Robert April

Robert T. April (2195[?] - aft. 2265) is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe, the first captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). The character is commonly identified with the animated series of that genre. Since the animated series as a whole is not considered by Paramount Studios to be part of the Star Trek "canon," many fans believe this is true of Robert April as well. Paramount, however, sanctioned the inclusion of Robert April in both editions of the Star Trek Chronology.

When Gene Roddenberry submitted his first proposal for Star Trek to MGM Studios in 1964, his name for the starship commander was "Robert April." The proposal was rejected, and Star Trek did not become a television reality until 1966, by which time various changes to the premise had led to the captain's name being changed to Christopher Pike, and the acceptance of the series by NBC.

In 1974, the writers for the animated series picked up on this early legacy and included Robert April, now a Commodore, in the final episode of the series titled "The Counter-Clock Incident." It was probably this appeal to the history of the original series which led Paramount to include this episode (and no other of the animated series) in their official Trek history.

Further reading

• Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future (Pocket Books, 1996; ISBN 0-67-153610-9)