE CAMERA DOWN, AND ROLLED A SHOT TRACKING PAST THE PAGES. AND THEN HE WRAPPED THE COMPANY, HAVING DONE AS HE WAS TOLD AND FILMED THE SIX NEW PAGES. THIS IS NOTHING I CAN PERSONALLY CONFIRM - BUT IT TELLS YOU ABOUT MICHAEL O'HERLIHY'S REPUTATION FOR SPEED AND EFFICIENCY - AND WIT.

Robert Brown and Arch Whiting in "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

One other point goes unremarked by Cushman and Osborn about the material shot on day four. As scripted, the attacker in engineering who subdues the Assistant Engineer and Lt. Masters is described as a "SHADOWY FIGURE" — he is never identified as either version of Lazarus.⁴³ The shooting schedule, likewise, only indicates that Lt. Masters and the Assistant Engineer are in these scenes, and describes a "Shadow Effect of someone sneaking into Engineering Room."⁴⁴ As shot, however, there is no mistaking the figure who attacks as Lazarus #2 (the one without a bandage on his head).

Day 5 took the company to Vasquez Rocks for the third time. All of the scenes featuring Lazarus shaking a fist at the sky, bellowing about wanting to kill the beast, and tumbling off rock formations injuring himself repeatedly, were filmed...Oswald...was only able to cover four pages of script this day and, plunged into darkness at 5:20 p.m., ended three-quarters of a day behind.

Based on the daily production report, we know the company got to work quickly, taking their first shot at 7:20am.⁴⁵ Something must have gone wrong, however, because at the end of the day, only 3 6/8 pages were complete — less than half of the 10 1/8 pages that had been scheduled.⁴⁶ The daily production report does not mention any weather problems, but scenes shot on this day do feature a grey and overcast sky.⁴⁷ Since rain forced them to stay on stage the day before, and "occasional rain" had been forecasted for Tuesday, it's probable that continuing drizzle and slippery conditions at Vasquez Rocks slowed them down.⁴⁸ It's also possible that daylight was constantly shifting, which would have forced Jerry Finnerman to repeatedly adjust his lighting and camera positions. Whatever the case, the daily production report's contention that they were only 3/4 of a day behind is really generous. Based on the pages they had left to shoot, they appear to have been at least a full day behind at that point. The chances of filming any scenes from "Tomorrow is Yesterday" on Friday, November 25 must have appeared remote, and yet the company still was intending to shoot something for that episode before the weekend.

KEVIN KOSTER: I THINK ANOTHER BIG DELAY THEY FACED AT VASQUEZ ROCKS WAS THEIR "WINK OUT" LIGHTNING EFFECT FOR THE MOMENTS WHEN LAZARUS SHIFTS INTO THE OTHER UNIVERSE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE USING SOMETHING LIKE A "LIGHTNING STRIKES" ELECTRICAL EFFECT ON THE LOCATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH RITTER FANS FROM THEIR EFFECTS CREW, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING ON A REGULAR DAY AND PROBABLY EVEN MORE SO UNDER DAMP CONDITIONS. THEY WERE ALSO USING BIG WIND EFFECTS TO BOOT. ALSO, ON TUESDAY, THEY DID THE BIGGEST LAZARUS FALL, INCLUDING KICKING A FAKE ROCK PAST GARY COMBS.

"The Alternative Factor" (1967) - Note the sunset conditions and crude lighting

Day 6. The company returned to Vasquez Rocks for a second day of location production, this time at and around the "time ship."... Again, Oswald wrapped at 5:20, having taken his last shots on close up, where artificial day light [sic] could be shined in the direction of the actors from the giant arc lights. The last scene intended to be filmed on location -- the Alternate Universe -- was never even started. 

Whatever conditions slowed the company down the day before must have improved, since Oswald completed 9 pages — 1 7/8 more pages than had originally been scheduled for their second day on location, and more than twice as many pages as they completed the day before.⁴⁹ The number of camera set-ups on this day (47) was almost the same as the number of camera set-ups from the day before (46), which suggests that Oswald simplified his coverage to complete as many pages as possible.⁵⁰

Nonetheless, the improved pace was not enough to get the episode back on schedule. As Cushman and Osborn correctly point out, they were unable to film the lengthy dialogue scene between Shatner and Lazarus #2 set in the alternate universe. This would have to be done on stage.

Cushman and Osborn state that the day ended with close-ups, but the final shot completed that day was actually a long shot that transitions into a medium shot — Captain Kirk's arrival in the alternate universe. In the shot, we can see that we're at Vasquez Rocks and the sun has set. The lighting on Shatner is fairly crude, and it appears that the crew put a couple of stage lights off to the right of camera (Shatner's shadow runs sharply to the left), had him lie down, and then get up and move toward camera. This set up the look of the negative universe for their work on Stage 10 at Desilu on Friday, November 25.

KEVIN KOSTER: IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHICH VASQUEZ ROCKS SCENES WERE FILMED ON EACH DAY, BASED ON THE WEATHER ALONE. THE TUESDAY SCENES ARE CLOUDY AND MANY TIMES COMPLETELY OVERCAST. THE WEDNESDAY SCENES FEATURE BLUE SKIES. SUNNY SCENES AROUND THE TIMESHIP FILMED ON WEDNESDAY ARE FOLLOWED BY CHASING/TRACKING SCENES FROM TUESDAY WITH GRAY SKIES.

Blue skies vs. gray skies on location in "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

Day 7 -- an extra, unplanned day of production, back at the studio. Kirk’s journey into the alternate universe was filmed where he meets the "good Lazarus," working on his time ship...Also filmed this day, also on Stage 10, were the sequences in the "negative/magnetic corridor." For these effects-driven scenes, Brown wore a fluorescent colored outfit in a blackened room with, as he described it, "black lights on a tilting stage that [they] jostled while the camera rotated around."

...What we got was a negative image of Robert Brown and a stunt man wrestling. 

Oswald took his last mediocre shot at 5:30 p.m., and, finally, the production from hell was over -- at least, the writing and filming of it. 

