Actress
Majel Barret and her husband, producer
Gene Roddenberry, pose on the set of Roddenberry's 1974 TV movie/pilot film,
The Questor Tapes. The telefilm starred
Robert Foxworth as the highly advanced android, Questor, and
Mike Farrell as the human scientist helping the 'droid search for his missing creator. Barret had a supporting role as another scientist in the film.
Although I have - and have read -
D.C. Fontana's novelization of the teleplay, this is the one Seventies Roddenberry production that has continued to elude me. I didn't catch it when it was originally broadcast, and have never managed to catch it on television or home video in the past 38 years or so. Hopefully, one of these days, I'll get my hands on a copy.
You can watch the entire film on Youtube. I hadn't seen it until recently & thought it was very good! Quite haunting in places.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/xlMyg5_zmyA
I've been recording television since 1981 and Questor has eluded me also. I've read much about the production, the approaching of Nimoy to play Questor, and the replacing of him, etc. and have always wanted to see it. Thanks James for the You Tube heads up!
ReplyDeleteI remember this one from high school-probably in its initial appearance. I have seen it since but generally so badly mangled as to lose continuity. It is typical Roddenberry and well worth seeing in its original form.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think that it really had the series potential that Genesis II had though.
Caution- Spoiler Alert
The international intrigue plot elements didn't do much for me. But there were decent SF and dramatic concepts. From the emotion-challenged robot needing a human to guide it (Mr. Data prototype?) to the ironic ending with the antagonist it was played fairly well for the period. I especially liked the scene with the long line of former Questors and the explanation behind its purpose and existence. So it did leave me wanting to know more.
Two things that were absent from this one- neither protagonist was a Dylan Hunt/ Kirk type horndog (although there are elements that indicate that was the intent for Questor) -and there wasn't a space babe.
I saw Questor on late-night TV back in high school and remember thinking it was a pretty good TV movie, at least, if not a pilot for a series.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who owns the rights to it, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it turn up as one of the Warner Archive's MOD titles. They offer Genesis II and Roddenberry's Pretty Maids All in a Row, so it would make sense... I'd certainly buy it!
Well...ask and ye shall receive! Looks like Universal just released it through their MoD program (available only at Amazon.)
DeleteOne of the oddities of this is that the line producer was Howie Horwitz (best known for the Adam West Batman.) He did an amazingly good job.
ReplyDeleteWalter Koenig also appears here, almost unrecognizable in long hair and a truly improbable moustache.
(Christopher - I have this on VHS (taped off-air many years ago by a friend) and have transferred it to DVD. Will send you one if you want it.)
Don - I would be most appreciative. E-mail me at atomicpulp@gmail.com, and I'll get you my address. Thanks!
DeleteLol...its on DVD in Australia :) No special features though :(
ReplyDelete