Whatever happened to the Star Trek bridge?

I was admiring all the input on the MR Enterprise model, and apparently, there are a lot of sites out there with info about the models... however....

I was watching TOS on G4TV, and I was wondering what happened to the bridge set and Kirk's chair. Does anyone know?

 

From what has been written, when the show was cancelled, the set was donated to UCLA's Film and theater department.

When I was down there, I explored their great stagemaking facility, and got chatting to a number of people in different departments. One of them, who was the Vice Chair of Production, was really happy to discuss the history of the bridge set.

He said that it would have been recycled into a set for the students. He also mentioned that if the department had the foreknowledge of what a cult Star Trek would have become, they would have saved it and placed it on display.

I know his would be true, cause for a year solid, I would leave Soundstage One in the facility, and be greeted by a glass matte painting that painted by Syd Mead for Bladerunner. It is one of the paintings that was made for the opening shot of the film.

Before you all get excited and rush down to the campus, it is VERY securely attached to the wall. I know, cause I had wonder how to get it off the wall, and see the reverse of it. This was also donated to the department.

GO BRUINS.

- Skyler101

 

I remember I went to a convention when I was a kid... one convention, okay.?.... and I remember they said the set was taken on tour or something and ripped apart by crazed drugged out students. My memory may not be perfect on this... I was eleven at the time.

 

I remember reading that Matt Jeffries used the bridge carpet in his airplane.

 

<div class='quotetop'>(Avalon X @ May 18 2006, 10:07 PM) [snapback]1246634[/snapback]</div>

Isn't Kirk's chair in the Sci-Fi museum in Seattle now?


Dave C

 

That is correct. Paul Allen bought the original TOS chair, and it now resides in Seattle.








There are also a couple of button panels from Uhura's station on display.





- k

 

A bridge display was sold on ebay recently........

http://p082.ezboard.com/fpropreplicasfrm10...picID=235.topic

 

Some of the original stuff is being acutioned off. Details below.


Copyright 2006 Agence France Presse
All Rights Reserved
Agence France Presse -- English

May 18, 2006 Thursday 8:11 PM GMT

LENGTH: 248 words

HEADLINE: Christie's to mount major 'Star Trek' auction in October

DATELINE: NEW YORK, May 18 2006

BODY:


Captain James Kirk's clinging uniform and Starship Enterprise items will go under the hammer in October in a major auction to mark the 40th anniversary of the beloved television series "Star Trek," Christie's auction house said Thursday.

More than 1,000 lots from the archives of CBS Paramount Television Studios will be put up for sale in New York: costumes, weapons, props, about 60 Starship Enterprise set dressing pieces, and special effects models such as flying enemy warships.

The collection represents the full "Star Trek" science-fiction space saga, from its debut as a television series through 10 feature films, Christie's said.

Among the auction highlights are a replica of Captain Kirk's chair from the TV series' first season, valued between 10,000 and 15,000 dollars, and two bridge consoles of the Enterprise, from the same season, estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 dollars.

The Starfleet uniform worn by Kirk in the 1983 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is estimated to fetch between 7,000 and 9,000 dollars, while a mustard-colored Starfleet minidress uniform from the original TV series is tagged at 4,000 to 6,000 dollars.

The three-day auction, set to open on October 5, will be the first official auction of "Star Trek" studio items, Christie's said.



Apparently, the items are going on tour throughout the U.S. and Europe before the auction.

 

I see the various rumors and legends are being posted here. :lol

Paramount still owns quite a few items, I am pretty sure they still have the Nav and Helm Console.

Not much really left of it since the last time I saw it at the "Trek Exhibit" at the Smithsonian it was in pretty bad shape.

Interesting to see how CBS is trying to get some cash off the dead franchise by cleaning out the closets. :lol

 

I suspect most of the bridge went in the dumpster, so digging in the appropriate place at the landfill may produce results.

Obviously many things were taken by people who worked on the show or had access to pick through it.
I seriously doubt any other storys.

 

<div class='quotetop'>(CessnaDriver @ May 19 2006, 12:30 PM) [snapback]1246910[/snapback]</div>

Yep. I was amazed at some of the items already in private collections in the 70's.

 

The UCLA bridge rumor just will not die. The UCLA bridge was FAN MADE. Bjo Trimble (big LA area fan who was very involved in fandom at the time) has written about helping build that set. It was well made and stood for a good long while. No telling how many thousands of people saw it and assumed it was the real deal and passed on that misinformation.

The TV set was mostly destroyed just like any other hollywood set that is no longer needed. Sets are mostly plywood and two-by-fours. Not much worth saving, really. It's all in the dressing. A few parts were rescued prior to going to the dumpster, like display panels, button panels, Kirk's chair and the helm. All in private hands.

 

Take a look at these pics. Has anyone ever suggested that the chair at the museum could be a replica? It seems the buttons are not correct on the right side of the chair, and the triangular edge (where the actor's hands rest on the chair) is way too short on the museum chair.

