VM>> True enough.  Have you read the original draft in "Star Trek Phase II"
 VM>> yet? The differences and similarities between it and TMP are pretty
 VM>> interesting.
 MM>> As are the similarities with TNG.  There, of course, there's always
 MM>> Questor.  :-)
 PA>  Questor? I don't think I've heard of him.
The Questor Tapes was one of the first projects Gene Roddenberry
undertook after TOS was canceled.  It is the story about an android left
on Earth by a mysterious group of aliens.  The Android's mission is to
help the human race reach maturity.  For various reasons, some of his
programming is missing -- particularly the section dealing with ethics
and emotions.
In some ways, the Questor project was a rework of the Gary Seven
"Assignment: Earth" concept.
Questor was played by Robert Foxworth.  His human friend was played by Mike
Ferrell (B.J., from M*A*S*H).
There is a scene in which Questor goes into a casino and uses his
abilities at the craps table to raise much-needed money.  The scene of
Data doing the same thing in The Royale was taken directly from the
Questor script.
In many ways, Data was based on Questor.  You can still find The Questor
Tapes on TV, from time to time.  It is well worth the time to watch it.
--- GEcho 1.00
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