Two stuntmen as Lazarus #1 and #2 (1966, still courtesy Dave Tilotta)

Friday, November 25th was spent on Stage 10 at Desilu. These Are The Voyages correctly notes the day was occupied with scenes in the negative magnetic corridor and the planet set, but gets the order and the work completely scrambled.

The actual order for the day, as shown on the call sheet and the daily production report, was that they started at 7:30am with the stuntmen grappling in the negative magnetic corridor. This allowed Shatner and Brown to come in a little later, at 8:30am and 9:00am, respectively.  Cushman and Osborn claim that Robert Brown wrestled with a stuntman for the sequences in which Lazarus #1 fights his double, but behind-the-scenes stills and the daily production report make it clear that the stuntmen were used for these sequences. (This can be gleaned from closely watching the episode itself, as well).⁵¹ 

The production report clearly states that the first shot of the day happened at 8:50am, while Shatner was in makeup and Brown hadn't even arrived to start getting ready. Cushman and Osborn imply these scenes were done last and that the director got his "last mediocre shot" at 5:30pm, after spending the day phoning it in. But the daily production report notes they wrapped the three stunt men at 11:50am, about 4 1/2 hours into the work day.⁵²

In addition, behind-the-scenes stills indicate that the standard Lazarus costume was used in the negative magnetic corridor, not a "fluorescent colored outfit." The fluorescent look seen in the final episode was achieved optically. (More behind-the-scenes images like these can be found in the new book, Star Trek: Lost Scenes, by David Tilotta and Curt McAloney.) 

KEVIN KOSTER: THE SHOOTING SCHEDULE DOESN'T EVEN SHOW LAZARUS HIMSELF IN THE NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR - ONLY HIS STUNT DOUBLES. BUT THIS COULD BE ANOTHER TYPO. BILL SHATNER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE READY ON SET BY 9:30AM AND BROWN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE READY ON SET BY 10:00AM, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE REAL FOCUS OF THEIR DAY WAS THE BIG SCENE AT THE TIME SHIP.  GIVEN THAT THEY DID NOT COMPLETE THE CORRIDOR WORK UNTIL HE'D ALREADY BEEN THERE FOR THREE HOURS, IT MAKES SENSE THAT BROWN WAS ABLE TO VISIT THE SET AND SEE HOW THEY WERE SHOOTING HIS DOUBLES.

THE STUNT TEAM OF COMBS, WYATT, AND CATCHING ALL CAME IN AT 7:00AM TO BE READY TO FILM BY THE SHOOTING CALL OF 8:00AM, AND THINGS CLEARLY TOOK LONGER TO WORK OUT, AS THEY DIDN'T GET A SHOT OFF FOR NEARLY 90 MINUTES AFTER THE GENERAL CALL TIME FOR THE CREW (THE FIRST SHOT WAS AT 8:50AM). WYATT AND CATCHING DID MULTIPLE SHOTS FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER ON THE SET. SHATNER DID THE ONE MOMENT WHERE KIRK IS IN THE CORRIDOR, AND CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN IN THE SHOT THAT WAS USED IN THE EPISODE. THE TECHNICAL WORK IN THIS SET IS A BIT COMPLICATED, WITH A ROTATING CAMERA AND ALL THE ON-SET EFFECTS, WHICH EXPLAINS WHY IT TOOK A WHILE TO FILM WHAT FEEL LIKE VERY SIMPLE SHOTS ON THE PAGE.  

ONE OTHER NOTE: THE CALL SHEET FOR THE FINAL DAY SHOWS THAT THE COMPANY WAS UNCERTAIN ON WEDNESDAY WHETHER BILL CATCHING WAS GOING TO COME IN AGAIN ON FRIDAY. INSTEAD OF HIS NAME IN THE POSITION OF THE SECOND LAZARUS DOUBLE, THERE IS A "?". OF COURSE, HE TURNED OUT TO BE AVAILABLE, AND THUS CAME IN TO FINALLY PLAY HIS PART.⁵³ 

The company then moved to their planet set for the time ship exterior. The lunch break is shown from 12:12pm to 1:12pm.⁵⁴

KEVIN KOSTER: THIS SUGGESTS THEY REHEARSED THE NEARLY FIVE PAGE DIALOGUE SCENE AND THEN BROKE FOR AN HOUR AT THE NEAREST INTERVAL OF SIX MINUTES (CREW TIME ON SET IS MEASURED IN TENTHS OF HOURS, OR EVERY SIX MINUTES).

They then spent about four hours shooting the dialogue scene, wrapping Robert Brown at 5:15pm and William Shatner at 5:30pm. Unremarked by Cushman and Osborn, they also brought in DeForest Kelley from 4:00-5:45pm to pick up an insert shot for "Shore Leave." They had been filming for about nine hours when the crew wrapped at 6:05pm. The original plan, to spend most of the day filming "Tomorrow Is Yesterday," was not realized. Although the day’s call sheet had a note indicating that Nichelle Nichols and George Takei were put on “will notify” status by the casting department, in case "Tomorrow is Yesterday" started filming (with scenes 10-21, 24-31 and 33 for 5 4/8 pgs on the Bridge), they were never called to the stage, and production on the next episode would ultimately wait until the following Monday.⁵⁵

KEVIN KOSTER: CUSHMAN'S CONCLUSION THAT THE COMPANY WRAPPED AT 5:30PM APPEARS TO BE BASED ON A QUICK GLANCE AT WILLIAM SHATNER'S DISMISSAL TIME ON THE PRODUCTION REPORT, RATHER THAN AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACTUAL COMPANY WRAP TIME OR THE BIG NOTE BELOW THE CAST AREA ABOUT THE WORK DONE WITH KELLEY. IT'S THE SAME SLOPPINESS THAT LED TO CUSHMAN'S ASSUMPTION THAT ROBERT BROWN WAS GRAPPLING ON CAMERA IN THE CORRIDOR, AND TO CUSHMAN'S CONFUSION OVER THE SHOOTING ORDER OF THE DAY. CALL SHEETS AND PRODUCTION REPORTS ARE FRANKLY VERY SIMPLE DOCUMENTS FOR ANYONE EXPERIENCED IN TELEVISION AND MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION. CUSHMAN'S INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THEM HAS RESULTED AT TIMES IN HIM PRESENTING A FUN HOUSE MIRROR IMAGE OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE STAGES. 

