vinas dance star trek

Rare Star Trek photos show green Orion slavegirls like you’ve never seen them

The original Star Trek pilot, “The Cage,” included a lot more of the scenes where Vina is turned into a green Orion slavegirl who dances for Captain Pike — but they were cut because they were too saucy for prime time television. Now, some rare Trek behind-the-scenes pictures include a brand new look at the unshown parts of Vina’s dance sequence.

Including a part where the poor slavegirl gets whipped. Turns out being an Orion slavegirl isn’t all dancing and quoting poetry .

Tom Redlaw, aka Bird of the Galaxy , has collected tons and tons of behind-the-scenes Star Trek images and rare frames from the show. These were sold as 35 mm film cells at conventions and via mail order through Lincoln Enterprises, a company run by Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett. And now, Redlaw has been scanning and restoring these rare images and posting them on his Flickr page.

Talking to What Culture , Redlaw explains:

In the early 1970s the first Star Trek conventions happened in New York. Those, plus the original Lincoln Enterprises catalogs (you received them when you wrote to Gene Rodenberry or NBC executives) were what started me buying these. Recall, there were no VCRs, DVDs, internet. So being able to project these little slides was as close to on demand Trek images as you could get in those days. And, it was a glorious exercise trying to find your favorites. By 1975 I think I had around 2000 of these things, I guess that was the collection and really what I stopped at for 30 years. Then, one day I bought a slide and negative scanner to restore some of my own 35mm photography and just to test it out I put a scratched and red faded film clip of the Doomsday Machine into it, and I was astounded at the result. A little bit of photoshop work later and I was hooked.

Below are some of our favorite images from Redlaw’s collection — dozens more are available on his Flickr page.

Part of Vina’s unshown dance sequence from “The Cage”

Vina from “The Cage”

Vina gets whipped, from unshown “The Cage” sequence.

Romulan Commander blows a kiss — unused shot from “The Enterprise Incident”

Gorn costume without his tunic, showing the breathing holes.

Blooper from “Patterns of Force”.

Unused effects shot of the shuttlecraft on fire in the atmosphere in “Galileo Seven”

Unused shot of the humanoid aliens that attack in “Galileo Seven”

Unused transporter effect from “The Cage”

Tholian head without foil background

Gary Mitchell gets zapped in “Where No Man Has Gone Before”

Close-up of saucer section in the pilot.

Spock reads about Dr. Spock’s arrest for supporting draft dodgers in the Vietnam War.

You can see the wooden floorboards on the Enterprise bridge here (bottom left.)

A Mugatu gets a little too friendly with Kirk

Behind The Scenes Photos Space opera Star Trek Television this is awesome

You May Also Like

Laurence Fishburne Is a Sci-Fi Nerd Just Like You

You might've already guessed by looking at the veteran actor's career choices—but he loves sci-fi, and has since he was a kid.

Quentin Tarantino Says His Star Trek Movie Is Never Going to Happen

Plus, Mike Flanagan wants in on James Gunn's DC Universe.

Universal Studios Hollywood Introduces Sci-Fi and Fantasy-Themed ‘Fan Fest Nights’

The team behind Halloween Horror Nights is tackling Star Trek , Back to the Future , and Dungeons & Dragons next.

Colm Meaney Isn’t Sure Star Trek Needs an Old Man Miles O’Brien

Don't count on the Deep Space Nine star angling for a Star Trek: O'Brien any time soon.

Vizio 86-inch Smart TV and 2.1 Soundbar Review: An Affordable Big Screen With a Few Big Tradeoffs

Vizio's 86-inch Smart TV is fair if all you demand is a big TV for as cheap as possible.

Listen to John De Lancie Geek Out Over These Virtual Star Trek Sets

The latest video from the Roddenberry Archive is equal parts Trek nerd out and a mission statement about its virtual preservation of the franchise's history.

• Best Free VPN
• Best Cheap VPN
• NordVPN Review
• ExpressVPN Review
• ProtonVPN Review
• Surfshark Review
• Super Bowl 2025
• US Open 2024
• Best Cloud Storage
• Best Web Hosting
• About Gizmodo
• How to Tip Gizmodo

Star Trek: "Vina's Dance" (Joo's Bottom End Mix) from the Original Television Series (Single) (Alexander Courage)

July 3, 2012 1 Song, 3 minutes ℗ 2012 BSX Records

More By Joohyun Park

Africa, middle east, and india.

