Barbara Baldavin had close ties to Star Trek production — and they still forgot her character's name

Did you ever catch this character's two different names in ''Shore Leave''?

Barbara Baldavin was married to Star Trek in two ways, really. The early episode "Balance of Terror," the tense classic that introduced the Romulans, opens with Kirk presiding over a wedding. Two crew members, Angela Martine (Baldavin) and Robert Tomlinson (Stephen Mines) are tying the knot. It's our first glimpse at matrimony in Starfleet. 

But Baldavin had martial ties to Star Trek in a more tangible way behind the scenes. The actress was married to Joseph D'Agosta, the casting director of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Now, that might sound like nepotism or some kind of favored status, but everything wasn't tilted in Baldavin's favor on Star Trek. Just one episode later, in the more lighthearted "Shore Leave," the writers forgot her character's name. Oops!

Listen closely when Kirk beams down onto the R&R planet in Omicron Delta. He marches to Baldavin's character and asks, "Teller, everything all right?"

Wait… Teller?

Indeed, in the original script, the gold-shirted character was named "Mary Teller." 

Midway through production, someone noticed the discrepancy. Which is why, at the end of the episode, Baldavin is credited as "Angela," even though Kirk calls her "Teller."

Baldavin later went into her husband's field of showbiz — casting. She worked as a casting director on Trapper John, M.D. and Dynasty. We bet she probably made sure her cast got their character's name straight.

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51 Comments

jomo 39 months ago
Martial ties? Did they divorce? Marital ties, perhaps.
frances3agape 39 months ago
Just glancing at her pic, I would have bet she was DANA DELANEY!
Do I need to put on my glasses?
Check the 3rd photo in the lineup at
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001127/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
texasluva frances3agape 39 months ago
Though there is a nice resemblance Dana was born in 1956 and would have been 10 years old in 1966. Barbara born in 1938 leaving her around 28 during this episode.
Pacificsun 39 months ago
The movie trivia and backstory came from these links:


https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/518114/10-fascinating-facts-about-birds

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/trivia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_(film)

Reading about this movie did make it seem like Mr. Hitchcock was more weird than usually noted. He had some peculiar notions working on this movie. I think more over the edge than Psycho. The opening scene of course was in San Francisco using the exterior of an actual pet shop (that I've gone by myself). Mr. Hitchcock (for his cameo) was walking is own dogs. Walt Disney Labs worked on some of the effects, which of course were accomplished long before CGI. Most all of the birds were real, trained to some degree and a mixture of ravens, crows and seagulls. The leading Lady never changed clothes (or maybe once, it's been a long time since I've watched). The movie was unique for not having music or a Card saying "The End" (until it was released later on). The sequel was horrible. One of the little girls at Cathy's party was Morgan Brittany (of Dallas fame). Suzanne Pleshett and Veronica Cartright appeared in Will & Grace. At the time, the movie made the town (city) of Bodega Bay famous, and also the dinner. The short story was set at an English Farmhouse, but Mr. Hitchcock chose the coastal town instead. The seagulls were fed a mixture of wheat & whiskey which (apparently) helped quiet them down when needed. It was said that ASPCA was on site supposedly to insure humane treatment of the birds (but my hunch is they might've missed a few) considering Tippi Hedren was absolutely freaked out about them. In the movie it was never explained why the birds attacked the people. In theory however, freaks of nature can cause mass panic attacks, aggravating situations to begin with.

texasluva Pacificsun 39 months ago
Very nice information. Like the trivia of movies and things one never knew. Which reminds me to put my movie trivia up on The Man Who Knew Too Much. Also you best go on over to the cartoon page. Someone over there (another) losing their mind because of cartoons and NO Have Gun Will Travel. I believe you posted it will come on at night on Saturday?
Pacificsun texasluva 39 months ago
Thx for the tip!
texasluva Pacificsun 39 months ago
Yes. I am still having a movie quiz. It will be today rather then tomorrow or Saturday. It will be over in the Carol Burnett quiz. So if you wish you can guess any time you so desire. Win, lose or draw I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and Holidays. I will post it in the next hour. You may even guess the other movie that I am showing when quiz movie is guessed. Also invite Captain which I can not find his post. Anyone else for that matter.
MrsPhilHarris Pacificsun 2 months ago
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
Pacificsun 39 months ago
Calling all Quiz Club members!

While folks are preoccupied with the holidays, last minute shopping. (Oh and don't forget the upcoming cartoons schedule in 2021 which I highly recommended. These Cartoon Buffs have been begging MeTV to air them for years! So be sure to check out the Cartoon Coming Attractions Thread!). In the meantime, thought I'd tuck a sneaky weekend quiz in between the Tullies!

Again, the clues are very specific so don't expect much help. Once you figure it out the answer will fit all of them! Here's a tip though, be careful about getting stuck on any single clue, which could lead you astray. More like puzzle pieces that will fit together nicely in the end.

1) Particularly for the day, considered a technical marvel

2) Probably one of the most unique applications of the genre

3) The adaptation of a short story but kept little from the original except for the protagonists

4) One of the opening scenes includes a shot done in San Francisco, at an actual location

5) Before CGI, the movie was nominated for Best Special Effects

6) The location of filming helped put this place on the tourist map

7) There were few costume changes needed in the film

8) One of the supporting actors later appeared in Dallas

9) Included among the 1001 movies to see before you die

10) Two of the actors appeared together in Will & Grace

11) The movie, a commercial success, also the subject of controversy and interpretations.


