Angeles members see stars, giant Tribble in Vegas
By Fleet Capt. Dave Mason
LAS VEGAS — Robert Picardo didn’t know how much he’s allowed to say about his next show: “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.”
So as thousands of fans watched Saturday in a Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino ballroom, Picardo got on his smartphone with the producers. On the Las Vegas stage, Picardo put his phone on speaker and held his microphone to it.
The producers were quick to praise Picardo’s portrayal of The Doctor on “Star Trek: Voyager” and pointed out they were eager to have him back as the self-aware hologram on the latest “Star Trek” series.
Production will start in one month on “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” a 32nd-century sequel to “Discovery,” Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman told the fans as Picardo and fellow “Voyager” castmates Tim Russ and Jeri Ryan listened on stage.
The panel was part of Creation Entertainment’s annual “Star Trek” convention in Las Vegas, attended by several Angeles members.
Some got into the convention spirit with their costumes and buttons.
Angeles member Ed Millner wore a laboratory coat, tie, a “I quit smoking” button and the piece de resistance — a 1980s Apple mouse around his neck — to become the plexiglass plant manager from “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.”
Amanda Payatt came as a giant Tribble! Fans were eager to be photographed with her.
Christopher Mulrooney and Lisa Sobien wore Starfleet uniforms from the “Next Generation” era and beyond.
I stuck with “Star Trek” T-shirts such as images such as a cat saying, “Live long and pawsper!”
Other Angeles members attending included David and Pat Westbay.
We went to presentations representing all of the “Star Trek” shows, seeing everyone from Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) to the funny “Next Generation” trio of Jonathan Frakes (Will Riker), Brent Spiner (Data) and Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher).
In the dealers room, Angeles members ran into actors such as Bobby Clark, who fought Capt. Kirk as the Gorn in the “Star Trek” episode “Arena,” and Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman, the child actors on the 1970s Saturday morning show “Land of the Lost.” Coleman pointed out the series’ “Star Trek” connections. Writers included Koenig, “Star Trek” story editor D.C. Fontana and “Trouble with Tribbles” writer David Gerrold.
Also in the dealer rooms were a variety of “Star Trek” actors, including Garrett Wang, aka Ensign Harry Kim from “Star Trek: Voyager,” in his usual dealers room location.
Highlights this year also included the “Galaxy Quest” cast signing autographs in the dealers’ room and addressing the crowd before a screening Friday of the popular “Star Trek” parody. Some fans dressed as the movie’s characters.
The convention concluded today with “Strange New Worlds” and “Discovery” panels, William Shatner (Capt. Kirk, of course) on stage and the Rat Pack’s free concert tonight.
More about the convention will appear this week on this website, ussangeles.org and on the Angeles’ social media pages. For a full story with photos, see the late September edition of our newsletter, Angels Flight. The publication goes to all members. To become one, click on https://ussangeles.org/join-us.
