With the promise that the "whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God" will appear on the forthcoming website, here's what Syd had to say, nosajpks:
Yeah, it did have the flavor of a military coup. I think Mel was playing his version of "Seven Days in May" hoping to wrest control of Trek from Gene, et al. We never had any direct contact with Gene by the way, though we knew the axe was about to fall when our covert department got a very curt memo from him. Apparently he had seen the script, because it read simply: "There's no gym on the Enterprise."
With the promise that the "whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God" will appear on the forthcoming website, here's what Syd had to say, nosajpks:
Thanks you very very much. I honestly wasn't expecting such a quick forthright answer. It seems like an interesting project - but as the fuller story about the real venom and battles gene waged with paramount - and his own staff (not always without reason) I kinda figured this project had to be paramount's insurance policy - not that it makes it any less intersting to discover and wonder about.
Looking forward to the progress of this project's materials being unveiled. Thanks again.
If any of you will be attending Wonderfest, one of the study models will be on display. I spent this week building a base that, I hope, honors the intentions of the original modelmaker.