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texasluva frances3agape 39 months ago
Let you....be the author. Besides it sounds good🤗. Use of neon lights even better 😉. Have a Merry Christmas 🎄🎁🙂
frances3agape texasluva 39 months ago
Googled. Quote or something similiar attributed to serveral people - from sports (Bear Bryant, Dizzy Dean, Mohammed Ali) to poliiticians (Lyndon Johnson) and authors (Mark Twain, Walt Whitman).
texasluva frances3agape 39 months ago
All of those have attributed to many quotes during their lives. Sports legands, authors, presidents etc. 💁‍♂️👌
frances3agape texasluva 39 months ago
PLEASE let me know about this week's quiz !
How do you usually post about them? Do they begin at a certain time?
I am usually an evening/night person.
THANKS, TL!
Wiseguy 40 months ago
"Shore Leave" was not the next episode after "Balance of Terror." "Balance" was the 8th episode in production while "Shore Leave" was 17th, more than enough time to forget a minor character's name. When discussing areas of production one needs to look at the production order not the arbitrary and irrelevant aired order. The original syndication run was in production order. It makes so much more sense especially in the early episodes.
Pacificsun Wiseguy 39 months ago
I agree, because it's also interesting to see how the series evolved. First instance (for example) of the Vulcan nerve pinch, what generated that reaction. And so many other effects.
jvf 40 months ago
She could have gotten married to a man with the last name Teller.
daDoctah jvf 2 months ago
With Penn Jillette as the best man?
Claire 40 months ago
Didn’t she also have a small part in Andy Griffith where Ernst T Bass wants t marry her???
ELEANOR 40 months ago
As I understand it, the script was finished on the fly on the ranch under a tree as the show was being filmed. Maintaining the continuity of a minor character's name was the least of their worries. Among other things, there was the issue of how "involved" William Shatner was going to be with the tiger.
F5Twitster 40 months ago
"But Baldavin had martial ties to Star Trek in a more tangible way behind the scenes."

That's MARITAL, not martial.

And if you're going to cast the same actress twice as a crewmember, why not keep it the same character?
Hogansucks1 40 months ago
She sure was pretty- but isn’t that how it goes, the men remember your face/ A**, but forget her name! 😁
Pacificsun 40 months ago
I think a more interesting note in that cast was Shirley Bonne as "Ruth." Notice how her name is credited with an "and" _ _which adds a bit of prestige to her billing. She actually spoke no dialogue (unless I've forgotten it) because she was (of course) Kirk's ultimate illusion. i thought her fascinating because she was so much the antithesis to Kirk's usual "type." Almost Greek Goddess in her presentation. So it would be fascinating to know if she had any actual connection to Shatner. She seemed a bit more mature and classic, than the usual feme fatale! So can you research her, MeTV Staff??

Kiyone57 Pacificsun 40 months ago
She did have dialogue.
Pacificsun Kiyone57 40 months ago
Thx. I'm DVR'ing it tonight anyway, and will look for it!
justjeff 40 months ago
"But Baldavin had martial ties to Star Trek..." Yeah, nothing like a shotgun wedding, military style.

Conversely, Would the government (in times of duress) put us under "marital law"?
Pacificsun justjeff 40 months ago
😉 Oh you're absolutely brutal in the accidental reversal of two characters in that word!! Spellcheck wouldn't even catch it!!! Too funny!
Hogansucks1 justjeff 40 months ago
More like a ‘phaser rifle weeding’🤣
justjeff Pacificsun 40 months ago
I do that [mostly] tongue-in-cheek, because I have a typing issue of my own. Keyboards have tightly-spaced keys, and my big fingers often hit more than one of them when I type. I'm constantly proof-reading and spell-checking my work (I am a very good speller) and correcting multiple typos. Still, some do get by...

ib fract, I had to spelt zheck this very possst...
Hogansucks1 Hogansucks1 40 months ago
Wedding- that is ! ‘Pardon me’ !😚
cseeley90 40 months ago
She was also in "Turnabout Intruder".
Pacificsun cseeley90 40 months ago
Yes, very true. Like Mark Lenard, a three-timer in a credited role and part of the core actors!
Wiseguy cseeley90 40 months ago
In "Turnabout Intruder" she played "Lisa." Couldn't the actress herself remember she had once played "Angela"? On the other hand, I think it was only Janice Lester (in Kirk's body) that calls her the odd "Lt. Lisa." Maybe she forgot her last name or forgot that her name was really "Angela" and Angela didn't want to point out the "captain" was wrong. But it would go full circle to the first episode where Kirk got the name of Yeoman Smith wrong (he called her Jones).
Pacificsun 40 months ago
With ST:TOS a lot of the "background" characters didn't stand out that much. They were in a role for a purpose, fine. But Barbara Baldavin's personality certainly did. As the fiancee (only 2 scenes) and in Shoreleave (1 scene). But she's always recognizable and memorable!
texasluva 40 months ago
The Episode "Shore Leave" had at least 43 goofs. You can read them here. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708446/goofs/?tab=gf&ref_=tt_trv_gf
Pacificsun texasluva 40 months ago
Ohhh, but that's what makes is so fun. They just didn't care. It was Shoreleave for everybody!! 😉
Hogansucks1 Pacificsun 40 months ago
I’ll have some Romulan ale, bartender !! 🤪
ELEANOR texasluva 40 months ago
Yep, the camera men were obviously on "shore leave" too!
CaptainDunsel Pacificsun 39 months ago
I seriously doubt they understood that they were making "historical documents" which we Termites would be carefully studying 50 year on.
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