TLS signed “Gene,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, Star Trek letterhead, April 13, 1976. Letter to aerospace engineer and senior NASA manager Jesco von Puttkamer, in part: “After our telephone conversation today, I had one of the upcoming meetings with Paramount brass and encouraged them to close the deal with Shatner and Nimoy as quickly as possible. Took them some interesting information on the high level of fan interest across the country, including news clippings and that sort of thing, trying to prove that we have a phenomenal box office potential. I believe they tend to agree. About your participation in the film production, let me try to answer some of the questions. First, we would be delighted to have your participation in some sort of ‘official’ capacity. However, if this turns out to be impossible, we would at least like to be able to identify you in film credits as a member of NASA’s advanced programs staff even though your actual work was on a ‘personal’ level. About your leave status, I doubt at the very moment that any kids of extended NASA leave would be necessary. There will be five or six months of preproduction before the cameras ever roll and I suspect you would be able to handle much of this during your own free time while still attending your NASA duties. In other words, we want to send all story outlines and scripts to you for comments; we’d want you to advise and consult with our art directors and others at regular stages of our planning; we’d want you to be able to comment on all sketches, all plans for space travel opticals, etc. But none of these things would happen all in one rush. No doubt there would be a number of quick flights out here you would have to make, but I doubt that the preproduction phase of the film would be a full-time job for you, except perhaps for the last month before cameras roll. When cameras do roll, it seems likely to me that you would have to be here during the actual filming. Until we get a budget, I have no idea of how long we would shoot but it seems to me we would probably be at it for a month and a half…The decision on financial compensation will also have to await some kind of budget. Of course, you will be compensated and expenses paid, but at this moment I have absolutely no idea what kind of figure is in the minds of the studio people at this time. I’ll try to get some sort of feeling on that as quickly as we begin talking budget. Am sure they would be willing to pay more if it turns out you can be identified in screen credits as ‘NASA.’” Roddenberry adds a postscript to the conclusion: “ABC wants me to consider writing and co-producing a number of documentaries on the Atlantis Legend, assuming I can find time during the Star Trek film preproduction schedule. Not a Von Daniken ‘Now It Can Be Told’ approach but something hopefully more scholarly. How are you on Lost Civilizations?” Von Puttkamer writes a brief response in pencil, “Great. That’s why they’re lost! J.” In fine condition, with rusty staple holes to the upper left corner. Von Puttkamer worked as technical advisor to Paramount Pictures for the first film based on the hit television series, 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Among his contributions, Von Puttkamer came up with the hypothetical theory behind the faster-than-light space warp drive, as well as the film's promotional slogan 'The Human Adventure Is Just Beginning.'
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