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Gene L. Coon (1924–1973)

Often referred to as 'the forgotten Gene' (a reference to Gene Roddenberry), Gene Lee Coon was one of the most important creative minds behind Star Trek. He is credited with inventing the Klingons and the 'Prime Directive', and with developing the interpersonal dynamics between Spock and McCoy (in particular... See full bio »

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Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination See more awards »

Known For


Filmography

Hide HideWriter (55 titles)
1974 The Streets of San Francisco (TV series)
Death and the Favored Few (1974) (written by / as Gene Coon)
 
1974 The Questor Tapes (TV movie) (teleplay)
 
1973 Hawkins (TV series)
Die Die, Darling (1973) (writer)
 
1973 Kung Fu (TV series)
Chains (1973) (story / teleplay)
 
1973 Assignment Vienna (TV series)
Soldier of Fortune (1973) (writer)
So Long, Charlie (1973) (writer)
 
1972 The Sixth Sense (TV series)
Can a Dead Man Strike from the Grave? (1972) (written by)
 
1971 Nichols (TV series)
Ketcham Power (1971) (as Gene Coon)
 
1971 Bearcats! (TV series)
The Feathered Serpent (1971) (written by / as Gene Coon)
 
1965-1971 The Virginian (TV series)
The Regimental Line (1971) (writer)
The Showdown (1965) (writer)
 
1970-1971 Mod Squad (TV series)
Suffer, Little Children (1971) (writer)
 
1970 The Immortal (TV series)
White Horse, Steel Horse (1970) (story / teleplay)
 
1970 Paris 7000 (TV series)
 
1969 Then Came Bronson (TV series)
The 3:13 Arrives at Noon (1969) (as Lee Cronin)
 
1969 The Name of the Game (TV series)
Good-bye Harry (1969) (written by)
 
1968-1969 It Takes a Thief (TV series)
A Matter of Grey Matter: Part 2 (1969) (teleplay)
A Matter of Grey Matter: Part 1 (1969) (uncredited)
The Galloping Skin Game (1968) (story / teleplay)
A Sour Note (1968) (story / teleplay)
Turnabout (1968) (story / teleplay)
 
1967-1969 Star Trek (TV series)
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (1969) (story / as Lee Cronin)
Wink of an Eye (1968) (story / as Lee Cronin)
Spectre of the Gun (1968) (written by / as Lee Cronin)
Spock's Brain (1968) (written by / as Lee Cronin)
Bread and Circuses (1968) (written by)
 
1968 Journey to Shiloh (screenplay / as Gene Coon)
 
1965-1967 Laredo (TV series)
The Other Cheek (1967) (writer)
A Double Shot of Nepenthe (1966) (writer)
It's the End of the Road, Stanley (1966) (writer)
That's Noway, Thataway (1966) (written by)
The Calico Kid (1966) (teleplay)
 
1967 First to Fight (written by)
 
1966 The Wild Wild West (TV series)
The Night of the Freebooters (1966) (writer)
 
1966 Combat! (TV series)
Hills Are for Heroes: Part 2 (1966) (written by)
Hills Are for Heroes: Part 1 (1966) (written by)
The Ringer (1966) (story / teleplay)
 
1966 The F.B.I. (TV series)
Flight to Harbin (1966) (story / teleplay)
 
1965 My Favorite Martian (TV series)
Hate Me a Little (1965) (written by)
 
1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (TV series)
The War and Eric Kurtz (1965) (story)
 
1964 The Killers (screenplay)
 
1964 Destry (TV series)
Go Away, Little Sheba (1964) (teleplay)
Stormy Is a Lady (1964) (teleplay)
Destry Had a Little Lamb (1964) (written by)
 
1963 The Raiders (written by)
 
1958-1963 Wagon Train (TV series)
The Robert Harrison Clarke Story (1963) (writer)
The Molly Kincaid Story (1963) (writer)
The Emmett Lawton Story (1963) (written by)
The Hollister John Garrison Story (1963) (written by)
The John Turnbull Story (1962) (written by)
 
1963 Alcoa Premiere (TV series)
The Hat of Sergeant Martin (1963) (writer)
 
1962 McHale's Navy (TV series)
Who Do the Voodoo (1962) (writer)
An Ensign for McHale (1962) (writer)
 
1962 Rawhide (TV series)
Incident of the Dogfaces (1962) (writer)
 
1962 Follow the Sun (TV series)
Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away (1962) (teleplay)
 
1961 Ichabod and Me (TV series)
The Purple Cow (1961)
 
1961 Whispering Smith (TV series)
The Idol (1961) (teleplay)
 
1959-1961 Bonanza (TV series)
The Thunderhead Swindle (1961) (writer)
The Ape (1960) (written by)
The Paiute War (1959) (writer)
Death on Sun Mountain (1959) (writer)
 
