William Shatner Appearance?

[Dave]

from SciFi Wire

Enterprise Rebuffs Shatner

Original Star Trek star William Shatner told TV Guide Online that his rumored guest appearance on UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise is on hold in a dispute over money. "When I talked to [UPN] about money, they blinked," Shatner told the site.

Shatner added that there's still a chance it could happen "if they open their eyes." If it can be worked out, Shatner said his guest slot would be for two episodes, not one. Enterprise returns for a fourth season on Oct. 11.

I realise that everyone needs to put bread on the family's table, to pay their mortgage and pay their stable fees, but I'd just like to contrast that with Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), who appeared in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' simply because she was a fan and credited Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) as a childhood inspiration for her becoming an actress; or with Colm Meaney (O'Brien) who was constantly busy with better paid film work at the same time that he appeared in 'Star Trek: TNG' and 'Star Trek: DS9'; or the appearance of Brent Spinner in upcoming 'Enterprise' episodes; or even Leonard Nimoy's (Spock) appearance in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'.

On the other hand, UPN is not a charity, they can afford his demands, and they are using his appearance to boost flagging viewing figures, so he is entitled ask for a slice of that profit.

Personally speaking, if it is necessary to pay him so much, stuff the viewing figures and the Kirk's ancestor story, and spend the money instead on the writers, special effects, locations and costumes.

[ray gower]

In fairness we don't know what the sum of money being discussed is.

It could easily be UPN expects Shatner to appear for the love of the show, while he wants his bus fare there paid?

On the otherhand Shatner is rumoured to be living in a trailer again after the Dot.Com bubble lost him his fortune again

[Dave]

Originally posted by ray gower
In fairness we don't know what the sum of money being discussed is.

I probably am doing Bill Shatner a disservice here.

I have a link here to the official William Shatner website, and the thread called "Spill the Beans":

http://www.williamshatner.com/module...hlight=#205677

Bill Shatner posts:

Paramount and I have had one discussion about my appearing on "Enterprise." I mentioned money and they stopped calling.

In the discussion that follows most people take his side ie. Paramount needs him more than he needs them, and that it would be payback for everything he has done in the past for 'Star Trek'.

What partly fuels this is that UPN has apparently already commisioned adverts advertising Shatner's appearance. This was on TrekWeb:

UPN has reportedly commissioned advertisements touting William Shatner's (James T. Kirk) return to Star Trek.

CBS Television City Research Center, located in Las Vegas's MGM grand hotel, is showing a commercial for Enterprise's fourth season announcing a guest appearance by Shatner, according to a post by 'Lt. Barclay' on the TrekWeb message boards.

Barclay said in his report that the center previewed an episode of CBS's new comedy series, Centre of the Universe, for visitors. "During the show, a few UPN commercials were shown, including one for Enterprise," he said in his report. The Enterprise ad reportedly contained scenes from season three, followed by a Star Trek logo and a voice over announcing that Shatner would be appearing in two episodes this season.

Rumours about Shatner making the trek to Enterprise have circulated since the series premiere in fall 2001, but have picked up steam in recent months. Back in May, executive producer Rick Berman said the writers were looking for a way to bring Shatner on board Enterprise. In June, it was reported the actor approached Berman with a "great story idea" for a guest stint (story). The only stumbling block at that time was that Shatner is signed as a regular on ABC's new drama series, Boston Legal, and would require time off to appear on Enterprise.

It is in the latest 'Star Trek Communicator' direct from Rick Berman himself:

ST COMM. :"How serious are you about finding a place for a guest appearance for William Shatner next season?"

Rick Berman: I am very serious. We have a couple of surprises. We already have a storyline in the works where we are going to see a major player from a previous Star Trek Series. We are also going to be talking with Bill and hopefully finding a way to bring him onto the show."

ST COMM: Any other interesting guest stars you are looking at bringing on next year?

Rick Berman: We're really just dealing with the first-half dozen episodes right now, and and I think for three of those episodes - 4, 5 and 6, - we're hoping to have a bit of surprise casting. After that, we are hopfully going to have some discussions with our dear friend ,Mr. SHatner., and perhaps come up with a small arc that will involve him.
Other than that, we don't have any casting. We're just at the very begining stages of starting to put together the next season.

It would seem that those commercials are a huge mistake, and also Shatner may be being unfairly treated. Not knowing the full story I can't really say.

[ray gower]

For something in the rumour and speculation mill, it does look as if they are rather relying upon Shatner being available

From Trek Today 11/09/04
Star Trek: Enterprise show-runner Manny Coto has told a magazine that if William Shatner makes a guest appearance on the show, he may not play Captain Kirk, nor an ancestor of Kirk.

