Episode: "Mudd's Passion"
Series: Star Trek: The Animated Series
Season 1, Episode 10
Original Air Date: November 10, 1973
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| via Memory Alpha |
*****
TAS's main title theme was composed by Yvette Blais and Jeff Michael. Both of those names are pseudonyms.
Yvette Blais was born Ray Ellis on July 28, 1923 in Philadelphia. His varied career included arranging and producing for the likes of Billie Holiday, Johnny Mathis and Bobby Darin. His television credits are extensive. As the main composer for Filmation, the studio which produced TAS, he provided music for such Saturday morning fare as The Brady Kids, Shazam! and Fat Albert. Yvette Blais was actually his wife's name. Ellis died in 2008 from complications due to melanoma.
Jeff Michael began life as Norman Zachary Pransky, though professionally, he used the name Norm Prescott. He was born January 31, 1927 in Boston. Primarily a television producer, he was actually one of the co-founders of Filmation. Jeff and Michael were the names of his sons. As Norm Prescott, he also occasionally provided his voice talents to TAS. He and co-producer Lou Scheimer won a Daytime Emmy for the show, the first such award claimed by any Star Trek series. Prescott died in 2005 from natural causes.
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I must have missed when you explained why you didn't like Mudd in the previous reviews. I think he brings a welcome change of pace to the kinds of personalities the series (live action or animated) tended to feature. And he had a killer mustache, too.
ReplyDeleteOkay, it's not so much that I don't like the character. Sleaze bags are a fact of life - no reason interstellar travel should change that. But I really hated Mudd's first episode - left me feeling dirty. It soured me on his whole story.
DeleteI can understand how having a guest character you don't like can make an episode hard to watch. Glad that Mudd won't be in any more episodes. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Me, too.
DeleteI like the artwork you have been posting on this series.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
All credit to Filmation. The movement of images leaves something to be desired but I would agree that the artwork itself is high quality.
DeleteI like this scoundrel. i think this sounds like a fun episode. I am glad to learn more about the writers
ReplyDeleteIf you like a good scoundrel, Mudd's your man.
DeleteHe's an interesting guy and worth bringing back. I still haven't watched this episode, but that face! LOL Not a great likeness.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite a goofy picture.
DeleteThe Harry Mudd series is a winner in my book because these Mudd episodes give Roger C Carmel character the opportunity to shine, center stage. We know Mudd's a cheat, scoundrel, thief etc unforgivable qualities normally but Carmel delivers his character with such panache, its easy to overlook them.
ReplyDeleteStar Trek does like a good ham. I think your Q comparison is appropriate.
DeleteI like reading your posts and look forward to reading your views on more of this.
ReplyDeleteThanks, RR!
Delete