Star Trek (The Original Series) Episode 19: "Arena," Original Air Date: January 19, 1967.
Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) battles
the Gorn commander — played by Bobby Clark, a Sand Canyon resident — at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce.
During the filming of this episode, Shatner and Leonard Nimoy (as Spock) got too close to an
explosion and ended up with a life-long case of tinnitus — severe ringing in the ears. In an October 21, 2006, interview,
Nimoy told SCVTV the pyrotechnic incident took place on a sound stage,
not at Vasquez Rocks. (They used Vasquez Rocks for exteriors but didn't damage the rocks. Images 7 and 8
in this series appear to be on a sound stage.) In fact, if the explosion had been outdoors, they probably
wouldn't have been injured. Nimoy said someone forgot to open the stage doors, which is necessary to dissipate the impact
of the concussion.
Directed by Joseph Pevney and written by Gene L. Coon, this first-season episode sees
the Starship Enterprise pursue the attackers after a Federation starbase is destroyed. The Enterprise enters an uncharted
sector of space where Kirk and the commander of the other vessel, the lizard-like Gorn, are transported
to the surface of a desert planet (Vasquez Rocks) where they engage in a fierce battle. Kirk, of course, is the victor,
carrying on to command the Enterprise for two more seasons and exploring many more alien planets, several of
which were located in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Note to editors: "Trekkie" is what non-Trekkers call a Trekker.
