Lt. Uhura

Lt. Uhura, Communications Officer
aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise

This is a new category for Uhura collectibles.

Thoughts on Uhura:

Uhura was as capable a communications officer as you could ask for. Always ready to fulfill the routine requirements of her post, she was also skilled at handling problems and difficult situations when they arose. She had Mr. Spock's complete confidence, a compliment by any standard. Away from her post, she always remained brave in the face of danger, even when she was afraid.

"Uhura" is derived from the Swahili word for "freedom."

Most Star Trek fans are already aware of Nichelle Nichols' pioneering role as one of the first African American lead characters on television, and how she stayed with Star Trek after the first season due to a personal request by Martin Luther King, Jr. For those not familiar with the story, you can read it or watch Nichelle Nichols tell it via the links below.

• Visit Nichelle Nichols' website, uhura.com, from which you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter
• Watch a YouTube video of Nichelle Nichols telling the story of her meeting with Dr. King
• Check out the Wikipedia article on Uhura
• Read the Wikipedia article on Nichelle Nichols
• Take a look at Nichelle Nichols' IMDb page

Uhura Collectibles

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Action Figures

1991 Hamilton/Presents 10.5" Figure

Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott



Chief Engineer of the U.S.S. Enterprise

Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott



Thoughts on Scotty:

Montgomery Scott was a brilliant engineer in the tradition of Scottish engineers. He knew the workings of the Enterprise thoroughly, and was proud of and even affectionate toward the ship. His ability to coax extra performance from this and other ships earned him the nickname "The Miracle Worker."
 
For relaxation, Scotty liked. . .well, reading technical journals.

Scotty was third-in-command of the Enterprise, and displayed his capability to command when Kirk and Spock were both absent from the ship.





The Scott Clan's tartan, as
published in the Vestiarium Scoticum

   

Scotty was portrayed by James Doohan, a Canadian actor born of Irish immigrant parents. He served Canada during World War II, participating in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He was wounded by accidental friendly fire, and lost the middle finger of his right hand, which he concealed quite well in his acting.

  

Doohan studied science and engineering to educate himself for his role. He auditioned several different accents, and a Scottish accent was chosen. It was Doohan's idea that Scotty should wear a kilt as part of his dress uniform, and a Scott Clan tartan was obtained from Scotland for it.

• Watch Zach Trek Video #7: A Tribute to Scotty
• View the Wikipedia article on Montgomery Scott
• View the Wikipedia article on James Doohan
• View James Doohan's IMDb page

 
 
Scotty Collectibles:

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-   Action Figures   -




1984 Ertl action figure




1974 Mego Ation Figure

 


-   Books   -




Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise
by Shane Johnson
Pocket Books, 1987

 





U.S.S. Enterprise

Thoughts on the Enterprise:

The U.S.S. Enterprise was originally designed by Matt Jeffries. The original Enterprise has a shape that is both imaginatively futuristic and yet reminiscent of the powerful sailing vessels of Earth's oceanic fleets. It seems it turned out this way somewhat by coincidence, because Matt Jeffries' design sketches did not start out looking anything like this.

The original movie version of the Enterprise is, in my opinion, the best looking ship in any Star Trek series.

• View the Wikipedia article on the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701)

U.S.S. Enterprise Collectibles:

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-   Glasses   -

1984 Star Trek III Taco Bell Glass
"Enterprise Destroyed"

-   Models   -

Polar Lights - U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

-   Mugs   -

1991 Mug by Presents/Hamilton Gifts

-   Photographs   -

Black and white photograph
-- from Klingon files...?



Klingons

Thoughts on Klingons:

The Klingons of original Star Trek were distinguished by their aggressiveness, imperialism, and hatred of tribbles. In subsequent series, this view of Klingons has changed. They are now regarded as an honorable warrior race. It seems to me that, to reconcile these views, the explanation must be that the Klingon Empire of the early series was ruled by more militant and harsh political sects, but other groups later came to power (Chancellor Gorkon of Star Trek VI would be from such a group). It seems, however, that the Klingons never gained much tolerance for tribbles.

