I am certain, I have no doubt: most of you are familiar with Star Trek’s “The City on the Edge of Forever.” You should also know that it was my favorite episode, as well as the runaway favorite of Star Trek viewers, as noted in a poll conducted prior to a recent Star Trek marathon.

I had a feeling about that show. After you’ve done as many scripts as those of us who work steadily in film and tv have done, you can feel the electrical charge in the really top-notch ones. I knew it was going to be a winner, and I’m proud to have been a part of it. It’s one of the few times I wished that I had been playing Kirk’s role.

In fact, during the filming, I became convinced that McCoy should also fall for the lovely Edith Keeler (played by Joan Collins). I felt it would add to the intrigue, should McCoy as well as Kirk come under the spell of her decency, humanity, and beauty—both inner and outer.

I suggested it to Joe Pevney, our director. I thought a good spot to indicate the attraction would be when Edith comes to McCoy’s room where he’s recuperating. McCoy, at this point, is up and feeling better. She’s on her way out, just prior to meeting Kirk—moments before her death.

As she goes to the door to leave, she turns and looks at McCoy and smiles. McCoy meets her look and returns her smile as he says, “You have the biggest eyes I’ve ever seen!” She pauses, looks at him, smiles, exits. Close on McCoy. He’s nuts for her. Pevney shot it. It was never seen.