Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wjvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!sun!qubix!wjvax!ron
From: ron@wjvax.UUCP (Ron Christian)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Origin of the Tribbles
Message-ID: <474@wjvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Jun-85 12:13:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: wjvax.474
Posted: Fri Jun  7 12:13:17 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Jun-85 20:30:34 EDT
References: <365@moncol.UUCP>
Organization: Watkins Johnson, San Jose, Calif.
Lines: 37

>>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."
****

The way I heard it, Heinlein asked Gerrold for an *autographed* copy of
the script, to which Gerrold responded something like "*He* wants *my*
autograph??"
-- 
__
	Ron Christian  (Watkins-Johnson Co.  San Jose, Calif.)
	{pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix,vecpyr,certes}!wjvax!ron