THE WILL-NOTIFY ALERT FOR NICHOLS AND TAKEI WAS SPECIFIED BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING ON AN EPISODE-BY-EPISODE BASIS.⁵⁶ LEONARD NIMOY, WHO WAS ALSO INDICATED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE’S SCENES, WAS A SERIES REGULAR AND THEREFORE DID NOT NEED TO BE CONTACTED BY CASTING EACH TIME - THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS COULD JUST LET HIM KNOW DIRECTLY. 

Detail from call sheet for "The Alternative Factor" (November 25, 1966)⁵⁷

[Post Production Dates]: November 28, 1966 to January 24, 1967.

The post-production paperwork at UCLA is incomplete, but there is enough documentation to know that the episode was not finished on January 24, 1967. According to an episode status report dated February 13, 1967, the episode was "Awaiting Optical Re-makes [SIC]" as of that report.⁵⁸ Post-production on the episode was finally completed sometime between that date and March 14, 1967, when an episode status report indicated it was completed and scheduled to air on March 30, 1967.⁵⁹

With too short a script, due to the removal of the love story, many redundant beats were played up [during editing], involving the maddening Lazarus on the planet, with all his running, shouting, shaking his fists, and falling from rocks.

Even without the love story, the script, like many on Star Trek, was actually too long. As a result, at least six scenes — the daily production reports confirm they were filmed — were removed during editing:

• Scene 20 (INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM):  McCoy and two medics arrive with a stretcher, Kirk and Lazarus (#2) beams aboard, and McCoy examines Lazarus and decides to take him to sickbay (7/8 of a page).
• Scene 28 (INT. SICKBAY): Lazarus #1 demonstrates he is uninjured. For stills from this scene, see page 149 of Star Trek: Lost Scenes by David Tilotta and Curt McAloney (3/8 page).
• Scene 52 (INT. RECREATION ROOM): Spock questions Lazarus (#2) about his civilization, notes his "remarkable recuperative powers," and then leaves when called away by Uhura (2 2/8 pages).
• Scene 68 (INT. BRIDGE): After Lazarus leaves the bridge, Kirk tells security that it is their job to monitor Lazarus "24 hours a day" (2/8 page).
• Scenes 130-131 (EXT. TIME SHIP): Spock and several security guards approach Lazarus #1, but stand down after he shouts at them, "Back! Back! If you ever want to see your Captain alive again!" (2/8 page).

Running a total of 4 pages, this material constituted at least four minutes of screen time. There was no need to extend any scenes with Lazarus on the planet for the episode to come in at the correct broadcast length. Indeed, every beat with Lazarus on the planet surface can be found in the shooting script — they weren't an editorial invention.⁶⁰ They weren't even new to the staff rewrite — every scene where Lazarus is shouting and falling can be found in Don Ingalls' second draft teleplay.⁶¹

KEVIN KOSTER: MY TAKE ON ALL THIS IS THAT EVEN WITH THE ACTUAL PRODUCTION DOCUMENTS IN HAND, CUSHMAN PRESENTS AN UPSIDE-DOWN AND BACKWARDS IMAGE OF THE SHOOT. HE FAILS TO READ SIMPLE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF HIM, AND HE MISUNDERSTANDS THE WAY EPISODIC TELEVISION PRODUCTION WORKS. HE IS UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW A "WEATHER PERMITTING" CALL WOULD WORK, AND IS UNABLE TO SEE THAT THE PRODUCTION WAS IN A FULL SCRAMBLE ON DAY 2 TO FIND NON-LAZARUS SCENES TO SHOOT. HE EVEN GETS THE ORDER OF THE FINAL DAY BACKWARDS WHEN THERE WERE ONLY TWO SEQUENCES TO SHOOT. 

IF ANYTHING, THE CHRONICLE OF THIS EPISODE SHOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD ILLUSTRATING WHY CUSHMAN'S BOOKS ARE NOT A RELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL STAR TREK SERIES.

Detail from Star Trek Weekly Cost Summary (May 6, 1967)⁶²

"The Alternative Factor" cost $210,879 to make, $25,879 over the per-episode allowance provided for by the Studio.

Per the latest weekly budget report on file for "The Alternative Factor" at UCLA, the episode did cost $210,879 to produce, which was actually $25,530 above what was then the series budget ($185,349 - this figure had been revised down from $192,373 partway through the first season, as Herb Solow struggled to control costs). However, the episode's budget was set at $193,651 (each episode had its own budget, some below and some above the series budget), so the final cost was actually $17,228 over what had been specifically budgeted for "The Alternative Factor."⁶³

The First Season deficit was now up to $46,266.

Cushman and Osborn fail to grasp that Star Trek, like most television programs in the 1960s, was deficit-financed — the network's license fee for each episode did not cover the show's production budget (let alone any cost overruns). During the 1966-67 broadcast season, for example, NBC paid Desilu $140,000 per episode (and since the Ashley-Famous Agency took home a 5% commission on that fee, the net revenue to Desilu was only $133,750 per episode).⁶⁴

There were other sources of revenue (license fees for broadcasts in foreign markets, and network reruns), but when totaled (less foreign distribution fees and the 5% Ashley-Famous Agency commission), they amounted to a little less than $10,000 per episode during Star Trek’s first season, which was not nearly enough to put the series in the black.⁶⁵

In other words, when roughly estimated using financial documentation on file at UCLA, the first season deficit was closer to $1.4 million — a far cry from any figure presented in These Are The Voyages.⁶⁶

Desilu filed a complaint [against John Drew Barrymore] with the Screen Actors Guild. A hearing took place on January 4, 1967. Joe D’Agosta, Robert Justman, and Herb Solow attended. Karl Malden headed the Hearing Board, consisting of Charlton Heston, Ricardo Montalban, Jeanette Nolan, and Donald Randolph.

