Posted on 08/24/2016 4:07:53 AM PDT by iowamark
It’s on Netflix. I watched it weeks ago.
“Considering what happened to him in 1969, maybe it wasn’t such good advice.”
Well, he probably wouldn’t have been injured in 1968 if he was on Star Trek instead.
I always felt bad for that group of actors who croaked in their forties or early fifties - often when their careers were just picking up again: Hunter, Stephen Boyd (heart attack on a golf course), Stanley Baker (a Socialist, but a fantastic actor; cancer), Robert Shaw (heavy drinker; heart attack)... and a number of others.
50 Years. Where is my cane? Wow. Sure doesn’t seem that long ago.
There are several versions of that story. The most likely one is that Hunter wasn't contractually obligated to do a second pilot, but the Desilu suits tried to keep him on board anyway and set a meeting. Mrs. Hunter showed up in his place and basically told the network guys that her husband was a big movie star and didn't need to do a show of that sort, etc.
The other version that has been spoken of allegedly comes from Roddenberry's comments to Nimoy and Shatner, and the scenario is that Hunter's wife began accompanying him to production meetings for the second pilot and making unreasonable demands. She was sort of acting as his agent and Gene realized that he'd be in for years of abuse - so he gave Hunter the boot (which he could do, with Hunter technically not yet under a new contract).
Which version is accurate? I'd guess that the truth is somewhere in the middle.
BTW, the following link is believed to be the only interview that Hunter ever gave where he commented on Star Trek. It was just after The Cage was finished, before he knew that the studio gave it the thumbs-down.
before Spock didn't smile... 
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