Did You Know?: The first and last time Spock showed up in Medford, Ore.

This "Did You Know?" segment was published as part of the June 13, 2023 Today So Far newsletter.

On April 15, 1967, actor Leonard Nimoy showed up in Medford, Ore. in full Spock costume to be the grand marshal of the town's Pear Blossom Parade. It was a big deal for the small town. Spock was on the front page of the Medford Mail Tribune the next day (this newspaper ceased operations in January 2023). It was also a big deal, in a way, for "Star Trek." At the time, the show was between its first and second seasons, and its ratings were struggling. Local appearances like this were encouraged to drive up publicity. It worked ... a little too well. Nimoy's experience in Medford is why he never appeared as Spock in public again.

While the first documented "Star Trek" fan convention was in 1969, Spock's appearance at the parade in Medford has been seen as the first fan gathering. A few hundred were expected at the small town's annual parade. Instead, thousands descended upon Medford.

As Nimoy recalled in his 1995 memoir, "I am Spock," after the parade, he was led to a bandstand in a local park where he and officials expected a couple hundred autographs would be handed out, but thousands of people showed up in Medford that day to see Spock. The bandstand started to sway as the crowd swelled and pushed against the stage. Nimoy became concerned that someone would be crushed. A police escort was required to escort Nimoy through the crowd and away from the park.

Nimoy later wrote, "I made sure never to appear publicly again in Vulcan guise. But the crowds still kept coming."

Nimoy also served as marshal for the Portland Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade that year.

"Star Trek" could not get the ratings that studio officials wanted and was cancelled after its third season. Which has become a sort of TV tradition — the greatest shows often get cancelled way too soon, despite fervent fan bases ("Firefly," "Freaks and Geeks," "Pushing Daisies," "Arrested Development," "Veronica Mars" ... it happens a lot). But time often embarrasses executives. "Star Trek" has now become one of the most popular franchises in TV history. In fact, the second season of "Strange New Worlds" debuts Thursday, June 15.