According to Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (1996), Bernie Weitzman, Bob Justman, Bernie Widen, and Joe D'Agosta attended the hearing.⁶⁷ A December 22, 1966 memo from Bernie Weitzman to Gene Roddenberry (and others) stated that "Herb Solow and Joe D'Agosta should be present" for the hearing, but that Weitzman would not be in town for the occasion.⁶⁸ A letter from December 15, 1966 from SAG to Weitzman had also suggested "that since it appears that Barrymore talked to the Director [Gerd Oswald] about the script, you might want the Director to be present too."⁶⁹ Whoever actually attended the hearing, it's clear that Desilu took the matter seriously and showed up in full force to represent their interests.

The headline on the front page of the January 16, 1967, issue of Daily Variety proclaimed, "John Drew Barrymore Reprimanded by SAG for Balking at Star Role." Barrymore was found "guilty of conduct unbecoming a member" of the Screen Actors Guild. He was fined $1,500 (think $10,500 in 2013) and his SAG card was suspended for six months, preventing him from working. Quoted in the trade paper, Roddenberry said, "We didn't understand his reasons. He didn't like script changes, but there weren't any which affected his part." 

Like hell.

Per the Variety article Cushman and Osborn reference, the $1,500 fine was actually suspended, and there's no indication he had to stop working for six months:

John Drew Barrymore has been found "guilty of conduct unbecoming a member" of Screen Actors Guild by SAG for refusing to perform a role in Desilu's "Star Trek" series on NBC-TV, guild discloses. Actor was reprimanded and fined $1,500, but the fine was suspended on condition he refrain for at least one year from conduct violating the guild's bylaws. 

According to SAG, testimony showed the actor had accepted a role in "The Alternative Factor" seg of the series. Original start date of Nov. 17 was postponed for his convenience. Three days earlier he was given certain script changes and Nov. 15-16 he was fitted for costumes. He subsequently notified producer Gene Roddenberry he did not want to perform the role, refused to accept a work call for the following ayem. 

Roddenberry said, "we didn’t understand his reasons. He didn't like script changes, but there weren't any which affected his part."⁷⁰ 

When Variety ran a slimmed down version of the story a week later, there was still no mention of Barrymore being suspended by the Screen Actors Guild.⁷¹ This detail does not appear to have come from any contemporary accounts. Rather, it appears to have been sourced from Herb Solow in Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (1996):

The Trial Board suspended John Drew Barrymore’s [SAG] membership for a period of six months, thus preventing him from working as an actor during that period of time.⁷²

It seems likely that, three decades after the fact, Solow's memory was inaccurate. After all, according to Variety, Barrymore refused the role because he disliked unspecified script changes, whereas according to Inside Star Trek, Barrymore said he forgot to show up:

Barrymore gave a very unconvincing explanation of forgetfulness; we made a very convincing presentation of our hiring practices and what creative and monetary damages Barrymore’s actions had caused.⁷³

Moreover, we know that Barrymore was working less than six months after his SAG hearing. The actor appeared in "The Turn the Other Cheek Brief," the first broadcast episode of Dundee and the Culhane, a short-lived Western that premiered on CBS on September 6, 1967. Barrymore was involved in an on-set accident while filming the episode in mid-June of that year, only five months after his SAG hearing:

Actor John Barrymore Jr. had a genuine black eye last week after a fight scene which was too convincing. He accidentally knocked heads with Mark Allyson during a fight scene for a segment of "Dundee and the Culhane" being filmed near Scottsdale, Ariz.⁷⁴

Episode listing from The New York Times (September 3, 1967)⁷⁵

KEVIN KOSTER: THE PUNISHMENT BEING SUSPENDED MAKES SENSE. IN DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS LIKE THIS WHERE A GUILD MEMBER HAS VIOLATED A CONTRACT AS A FIRST OFFENDER, A POLITE APPROACH IS TO SUSPEND A LOT OF THE FINE OR RESTRICTION — BUT WITH THE PROVISO THAT IF THE MEMBER REPEATS THE INFRACTION, THEY'LL BE SUBJECT TO THE FULL AMOUNT. 

CUSHMAN TRIES TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE DESILU WAS BEING VINDICTIVE AGAINST BARRYMORE, SUGGESTING THAT HERB SOLOW WAS MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF BARRYMORE JUST BECAUSE HE WAS PERSONALLY UPSET WITH HIM.  CUSHMAN DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROFESSIONAL REASON WHY SOLOW HAD THE CHARGES BROUGHT.  HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO ASK SOLOW, OR TO JUST READ THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED IN SOLOW'S BOOK WITH JUSTMAN.  SOLOW TOOK ACTION BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT OTHER ACTORS OR PERSONNEL FIGURING THAT DESILU WAS A SMALL-TIME OPERATION WHERE THEY DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO SHOW UP. THAT KIND OF THING COULD HAVE REALLY HURT DESILU. ANY STUDIO EXECUTIVE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS ACTION, AND IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR IT TO BE DONE.

WE'VE HAD MANY EXAMPLES OF THIS KIND OF THING IN MORE RECENT YEARS, WITH CELEBRITIES REFUSING TO APPEAR IN MOVIES OR REFUSING TO HONOR THEIR CONTRACTS. (FOR EXAMPLE, MIKE MYERS WAS SUED BY UNIVERSAL STUDIOS IN THE EARLY 2000s FOR BACKING OUT OF HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKE A "DIETER" MOVIE, AND KIM BASINGER WAS SUED FOR BACKING OUT OF "BOXING HELENA" IN THE EARLY 1990s.) SOMETIMES THE MATTER IS HANDLED BY GOING TO THE GUILD IN QUESTION. AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST GO TO COURT. BUT WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING TELEVISION AND THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, IT'S A SERIOUS AND EXPENSIVE MATTER TO WALK AWAY FROM YOUR CONTRACT - AND WHETHER CUSHMAN LIKES IT OR NOT, IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO IGNORE THAT KIND OF THING.

