Matt Jefferies | |
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 Jefferies in circa 2002 | |
| Born | Walter Matthew Jefferies (1921-08-12)August 12, 1921 Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 21, 2003(2003-07-21) (aged 81) Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Artist, set designer, writer, flight test engineer |
| Spouse | Mary Ann |
| Website | www |
Walter Matthew Jefferies[1] (August 12, 1921 – July 21, 2003)[2][3] was an American aviation and mechanical artist, set designer, and writer. He is best known for his work on the originalStar Trektelevision series, where he designed many of the sets and props, including the originalStarshipEnterprise, and the bridge and sick bay.[4][5]
Jefferies was born inLebanon, Pennsylvania.[2] He had three brothers, John, Richard and Philip, the latter two of whom would become production designers.[3] Their father was chief engineer at apower plant inVirginia. Matt's younger brother John worked with him as his chief draftsman.
He served inEurope inWorld War II, was inside ofB-17,B-24,B-25 bombers and had four years as a flight test engineer.[6]
Besides creating interiors and exterior of theEnterprise, Jefferies was responsible for designing props (includingphasers), sets, theKlingon logo andD-7 battlecruiser. Years later, his concept sketches were revisited and used to design theStarshipEnterprise, the Olympic class USSPasteur, theDaedalus-class and pre-FederationVulcan ships. Jefferies worked with NASA engineers in designing theEnterprise and the technology it used.
Contrary to popular belief, Jefferies did not createStar Trek's original shuttlecraft design: although Jefferies submitted his own concept, it was too complex to build with the show's FX and budget limitations of the time.Gene Winfield's much simpler design was used instead, and Jefferies designed only its interior.[7]
Jefferies had a very pragmatic design ethic: reasoning that a starship's engines would be extremely powerful and potentially dangerous, he positioned them far away from the rest of the ship, with the added benefit of modular design so that they could be ejected quickly in an emergency. Figuring thatwhatever could go wrong would, he put all of the ship's workings on the interior for easy access, eliminating the need for spacewalking in case of exterior repairs. The bridge panels were given anergonomic design for comfort and ease of use. He was opposed to the idea ofPADDs, as well as the goose-neck viewers that appeared in the first pilot.[citation needed] Moreover, he disliked the idea of a large engine room because by his reckoning the entire ship could be run by a single panel on the bridge.[citation needed] Later, Jefferies' work on thebridge of theEnterprise influenced the design of theU.S. Navy master communications center atNaval Base San Diego.[8]
When Jefferies sawStar Trek: The Motion Picture he fell asleep. He never watched subsequent incarnations ofStar Trek, remarking that they had turned his Navy-esque bridge into "the lobby of theHilton."[9]
Within theStar Trek universe,Jefferies tubes and Captain Jefferies, designer of the NX-class starships,[10] are named in his honor. According to Jefferies, theEnterprise was Starfleet's 17th starship design and it was the first in the series, therefore the ship had the number "1701". This story is documented in one of his sketches.[11]
In June 2003, Jefferies was the guest of honor at the presentation of a documentary about him prepared for the special edition of theStar Trek GenerationsDVD. Jefferies died the following month inLos Angeles ofcongestive heart failure.[3]
Matt was a member of the Aviation Space Writers' Association and one of the original members of theAmerican Aviation Historical Society. He restored and flew period airplanes as a hobby. He owned aWaco YOC aircraft and stored it atSanta Paula Airport, California for many years. His YOC,NC17740, c/n 4279, built in 1935, is now owned by the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society and was on display at theVirginia Aviation Museum,Richmond, Virginia.[12]
Jefferies died July 21, 2003, inLos Angeles ofcongestive heart failure.[13] He was survived by his wife, Mary Ann Jefferies.[14]
(...) The bridge of the classic Star Trek Enterprise was designed by Matt Jeffries. In a second stunning example of science fiction innovation it influenced the design of the U.S. Navy master communications center at NAS San Diego. On US naval vessels, their bridge design does not look anything like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, but the Combat Information Center in a navy vessel does have some resemblances (mostly the Captain's chair in the center of the room). Again, refer to The Great Heinlein Mystery: Science Fiction, Innovation and Naval Technology by Edward M. Wysocki Jr. (...) Bridge of the starship Enterprise, designed by Matt Jeffries. This is a combination of a bridge (helm/navigation) and a CIC. Captain/Evaluator is in the command swivel chair in the center. All station are arranged so captain can look over the sholders of each operator and examine their displays. In the front is the big board viewscreen.
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