Klingon Collectibles:

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-   Action Figures   -



Mego, 1974

-   Books   -

Pocket Books, 1992

Pocket Books, 1996

Spock

Mr. Spock, first officer aboard the
U.S.S. Enterprise

Thoughts on Spock:

When facing crisis, Spock is just the kind of right-hand man (or Vulcan) you want. He is able to approximate in his head your odds of success to within 7,824.7 to 1, well-versed in literature, and able to build computers using stone knives and bear skins. In a fight his come-from-behind Vulcan nerve pinch is also helpful.

Kirk relied on Spock a great deal. Spock was almost always ready with any needed information, and his ability to remain objective and logical in crisis was often critically important, especially if Kirk himself was compromised. Spock was intensely loyal to Kirk, and seemed to have a sense that Kirk's human emotions sometimes gave him a perspective that justified a course of action Spock wouldn't have followed.

For all of his formal education, Spock had one area of ongoing study: human nature. This was complicated by the fact that Spock was himself half human, and his human emotions were constantly flaring up to disrupt his pure Vulcan logic.

I think that what I like most about Spock is his strong mental discipline. My favorite example of this is in “Operation -- Annihilate!”, in which he overcomes wracking pain by regarding it as an emotional response and suppressing it.

• Watch Zach Trek Video #5: Fascinating!
• Watch Zach Trek Video #11: Spock Pinches, Death Grips, and Mind Melds
• View the Wikipedia article on Spock
• View Leonard Nimoy's IMDb page
• Check out the Official Leonard Nimoy Fan Club

Spock Collectibles:
 

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-  Action Figures  -
Arranged chronologically in order of production:

1974 Mego 8" Figure

1979 Mego 3 3/4" Figure

1984 Ertl

-   Calendars   -

1979 Ballantine Books Calendar
(I know this isn't strictly a Spock
item, but since he's on the cover I
figured it would go with a Spock collection)

-  China, Dishes, Glasses, etc.  -

1997 Plate - "Second In Command"
by The Hamilton Collection

-  Pins & Buttons  -

1986 Pocket Books Button

 

James T. Kirk

Captain James T. Kirk,
commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise

Thoughts on Kirk:


Although Kirk knew how to relax and enjoy himself, he was, as captain of a starship, intensely devoted to his duty and extremely strong-willed. In "This Side of Paradise," when Kirk's entire crew has been infected by "nirvana" spores, he wonders in his Log what he can offer them compared to paradise. Yet, when he himself is infected, his own force of will and devotion to duty overcome the prospect of paradise. Kirk is also able to maintain self control when he is split in two or duplicated (which seems to happen to him more than most people). And although Spock was perhaps the more logical, Kirk has a special gift for reasoning oppresive computers and machines into self-destructing (again, a skill he seems to need surprisingly often).

I think my favorite quality of Captain Kirk was his passion for liberty. When he encountered oppressed peoples, he always strove to free them from their oppressors, sometimes employing one more special skill, that of side-stepping Starfleet's "Prime Directive" of non-interference in alien cultures. It was Kirk's respect for liberty that led to his initial distrust of the oppressive Klingon Empire.

• Watch Zach Trek Video #10: A Tribute to Captain Kirk
• View the Wikipedia article on James T. Kirk
• View William Shatner's IMDb page
• Visit The Captain Kirk Page, which includes a list of 1,903 reasons (and counting) why Kirk is better than Picard (please note that I don't have anything against Picard, I just have to agree -- I like Kirk better)

Kirk Collectibles:
 

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-   Action Figures   -

2006 Art Asylum/Diamond Select Action Figure

1974 Mego Action Figure

1997 Playmates "Tholian Web" Captain Kirk

Dr. Leonard H. McCoy

Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, ship's surgeon
aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise

Thoughts on McCoy:


McCoy was, in my opinion, as essential an element of Kirk's command team as Spock, balancing Spock's sometimes cold logic with his sometimes fiery emotions, allowing Kirk to moderate between the two. Because Kirk and Spock are the first and second officers, I sometimes think McCoy is under-appreciated. Also, McCoy is from the south, and in "This Side of Paradise" he makes a comment that indicates he might be from Georgia, as am I (and as DeForest Kelley really was).

Dr. McCoy was the first character to appear on Zach Trek. There are plenty of Kirk and Spock collectibles, so I decided to reserve this honor for the good doctor.

• Visit the DeForest Kelley tribute site
• View the Wikipedia article on Dr. McCoy
• View DeForest Kelley's IMDb page

McCoy Collectibles:

 

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-   Action Figures   -

Mego - 1974

Playmates - 1995