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Gene Coon
Gene L. Coon (7 January 1924 – 8 July 1973; age 49), sometimes credited as Lee Cronin, was a writer and producer for Star Trek: The Original Series. He produced the first season of TOS from "Miri" to "Operation -- Annihilate!" and the second season from "Catspaw" to "Bread and Circuses". During his tenure, the Klingons were introduced, (TOS: "Errand of Mercy") the galactic governing body United Federation of Planets was named, (TOS: "Arena", "A Taste of Armageddon") Starfleet Command was firmly established as the USS Enterprise's operating authority, (TOS: "Court Martial") and the Prime Directive was first articulated. (TOS: "The Return of the Archons")
Besides writing and producing the series, Coon often did uncredited rewrites on the scripts, just like he did in The Wild Wild West. (The Star Trek Compendium) He was also known for his ability to write scripts in a very short time. For example, Coon wrote "The Devil in the Dark" over the course of four days. (The World of Star Trek)
Coon was a United States Marine Corps veteran who served during World War II, then joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 1948 before being called back into active duty in 1950 for service in Korea. He was released from the Marines in 1951, receiving a final discharge in 1952.
Coon wrote two novels, Meanwhile, Back At The Front and The Short End, both of which dealt with the Korean War conflict. He also wrote an episode of Bonanza which featured Leonard Nimoy and another episode which featured Michael Forest and Anthony Caruso. Coon also wrote an episode of The Sixth Sense featuring William Shatner.
With Gene Roddenberry, Coon wrote The Questor Tapes, an unsold 1974 pilot which featured Majel Barrett and Walter Koenig; Robert Foxworth played the title character. Data, the android from Star Trek: The Next Generation was based on Questor.
Coon divorced his first wife, Joy, in 1968, and married his teenage love, model-actress Jacqueline Mitchell. Joy died one year later of cancer, and refused to allow her ex-husband to visit her in the hospital. Coon was shattered by the event. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story).
Coon died of lung cancer in 1973, only a week after being diagnosed. He visited Robert Justman's office one day, wearing a portable oxygen tank and mask, gasping and coughing. Justman urged him to go in for medical tests, despite the fact that Coon said his breathing difficulties stemmed from the "Goddamned LA smog." (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story)
Writing / co-writing credits
As Gene L. Coon
- TOS:
- "Arena" (teleplay)
- "A Taste of Armageddon" (teleplay with Robert Hamner)
- "Space Seed" (teleplay with Carey Wilber)
- "The Devil in the Dark"
- "Errand of Mercy"
- "Metamorphosis"
- "Bread and Circuses" (with Gene Roddenberry)
- "A Piece of the Action" (teleplay with David P. Harmon)
As Lee Cronin
- TOS:
- "Spectre of the Gun"
- "Spock's Brain"
- "Wink of an Eye" (story)
- "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" (story)
External link
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