World Science Fiction Convention to Celebrate Star Trek's 40th Anniversary

Forty years ago, on September 8th, 1966, Star Trek
debuted on television screens across America, forever
changing the landscape of television and science fiction.
But days earlier, the show's creator, Gene Roddenberry,
flew to Cleveland, Ohio and the 24th World Science Fiction
Convention to preview his new series for the science fiction
fans gathered there.

He came, along with Sam Peeples, a writer for the series,
and screened two episodes: the original pilot, The Cage,
and What Little Girls Are Made Of. They spoke, extolling the
wonders of their series. They also brought three women's
costumes and models to display them.

With that association, how could L.A.con IV, the 64th World
Science Fiction Convention not commemorate and
celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek?

This year the convention will have hundreds of speakers
and program items over its five day run at the Anaheim
Convention Center, with topics covering the literature and
business of science fiction books, movies & television,
science & space and more. Top authors, artists,
filmmakers, scientists from around the world will all take part
in the convention's program. And a portion of that program,
as well as the convention's extensive exhibits, will be
dedicated to Star Trek, the people who created it, and the
fans who love it.

The program is still in the works and the convention is still
contacting people involved with Star Trek in all of its
incarnations, but already scheduled are:

• Appearances by stars from the original Star Trek series
Walter Koenig and BarBara Luna as well as Star Trek: The
Next Generation's Marina Sirtis, Star Trek: Voyager's
Richard Herd, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Andy
Robinson, and Suzie Plakson, who appeared on Next
Generation, Voyager, and Enterprise. More stars expected
but not yet confirmed.

• Writers from the original series including DC Fontana,
David Gerrold, and Robert Sabaroff, talking about crafting
a legend.

• A display of costumes actually used on the series.

• Writers and producers from Star Trek: The Next
Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek:
Voyager, and Enterprise.

• Graphics, miniatures, and props.

• A slide presentation on Star Trek: Phase 2, the first
planned revival of Star Trek, from 1977, which was dropped
at the very last minute in order to bring Star Trek to the
motion picture screen instead.

• A slide show by John & Bjo Trimble on the history of Star
Trek Fandom.

• Panels with fans of Star Trek, talking about the first fan-run
conventions, keeping Star Trek alive between its
cancellation in 1968 and the debut of Star Trek: The Motion
Picture.

• A show by Star Trek designer Mike Okuda, showing
behind-the-scenes graphics from various versions of Star
Trek.

• A presentation by Star Trek: TNG, Voyager, and Enterprise
Special Effects Supervisor Ronald B. Moore.

• Behind The Camera From Behind A Camera A slide show
of crew-taken photos of behind-the-scenes moments on
Star Trek Enterprise.

• A lesson in speaking Klingon from the director of the
Klingon Language Institute.

• The creators behind Star Trek: New Voyages and Hidden
Frontier, the two internet series continuing the adventures of
the Starship Enterprise.

• A screening of Free Enterprise, followed by a talk by Mark
A. Altman and Robert Meyer Burnett, the film's writers,
producer, and director.

• A screening of Galaxy Quest, followed by a talk by Robert
Gordon, the film's writer.

• The convention's traditional first-night welcome reception,
this year themed to the Babel Conference Ambassadorial
Reception, with David Gerrold as Master of Ceremonies.

And much, much more. Keep checking our website for
more details and future announcements.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A.con IV, the 64th World Science Fiction Convention, will
be held August 23-27, 2006, in Anaheim, California. Our
Guests of Honor are Connie Willis (author), James Gurney
(artist), Howard DeVore (fan), and Frankie Thomas
(special). See us on the internet at www.laconiv.org.

Worldcon, World Science Fiction Convention, Hugos, and
Hugo Awards are service marks of the World Science
Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary association.