1987 (production)

Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)

For information about 1987 in the fictional Star Trek universe, please see 1987.

Events Edit

Early February – Leonard Maizlish is given his own offices on the Paramount studio lot and starts his detrimental influence on the production of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
17 February – First draft script for TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint" is submitted.
28 February – Michelle Horn is born.
Pocket TOS #32: Chain of Attack by Gene DeWeese is published by Pocket Books.

2 March –
- John E. Chilberg II dies.
- Construction is started at Industrial Light & Magic, contracted for the build of the studio models, on the six-foot USS Enterprise-D studio model for use as the new "hero" ship in the new Star Trek spin-off series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.
6 March – First story concept for TNG: "Code of Honor" is submitted.
7 March – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Japan.
10 March – Ser'Darius Blain is born.
16 March – Second draft script for TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint" is submitted.
26 March – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in West Germany.
30 March – Marley McClean is born.

1 June –
- First unit filming begins on "Encounter at Farpoint", the pilot of The Next Generation
- Second unit filming also starts with the first footage shot of the six-foot Enterprise-D model at ILM, which had secured an additional commission to provide the pilot episode with the visual effects.
11 June – Vijay Suzuki is born.
12 June – Luke Humphrey is born.
18 June – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Colombia.
25 June –
- Filming ends on "Encounter at Farpoint".
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Peru.
Pocket TOS #34: Dreams of the Raven by Carmen Carter is published by Pocket Books.

2 July – Revised final draft script for TNG: "Code of Honor" is submitted.
3 July – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Italy.
4 July – Jason Liles is born.
6 July – Filming begins on TNG: "The Naked Now".
10 July – Vic Toyota dies.
13 July – Elyssa D. Vito is born. Filming is completed on TNG: "The Naked Now".
15 July – Filming begins on TNG: "Code of Honor".
16 July – ILM filmed scenes with the Old Bandi City studio model for TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint".
24 July –
- Filming is completed on TNG: "Code of Honor".
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Denmark.
25 July – Michael Welch is born.
27 July – Filming begins on TNG: "Haven".
31 July – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Portugal.
Pocket TOS Strangers from the Sky by Margaret Wander Bonanno is published by Pocket Books.

4 August – Filming is completed on TNG: "Haven".
5 August – Filming begins on TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before".
7 August – Revised final draft script for TNG: "The Last Outpost" is submitted.
14 August – Filming is completed on TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before".
17 August – Filming begins on TNG: "The Last Outpost".
20 August – Bertrand Roberson, Jr. is born. The score for TNG: "The Naked Now" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Ron Jones.
21 August –
- Karl Bruck dies.
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premieres in Spain.
25 August – Filming is completed on TNG: "The Last Outpost".
26 August –
- Michelle and Rochelle Chelle are born.
- Filming begins on TNG: "Lonely Among Us".
27 August – Final draft script for TNG: "Justice" is submitted.
Pocket TOS #35: The Romulan Way by Diane Duane & Peter Morwood is published by Pocket Books.

1 September – The main title for Star Trek: The Next Generation is recorded at Paramount Stage M.
3 September – Filming is completed on TNG: "Lonely Among Us".
8 September – Filming begins on TNG: "Justice".
11 September – The score for TNG: "Code of Honor" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Fred Steiner.
16 September – Filming is completed on TNG: "Justice".
17 September – Filming begins on TNG: "The Battle".
18 September – Sarah Rayne is born.
25 September – Filming is completed on TNG: "The Battle". The score for TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Ron Jones.
28 September – Star Trek: The Next Generation is launched in first-run syndication, piloting with the episode "Encounter at Farpoint". Filming begins on TNG: "Hide and Q".

1 October – The score for TNG: "Haven" is recorded at Paramount Stage M.
5 October – The first regular episode of TNG Season 1, "The Naked Now", premieres.
7 October – Filming is completed on TNG: "Hide and Q".
8 October – Filming begins on TNG: "Too Short a Season".
12 October – TNG: "Code of Honor" airs.
15 October – The score for TNG: "Lonely Among Us" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Ron Jones.
16 October – Filming is completed on "Too Short a Season".
19 October – TNG: "The Last Outpost" airs. Filming begins on TNG: "The Big Goodbye".
26 October – TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before" airs.
27 October – Filming is completed on TNG: "The Big Goodbye".
28 October – Filming begins on TNG: "Datalore".
Pocket TNG Encounter at Farpoint by David Gerrold is published by Pocket Books.
Pocket TOS #36: How Much for Just the Planet? by John M. Ford is published by Pocket Books.

2 November – TNG: "Lonely Among Us" airs.
4 November – Final draft script for "Angel One" is submitted.
5 November – The score for TNG: "The Battle" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Ron Jones.
6 November – Filming is completed on TNG: "Datalore".
9 November – TNG: "Justice" airs.
11 November – Filming begins on TNG: "Angel One".
16 November –
- TNG: "The Battle" airs.
- The score for TNG: "Hide and Q" is recorded at Paramount Stage M.
19 November
- Filming is completed on TNG: "Angel One".
- Paramount announces the renewal of TNG for a second season.
20 November – Filming begins on TNG: "11001001".
23 November – TNG: "Hide and Q" airs.
27 November – Richard Rubin dies.
30 November – TNG: "Haven" airs.

2 December – Filming is completed on TNG: "11001001".
3 December – Filming begins on TNG: "Home Soil".
10 December – The score for TNG: "The Big Goodbye" is recorded at Paramount Stage M.
14 December – Filming is completed on TNG: "Home Soil".
15 December – Filming begins on TNG: "When The Bough Breaks".
18 December – The score for TNG: "Datalore" is recorded at Paramount Stage M, conducted by Ron Jones.
23 December – Filming is completed on TNG: "When The Bough Breaks".
28 December – Thomas Alexander Dekker is born.
Pocket TOS #37: Bloodthirst by J.M. Dillard is published by Pocket Books.