1961 Acapulco (TV series)
Death Is a Smiling Man (1961) (writer)
The Gentleman from Brazil (1961) (writer)
 
1960 Dan Raven (TV series)
Man on the Ledge (1960) (writer)
The Trade (1960) (writer)
 
1960 Peter Gunn (TV series)
The Semi-Private Eye (1960) (written by)
 
1959-1960 Mr. Lucky (TV series)
The Gladiators (1960) (written by)
The Parolee (1960) (teleplay)
The Last Laugh (1960) (written by)
The Brain Picker (1960) (written by)
The Sour Milk Fund (1960) (written by)
 
1960 The Rebel (TV series)
Land (1960) (writer)
 
1959 Riverboat (TV series)
About Roger Mowbray (1959) (story / as Gene Coon)
 
1959 Lock Up (TV series)
Stakeout (1959) (writer)
 
1959 The Four Just Men (TV series)
The Battle of the Bridge (1959) (writer)
 
1959 Dragnet (TV series)
The Big Appetite (1959) (writer)
 
1959 Have Gun - Will Travel (TV series)
The Fifth Man (1959) (written by)
 
1959 No Name on the Bullet (screenplay)
 
1959 Maverick (TV series)
The Saga of Waco Williams (1959) (teleplay / as Gene Coon)
 
1958 Zorro (TV series)
Rendezvous at Sundown (1958) (teleplay)
Zorro Rides Alone (1958) (written by)
 
1958 Cimarron City (TV series)
I, the People (1958) (teleplay)
 
1958 Rescue 8 (TV series)
The Ferris Wheel (1958) (teleplay)
 
1958 Schlitz Playhouse (TV series)
Guys Like O'Malley (1958) (writer)
 
1957 Suspicion (TV series)
The Flight (1957) (teleplay)
 
1957/I Man in the Shadow (written by)
 
1956 Medic (TV series)
The Good Samaritan (1956) (teleplay)
Don't Count the Stars (1956) (teleplay)
 
Show ShowProducer (5 titles)
1968-1969 It Takes a Thief (TV series) (producer - 31 episodes)
Mad in Japan (1969) (producer)
The Great Chess Gambit (1969) (producer)
38-23-36 (1969) (producer)
The Family (1969) (producer)
Rock-Bye, Bye, Baby (1969) (producer)
 
1966-1968 Star Trek (TV series) (producer - 33 episodes)
Bread and Circuses (1968) (producer)
A Private Little War (1968) (producer)
The Trouble with Tribbles (1967) (producer)
Wolf in the Fold (1967) (producer)
The Deadly Years (1967) (producer)
 
1966 The Wild Wild West (TV series) (producer - 6 episodes)
The Night of the Murderous Spring (1966) (producer)
The Night of the Burning Diamond (1966) (producer)
The Night of the Freebooters (1966) (producer)
The Night of the Druid's Blood (1966) (producer)
The Night of the Two-Legged Buffalo (1966) (producer)
 
1965 The Virginian (TV series) (producer - 1 episode)
The Showdown (1965) (producer)
 
1964 Destry (TV series) (producer - 6 episodes)
Red Brady's Kid (1964) (producer)
Blood Brother-in-Law (1964) (producer)
Ride to Rio Verde (1964) (producer)
Go Away, Little Sheba (1964) (producer)
Big Deal at Little River (1964) (producer)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
1966 Star Trek (TV series)
The Conscience of the King (1966) (lyrics: "Beyond Antares")
 
Show ShowThanks (1 title)
1998 Free Enterprise (acknowledgement: the forgotten Gene)
 

Related Videos

It Takes a Thief: Season 2: Episode 10 -- Al Mundy competes with an international fence to obtain a stolen treaty. It Takes a Thief: Season 2: Episode 12 -- Al Mundy must recover the stolen Cycad Scrolls to prevent the collapse of an emerging African nation. It Takes a Thief: Season 2: Episode 8 -- Al Mundy puts the head of East German security in a dangerous position.
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Personal Details

Other Works:

In 1973, he wrote the teleplay for an unsold television pilot for ABC called "Operation Hang-Ten." The plot involved a young, athletic police officer who worked undercover at venues where criminals victimize adventurous, athletic youths. See more »

Alternate Names:

Gene Coon | Lee Cronin
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Did You Know?

Trivia:

He created the Klingons for Star Trek. Their very first appearance was in the first-season episode "Errand Of Mercy", which he wrote. See more »

Star Sign:

Capricorn