Star Trek’s The City on the Edge of Forever ... Whoops, I Think I Owe Harlan Ellison a Few Bucks Now

March 17, 9:07 AMPop Culture News ExaminerAndy Williamson

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THE GUARDIAN OF FOREVER

Multi-award-winning (and famously outspoken) science-fiction author Harlan Ellison is suing CBS Paramount Television over residuals he says he is owed for his 1967 teleplay The City on the Edge of Forever.  Widely considered to be the best Star Trek episode ever produced, the story saw Dr. McCoy accidentally change human history after a near-lethal drug overdose -- Kirk and Spock utilize the Guardian of Forever to go back to 1930s Earth to undo the damage -- while doing so, Kirk falls in love with the beautiful-but-doomed Edith Keeler (Joan Collins).

Though the episode was greatly rewritten by Gene Roddenberry before filming began (a fact which Harlan never lets anyone forget, and detailed in his 1995 book, The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay that Became the Classic Star Trek Episode), it did win Harlan Hugo and Writers Guild of America Awards.  Regarding that book, which contains story treatments and two early scripts, I, like many, still think the version filmed and aired is the better one.  The best part of that book is a 75-page rant where Harlan goes ballistic on Paramount and Roddenberry for deigning to change one word of his sacred text.  Whatever one might say about Mr. Ellison, he is very entertaining even when he is foaming at the mouth.  And yes, I do still give him credit for writing my favorite Trek episode, no matter what changes were made.

Harlan is seeking 25% of net receipts from merchandising, publishing, and other income from the episode since 1967 -- he is also seeking $1 (on principal) from the Writers Guild of America for allegedly not having his back for the past 42 years.  Regarding the issue with Paramount, however, Harlan says, "It ain't about the 'principle,' friend, it's about the money!  Pay me!"

The original report can be found here at HarlanEllison.com.