If past history gets obfuscated over the preferences of the observer, what of future history. Who better portrayed the real, future Zefram Cochrane Glen Corbett or James Cromwell. And why? Moi Across an immense, unguarded, ethereal border, Canadians, cool and unsympathetic, regard our America with envious eyes and slowly and surely draw their plans against us.
Glen Corbett. the first Cochrane, was dead in 1996 The original story said that the Companion fixed up Cochrane to be youthful and maybe even better looking. I think Corbett did it better being just a better actor.
Cromwell was much more believable. He was extremely flawed and eccentric, just the type that would invent the warp drive.
I never understood how he was able to finance the construction of warp ships in what amounted to a primitive boy scout camp. I think Cromwell stole the theory from someone else. The character, as Cromwell played him, didn't seem like a revolutionary, genius, just a mean drunk.
I actually don't think he theorized anything. If you look at Earth at that time it was wrecked, I think the theory was already out there, and the tech, and he got his hands on it and he and his team simply put the finishing touches on it. He basically stole it. It was never so much as an end game goal for him, it was a way for him to remain popular in the small community he was involved in. His eccentricity and addiction probably led him to do the irrational like taking the first ship past the speed of light. And he didn't need to really finance anything, his ship was built from scrap minus the tech needed to push it past the barrier. After that, when the Vulcans saw his warp trail, they probably financed the rest of the project.
Cochrane was the the ultimate engineer. The science may have been somebody else's but he was the guy that built it outta salvaged technologies. That kinda genius usually comes at a price. In zef's case it was being a mean arrogant drunk the people mostly put up with.
I haven't checked but it appears the more Boy Scout Glenn Corbett is losing. Maybe because too many do not know his Zef. Too many youngsters. And Corbett got Elinor Donahue too. I just voted for Glenn. Vote tied.
I voted for James cromwel. Star Trek first Contact is one of my favorite movies. He even came back and guest starred in the dark mirror episode on Star Trek Enterprise. That too was really one of the only good episodes of that series. Cochrane also admits he built the ship for money. Tilly's said that it took her months to scrap up all the titanium to build the cockpit. So how he was able to pull it off I guess it's a bit of a mystery. They were also lucky that the Borg were bad shots.
To: James Cromwell fans. Consider, from the life and attitudes of James Cromwell's Zef, came the Glen Corbett interpretation. Remember when Cromwell asked who said them wise words and was told, he did. That Zephram Cochrane rose to the occasion of his greatness, similar to Senator Sam Ervin. But, he got old and went for that "Sunday ride" borrowed by Babylon 5. where aging, near death hero gets into a space ship and plans to die there. Never to return. Or is that Joseph Campbell? The Glenn Corbett's, Zephram Cochrane was the old man, surviving a landing and nourished by the entity embodied by Elinor Donahue. A restored individual with his history of wise sayings and drunkenness. <ta da> If you haven't voted, Vote Glenn Corbett! If you voted for James Cromwell who did pretty good, there is still time to change your vote. Depending how deep your understanding of Zef is. Moi What did any do for Star Fleet. Maybe the next Trek will have a half hybrid. They are with us today! None so blind as those who will not . . .
The masses have spoken. Its Cromwell. And just so you know, I would have taken Picard over Kirk and Data over Spock. And Seven of Nine beats every other character in the Star Trek Universe. Deep Space Nine was an embarrassment on every single front. Boring and uninventive. I seriously wanted to see that station blow up one day.
I'll still back TNG and TOS all the way. DS9 was good but I didn't like the characters, which was always the best part of Star Trek to me.
If we have enough mass we could warp space through sheer gravity alone. It's time for Nasa to employ Rosie
But a vehicle for so many Black actors. Not just "Sisko", Avery Brooks whose diction is horrible and the same in other roles. Yet Star Trek never invested in a more "Asiatic Look" + make up and I did like Garak played by Andrew Robinson - the bad guy in the first Dirty Harry movie. I'm glad he got his retirement. Moi Beware https://www.startrek.com/news/the-star-trek-canadian-connections-you-may-have-missed