TrekBBS members reported that in the latest Star Trek Communicator magazine, dated October 2004, Coto stated that if Shatner had time to do the series, he would appear in a three-story mini-arc like the one in which Brent Spiner (Data, Dr. Soong) is taking part.

"It would be a great episode if it did work out...it's not a Kirk or an ancestor of Kirk, but that's all I want to say. I don't want to give away anything, but it's very cool," said Coto, who is featured in a photo in much younger days watching the original series on television. In addition to himself, Coto described the current writing staff as "all Trek nerds, a room full of Trek nerds! And we know all the the Star Trek touchstones we want to do. It's like we're coming up with all the great stuff I've always wanted to do on Star Trek."

Coto revealed that in addition to the five scripts for which he received writing credit during Enterprise's third season, he assisted with the script for "Twilight" and did uncredited work rewriting the script for "Damage".

On the subject of the likelihood that the fourth could be the last season of Enterprise, "There's always the possibility this could be it, but nobody's assuming that at all," Coto insisted. "In fact, we are pulling all the stops; I want this year to be the best Star Trek year ever. Hopefully, that will translate into great ratings and fan love. If not, then the show will end - but it will end on a great note!"

[gr8scott]

Well, we're assuming that UPN hasn't contacted Shatner, after he mentioned payment, because UPN was reluctant... possibly. Or, it might be that they are simply trying to scrounge up the cash before saying "see ya at the set Bill". Reallocating dollars in a fixed budget is time consuming. Their pause could be for several different reasons.

Also, let's face it... us humans rarely do things "professionally" for free. It's simply business to expect payment. If Shatner wants too much money, then we won't see him in Enterprise. No problem... that's just business:evil: . He should at least ask for the going rate of a major Trek actor PLUS some extra for legend status (plus the balance on his trailor mortgage - can't have Kirk living in a trailor). It's only fair! Right?

[Dave]

I don't know anything about the trailer park, but I do know that he has recorded a new Album out in October 2004. He has to be pretty desperate for cash to do that, as the last one in the sixties was the one with his version of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'.

[Maria8475]

Plus isn't he doing car insurance adverts?

Surely another sign of desperation.

[Dave]

Over here he's been doing 'All Bran' breakfast cereal radio ads.

Also this is going off-topic but I heard a track from his new album on the radio. It was a cover of PULP's Common People and he also has Ben Folds and Ian Brodie (Lightning Seeds) involved. I have to say that it is a little unusual. The radio presenter said:

"It's Pop, Jim, but not as we know it!"

[Dave]

This seems to confirm the Shatner side of things:

from TrekToday
William Shatner (Kirk) cleared time in his schedule to make an appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise, but Paramount backed out on paying his salary at the last minute, claims a report from the Galileo 7 convention in Neuss, Germany.

[In] The news from the convention, published in German at TrekZone.de ... Trek insider Richard Arnold claimed that Paramount had withdrawn its offer to meet Shatner's salary demands after initially agreeing to them. Other recent reports have claimed that the deal for Shatner's guest appearance on Enterprise was all but finalized.

And on that album:

from NME
Almost 35 years since the release of his debut album, William Shatner, television’s Captain Kirk and TJ Hooker has teamed up with esteemed singer-songwriter Ben Folds (as his producer/co-writer) to deliver what can only be described as one of the least highly anticipated albums of the year. Although not a ‘witty and self-deprecating poet’ as he has been described, Shatner’s album, titled 'Has Been', includes some surprisingly good pop-driven collaborations with Lemon Jelly, Henry Rollins, novelist Nick Hornby, and he covers Pulp’s classic 'Common People' with Joe Jackson.

'It Hasn't Happened Yet' 'You'll Have Time' 'Trying' (with Ben Folds and Aimee Mann) 'What Have You Done' 'Together' (with Lemon Jelly) 'Familiar Love' 'Ideal Woman' 'Has Been' 'I Can't Get Behind That' (with Henry Rollins) 'Real' (with Brad Paisley)

[Dave]

Originally posted by ray gower
On the otherhand Shatner is rumoured to be living in a trailer again after the Dot.Com bubble lost him his fortune again

Yet there he is among more than 7,000 people who have told Richard Branson they would gladly pay him $210,000 (£115,000) for a trip aboard his planned spacecraft, according to Branson anyway.

[ray gower]

I would gladly pay £100 grand to take a jolly into space, if I had the loot.