Was there a Star Trek series in the 1970s?

[WilliamPamer446]

[abc3643]

"Star Trek" [*], an animated version of the 1960s "Star Trek", debuted in September 1973 as a "Saturday morning kids show" on NBC. However, it was definitely not a kids show other than it was animated.

Originally, the producers - Filmation - want to "go cheap" and only have William Shatner (Kirk) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and DeForest Kelly (Dr. McCoy) and James Doohan (Scott) and Majel Barret (Nurse Chapel). However, Nimoy balked unless other original actors/bridge crewmembers were hired too: Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Geirge Takei (Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Chekov). A compromise was reached with all the original crew brought back except for Walter Koenig. To appease Koenig, he got some other credits such as director or writer of one or more episodes. As for Chekov's position, the navigation officer, Chekov was replaced by a character named Arex who was a 3-armed alien. He was voiced by James Doohan who also voiced his original character Mr. Scott. James Doohan voiced MANY characters on that show. There was also another character named M'Ress also voiced by Barrett. M'Ress was a feline-like alien.

"Star Trek" lasted only two seasons (1.5 really) before it was canceled in Fall of 1974.
The first season was 16 episodes but only 6 were made for the second season, for a total of 22 episodes with the last original broadcast being in October 1974.

While the show was actually rather popular and well-respected.
For instance, it was nominated in 1974 for the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Children's Series. It won that award in 1975.

The ironic thing is this: While popular and well-respected - I watched it religiously - it really wasn't a kids' show, but the companies that advertise on Saturday morning TV are trying to sell products to kids and kids weren't watching it as much (well, I did and I was 10/11). So, instead of NBC considering moving the show to primetime, it was simply canceled. Unfortunately, back in the mid-70s, primetime animation was non-existent. The only primetime animated show I can think of was "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home" which lasted 3 seasons from 1972-1974.

[*] I am NOT going to call that show "Star Trek: The Animated Series". That wasn't the title of the show. The title was "Star Trek".

https://nerdist.com/article/the-story-of-star-trek-the-animated-series-and-why-you-should-binge-it/

[docster]

Yes, the animated series ran from 1973 to '75. The thing I remember most about it was that Checkov, or was it Sulu, was not in it. He was replaced by a skinny, bald alien.

[MrHopper]

Only Star Trek the animated series which started in the early 70s and at the end the first film came out

[exitseven]

I think the cartoons with Kirk and Spock came out in the 70s/.

[Cherry234]

Yes. The Animated Series aired in the 70s.

[QuietRunner]

maybe the Animated one