• Côte d’Ivoire
• Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The
• Guinea-Bissau
• Niger (English)
• Congo, Republic of
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Tanzania, United Republic Of
• Turkmenistan
• United Arab Emirates

Asia Pacific

• Indonesia (English)
• Lao People's Democratic Republic
• Malaysia (English)
• Micronesia, Federated States of
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Solomon Islands
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• France (Français)
• Deutschland
• Luxembourg (English)
• Moldova, Republic Of
• North Macedonia
• Portugal (Português)
• Türkiye (English)
• United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina (Español)
• Bolivia (Español)
• Virgin Islands, British
• Cayman Islands
• Chile (Español)
• Colombia (Español)
• Costa Rica (Español)
• República Dominicana
• Ecuador (Español)
• El Salvador (Español)
• Guatemala (Español)
• Honduras (Español)
• Nicaragua (Español)
• Paraguay (Español)
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• St. Vincent and The Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos
• Uruguay (English)
• Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

• Canada (English)
• Canada (Français)
• United States
• Estados Unidos (Español México)
• الولايات المتحدة
• États-Unis (Français France)
• Estados Unidos (Português Brasil)
• 美國 (繁體中文台灣)

Star Trek (TV Series)

The cage (1966), susan oliver: vina.

• Photos (19)
• Quotes (17)

Photos 

Quotes 

Vina : When dreams become more important than reality, you give up travel, building, creating. You even forget how to repair the machines left behind by your ancestors. You just sit, living and reliving other lives left behind in the thought record.

Vina : A person's strongest dreams are about what he *can't* do.

Captain Christopher Pike : Why are you here?

Vina : To please you.

Captain Christopher Pike : Are you real?

Vina : As real as you wish.

Vina : You see why I can't go with you?

The Keeper : This is the female's true appearance.

Vina : They found me in the wreckage dying, a lump of flesh. They rebuilt me. Everything works, but they had never seen a human. They had no guide for putting me back together.

The Keeper : It was necessary to convince you her desire to stay is an honest one.

Captain Christopher Pike : You'll give her back her illusion of beauty?

The Keeper : And more.

[a double of Pike appears and leaves with Vina] 

The Keeper : She has an illusion, and you have reality. May you find your way as pleasant.

Vina : I'm a woman, as real and as human as you are. We're like... Adam and Eve.

Captain Christopher Pike : Why would an illusion be frightened?

Vina : Because that's the way you imagined me.

[Number One and Colt have "joined" Pike and Vina in the cage] 

Vina : [to Colt]  He doesn't need you. He's already picked me.

Yeoman J.M. Colt : Picked her? For what? I don't understand.

Vina : [sarcastic]  Now, there is a fine choice for intelligent offspring!

Yeoman J.M. Colt : Offspring? As in children?

Number One : Offspring as in, he's Adam. Is that it?

Vina : [to Number One]  You're no better choice. They'd have more luck crossing him with a computer.

[Vina's true, asymmetrical, misshapen form is revealed] 

Vina : They found me in the wreckage, dying. Lump of flesh. They rebuilt me. Everything works. But they had never seen a Human. They had no guide for putting me back together.

Vina : He doesn't need you. He's already picked me.

Vina : [Dripping with a mixture of indignation and sarcasm]  Now there's a fine choice for intelligent offspring!

Yeoman J.M. Colt : [Puzzled]  Offspring, as in children?

Number One : Offspring, as in... he's 'Adam'. Is that it?

Vina : [Sarcastic]  You're no better choice. They'd have more luck... crossing him with a COMPUTER.

Number One : [Unfazed and analytical]  Well, shall we do a little time computation? There was a Vina listed on that expedition as an adult crewman. Now adding eighteen years to your age then...

[Number One is interrupted by the entrance of the Talosian Keeper] 

Vina : Don't you have a... a dream, something you've always wanted very badly?

Captain Christopher Pike : Or do they do more than just watch me? Do they... feel with me, too?

Vina : You can have whatever dream you want. I can become anything, any woman you've ever imagined. You can have anything you want in the whole universe. Let me... please you.

Captain Christopher Pike : Yes, yes, you can please me. You can tell me about them. Is there any way I can keep them from probing my mind, from using my thoughts against me? Does that frighten you? Does that mean there is a way?

Vina : You're a fool!

Captain Christopher Pike : And since you're not real, there's not much point in continuing this conversation, is there?

Captain Christopher Pike : How far can they control my mind?

Vina : If I tell you, then will you pick some dream you've had and let me live it with you?

Captain Christopher Pike : Perhaps.

Vina : They... they can't actually make you do anything you don't want to...

Captain Christopher Pike : But they try to trick me with their illusions.

Vina : And, uh, they can punish you when you're not cooperative. You'll find out about that.

