Gene Coon was a writer and producer primarily remembered for his work in television. His writing for TV was as diverse as 1960's Mr. Lucky and Bonanza, 1963's Wagon Train and 1966 Laredo. Then to his most memorable work Star Trek, the Original Series, 1968's It Takes a Thief and 1970's Mod Squad.
Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). He is credited with inventing the Klingons and had a hand in creating Khan. He developed the interpersonal dynamics between Kirk, Spock and McCoy (in particular, the invariably humorous verbal banter). He established the enlightened image of Starfleeet/The United Federation of Planets and often ended episodes with an anti-war allegory. A robust-looking, heavy-set man possessed of seemingly boundless creative energy, Coon was a prodigious reader and an immensely focused writer of prolific output. It was said, that he authored his novels and teleplays by assuming a state of near self-hypnosis, which he himself called 'automatic writing'. In one instance, he managed to produce the script for the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark" in the course of a single weekend. Either as writer, or line producer, Coon had extensive, often critical input into some of the show's best-loved episodes, including "Arena", "Space Seed", "A Taste of Armageddon" , "The City of the Edge of Forever" (generally regarded as the best of the series), "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Doomsday Machine". Coon also often acted as a 'script doctor', doing uncredited rewrites. He left Star Trek in March 1968, likely the result of personality clashes with members of the cast (in fact, Coon had a reputation for not getting along with actors in general), but continued to write several more episodes under the pseudonym 'Lee Cronin' in order to fulfill his contract with Paramount.
Please refer to IMDB and Wikipedia for further information on his very extensive career and work.
A chain smoker of cigarillos for most of his life, the man whom fellow writer/producer Glen A. Larson referred to as "the spirit and soul of Star Trek", died in July 1973 of lung and throat cancer at the age of 49 just one week after being diagnosed.
Gene was cremated by Pierce Bros. Valhalla. Ashes scattered at sea July 11 off Santa Monica. Emmy nom. 1967.
Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). He is credited with inventing the Klingons and had a hand in creating Khan. He developed the interpersonal dynamics between Kirk, Spock and McCoy (in particular, the invariably humorous verbal banter). He established the enlightened image of Starfleeet/The United Federation of Planets and often ended episodes with an anti-war allegory. A robust-looking, heavy-set man possessed of seemingly boundless creative energy, Coon was a prodigious reader and an immensely focused writer of prolific output. It was said, that he authored his novels and teleplays by assuming a state of near self-hypnosis, which he himself called 'automatic writing'. In one instance, he managed to produce the script for the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark" in the course of a single weekend. Either as writer, or line producer, Coon had extensive, often critical input into some of the show's best-loved episodes, including "Arena", "Space Seed", "A Taste of Armageddon" , "The City of the Edge of Forever" (generally regarded as the best of the series), "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Doomsday Machine". Coon also often acted as a 'script doctor', doing uncredited rewrites. He left Star Trek in March 1968, likely the result of personality clashes with members of the cast (in fact, Coon had a reputation for not getting along with actors in general), but continued to write several more episodes under the pseudonym 'Lee Cronin' in order to fulfill his contract with Paramount.
Please refer to IMDB and Wikipedia for further information on his very extensive career and work.
A chain smoker of cigarillos for most of his life, the man whom fellow writer/producer Glen A. Larson referred to as "the spirit and soul of Star Trek", died in July 1973 of lung and throat cancer at the age of 49 just one week after being diagnosed.
Gene was cremated by Pierce Bros. Valhalla. Ashes scattered at sea July 11 off Santa Monica. Emmy nom. 1967.
Gene Coon was a writer and producer primarily remembered for his work in television. His writing for TV was as diverse as 1960's Mr. Lucky and Bonanza, 1963's Wagon Train and 1966 Laredo. Then to his most memorable work Star Trek, the Original Series, 1968's It Takes a Thief and 1970's Mod Squad.
Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). He is credited with inventing the Klingons and had a hand in creating Khan. He developed the interpersonal dynamics between Kirk, Spock and McCoy (in particular, the invariably humorous verbal banter). He established the enlightened image of Starfleeet/The United Federation of Planets and often ended episodes with an anti-war allegory. A robust-looking, heavy-set man possessed of seemingly boundless creative energy, Coon was a prodigious reader and an immensely focused writer of prolific output. It was said, that he authored his novels and teleplays by assuming a state of near self-hypnosis, which he himself called 'automatic writing'. In one instance, he managed to produce the script for the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark" in the course of a single weekend. Either as writer, or line producer, Coon had extensive, often critical input into some of the show's best-loved episodes, including "Arena", "Space Seed", "A Taste of Armageddon" , "The City of the Edge of Forever" (generally regarded as the best of the series), "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Doomsday Machine". Coon also often acted as a 'script doctor', doing uncredited rewrites. He left Star Trek in March 1968, likely the result of personality clashes with members of the cast (in fact, Coon had a reputation for not getting along with actors in general), but continued to write several more episodes under the pseudonym 'Lee Cronin' in order to fulfill his contract with Paramount.
Please refer to IMDB and Wikipedia for further information on his very extensive career and work.
A chain smoker of cigarillos for most of his life, the man whom fellow writer/producer Glen A. Larson referred to as "the spirit and soul of Star Trek", died in July 1973 of lung and throat cancer at the age of 49 just one week after being diagnosed.
Gene was cremated by Pierce Bros. Valhalla. Ashes scattered at sea July 11 off Santa Monica. Emmy nom. 1967.
Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). He is credited with inventing the Klingons and had a hand in creating Khan. He developed the interpersonal dynamics between Kirk, Spock and McCoy (in particular, the invariably humorous verbal banter). He established the enlightened image of Starfleeet/The United Federation of Planets and often ended episodes with an anti-war allegory. A robust-looking, heavy-set man possessed of seemingly boundless creative energy, Coon was a prodigious reader and an immensely focused writer of prolific output. It was said, that he authored his novels and teleplays by assuming a state of near self-hypnosis, which he himself called 'automatic writing'. In one instance, he managed to produce the script for the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark" in the course of a single weekend. Either as writer, or line producer, Coon had extensive, often critical input into some of the show's best-loved episodes, including "Arena", "Space Seed", "A Taste of Armageddon" , "The City of the Edge of Forever" (generally regarded as the best of the series), "Mirror, Mirror" and "The Doomsday Machine". Coon also often acted as a 'script doctor', doing uncredited rewrites. He left Star Trek in March 1968, likely the result of personality clashes with members of the cast (in fact, Coon had a reputation for not getting along with actors in general), but continued to write several more episodes under the pseudonym 'Lee Cronin' in order to fulfill his contract with Paramount.
Please refer to IMDB and Wikipedia for further information on his very extensive career and work.
A chain smoker of cigarillos for most of his life, the man whom fellow writer/producer Glen A. Larson referred to as "the spirit and soul of Star Trek", died in July 1973 of lung and throat cancer at the age of 49 just one week after being diagnosed.
Gene was cremated by Pierce Bros. Valhalla. Ashes scattered at sea July 11 off Santa Monica. Emmy nom. 1967.
Bio by: Kenneth McNeil
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