[image]http://www.wackychimp.com/uploads/CaptainsChair.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.wackychimp.com/uploads/35.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.wackychimp.com/uploads/36.jpg[/image]

 

I think the chair in the museum IS the authentic chair but the rightside control panel (at least) was reconstructed due to damage.

I don't know that first hand but that's my opinion based on having seen the chair at the museum.

- k

 

<div class='quotetop'>(phase pistol @ May 19 2006, 07:43 PM) [snapback]1247030[/snapback]</div>

I guess then it's not uncommon for museums to reconstruct it incorrectly... From these pics BOTH arms are way off in length. The white punch buttons on the right side are supposed to be close to the arm rest, with other buttons on that side of the chair. Whew. I'd feel screwed if I paid the vast sum they must have paid for the chair.

 

WOW. the UCLA bridge was the Bijo Bridge. I did not know that.

I got to sit on that bridge at the 1976 Equicon. Yes, I'm that old.

I also got to see the original helm and the "idiot" (I use that word correctly) that owned it was about to rip out all the displays and put in "modern" Switches and lights. I think that was in 1981. Fortunately I heard he never got around to do it.

I think the same thing happened to the Captain's Chair before it was "restored".

 

<div class='quotetop'>(Skyler101 @ May 18 2006, 09:16 PM) [snapback]1246637[/snapback]</div>

What building is that in? I'm at UCLA now, but I don't know many buildings other than Schoenberg.

 

Hopefully board members will acquire a few of the auction pieces and photograph/document them properly for us to see.

 

Does anyone know who made the replica of the bridge for the TNG episode with Scotty?

 

<div class='quotetop'>(Avalon X @ May 19 2006, 03:10 PM) [snapback]1247011[/snapback]</div>

There are quite a few that claim the Chair Allen bought is indeed a replica.

Bob Justman signed off on it so it must be the real deal right?

 

There are a few tells on the SFM chair that when it was examined by people in the know saw it.

One of the things that was described to me was there was a patched hole in the chair where the little mini-viewscreen (that was only there in the Cage) has been.

Could've been faked. But the trail from the owner to the auction was pretty substantial.

Also, I believe the "relics" set was built by the folks at Proper Effects.

 

The Command Chair is composed of a "found" chair (Madison Furniture Industries no 2405) which has been mounted onto the "arms" and swivel base.

In the pics above the padded chair part is mounted too far FORWARD. Note how much of the seat overhangs the base of the chair.



Compare with this pic, taken before the auction. I think the chair as you see it in the Seattle museum is just assembled wrong. But it's the authentic chair.



Compare with how it was assembled during the series ("Tholian Web")



The Captain's Chair arms were also used as the base of the Laser Cannon in "The Cage".



And here's a little montage I pieced together out of frames from "Spock's Brain".. the only episode where you get this perspective.




- k

 

BTW for DS9 "Trials and Tribbleations", very little of the Enterprise Bridge was recreated. Mostly just a length of console, with walls to suggest the Main Viewer area




These pieces were rearranged and redressed to suggest the Engineering console and the Turbolift alcove



For a shot of Dax walking across the Bridge she was bluescreened into existing footage from TOS.

For TNG "Relics", the Captain's Chair and helm console was built along with the Engineering console and turbo alcove. Very tight camera angles gave the impression of a larger set.



The largest and best TOS Bridge re-creation (made for TV anyway) is of course the magnificent, almost full bridge built for "Star Trek Enterprise", "In a Mirror Darkly"...





- k

 

Thanks Phase Pistol. Your post explains a lot. Cool pics.... :thumbsup

 

Ya...terrific stuff...great screen caps...you sure know your Captain's chair

T

 

I recall reading in magazines at the time that the "Relics" helm console and captain's chair were pre-existing fanmade pieces. I'm guessing Greg Jein hooked them up with the owners, if they indeed weren't his own.

FWIW, here's the text of the Kirk chair auction:

<div class='quotetop'></div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>(SithLord @ May 19 2006, 10:29 PM) [snapback]1247260[/snapback]</div>

Actually it's Commodore Starska who knows his chairs... he was instrumental in "discovering" the Madison - in a doctor's office waiting room.... one of the truly inspiring tales of "found object" sleuthing.

The discovery thread is on ASAP.

http://p082.ezboard.com/fpropreplicasfrm10...rt=161&stop=180


- k

 

(nevermind...)

 

Darth Brass,

The building you want is the TFT (Television, Film, and Theater) building. Its the closest building to the corner of Sunset and Hilgard. Ask anyone around there where Studio One is, (also known as the teaching studio), and the matt painting is DIRECTLY opposite the door that leads from the main hall. The building can also be accesses from the James Burrows (SP?) Theater, which is opposite the Arts Library.

You cant miss it. I love that building for all the time I spent in there. I'd love to do an extensions course just to live those days again. Mind you, when I get the chance to go down, everyone is always happy to see an old face.

GO BRUINS.

-Skyler101


<div class='quotetop'>(Darth Brass @ May 19 2006, 08:20 PM) [snapback]1247044[/snapback]</div>

What building is that in? I'm at UCLA now, but I don't know many buildings other than Schoenberg.
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