Star Trek

September 8, 1966

Gene Roddenberry‘s space western Star Trek debuts on NBC, with the episode The Man Trap. The episode featured the creature that became known as the Salt Monster. The original Star Trek pilot, The Cage, was deemed too cerebral and a new pilot was ordered. Footage from The Cage was edited into the two-part The Menagerie, which was aired later in the season. Except for a black and white 16mm version, the unused footage was lost until it was found in 1987. The rediscovered footage for the original pilot The Cage was restored and aired for the first time in 1988, almost 20 years after the series ended.