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From: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Origin of the Tribbles
Message-ID: <365@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Jun-85 11:02:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: moncol.365
Posted: Thu Jun  6 11:02:10 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Jun-85 03:13:11 EDT
References: <481@ihuxo.UUCP>
Organization: Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Lines: 48

>From: klotz@ihuxo.UUCP (Dave Klotzbach)
>Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
>Message-ID: <481@ihuxo.UUCP>
>
>I don't know if this is new or not, but I just finished reading 
>"Rolling Stone" for the umpteenth time and noticed the simularity
>between the "flat cat" and the "tribble" of "Trouble with Tribbles"
>fame. This simularity included the apperance, their effect on humans, 
>metabolism and reproduction.  In fact they both pose the same problem 
>on a space ship.
>
>Who stole from Who? I do think Heinlein wrote the book before the Star
>Trek show was started.

Hiding in my desk is a copy of David Gerrold's book on the making of "The
Trouble With Tribbles" (in case you don't know, he is the author of the
episode"). In the book, he denies that there was a deliberate attempt to
borrow from the Heinlein work. I quote a couple of passages:

  "Many of Star Trek's fans are also Heinlein fans. And one of the most
frequent questions that crops up among them is: 'Were you influenced by
Heinlein's Flat Cats when you wrote the Tribbles? Is that where you got the
idea?'

   "In all honesty, I must that if I was, it was a subconscious influence.
Had I realized what I was doing, I either would not have done the story or
would have worked to minimize the similarities."


[...]


   "Heinlein was very gracious about the whole thing. (I suppose he could
have asked for money or credit. He didn't.) He simply said that he didn't
see that there was any knid of a problem at all. But he would appreciate a
copy of the script."

***************************************************************************

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Name:		John Ruschmeyer
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