Last month saw the passing of two industry veterans whose names might not have been well known to masses, but whose work has been enjoyed by millions for the past half-century. Both are best remembered for the work they did on TV’s Star Trek (and its countless offspring): Director Joseph Pevney, who helmed some 14 episodes of ‘The Original Series’ (or ‘TOS,’ as it’s abbreviated by fans) and composer/conductor Alexander Courage, who penned the classic Star Trek theme. Pevney died on May 18 at the age of 96 and Courage on May 15 at 88.
Joseph Pevney, who began his career as an actor and director on Broadway, sharpened his teeth in the filmed entertainment industry by directing lower-budgeted films in the Fifties (including the outstanding 1957 Lon Chaney bio-pic Man of a Thousand Faces starring James Cagney). He made his biggest mark directing network television shows for nearly 30 years, including multiple episodes of such stalwarts as The Munsters, Adam-12, Bonanza, Emergency, The Virginian and, of course, Star Trek. Including in that baker’s dozen (plus one) are the classic episodes ‘The Trouble with Tribbles’ and ‘The City on the Edge of Forever,’ which is generally regarded as the series’ finest entry. One of the best-ever time travel stories to ever hit the airwaves, City was penned by sci-fi writer extraordinaire Harlan Ellison and features Joan Collins (!) as Capt. James T. Kirk’s love interest! He shares the distinction of being the most credited Star Trek episode director along with Marc Daniels.
An industry journeyman like Pevney, Courage was one of the founders of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America, the union that repped musical artists in Hollywood throughout Fifties, Sixites and Seventies. In addition to his music vocation, was also an respected photographer whose worked appeared in such mags as Life and Colliers.
Courage scored, orchestrated and conducted the music for dozens of movies and television shows, with a distinct concentration on sci-fi and fantasy projects, including the films Undersea Girl (1957) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) and the Sixties TV shows Land of the Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space and Trek. It’s fair to say that his Star Trek theme, with its lush strings and grand French horns, is one of the most recognizable compositions in the history of television.
DVDialog salutes both of these artists and their contributions to one of the greatest and most influential TV shows in the history of the medium. And in the words of Helmsman Sulu in the Trek episode “The Man Trap,’ “May the Great Bird of the galaxy bless your planet.”
All Star Trek DVD are available from Paramount.