When Cushman and Osborn opine, "Like hell," they're of course referring to their belief that Barrymore bolted from Star Trek when NBC forced Desilu to write out an interracial romance. But if that was the case, why didn't Barrymore present this argument at his SAG hearing and in the press? Why did Roddenberry, famous for complaining about network interference, never mention these details and instead side against Barrymore during the actor's SAG hearing? Why do none of the script revision dates support Cushman and Osborn's chronology of events?

The simplest explanation is that things simply did not happen the way they are laid out in These Are The Voyages.

KEVIN KOSTER: IF CUSHMAN'S NARRATIVE ABOUT THE INTERRACIAL PLOT WAS CORRECT, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A HOLLYWOOD HEADLINE IN 1967. BARRYMORE AND RODDENBERRY COULD HAVE MADE A FAIRLY LARGE CASE ABOUT NBC AND RACISM IF THIS WERE SO. AND RODDENBERRY WASN'T SHY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES. HE'D PREVIOUSLY DONE SO ON "THE LIEUTENANT" AND WAS QUITE FORWARD ABOUT MAKING SURE THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE REFLECTED ALL ETHNICITIES FROM EARTH. NBC WAS MAKING A POINT OF THE SAME THING. IF ANY OF THE CUSHMAN NARRATIVE WAS TRUE, WE'D HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM MULTIPLE PARTIES.

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

...Over the next decade, the handsome actor with the famous name continued his downward spiral into failing mental and physical health.

As described in part two of this piece, Barrymore's troubles, both professional and personal, hardly began when SAG reprimanded him for breaking his Star Trek contract, and they would go on well after the issue with Desilu was settled.

On April 20, 1967, Barrymore was arrested for drug possession after "a collision with a California Highway patrol car."⁷⁶ When Variety picked up the incident more than a week later, they called Barrymore a "former actor," and reported that "State highway officers and state narcotics bureau agents said they had found what they believed to be contraband in Barrymore's car."⁷⁷ 

This cycle would repeat itself on August 4, 1969, when Barrymore was arrested again. According to the Chicago Tribune, "Highway patrolman stopped for speeding a late model sports car in which [Barrymore] was riding and found a quantity of drugs..."⁷⁸ When Barrymore didn't show up to court for a preliminary hearing, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.⁷⁹ The actor ended up being "sentenced to jail for 60 days for possession of dangerous drugs and began serving his term immediately," in late December of that year.⁸⁰ After he was released, Barrymore's acting career became even more sporadic, until it finally ended with an uncredited supporting role in the film Baby Blue Marine (1976). His personal troubles, including a troubled relationship with his daughter, Drew Barrymore, which she described as "very abusive and just chaotic," would continue until his death on November 29, 2004.⁸¹

Once the episode cleared post and Robert Justman and the NBC programmers got a chance to take a look at it, all were in agreement that it should be pushed back to the end of the season. "Court Martial," another episode that disappointed the producers and had been planned for a delayed airing, was pulled forward to fill the slot on February 2. "Alternative," the 20th episode filmed, was rescheduled to be the last to air in the first season. The late delivery of the final two episodes produced, however, resulted in another schedule re-adjustment. "Alternative" may not have been ready for prime time, but it aired nonetheless, as Broadcast Episode No. 27.

We know from network scheduling memos that "The Alternative Factor" repeatedly had its airdate changed (it was originally scheduled for January 26, then February 2, then April 13, and finally March 30).⁸² We also know that the episode did not receive a network rerun. However, at least two of its airdate changes seem to have been affected by post-production issues; as of February 13, 1967 the episode was "awaiting optical remakes," and would not have been ready to air until sometime after that date.⁸³ Cushman and Osborn's claim that Bob Justman and the network agreed to push back the episode to the end of the season after viewing it is merely speculative — there’s no documentation to back up this claim.

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

All of this begs the question that started this series of posts — what the hell did happen that resulted in this episode, often cited as the worst hour of the series, being brought to the screen?

Many of the episode's problems rest at the feet of Don Ingalls, who turned in a story outline that Justman, Coon, and Roddenberry all agreed was confusing and vague. Not only did Ingalls' revised story treatment fail to alleviate those concerns, it eliminated the one story element from the earlier version that Bob Justman had praised.

Why, then, did Gene Coon have Don Ingalls advance to writing a teleplay, rather than asking for further revisions or just cutting off the story altogether, as Coon and Roddenberry had done so many times before?

One reason may have been that Don Ingalls and Gene Roddenberry had a long history together, both personally and professionally, prior to Star Trek. Before turning to writing full time, the two men had served together for seven years in the Los Angeles Police Department. Both men were ex-pilots who became "very good friends," and even partnered to sell Amana freezers on the side.⁸⁴ As an early part of his writing experience, Roddenberry contributed stories to the LAPD’s "Beat" newsletter, which Ingalls edited during that period. After Roddenberry left the police force to become a full-time television writer, he handed Sam Rolfe a Have Gun-Will Travel script Ingalls had written on spec, which resulted in Ingalls being hired as the show’s story editor for the 1958-59 season.⁸⁵

When Ingalls moved on to become the head writer of Whiplash (1959-60), he returned the favor, giving Roddenberry four script assignments on that series. In 1961, Ingalls and Roddenberry were linked as co-creators (with Julian Fink) to a pilot project called The Weapon, though it did not go to series.⁸⁶ And during the 1962-63 season, when Ingalls moved up to associate producer and then producer of Have Gun-Will Travel, he made sure Roddenberry was busy, giving him five script assignments.

There's nothing that says this in writing, but I suspect that Roddenberry was doing his old friend a favor by giving him a script commitment, which meant a larger payday for Ingalls than the money that came with only a story commitment.

When Don Ingalls turned in two versions of the teleplay and it became clear that "The Alternative Factor" needed a major overhaul, it was too late. All there was time for at that juncture was a script polish — with those pages still being turned in as the episode began filming. Taking time for a major rewrite or junking the script would have meant stopping production — a costly move that would have put the show at an even greater risk of missing its NBC air dates. No one at Desilu wanted that to happen.

