Howdy, folks! We’ve rustled up ah whole mess of news for you in this week’s Watch: Shatner rides again, Mulgrew calls it quits, Takei gets a birthday surprise, Abrams gets snubbed by Time, and Trek heads for the Chiller. Plus, find out why Wil Wheaton and Christopher Lloyd are seeing yellow.
Shatner back in the saddle
William Shatner was in fine form, and on horseback, at the 18th Annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show, held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on April 26, 2008 in Burbank, California. He also appeared on horseback in this week’s episode of Boston Legal (which has moved to Wednsday’s at 10PM). In other BL news, Shatner wrapped up production on the fourth season last week, and there is still no word on if the show will be picked up for a fifth. Bill did a round of radio interviews yesterday, promoting the show. Click links to listen his appearances on: The Mancow Show (go to 2:47:10) & KFOG.
Shatner horses around at Charity show (top) and Boston Legal (bottom)
Mulgrew leaves play
A few weeks ago we reported that Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway) replaced another actress for the off-Broadway run of The American Dream and The Sandbox after the play was extended to May 17th. Now, however, Mulgrew must withdraw from the play “due to a dire family emergency,” according to Playbill. The play, which is being performed at the Cherry Lane Theatre, is now scheduled to close following its 8pm performance on May 3rd. There has been no further information regarding the cause for Mulgrew’s withdrawal, but we at TrekMovie.com hope everything is alright.
Nichols is Tru Loved
Tru Loved, a new film starring TOS actor Nichelle Nichols (the original Uhura), will be making it’s world premiere at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival tomorrow at 8:15pm. Nichols discussed the film this week at a press conference, which you can watch here.
Takei at Calgary
George Takei (the original Sulu) attended the Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo on April 26th. While there he gave an interview to the Calgary Herald, where he talked about his life from a Japanese internment camp to Star Trek to his acting and charity work today. There are a couple of vids from the event, one shows how fan-friendly he is when signing autographs, and another shows him receiving a surprise birthday cake from a pair of surly Klingons.
Stewart’s opening night photos
WireImage has some new photos from Patrick Stewart’s recent opening night with Macbeth on Broadway and also the after party
Stewart with cast (top) and co-star Kate Fleetwood and director Rupert Goold at after party at Sardi’s (bottom)
Two Star Trek 2009 cameos make Time 100
Time Magazine has released its 100 Most Influential People issue this week. Unlike last year, JJ Abrams did not make the cut, however two of his Star Trek cameos are in. Writer/producer/director Tyler Perry (Starfleet Academy Commandant) ranks as a ‘Top Entertainer,’ with a profile written by writer T.D. Jakes who notes “at 38, he has redefined how Hollywood manufactures, manages and markets entertainment for urban consumers.” Inspirational professor Randy Pausch (unnamed Starfleet Officer) ranks as a ‘Hero & Pioneer,’ with a profile written by Katie Couric, noting “Randy’s message is about following your dreams, dealing with the ones that don’t come true and having fun along the way.” In other Pausch Trek news, in the latest official Star Trek Magazine, the professor revealed his one line in Star Trek to be “Captain, we have visual.”
Abrams & Tahir at Iron Man
Last night, Paramount kicked off its summer movie season with a big premiere for Iron Man at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood and a couple of future attendees for next year’s Star Trek premiere were present. Star Trek director JJ Abrams can be seen in the picture below with Paramount’s President of Worldwide Distribution Rob Moore…it’s good to have friends in high places, JJ. Also in attendance was Faran Tahir who plays Raza in Iron Man as well as Capt. Robau in Star Trek. Speaking of Tahir, he has a new interview at Charlton Post & Courier. And remember — Iron Man opens today!
Abrams and Moore (L) and Tahir (R)
McCoy in 3D
Karl Urban (Star Trek’s new Dr. McCoy) is set to star in Relentless a $25 million 3-D action movie directed by James Cameron protégé Demian Lichtenstein (3000 Miles to Graceland). According to Variety shooting starts in September and the plot is about “four extreme sports professionals who survive a plane crash in the Amazon jungle, and must use all their survival instincts as they are hunted by a group of homicidal natives.” Sounds like a comedy!
