Gene L. Coon
Encyclopedia
Gene L. Coon was an American
screenwriter
and television
producer
. He is best remembered for his work on the original Star Trek
series.
for four years during and after World War II
, seeing combat in the Pacific theater and serving in China and in occupied Japan.
Coon wrote mainly for television. His writing credits included Dragnet, Bonanza
, Zorro, Have Gun - Will Travel, Wagon Train
, and The Wild Wild West
, as well as the premiere episodes of The Four Just Men and McHale's Navy
. He also became a producer for The Wild Wild West and later became a producer and writer for Star Trek: The Original Series
. His Wagon Train scripts contained strong moral lessons concerning personal redemption and opposing war, and he later repeated very similar themes in his Star Trek scripts (the latter series had the unofficial nickname of "Wagon Train to the Stars"). Coon joined Star Trek in the middle of the first season; David Gerrold
credited him with being a skilled showrunner before Coon left in the middle of the second season. He continued to contribute scripts for the third season, under the pseudonym
“Lee Cronin”, as he was under contract to Universal Studios
at the time and was likely not, by the terms of his contract, supposed to be working for Paramount
as well.
His credited creations for Star Trek include the Klingon
s (in "Errand of Mercy"), Khan Noonien Singh
(in "Space Seed"), Zefram Cochrane
(in "Metamorphosis"), and the Prime Directive
. Since he also had the position of doing rewrites for scripts, his work touches many more episodes. He also mentored the young Gerrold and helped him polish the script for the episode "The Trouble With Tribbles".
In the closing credits of the 1999 Star Trek
tribute film
Free Enterprise
, he is referred to as “The Forgotten Gene” (in comparison to the recognition received by his close friend and collaborator, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
).
Following his period with Star Trek, Coon produced the Universal Studios series It Takes a Thief, starring Robert Wagner
, and to write for Kung Fu
and The Streets of San Francisco
. Coon was known as one of the fastest writers in Hollywood, and it was not unusual for him to rewrite a script for shooting
overnight, or over a weekend. He had a dry sense of humor as reflected in his two novels, Meanwhile Back At The Front and The Short End (published in 1964 about the Korean War
). Coon was also fortunate enough to be reunited with the love of his life in time for them to spend his last years together.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. He is best remembered for his work on the original Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
series.
Life and career
Gene Coon served in the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
for four years during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, seeing combat in the Pacific theater and serving in China and in occupied Japan.
Coon wrote mainly for television. His writing credits included Dragnet, Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, Zorro, Have Gun - Will Travel, Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
, and The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, as well as the premiere episodes of The Four Just Men and McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
. He also became a producer for The Wild Wild West and later became a producer and writer for Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
. His Wagon Train scripts contained strong moral lessons concerning personal redemption and opposing war, and he later repeated very similar themes in his Star Trek scripts (the latter series had the unofficial nickname of "Wagon Train to the Stars"). Coon joined Star Trek in the middle of the first season; David Gerrold
David Gerrold
Jerrold David Friedman , better known by his pen name David Gerrold, is an American science fiction author who started his career in 1966 while a college student by submitting an unsolicited story outline for the television series Star Trek. He was invited to submit several premises, and the one...
credited him with being a skilled showrunner before Coon left in the middle of the second season. He continued to contribute scripts for the third season, under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
“Lee Cronin”, as he was under contract to Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
at the time and was likely not, by the terms of his contract, supposed to be working for Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
as well.
His credited creations for Star Trek include the Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
s (in "Errand of Mercy"), Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more...
(in "Space Seed"), Zefram Cochrane
Zefram Cochrane
Zefram Cochrane is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe. Created by writer Gene L. Coon, the character first appeared in the 1967 Star Trek episode "Metamorphosis", in which he was played by Glenn Corbett. James Cromwell later played Cochrane in the 1996 feature film Star Trek: First...
(in "Metamorphosis"), and the Prime Directive
Prime Directive
In the universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet's General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets...
. Since he also had the position of doing rewrites for scripts, his work touches many more episodes. He also mentored the young Gerrold and helped him polish the script for the episode "The Trouble With Tribbles".
In the closing credits of the 1999 Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
tribute film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Free Enterprise
Free Enterprise (film)
Free Enterprise is a 1999 romantic comedy film starring Eric McCormack and Rafer Weigel, and featuring William Shatner, directed by Robert Meyer Burnett and written by Mark A...
, he is referred to as “The Forgotten Gene” (in comparison to the recognition received by his close friend and collaborator, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
).
Following his period with Star Trek, Coon produced the Universal Studios series It Takes a Thief, starring Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
, and to write for Kung Fu
Kung Fu (TV series)
Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
and The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
. Coon was known as one of the fastest writers in Hollywood, and it was not unusual for him to rewrite a script for shooting
Shooting script
A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture. Shooting scripts are distinct from spec scripts in that they make use of scene numbers , and they follow a well defined set of procedures specifying how script revisions should be implemented and...
overnight, or over a weekend. He had a dry sense of humor as reflected in his two novels, Meanwhile Back At The Front and The Short End (published in 1964 about the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
). Coon was also fortunate enough to be reunited with the love of his life in time for them to spend his last years together.