It’s worth noting that Don Ingalls had no professional experience writing science fiction when he took his first crack at Star Trek. Up to that point, his credits largely consisted of Westerns, with a smattering of espionage shows (Danger Man, Honey West) and detective programs (Harbor Command, Michael Shayne, Shannon). His second assignment for Star Trek, "A Private Little War," also ran into problems, and ended up being so heavily rewritten that Gene Roddenberry received credit for the teleplay. Ingalls wasn't the first writer who had trouble writing for the Star Trek format, and he would not be the last.

Still from "The Duel at Mont Sainte Marie" (December 23, 1966)

In addition to Ingalls' inexperience with science fiction, it’s also possible he had spread himself too thin while he was writing "The Alternative Factor." In the third and fourth quarter of 1966, Ingalls worked as a freelancer on two episodes of Gunsmoke, an episode of The Virginian, an episode of The Big Valley, and an episode of The Road West. On top of that, he spent most of the third quarter finishing his term as associate producer of Twelve O'Clock High, rewriting scripts to make sure they were shootable and also turning in a story and script of his own. It was in this context, from September to November, 1966, that he was also freelancing for Star Trek.

Not counting rewrites for Twelve O'Clock High, these are the stories and scripts Ingalls completed during the second half of 1966 (this list is largely based on the papers that Ingalls donated to Pepperdine University and is not comprehensive; missing are some earlier script drafts and story outlines for these assignments):

• June 13, 1966 - "The Favor" - first draft script for Gunsmoke.
• June 20, 1966 - "An Echo of Thunder" - revised draft script for The Virginian.
• August 29, 1966 - "The Alternative Factor" - story outline for Star Trek
• September 1966 (date missing) - "The Velvet Trap" - teleplay for The Big Valley
• September 12, 1966 - "The Alternative Factor" - revised story outline for Star Trek
• September 19, 1966 - "Forbidden Target" - work copy draft for Twelve O’Clock High (script unproduced) 
• September 23, 1966 - "Fandango!" - revised final draft script for Gunsmoke
• October 14, 1966 - "The Alternative Factor" - first draft teleplay for Star Trek
• November 7, 1966 - "The Alternative Factor" - second draft teleplay for Star Trek
• November 8, 1966 - "The Favor" - final draft script for Gunsmoke
• January 5, 1967 - "Eleven Miles to Eden" - final draft script for The Road West

Although "The Alternative Factor" would not be considered amongst his best work, it's worth noting that during this same period, Don Ingalls also wrote a script called "Fandango" for Gunsmoke. That script ended up being nominated for the WGA award in 1967 (Ingalls lost to Harlan Ellison, for Star Trek's "The City on the Edge of Forever") — apparently, the only award nomination of Ingalls' career.

Certain images courtesy of Trek Core.

Update (9/2/2018): Thanks to input from Myko on the TrekBBS, as well as new discoveries found in the terrific book Star Trek: Lost Scenes, several parts of this article have been updated.

Still from "The Alternative Factor" (1967)

Appendix: Approximate Filming Timeline

"The Alternative Factor" shot in roughly the order outlined below. Because the daily production reports for this episode (mostly) list scenes in script order rather than filming order, some of this sequence is an educated guess based on the start and wrap times for each cast member (for example, we know the recreation room was shot first because on day four Leonard Nimoy was only featured in scenes on that set and had a very early wrap time — 10:30AM).⁸⁷ It should also be clarified that the shooting schedule, call sheets, and daily production reports are not infallible documents. They occasionally include obvious typos ("Leonard Nimo" and "Michelle Nichols" appear on the daily production reports, for example) and accidental omissions (a significant briefing room scene is missing from the shooting schedule, for example).

Day 1 (Wednesday, November 16, 1966): 

• INT. BRIDGE - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• INT. BRIDGE - 22, 23, 24, 26, 27,
• INT. BRIDGE - 49, 50,111
• INT. BRIDGE - 138, 139, 141, 142, 143, 146, 147 

Day 2 (Thursday, November 17, 1966): 

• INT. BRIDGE - 61 (TIE DOWN shot of Main Viewing Screen)
• INT. BRIDGE - 25 (TIE DOWN shot of Main Viewing Screen)
• INT. BRIEFING ROOM - 105A
• INT. OFFICE - 26A (This scene is not listed on the daily production report, but it is clear they shot it on this day, since day two is when Richard Derr started and finished work)
• INT. SICKBAY - 51
• INT. BRIEFING ROOM - 79, 80, 81 (These 1 6/8 pages were left off the shooting schedule by mistake)
• INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM - 20, 115, 118 (Scene 20 deleted from final episode) 

Day 3 (Friday, November 18, 1966): 

• INT. CORRIDOR - 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59
• INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE ENGINEERING SECTION - 69, 70, 71, 106
• INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE ENGINEERING SECTION – 110
• INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE ENGINEERING SECTION - 112, 113, 114, 116
• INT. CORRIDOR BY ENGINEERING SECTION – 107
• INT. BRIDGE - 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68 

Day 4 (Monday, November 21, 1966): 

• INT. RECREATION ROOM - 52, 53
• INT. ENGINEERING SECTION - 72, 73
• INT. ENGINEERING SECTION - 73A, 73B, 73C, 73D, 76A (shooting schedule does not have these scene numbers on it, but these are from INT. ENGINEERING SECTION, per the script)
• INT. ENGINEERING SECTION - 108, 109
• INT. KIRK’S QUARTERS - 29 (This scene had been scripted in INT. SICKBAY; moved during shooting for unknown reasons)
• INT. SICKBAY - 21
• INT. SICKBAY - 28
• INT. SICKBAY - 48
• INT. SICKBAY - 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 

Day 5 (Tuesday, November 22, 1966): 

• EXT. TERRAIN AREA - 36, 37, 38, 38A, 42A, 43, 44, 45, 46
• EXT. TERRAIN AREA - 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 90A, 94, 95, 96, 97 (and likely 98-100, though these scenes are not listed on the Daily Production Report)