Wheaton: books, beer, and LEGO
TNG actor Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) will expand his geek cred even further when he joins the 2008 Geek Tour in San Diego this weekend. Wil says on his blog that he will be at Mysterious Galaxy Books on Saturday, where he will read from his book, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, after which he will participate in a book signing. On Sunday Wil heads to the World Brewing World Bistro and Gardens, again to discuss his book … and maybe even get a bit drunk. Hey, would you go to a brewery just to talk about a book? I don’t think so. In other Wheaton news, the geek icon showed off a custom LEGO Wesley figure given to him at Phoenix Comicon, check it out:
LEGO Wesley: Wow, I guess people like me, after all! Now give me a damn beer?!
Picardo performs + attends the Chiller + pays a visit to Smallville
In what was no doubt a special evening, VOY’s Robert Picardo (The Doctor) was a guest performer at the Cicada Club in LA this past Sunday, according to his official site. Next up, Picardo and several other Star Trek actors will grace the Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey this weekend. In addition to Picardo, DS9’s Avery Brooks (Ben Sisko) and Armin Shimerman (Quark), VOY’s Robert Picardo (The Doctor), TOS guest star Arlene Martel (T’Pring in “Amok Time”), Star Trek IV‘s Catherine Hicks (Dr. Gillian Taylor), Generations‘ Alan Ruck (Capt. Harriman), and frequent guest star Gregory Itzin will also be there, and you know what, so should you! The event lasts all weekend, although Brooks will only be there on Saturday and Sunday. Oh, by the way, Picardo will also appear in the last two episodes of Smallville for this season; his episodes air May 8th & 15th at 8/7c on The CW. Here is a trailer featuring Picardo
Lloyd’s Daytime Emmy nod + ride with the Simpsons
Great Scott! Doc Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd (aka Kruge in Star Trek III), has picked up a Daytime Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for his work on the PBS series Cyberchase. Also, the LA Times reports that Lloyd will be making an “appearance” as Doc Brown in The Simpsons Ride, which opens at Universal Studios Hollywood May 17th. The appearance serves as an homage to the classic Back to the Future ride which the Simpsons Ride replaced.
Chris Lloyd goes yellow
TrekBits
- Rene Auberjonois (Odo) will be reading Shirley Jackson’s “The Summer People” at The Getty in Los Angeles on May 4th as part of the Selected Shorts program. (Rene’s official site)
- Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir) and his castmates from Doomsday will be attending the UK’s FrightFest on May 3rd. (FrightFest)
- Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) is participating in an eBay auction in which she and other celebrities are giving high bidders their babies’ hand-me-downs. (Newsweek)
- DS9 guest actor John Glover (Verad in “Invasive Procedures”) has joined the likes of Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway) and Brent Spiner (Data) in the Alzheimer’s Association campaign to educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease. (StreetInsider)
- Donna Murphy (Anij, Star Trek: Insurrection) and Lori Petty (Noss, VOY: “Gravity”) attended the opening of the play Thurgood April 30th. Playbill)
- F. Murray Abraham (Ru’Afo, Star Trek: Insurrection) narrates the PBS show Superfish, which debuts May 4th. (Sport Fishing Magazine)
- James Cromwell‘s (Zefram Cochrane, etc.) new sci-fi mini-series, Impact, began filming in Colwood, Canada, on April 26th. (Times Colonist)
Happy birthday, Kate!
Star Trek: Voyager‘s captain, Kate Mulgrew, turned 53 on Tuesday. TrekMovie also wishes the following Trek luminaries happy birthdays for this week:
- Emily Bergl (33) – played Bethany in ENT’s “North Star”
- Kirsten Dunst (26) – before dating Peter Parker, she was playing Hedril in TNG’s “Dark Page”
- Christopher Gillman (47) – effects creator and specialty costume/prop maker who worked on many Trek films and TV shows
- Stephen Macht (66) – played General Krim in DS9’s “The Circle” and “The Siege”
- Larry Niven (70) – famed sci-fi author who wrote the animated series’ “The Slaver Weapon”
- Ralph Senensky (85) – director of many TOS episodes
- Guy Tsujimoto (46) – TNG/DS9 sound editor
- Becky Wahlstrom (33) – played the Vissian cogenitor in ENT’s “Cogenitor”
- Lisa Wilcox (44) – played Yuta in TNG’s “The Vengeance Factor”
- Debra Wilson (46) – MadTV personality who voiced Capt. Lisa Cusak in DS9’s “The Sound of Her Voice”
- Boni Yanagisawa (37) – Jolene Blalock’s stunt double on Enterprise
Happy B’Day Kate, hope all is well
(March Photo – Wire Image)
Nice to see Doc Brown making an appearance!
