Was Dr. Benjamin Spock, noted child doctor of the '60s, in any way an inspiration for the name Spock of the 'Star Trek' character?

Zap_Rowsdower

"In the 1970 nonfiction book, The Making of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry denied that he was inspired by Dr. Benjamin Spock, the renowned child psychologist. He claimed that he was merely looking for an alien sounding name and had not heard of Dr. Spock until after he had chosen the name." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock Nov 09 07, 3:28 PM

AyatollahK

'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry denied any connection in his 1970 book about the show after its cancellation, and his denial appears on most web sites: http://www.indopedia.org/Mr._Spock.html Although we'll never know for certain, Roddenberry's original description of Spock (in the pilot, 'The Cage') describes Spock as the officer most like the captain, except for an insatiable curiousity. That doesn't sound like Roddenberry was drawing from images of Dr. Spock in creating the character, backing up Roddenberry's claim. Nov 09 07, 3:51 PM

wtrexl

NO.. The Vulcan named Mr.Spock was a last minute on the film set naming The org.name was to be Spork. but Mr. Nemoy didn't like it.(SPORK) no! no! He said call me SPOCK. And the name was SPOCK!!! live long and prosper!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nov 09 07, 5:47 PM

AyatollahK

wtrexl, good story but not one bit true. A "spork" is a combination spoon/fork, and Roddenberry wouldn't have used the word. Here's a blurb describing the Spock character from one of Gene Roddenberry's early treatments for 'The Cage', the Star Trek pilot, back before the captain's name was set as Christopher Pike (instead, the working name was Robert April): http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Spock "The First Lieutenant. The Captain's right-hand man, the working-level commander of all the ship's functions—ranging from manning the bridge to supervising the lowliest scrub detail. His name is Mr. Spock. And the first view of him can be almost frightening—a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might almost expect him to have a forked tail. Probably half Martian, he has a slightly reddish complexion and semi-pointed ears. But strangely— Mr. Spock's quiet temperament is in dramatic contrast to his satanic look. Of all the crew aboard, he is the nearest to Captain April's equal, physically, emotionally, and as a commander of men. His primary weakness is an almost catlike curiosity over anything the slightest "alien."" Nov 09 07, 8:29 PM