Day 6 (Wednesday, November 23, 1966): 

• EXT. PLANET-TIME SHIP - 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 82, 83, 84, 85
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 117, 119, 120, 121A (Shooting Schedule says 121, Daily Production Report says 121A)
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 123, 124, 125
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136, 143A, 145 

Holiday -- Did Not Shoot (Thursday, November 24, 1966)

Day 7 (Friday, November 25, 1966): 

• INT. NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR - 39, 40, 41, 42
• INT. NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR - 91, 92, 93 (99 rather than 92 is indicated on the daily production report, but this appears to be a typo; scene 99 as scripted was a stunt of Lazarus to be done on location; scenes 98-100 do not appear on the daily production report, but based on the episode as broadcast, appear to have been completed on location as scheduled)
• INT. NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR - 122, 140, 144
• EXT. TIME SHIP - 126, 127, 128, 129, 132 (had originally been scheduled for Vasquez Rocks location)

Still from "The Alternative Factor"

Kevin Koster has worked as an Assistant Director in episodic television since graduating from the DGA Training Plan in 1996. As a DGA Trainee, he worked on Star Trek: Voyager at the end of that show's first season, which included several episodes that were held back until season two. He worked for nearly a decade on JAG, first as a 2nd 2nd Assistant Director and then as a Key 2nd Assistant Director. He also worked on all six seasons of Private Practice, first as a Key 2nd AD and then as a 1st AD, starting midway through that show's second season. For the past ten years, he has been working as a 1st AD on multiple programs, including Quarry, First Monday, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 24: Legacy, Shut Eye, Castle Rock, and the upcoming TNT series Tell Me Your Secrets.

During his time on JAG, he was the Key 2nd AD when Richard Compton came in to direct the 10th Season episode "Straits of Malacca." Kevin’s 1st AD work on the series First Monday included the episode “Right to Die”, directed by Lou Antonio.

His father, Robert J. Koster (now retired from the business), was a long-time friend and co-worker in production with Robert Justman as an Assistant Director and Unit Production Manager, including the 1980 television movie Gideon's Trumpet with Henry Fonda, and the early 1980s police drama McClain's Law, starring James Arness.

In late 1997, Kevin was introduced to Robert Justman at his home and shown the production board for the original Star Trek series. Since Justman's passing in 2008, Kevin has looked for that board without success. The document is not located in the UCLA Special Collections and the people who ran the Profiles in History Auction of Justman's papers never saw it. If anyone reading this has seen that board, please give a shout.

Endnotes:

1 "The Alternative Factor," Second Draft Teleplay by Don Ingalls, November 7, 1966, From a Private Collection, Also Found in the Donald G. Ingalls Collection of Scripts, Box 4, Folder 16; "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 16, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

2 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 16, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

3 Letter from Stanley Robertson to Gene Roddenberry, September 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

4 Memo from Bob Justman to Gene Coon, October 19, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

5 Letter from Stanley Robertson to Gene Roddenberry, November 16, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

6 "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 14-15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

7 In case there is any doubt about what Cushman and Osborn are saying here, they make it clear in These Are The Voyages - TOS: Season Two, where the write that the creative forces behind Star Trek "intended to plant the first interracial kiss on American television (in "The Alternative Factor," until the network forced Gene Coon to write the taboo issue out)."

8 Memo from Joe D'Agosta to Herb Solow, November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

9 Memo from Joe D'Agosta to Herb Solow, November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

10 Shooting Schedule for "Tomorrow is Yesterday," November 21, 1966, Bob Justman Star Trek Collection of Scripts, Box 6

11 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

12 Memo from Joe D'Agosta to Herb Solow, November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

13 “Briefs From Lots,” Daily Variety, December 11, 1957, p.14

14 Daily Variety, January 8, 1963, p.3

15 Daily Variety, March 14, 1963, p.12

16 Memo from Gene Roddenberry to Kerwin Coughlin, October 14, 1964, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 5

17 First Production Year 1966-67 Pay Rates, May 31, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 1

18 Cast Sheet (with revised page) for "The Alternative Factor," November 17, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

19 Cast Sheet for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

20 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 17, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

21 "The Alternative Factor," Page 11, Page Revision (Author Unknown), November 16, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

22 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 17, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

23 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

24 Daily Production Reports for "The Alternative Factor," November 16-25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

25  Cast Sheet for “The Alternative Factor,” November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3 (Nichols had originally been booked for two days at $250, Whiting for one day at $175, and Paskey for one day at $100. Paskey worked for three days on the episode, but only the third day of work is attributable to Barrymore’s disappearance. He only appears on the shooting schedule for day one, but the call sheet indicates they decided to keep using him on the bridge for day two before Barrymore vanished.)

26 "The Alternative Factor," Second Draft Teleplay by Don Ingalls, November 7, 1966, From a Private Collection, Also Found in the Donald G. Ingalls Collection of Scripts, Box 4, Folder 16; "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 16, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

27 "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 14-18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

28 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 17, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

29 Call Sheets (original and revised) for "The Alternative Factor," November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

30 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3; Call Sheets (original and revised) for "The Alternative Factor," November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3; Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

31 "The Alternative Factor," Page 30, Page Revision (Author Unknown), November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

32 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

33 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3 [We know that the recreation room shot first and engineering second based on two pieces of information. (1) Leonard Nimoy was dismissed early, at 10:30AM — too early for the scenes in engineering AND the recreation room scenes to have both been filmed. (2) The special effects and props team only took a half hour lunch. They had to come back early to set up spark effects in engineering, which means they were still shooting on the engineering set at 2pm (when lunch ended).]

