This site will show you how powers of persuasion can be discovered and examined inside Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. The same holds true concerning Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica. Ronald D. Moore had producer and/or writer responsibilities on three of the Star Trek television spin-off series and two of the Star Trek motion pictures. Therefore, if there is any science fiction television franchise that has earned the right to be called a successor to the persuasive power in Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, it most definitely is Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica. You will learn here what the 21st century version of Battlestar Galactica has to teach us about the persuasive power of science fiction space adventures on television and in movies. Battlestar Galactica persuades audiences about politics and religion using science fiction storytelling techniques pioneered by Star Trek as explained by writer Woody Goulart. Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D. Moore, Woody Goulart, Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek, science fiction, sci-fi, space opera

Star Trek Radio Documentary

In the early 1970s, I interviewed several people who were closely connected to the original Star Trek–including creator Gene Roddenberry and DeForest Kelley (Star Trek’s Dr. Leonard McCoy)–and produced a Los Angeles radio documentary series that was broadcast on K100-FM.  You can listen to several episodes of my LA radio documentary: 

“The Universe of Star Trek” featuring: Gene Roddenberry MP3 (2:50) 1331 K

Gene Roddenberry: He did not come across as bitter over NBC’s 1969 cancellation of Star Trek and looked ahead to a brighter future, including a major motion picture.

“The Universe of Star Trek” featuring: DC Fontana MP3 (2:51) 1342 K

D.C. Fontana: She was very forthcoming about her passion for Star Trek and interviewing her at her office at Filmation was engaging.  She was a proponent of women’s rights and relished in telling me about a forthcoming episode on the animated series in which Uhura takes over control of the starship Enterprise.

“The Universe of Star Trek” featuring: David Gerrold MP3 (1:28) 691K

David Gerrold:  Especially famous for writing “The Trouble With Tribbles,” this Los Angeles writer allowed me to interview him in his home.  When I arrived at his front door, I was surprised to be greeted by a Vulcan female.  The young girl had the obligatory pointed ears and a Spock-like costume.  No, I never asked David Gerrold who she was and what she was doing in his home.

“The Universe of Star Trek” featuring: Walter Koenig MP3 (3:13) 1510K

Walter Koenig:  We all remember him as Pavel Chekov from the original series.  Walter Koenig was a very young man when I interviewed him.  He demonstrated a strong comfort level about his celebrity from Star Trek that I was not expecting from someone so young.

“The Universe of Star Trek” featuring: Bjo Trimble MP3 (2:17) 1077K

Bjo Trimble: It was a trip to visit the home of this campaigner who campaigned to save Star Trek from cancellation.  Her living room was filled with Star Trek memorabilia and she had boundless energy.