Lots of good news, except a “maybe” in Kate Mulgrew. Hope the “dire family emergency” is a cover for “kick-ass party time”.
Happy B-day Kate
A few random thoughts:
Well, Professor Pausch, I hope that WE have a visual eventually, too, of more of the new Enterprise. :-) But not too soon; anticipation is part of the fun.
JJ may not have made the Time list this year, but this time next year may be a different story! Here’s hoping.
Hope all is well with Kate Mulgrew and that whatever has ailed her family has passed.
Shatner looks great.
I must say, as well, that it’s refreshing to know that we care enough about stunt doubles to note the passage of their birthday.
With that in mind, key grips have birthdays too!
;-)
I kid. This is a great list. Nice research in getting all this stuff together. It’s an archivist’s dream! (Or is it nightmare….?)
They replaced the Back to the Future ride?? :(
I hope they bust out with the Blu-Ray BTTF trilogy soon enough.
And that someone comes out with an affordable BD player, seeing that my cash got jacked by HD-DVD.
Nuff said.
Is it me, of does Patrick Stewart look a bit like Ben Kingsley sporting a mustache up there?
Are they going to release TOS-R on Blu-Ray? The HD version had some really nice features I hope they include.
I saw Shatner in that horseback riding scene. As I said elsewhere, it may have been the character of Denny Crane he was playing but that was Kirk on that horse. I saw the look in his eyes. Made me miss and suddenly see one of my heroes again.
What’s with the various Uhuras and GLBT events??
At least Abrams knows what it’s like to be snubbed, even though his contributions don’t hold a candle to Shatner’s.
“Boston Legal” has moved to Wednesday nights at 10 EST, not Thursdays. It’s off this coming week, however.
Shatner looks great as others have said. He seems to have recuperated very well from the hip surgery. I’m sure he’s been anxious to get back to riding his horses!
I also want to add my thoughts that all is well with Kate Mulgrew’s family.
#10–He’s about half Bill’s age. Denny Crane, TJ Hooker, Rescue 911, STV…Give JJ some time. I don’t think it’s a stretch!
George Takei is a class act. Unlike Shatner and a few others, he really treats the fans right. He is not full of himslf as some others are.
Considering how I make my appearances here, I really think I should correct the statement about Wil Wheaton that “On Sunday Wil heads to the World Brewing World Bistro and Gardens, again to discuss his book … and maybe even get a bit drunk. Hey, would you go to a brewery just to talk about a book?”
That would be the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens. One of Stone Brewing’s best known beers is the confidently named “Arrogant Bastard Ale”. (Motto: You’re Not Worthy) Who should be served a glass of said beer is a topic thrown open for discussion.
Just saw Iron Man, thought it rocked… :-)
Props to Shatner for riding his horses so soon after his hip-replacement surgery. Would that not be amazingly painful so soon afterward? Just a couple months ago he was walking with a cane. I tip my hat at him in awe.
JJ’s hair is taking on an identity of its own…titter, chortle… I am amazed that Time left him off the list. It SHALL be different next year…
Faran Tahir- If he were my captain I would follow him anywhere he ordered…
#8. Actually, he looks like the guy who just gave me a root canal.
#17. Yeah, and what’s up with that shirt? It looks like a Bill Theiss jumpsuit. Between that and the hair, he looks like he just got off that spinning lazy susan from “What Little Girls are Made Of.”
I still want a JJ Abrams bobblehead, though.
#19. Sorry for the serial postings. I just have to correct the TOS title: It’s actually “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” Interrogative, not declamatory.
May all be well for Kate Mulgrew and her family…
I’m sending Kate all my positive wishes. !!! Hope all it well…
9.
I cannot help but wonder if Denny Crane is simply Jim Kirk with a two drink minimum.
Let’s all hope Boston Legal gets picked up for a fifth season. It’s the best show on television and Shatner deserves to break into the 100-episode series club.