Captain Christopher Pike : Did they ever live on the surface of this planet?

[she nods] 

Captain Christopher Pike : Why did they go underground?

Vina : War, thousands of centuries ago.

Captain Christopher Pike : That's why it's so barren up there?

Vina : The planet's only now becoming able to support life again.

Captain Christopher Pike : So the Talosians who came underground found life limited here and they concentrated on developing their mental power.

Vina : But they found it's a trap, like a narcotic.

Captain Christopher Pike : Back in my cage, it seemed for a couple of minutes that our keeper couldn't read my thoughts. Do emotions like hate, keeping hate in your mind, does that block off our mind from them?

Captain Christopher Pike : Yes. They can't read through primitive emotions. But you can't keep it up for long enough. I've tried. They keep at you and at you, year after year, tricking and punishing. And they won. They own me. I know you must hate me for that.

Captain Christopher Pike : Oh, no, I don't hate you. I can guess what it was like.

Vina : But that's not enough. Don't you see? They read my thoughts, my feelings, my dreams of what would be a perfect man. And that's why they picked you. I can't help but love you, and they expect you to feel the same way.

Captain Christopher Pike : If they can read my mind, then they know I'm attracted to you. I was from the very first moment I saw you in the survivors' camp.

The Keeper : We had not believed this possible. The customs and history of your race show a unique hatred of captivity. Even when it's pleasant and benevolent, you prefer death. This makes you too violent and dangerous a species for our needs.

Vina : He means that they can't use you. You're free to go back to the ship.

Captain Christopher Pike : And that's it? No apologies? You captured one of us, threatened all of us.

First Talosian : Your unsuitability has condemned the Talosian race to eventual death. Is this not sufficient?

The Keeper : No other specimen has shown your adaptability. You were our last hope.

Captain Christopher Pike : But wouldn't some form of trade, mutual cooperation...

The Keeper : Your race would learn our power of illusion and destroy itself, too.

Vina : [the Keeper has threatened to destroy the Enterprise]  He's not bluffing, Captain. With illusion, they can make your crew work the wrong controls or push any button it takes to destroy your ship.

Captain Christopher Pike : I'm gonna gamble you're too intelligent to kill for no reason at all.

[letting him go, he tries to fire the hand phasers at the transparent cage window] 

Captain Christopher Pike : On the other hand, I've got a reason. I'm willing to bet you've created an illusion this laser is empty. I think it just blasted a hole in that window, and you're keeping us from seeing it. You want me to test my theory out on your head?

[a large burned hole appears in the window] 

Captain Christopher Pike : [capturing the Talosian Keeper]  Now, you hold still, or I'll break your...

Vina : Don't hurt him! They don't mean to be evil.

Captain Christopher Pike : I've had some samples of how good they are.

[the Keeper turns himself into a large, carnivorous creature] 

Captain Christopher Pike : You stop this illusion, or I'll twist your head off!

[he does] 

Captain Christopher Pike : All right. Now, you try one more illusion, you try anything at all, and I'll break your neck.

The Keeper : Your ship. Release me, or we'll destroy it.

Vina : Perhaps they made me out of dreams you've forgotten.

Captain Christopher Pike : But dressed you in the same metal fabric they wear?

Vina : Well, I have to wear something.

[pauses, then, suggestively] 

Vina : Don't I?

Vina : It doesn't matter what you call this! You'll feel it! That's what matters! You'll feel every moment of what has happened to you! Please... don't you know what he'll do to us?

Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs

• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos
• User Reviews
• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

Star Trek: Vina's Dance - From the Classic Gene Roddenberry TV Series (Single) (Alexander Courage)

Joohyun Park

1 SONG • 3 MINUTES • JUN 27 2012

• TRACKS TRACKS
• DETAILS DETAILS

How are ratings calculated?

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Registry & Gift List
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Susan Oliver

Susan Oliver ( 13 February 1932 – 10 May 1990 ; age 58) was the stage name of Charlotte Gercke , a New York native, who played Vina in the Star Trek: The Original Series first pilot episode " The Cage ".

