Ira Steven Behr

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Ira Steven Behr

Ira Steven Behr (born 23 October 1953; age 70) was executive producer of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as a writer of several episodes. He was also a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1989 to 1990. With writing partners Robert Hewitt Wolfe and, later, Hans Beimler, he possibly deserves the most credit for the Deep Space Nine Dominion War story arc and the series' approach to characterization and story.

Biography

Ira Steven Behr graduated Lehman College in New York City and studied Mass Communications and Theater at Brandeis University where he was offered a playwriting scholarship. However, he moved to Los Angeles instead to pursue a career in writing comedies for television and film. But instead of comedy, Behr became known for his television dramas. His first breakthrough was on the James Garner television series Bret Maverick. He later served as story editor for the series Jessica Novack. Behr was also writer/producer of the series Fame, Once a Hero, and Bronx Zoo.

He currently lives in the Hollywood Hills, California. He is happily married to his wife Laura Behr and is the proud father of his two children Roxanne and Jesse.

Star Trek

Behr can be seen sitting at a table in Vic Fontaine's lounge in DS9's finale, "What You Leave Behind", along with other series writers and producers, presumably as part of the holographic audience.

In pieces of background signage (such as the USS Defiant (NX-74205) dedication plaque), there is a listing of Behr's name, meaning that in a literal interpretation, there is a Starfleet officer named Ira Steven Behr.

Among the episodes he has a "special fondness for" are "The Nagus", "Past Tense, Part I"/"Past Tense, Part II", "Call to Arms", and "Duet". (AOL chat, 1997)

In 1995, Rick Berman praised Behr's work on the fourth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, saying "I cannot begin to relate the importance of the work that Ira Behr has put into all of this. The quality of the shows is a tribute to Ira. He is truly pushing his writers to produce above and beyond their already high quality work. He is getting a certain creative element out of his writers. He has become a real inspiration to them and they are all writing beautiful stuff. He's doing a great job". ("Star Trek Update with Rick Berman", Star Trek Communicator issue 105 p. 12)

In 1998, Behr was asked by Michael Piller for his opinion on an early draft of Star Trek: Insurrection. Piller agreed with many of the suggestions Behr made about the weaknesses in the draft. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)

Around 2003, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga asked Behr for his opinion on Star Trek: Enterprise and to offer suggestions on how to improve that series. Behr commented "Rick called me up, it was his initiative. He asked me had I seen Enterprise, I told him no. He asked if I could look at it - they were thinking maybe of stepping back and that "this be another DS9 experience," whatever that meant. I didn't really think it over in terms of what were the chances of that reality happening again. They sent me the three shows, I went in, had a two hour meeting with Rick and Brannon. It was a very cordial meeting, but everything I said I am sure they did not like hearing. I would not liked to have heard it if someone came into my office and talked as bluntly as I was talking to them. Though again, it was done all cordially. After it was over I am sure they were uncomfortable, I was very uncomfortable, we shook hands, Rick said, "well, all interesting stuff, we'll think it over," and I never heard from him again. That's the whole story and it's barely a blip in anyone's lives, it has no impact whatsoever on the franchise. It's just something that happened". [1] Ten years later, in 2013, Brannon Braga bluntly recalled that Behr "shit all over the show" during the meeting and that he "hated the concept, hated the characters." (ENT Season 2 Blu-ray "Course Correction" special feature)

In 2009, Behr participated in an audio commentary on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country with Larry Nemecek.

After Deep Space Nine

After Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended its run, he has been involved in many other successful television shows. He was a consulting producer on Dark Angel and was an executive producer on The Twilight Zone (2002-2003). After that, he was the executive producer and writer on René Echevarria's The 4400.

In December 2010, it was announced that Behr would be the showrunner of a new Syfy series, Alphas. [2] In 2014, Behr joined the staff of Outlander with Ronald D. Moore. Behr was also an associate producer on the documentary That Guy Dick Miller.

Writing credits

• TNG:
  • "Yesterday's Enterprise" (teleplay with Richard Manning, Hans Beimler and Ronald D. Moore)
  • "Captain's Holiday"
  • "Qpid" (teleplay, story with Randee Russell)
• DS9:
  • "Babel" (story with Sally Caves)
  • "The Nagus" (teleplay)
  • "The Storyteller" (teleplay with Kurt Michael Bensmiller)
  • "The Homecoming" (teleplay, story with Jeri Taylor)
  • "Rules of Acquisition" (teleplay)
  • "Second Sight" (teleplay with Mark Gehred-O'Connell and Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Maquis, Part II" (teleplay, story with Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor)
  • "The Collaborator" (teleplay with Gary Holland and Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Jem'Hadar"
  • "The Search, Part I" (story with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Search, Part II" (teleplay, story with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Fascination" (story with James Crocker)
  • "Past Tense, Part I" (story with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Past Tense, Part II" (teleplay with René Echevarria, story with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Heart of Stone" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Prophet Motive" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Distant Voices" (teleplay with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Through the Looking Glass" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Family Business" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Adversary" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Way of the Warrior" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Little Green Men" (teleplay with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Homefront" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Paradise Lost" (teleplay with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Bar Association" (teleplay with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Shattered Mirror" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "To the Death" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Broken Link" (teleplay with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Apocalypse Rising" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Trials and Tribble-ations" (story with Hans Beimler and Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Let He Who Is Without Sin..." (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "The Ascent" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "In Purgatory's Shadow" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "By Inferno's Light" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Ferengi Love Songs" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Blaze of Glory" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "Call to Arms" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)
  • "A Time to Stand" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Favor the Bold" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Sacrifice of Angels" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "The Magnificent Ferengi" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Far Beyond the Stars" (teleplay with Hans Beimler)
  • "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "His Way" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Profit and Lace" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Tears of the Prophets" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Image in the Sand" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Shadows and Symbols" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "The Siege of AR-558" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "The Emperor's New Cloak" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "The Changing Face of Evil" (with Hans Beimler)
  • "What You Leave Behind" (with Hans Beimler)

Books Written

• DS9 Novels:
  • "Legends of the Ferengi" (with Robert Hewitt Wolfe)

Producing credits

• Star Trek: The Next Generation ("The Vengeance Factor" - "The Best of Both Worlds") - Producer
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("A Man Alone" - "In the Hands of the Prophets") - Supervising Producer
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("The Homecoming" - "Through the Looking Glass") - Co-Executive Producer
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("The Die is Cast" - "What You Leave Behind") - Executive Producer

Star Trek interviews

• Online chat with Star Trek:Continuum, 1997
• TNG Season 3 DVD special feature "Selected Crew Analysis Year Three" ("Crew Profile: Worf"), interviewed on 9 October 1996
• TNG Season 7 DVD special feature "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine DVD Preview"
• DS9 Season 1 DVD special feature "Crew Dossier: Kira Nerys", interviewed on 9 April 1999)

See also

Archive of Ira Steven Behr's AOL chats

External links

• Ira Steven Behr at Wikipedia
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