34 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

35 Call Sheet for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

36 "STORM PAYS BRIEF VISIT: Heavy Rains Hit Southland but Expected to End Today Los Angeles Times," November 21, 1966, Los Angeles Times p.1; "WEATHER REPORT: Official for Monday," Nov. 21, November 21, 1966, Los Angeles Times p.B11

37 "MOSTLY AFTER WEDNESDAY: Possible Showers Forecast," Los Angeles Times, November 22, 1966, p.3

38 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

39 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

40 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3; "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 14-18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

41 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

42 Shooting Schedule for "Tomorrow is Yesterday," November 21, 1966, Bob Justman Star Trek Collection of Scripts, Box 6

43 "The Alternative Factor," Pages 30-33, Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

44 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

45 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 22, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

46 Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

47 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 22, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

48 "WEATHER REPORT: Official for Monday, Nov. 21," Los Angeles Times, November 21, 1966, p.B11

49 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 23, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3; Shooting Schedule for "The Alternative Factor," November 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

50 Daily Production Reports for "The Alternative Factor," November 22-23, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

51 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

52 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

53 Call Sheet for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

54 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

55 Call Sheet for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

56 Takei was contracted to appear in 7 out of every 13 episodes during this period, whereas Nichols did not have an episode guarantee. Nimoy and Shatner, in contrast, were guaranteed work in every episode.

57 Call Sheet for "The Alternative Factor," November 25, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

58 Star Trek Episode Status Report, February 13, 1967, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 27, Folder 25

59 Star Trek Episode Status Report, March 14, 1967, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 27, Folder 25

60 "The Alternative Factor," Page Revisions (Author Unknown), November 14-18, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 2

61 "The Alternative Factor," Second Draft Teleplay by Don Ingalls, November 7, 1966, From a Private Collection, Also Found in the Donald G. Ingalls Collection of Scripts, Box 4, Folder 16

62 Star Trek Weekly Cost Summary, May 6, 1967, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 4

63 Star Trek Weekly Cost Summary, May 6, 1967, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 4

64 Cost-Revenue Analysis Prepared for Star Trek by the Paramount Television Division, 1968 (undated), Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 4

65 Cost-Revenue Analysis Prepared for Star Trek by the Paramount Television Division, 1968 (undated), Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 35, Folder 4

66 According to the Star Trek Weekly Cost Summary dated May 6, 1967 (the last report for the first season on file at UCLA), the first season of Star Trek cost an estimated $5,330,915. According to the Cost-Revenue Analysis Prepared for Star Trek by the Paramount Television Division in 1968, NBC paid $3,879,270 in license fees for the first season, and there was additional revenue totaling $23,500 in foreign license fees. If you take the total revenue ($3,902,770) and deduct the total cost of the season (5,330,915), the resulting shortfall is $1,428,145. Note that this does not account for the costs of either pilot episode, both of which were expensive and incurred significant cost overruns. It also does not include any ancillary revenues from merchandise sales. As such, this should only be considered a rough, back-of-the-envelope estimate.

67 Herbert F. Solow, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (1996), p.202

68 Memo from Bernie Weitzman to Gene Roddenberry, December 22, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

69 Memo from John Dales (SAG) to Bernie Weitzman, December 15, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 4

70 "John Drew Barrymore Reprimanded By SAG For Balking At 'Star' Role," Daily Variety, January 16, 1967, p.1 & p.11

71 "Barrymore's No-'Trek' Draws Stigma From SAG," Daily Variety, January 25, 1967, p.46

72 Herbert F. Solow, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (1996), p.202

73 Herbert F. Solow, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (1996), p.202

74 "OVERLY REALISTIC," Independent Press-Telegram, June 25, 1967, p.28

75 "Television This Week," New York Times, September 3, 1967, p.72

76 "John Drew Barrymore Seized," New York Times, April 21, 1967, p.17

77 "John Drew Barrymore Hits Highway Patrol," Daily Variety, May 3, 1967, p.3

78 Steven Pratt, "NEWS Briefs: Barrymore Arrested," Chicago Tribune, November 17, 1969, p.3

79 "Issue Arrest Warrant for Barrymore's Son," Chicago Tribune, September 13, 1969, p.A10

80 "Barrymore's Son Gets Term On Drug Charge," The Pittsburgh Press, December 30, 1969, p.27

81 Myrna Oliver, "John Drew Barrymore, 72; Troubled Heir to the Throne of the Royal Family of Acting," Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2004

82 Memo from Bob Justman to All Concerned, November 30, 1966 ("Alternative Factor" slated to air January 26, 1967); Memo from Bob Justman to All Concerned, December 8, 1966 ("Alternative Factor" slated to air February 2, 1967); Memo from Bob Justman to All Concerned, February 16, 1967 ("Alternative Factor" slated to air April 13, 1967), Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 27, Folder 2

83 Star Trek Episode Status Report, February 13, 1967, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 27, Folder 25

84 Lee Goldberg, "Don Ingalls, Paladin in Blue," Starlog 179, June 1992, p.36-37; David Alexander, Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry (1994), p.118-119; Joel Engel, Gene Roddenberry: The Myth And The Man Behind Star Trek (1994), p.144-147

85 Lee Goldberg, "Don Ingalls, Paladin in Blue," Starlog 179, June 1992, p.36-37; Joel Engel, Gene Roddenberry: The Myth And The Man Behind Star Trek (1994), p.144-147

86 "Scribe Trio Joins Hal Hudson In New 'Weapon' TV Oater," Daily Variety, December 11, 1959, p. 16 (“Trio of television writers in association with 'Zane Grey Theatre' producer Hal Hudson will produce a new western anthology series titled 'The Weapon.' The three writers are Gene Roddenberry, Harry Julian [Fink] and Don Ingalls. In addition to part ownership stake and production roles, they will contribute at least five scripts each for the series.")

87 Daily Production Report for "The Alternative Factor," November 21, 1966, Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection, Box 10, Folder 3

Sources:

The Gene Roddenberry Star Trek Television Series Collection (1964-1969)

The Donald G. (Don) Ingalls Collection of Scripts (1957-1992)

Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry (David Alexander, 1994)

Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind Star Trek (Joel Engel, 1994)

Inside Star Trek : The Real Story (Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman, 1996)

These Are The Voyages: TOS, Season One (Marc Cushman with Susan Osborn, 2013)