She filmed her scenes between Friday 4 December 1964 and Friday 18 December 1964 at Desilu Culver Stage 15 , Stage 16 , and on location at 40 Acres . ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , 1st ed., pp. 58-62)

Just before being cast as Vina, Oliver took on an acting assignment which exhausted her. She was looking forward to a holiday in Hawaii when Studio Executive Oscar Katz talked her into accepting the part of Vina, expecting she would easily manage it without any problems. ( Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry )

Once signed, Oliver recalled her preliminary meetings; " It was a very nice company. All of us in the production enjoyed doing it. We went to Gene Roddenberry's house several times and just sat around the kitchen, had coffee and talked. Gene was very much present on the set during filming. " ( Starlog , issue 135, p. 78)

However, realizing she was not to go on holidays after all and that the makeup requirements of her role were extremely demanding, Oliver sought a serious heart-to-heart with Katz, who already suspected as much; " I knew that she would not be kindly disposed towards me. " ( Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry ) Whereas Katz subsequently stayed "religiously" away from the soundstage, Oliver – not to be outdone by him – had a sign made, reading, " OSCAR Where are You? " and consistently showed it in her dailies (shot footage shown unedited on a day-to-day basis to producers and executives) at the end of her shoots. ( Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry ; Starlog , issue 135, p. 78) It became a running gag for the production team and more than one staffer and performer had their picture taken with the sign.

Oliver wasn't a dancer before playing Vina. However, since the part required her to perform a dance, she trained with a choreographer every day of a week, before she began filming. In common with Majel Barrett-Roddenberry , Oliver also worked as a test subject for the Orion makeup, later recalling, " They tried many, many things on me until they finally […] found what they wanted. " ( Starlog , issue 135, p. 78)

Years later, Oliver wanted to direct an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation but never got the chance, the response being that she didn't know enough about visual effects, this despite the fact that a knowledge of visual effects was not a director's requirement for the series. Star Trek expert Larry Nemecek has commented that Oliver could very well have learned how to direct for the show and been fine at doing so. ( The Green Girl documentary – see link below )

Susan Oliver was the daughter of Hollywood astrologer Ruth Hale Oliver. When her parents divorced around 1935, she was raised by her mother, although she lived with her father in Japan for a short time. She studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, and in 1957 moved to Los Angeles to star in her first screen role, a film entitled The Green Eyed Blonde . A later movie role was Ginger in the Morning (1974), with Monte Markham as her ex-husband.

Most of Oliver's career consisted of numerous television guest star roles (well over 100 between 1956 and 1988). These included the "Prisoner of Love" episode of The Andy Griffith Show , the Michael Shayne episode "The Heiress", in which Celia Lovsky also guest starred, and "The White Birch" episode of The Name of the Game , in which Louise Sorel also guest starred. In 1960, Oliver, Byron Morrow , and Vic Perrin played Martians in The Twilight Zone episode "People Are Alike All Over", which also featured Paul Comi . (It's worth noting that this episode was similar to 1964's "The Cage" insofar as the aliens put the space-faring Earthman in a zoo and read his mind to create a familiar environment for him.) That same year, Oliver appeared in an episode of Wagon Train (with Leonard Nimoy ). She also guest starred in a 1974 episode of Petrocelli , "Edge of Evil" alongside Susan Howard , William Shatner , and Glenn Corbett , and in "The Night Dr. Loveless Died", a 1967 episode of The Wild Wild West with Michael Dunn , Anthony Caruso , and Robert Ellenstein . She appeared in "Double Jeopardy", the 1970 pilot of the series Dan August , directed by Ralph Senensky and also featuring Ned Romero , Jerry Ayres , and Fritz Weaver . Though they shared no scenes, Oliver appeared with Meg Wyllie , her co-star from "The Cage", in a 1973 episode of Cannon , which was directed by Lawrence Dobkin . Keith Andes also appeared in that episode.

Oliver was also a passionate pilot, winner of the 1970 Powder Puff Derby air race and the fourth woman to fly a single-engine aircraft solo across the Atlantic. She attempted to become the first woman to fly a single-engine plane from the United States to Moscow; she made it as far as Denmark but was denied entry into Soviet airspace. Her aviation exploits are the focus of her 1983 autobiography, Odyssey: A Daring Transatlantic Journey ( ISBN 0025929208 ).

Oliver received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance in the three-hour 1976 NBC television movie, Amelia Earhart . Her co-stars in this movie include Stephen Macht , Jane Wyatt , and Garry Walberg .

Oliver died in Woodland Hills, California, of lung cancer in 1990 . A documentary about her life, entitled The Green Girl , was released in 2014 , featuring interview footage from Larry Nemecek, Martha Landon actress Celeste Yarnall , and director Nancy Malone , among other contributors.

