The Writer's Life 8/27 - The Play's the Thing

RIP Bronx-born Neil Simon, 91, the most successful playwright since Shakespeare. He wrote more than 30 plays and adapted most of them to the silver screen. He began by writing for TV, and won Emmys for his work with Sid Caesar and Phil Silvers. He then took Broadway by storm, creating farces audiences loved. He won the Tony for The Odd Couple in 1965, for Biloxi Blues in 1985, and for Lost in Yonkers in 1991, which also garnered him the Pulitzer Prize. He has more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer. Here are two wonderful quotes attributed to him: "When it's 100 in New York, it's 72 in Los Angeles. When it's 20 in New York, it's 72 in Los Angeles. However, there are six million interesting people in New York - and 72 in Los Angeles." And: "...To sit in a room alone for six or seven or ten hours, sharing the time with characters that you created, is sheer heaven. And if not heaven, it's at least an escape from hell." He may have passed away, but Oscar Madison and Felix Unger endure. Awesome, sir. Thank you. (Info from Wiki & IMDb)

Speaking of the immortal Bard - while watching Star Trek: The Next Generation last night, I got to wondering how many times Shakespeare is mentioned in the series. That was too much to ask, but I did come across a wonderful passage Sean Hall, a college student, wrote in 2002, from a paper titled ALL THE GALAXY'S A STAGE: SHAKESPEARE IN THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE: "Shakespeare and the science fiction series Star Trek have always been linked together in an almost symbiotic bond. Characters in the series quote the bard, episodes are titled after his works, and stories are adapted to fit the outer space locales. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by the noted Shakespearean actor Patrick Stewart) has a worn copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare handy. Alien species such as the Klingons quote Hamlet both in English and in their own fictional language. If Shakespeare is the foundation for modern theater, it is only fitting that he becomes the basis for drama in the future." Hall lists the following references to Shakespeare. It does not include the episode I viewed, The Perfect Mate, season 5, episode 21, starring the then young and bodacious Famke Janssen. Although the Bard was mentioned, I don't believe he was quoted directly - if memory serves:
STAR TREK (The Original Series 1966-1969)
Dagger of the Mind, reference to Macbeth.
The Conscience of the King - Hamlet. The episode involves a traveling troupe of Shakespearean actors.
All Our Yesterdays - Macbeth.
By Any Other Name - Romeo and Juliet. Kirk quotes: "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
Whom Gods Destroy - Sonnet 18.
Elaan of Troyius - plot lifted straight from The Taming of the Shrew, Kirk as  Petruchio.
Catspaw - Macbeth.
STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1973-1975)
How Shaper Than A Serpent's Tooth - King Lear.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (1987-1994)
Encounter at Farpoint - Picard quotes from Henry VI: "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" (IV.ii.74).
The Naked Now - Data recreates Shylock's court monologue from The Merchant of Venice, asking: "When you prick me do I not ... leak?"
Hide and Q - Q mistakenly quotes from As You Like It: "All the galaxy is a stage." Picard calls him on it. Later Picard quotes Hamlet: "What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god!" (II.ii.304-308).
The Defector - Data and Picard perform a scene from Henry V in the holodeck .
Sins of the Father - The Merchant of Venice.
Menage A Troi - Picard frequently quotes from the Sonnets and Othello.
Remember Me - Hamlet (I.v.112).
Time's Arrow Part II - Picard explains the away team's seemingly odd behavior, saying they're practicing a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. They later rehearse Act II Scene i with Riker as Oberon, Data as Puck and Beverly Crusher as First Fairy.
Thine Own Self - Polonius' advice in Hamlet.
Emergence - Data performs the final scene as Prospero. Much of the plot is taken from The Tempest, as well as character names.
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (1993-1999)
Past Prologue - The Tempest.
Heart of Stone - Twelfth Night.
Once More Into the Breach - Henry V.
The Dogs of War - Julius Caesar.
The Die is Cast - Julius Caesar: "The fault, dear Tain, is not in our stars but in ourselves..."
STAR TREK: VOYAGER (1995-2001)
Mortal Coil - Hamlet.
MOVIES
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). Dr. McCoy quotes Hamlet: "Angels and ministers of grace, defend us!" (I.iv.3).
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) - title  from Hamlet (III.i.80). General Chang (Christopher Plummer) quotes Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (II.ii.184), Henry IV (III.ii.212), Richard II (III.ii.155-56), Henry V (III.i..1; III.i.32), Julius Caesar (III.ii.168; III.i.60; III.i.274), The Tempest (III.i..148), Merchant of Venice (III.i.56-63), and Hamlet (V.ii.10-11; I.iii.78; V.i..163; III.i.58-60; III.i.57). The character of Martia (Iman), a shapeshifter, quotes Hamlet: "I thought I would assume a pleasing shape" (II.ii.612).
Awesome work, Mr. Hall - A+. Thank you, sir. (Edited by yours truly)

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