Star Trek: The First Captain Of The Enterprise You Never Knew About

5. The First Captain

When Gene Roddenberry first pitch to the network back in 1964, titled 'Star Trek Is...', the captain of the S.S. Yorktown was Robert M. April. Later apocrypha would rename him to Robert T. April, and then eventually just Robert April. This was a name that he had borrowed from two episodes of Have Gun - Will Travel, where Roddenberry had written the chaplain as having that name.

April was the 34 year old 'skipper' of the Yorktown, a ship with 190,000 tonnes and an 18 year lifespan (Which was a nice way to try and confirm a running period for the show!).

April was described as a Horatio Hornblower type, which was a huge inspiration for Star Trek as a whole. Kirk would also be described as this, with both Pike and Picard echoing this as well. Roddenberry had a very defined idea of what he wanted from his leading man - intense and introspective, while still being able to cut a dashing swathe when required.

Said Roddenberry of April:

But, unlike most early explorers, he has an almost compulsive compassion for the plight of others, alien as well as human, must continually fight the temptation to risk many to save one.