Star Trek interview [ ]

• "First Trek", Frank Garcia, Starlog , issue 135, October 1988, pp. 78-80, 88

External links [ ]

• Susan Oliver at the Internet Movie Database
• The Green Girl at the Internet Movie Database
• Susan Oliver at Wikipedia
• 1 Bell Riots
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Star Trek: Discovery - Captain Pike Reunites with Vina on Talos IV

“If Memory Serves,” Season 1, Episode 8

“Horribly injured in an accident, Vina was put together by the aliens of Talos IV incorrectly, meaning that her beauty is only as deep as the illusions that flourish on the planet. Captain Pike is her dream man, who the aliens bring to Talos IV hoping he’ll stay. When he doesn’t, they make an illusion of him, which keeps Vina company until he’s injured himself (rescuing children, naturally) and Spock brings him back to stay.” — 13 Of Star Trek's Most Romantic Moments, Ranked

Star Trek: Discovery streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada, and on Netflix in 190 countries.

The Hypnotician

Prepare to be entertained

Vina's Dance - Star Trek

No comments:

Post a comment.

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

HTSI editor’s letter: Evgeny Lebedev, falafel and a new dance star

• HTSI editor’s letter: Evgeny Lebedev, falafel and a new dance star on x (opens in a new window)
• HTSI editor’s letter: Evgeny Lebedev, falafel and a new dance star on facebook (opens in a new window)
• HTSI editor’s letter: Evgeny Lebedev, falafel and a new dance star on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• HTSI editor’s letter: Evgeny Lebedev, falafel and a new dance star on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Simply sign up to the Style myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox.

My first and only interaction with Evgeny Lebedev took place in 2011 at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. The media proprietor was enjoying a period of huge influence in London circles, having bought The Independent newspaper as well as the Evening Standard , in which he could promote his various causes. Theatre was one of his chief preoccupations and hosting the awards placed him in a starry milieu filled with actors such as Stephen Fry, Helen Mirren and other luminaries that he would invite to his legendary parties at his homes in Umbria and Stud House in Hampton Court.

“Would you mind unzipping her dress?” we asked

My task that day was to coax him into a photo we were taking as part of a stage portfolio for British Vogue . We wanted him to enact a scene in which the Russian-born media baron would be “seducing” Dame Edna Everage, the grotesque alter ego created by comedian Barry Humphries. It was a high-stakes picture opportunity; we had been allocated two minutes of his time. Arriving with his own personal photographer, Lebedev walked into the bedroom at The Savoy while myself, an editor and a photographer pitched him the big idea. “Would you mind looking lasciviously at Barry while unzipping her sequin dress?” we asked. Lebedev stared at us, his face an inscrutable carapace of smooth skin and beard. We all looked at him expectantly. And then he shrugged: “OK.” 

Julian Broad’s portfolio of pictures in this issue, taken at Stud House, is a rather more revealing portrait of the man who has, in recent times, gone from being something of a London Gatsby to a social pariah. For HTSI , John Gapper spoke to Lord Lebedev about life after Boris Johnson and how, as part of the capital’s Russian community, he has been shunned by many of his friends. This is no sob story, however. Lebedev has spent this quieter period reflecting on his childhood, practising Wim Hof breathing and dabbling in hallucinogens. I still find him mysterious, but John has uncovered a more revealing side that makes him more intriguing still. 

Guillaume Diop has risen a few notches in global recognition since he starred in the Olympic Games opening ceremony. The first Black person to be made danseur étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, he is as comfortable performing in traditional ballets such as Giselle as he is judging on Drag Race France ; he also walked the catwalk for Miu Miu earlier this year. Diop’s passion and ambition are infectious, but even more compelling is his aptitude for fun. Ellie Pithers, whom we are welcoming in her new role as assistant editor at HTSI , went to Pigalle in Paris to meet the young sensation . She left a little bit in love.

Also in Paris, Ajesh Patalay visits L’As du Fallafel (“The Ace of Falafel”), thought by many to serve the best falafels in the world. Having read his column, I had to immediately sate my own hunger for one of my favourite foodstuffs. Rather than trek to Paris, however, I found satisfaction a stone’s throw from the office, at Go Falafel – which I humbly suggest serves one of the best falafel salads in the UK. 

@jellison22

Want to read HTSI before everyone else? Get all the top stories straight to your inbox every Friday. Sign up to our free weekly newsletter here

The annual FT Weekend Festival is here, featuring speakers including Plum Sykes, Rose Ferguson and FT experts. Join us on September 7 in London and online for a Saturday filled with debates, tastings, masterclasses and more—  register here now

Promoted Content

Follow the topics in this article.

• Food & Drink Add to myFT
• Style Add to myFT
• Evgeny Lebedev Add to myFT
• HTSI Add to myFT
• Jo Ellison Add to myFT

Comments have not been enabled for this article.