Robert April
Encyclopedia
Robert T. April is a fictional character
in the Star Trek
universe. April is listed in the Star Trek Chronology, The Star Trek Encyclopedia
and at startrek.com as the Enterprise' s first commanding officer, preceding Captain Christopher Pike
.
The character's only television/movie appearance is in the Star Trek: The Animated Series
episode "The Counter-Clock Incident", in which he is voiced by James Doohan
and portrayed as the first captain of the USS Enterprise
. However, the decision by Paramount Pictures
, studio owners of the franchise, and series creator Gene Roddenberry
not to consider the animated series to be part of the official Star Trek canon
has led to debate as to whether April's place as first captain is actually a part of Star Trek continuity.
April appears in the novels Final Frontier and Best Destiny by Diane Carey
as the captain of the Enterprise.
When Roddenberry submitted his first proposal for Star Trek to MGM Studios
in 1964, his name for the starship commander was "Robert M. April" (another name, Captain James Winter, was also considered). The proposal was rejected, and Star Trek did not become a television
reality until later that year when NBC
accepted the premise, by which time the captain was changed to "Christopher Pike
".
in England. He wears various cardigan sweaters
over his uniform due to a rare blood disorder that causes him to feel slightly chilly most of the time. Commander George Kirk, father of future Enterprise commanding officer James T. Kirk
, serves as April's executive officer
. Carey's books also feature Sarah as the ship's chief medical officer. However, Crisis on Vulcan by Brad and Barbara Strickland portrays Pike as first officer under April when Spock visits the ship.
where he appeared as a stubborn and extremely militaristic person, who ordered an attack against an unknown ship that was making provocative moves against the Enterprise, despite the fact that Number One
was in command. The enemy counter-attacked, leaving Number One injured and April in command. The ending is unknown since the series ended on a cliffhanger
.
during the early part of the TOS campaign, where he is still in Starfleet service in 2270. In the series, it would be between seasons 4 and 5, though the Commodore is only mentioned in the missions.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the 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...
universe. April is listed in the Star Trek Chronology, The Star Trek Encyclopedia
The Star Trek Encyclopedia
The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future is an encyclopedia of all the in-universe information from the Star Trek live-action television series and films. The Encyclopedia was written by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek, and illustrated by Doug Drexler...
and at startrek.com as the Enterprise
Christopher Pike (Star Trek)
Christopher Pike is a character in the Star Trek franchise. He was portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter in the original Star Trek pilot episode, "The Cage", as captain of the USS Enterprise. The pilot was rejected, and the character was dropped during development of the second pilot when Hunter decided that...
.
The character's only television/movie appearance is in the Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
episode "The Counter-Clock Incident", in which he is voiced by James Doohan
James Doohan
James Montgomery "Jimmy" Doohan was a Canadian character and voice actor best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series Star Trek...
and portrayed as the first captain of the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
. However, the decision by Paramount Pictures
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...
, studio owners of the franchise, and series 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...
not to consider the animated series to be part of the official Star Trek canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
has led to debate as to whether April's place as first captain is actually a part of Star Trek continuity.
April appears in the novels Final Frontier and Best Destiny by Diane Carey
Diane Carey
Diane Carey is primarily a science fiction author best known for her work in the Star Trek franchise. She has been the lead-off writer for two Star Trek spin-off book series: Star Trek The Next Generation with Star Trek: Ghost Ship, and the novelization of the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot, Broken...
as the captain of the Enterprise.
Pilot development
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
in 1964, his name for the starship commander was "Robert M. April" (another name, Captain James Winter, was also considered). The proposal was rejected, and Star Trek did not become a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
reality until later that year when NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
accepted the premise, by which time the captain was changed to "Christopher Pike
Christopher Pike (Star Trek)
Christopher Pike is a character in the Star Trek franchise. He was portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter in the original Star Trek pilot episode, "The Cage", as captain of the USS Enterprise. The pilot was rejected, and the character was dropped during development of the second pilot when Hunter decided that...
".
"The Counter-Clock Incident"
The animated series' writers included Commodore Robert April in "The Counter-Clock Incident", making the character's middle initial T and not M as in Roddenberry's original proposal. In the episode, the Enterprise crew begins to rapidly age in reverse. Commodore April's and his wife Sarah's old age affords them more time at maturity, allowing them to save the crew and undo the reverse aging process. The episode establishes that Sarah was the chief medical officer of the Enterprise during Robert April's time as the ship's commanding officer.In print
Carey's books indicate that April comes from CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
in England. He wears various cardigan sweaters
Cardigan (sweater)
A cardigan is a type of machine- or hand-knitted sweater that ties, buttons or zips down the front; by contrast, a pullover does not open in front but must be "pulled over" the head to be worn. The cardigan was named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander,...
over his uniform due to a rare blood disorder that causes him to feel slightly chilly most of the time. Commander George Kirk, father of future Enterprise commanding officer James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
, serves as April's executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
. Carey's books also feature Sarah as the ship's chief medical officer. However, Crisis on Vulcan by Brad and Barbara Strickland portrays Pike as first officer under April when Spock visits the ship.
In comics
A unique version of April appeared in the final issues of Star Trek: Early VoyagesStar Trek: Early Voyages
Star Trek: Early Voyages was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics in the United States, running for 17 issues from February 1997 until June 1998...
where he appeared as a stubborn and extremely militaristic person, who ordered an attack against an unknown ship that was making provocative moves against the Enterprise, despite the fact that Number One
Number One (Star Trek)
Number One, in "The Cage", the original pilot episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek, was the un-named intellectual, problem-solving second-in-command serving under Captain Christopher Pike. She performs the same role for Pike "as Spock later does for Kirk"...
was in command. The enemy counter-attacked, leaving Number One injured and April in command. The ending is unknown since the series ended on a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
.
In computer games
Commodore Robert April is mentioned in the computer game Star Trek: LegacyStar Trek: Legacy
Star Trek: Legacy is a video game released by Mad Doc Software for Windows-based PCs and Xbox 360. The game, a strategy/action and space combat game, was published by Bethesda Softworks...
during the early part of the TOS campaign, where he is still in Starfleet service in 2270. In the series, it would be between seasons 4 and 5, though the Commodore is only mentioned in the missions.