Klingon Translator Celebrates 20th Anniversary

KLINGON TRANSLATOR CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

John Halvorson, a Hollywood screenwriter, started a Star Trek movies fan club in Seattle in 1979. That club died when John moved to Michigan.

In 1989, John formed another club, The Klingon Assault Group (KAG), based on the "bad guys" of the Star Trek movies franchise, the Klingon Empire. That club is still going strong, 20 years later.

The Klingon Assault Group (KAG) officially celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year at MARCON (The Midwest's Premiere Fantasy & Science Fiction Convention) May 22nd - 24th 2009 (Memorial Day Weekend) The MARCON convention will be held at Hyatt Regency Hotel, 350 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio USA.

Between 200 and 300 fans, dressed as Klingons will seize the Hyatt Regency Hotel. That makes Marcon the largest gathering of Klingons ever.

KAG is headed these days by the fearsome "Thought Admiral Kerla," who is actually Carol Nye, an Earth woman from Hamilton, Ohio.

Now, in Hollywood, John dresses up after-hours as a Klingon, named "Thought Admiral Kris," (pictured) complete with uniform, headpiece and wig, for Star Trek movies and science-fiction conventions. "It's fun," John says.

In various Star Trek movies and tv shows, Klingons are a pretty serious-minded bunch. It is official policy that Klingons don't have fun - ever. However, John Halvorson disagrees.

What do Klingons generally do for fun? "Feasting, drinking, head-butting, and fighting."

Klingons have changed over the years, and John prefers the early era Klingons, before there was peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. John says, "Playing the Antagonist is so much more fun."

Halvorson, is quite an active Klingon, too. He's not only the club's Founder, but his alter-ego is a Klingon Translator, Thought Admiral Kris, Commanding a Klingon star ship, the "IKV Dark Sun."

John will be on hand at the MARCON event, dressed as his Klingon alter ego, and Sam Longoria, a Hollywood Movie Producer, will take time off to put on his own Klingon headpiece and makeup to play Khaytel, The Klingon Promoter.

These days, Halvorson and Longoria run a Hollywood Klingon fan group, "The Imperial Trade Mission (ITM)."

The Mission has meetings in Hollywood, and is working to get Michael Dorn, the Actor who played "Worf," on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Michael Dorn played the Klingon "Worf," who grew up in Federation Space, through a number of STAR TREK movies and tv. Mr. Dorn's portrayal sparked much new interest in Klingons.

John Halvorson has two grown-up kids. What do they think of Dad's Klingon getup? "They're okay with it -- usually." laughs John.

CONTACT:

ITM Contact
John Halvorson, johnhalvorson@comic.com

ITM Twitter
http://twitter.com/klingon_

ITM Blog
http://klingon-translator.blogspot.com

KAG Online
http://www.kag.org/20th/

KAG Contact
Carol Nye, Kerla@kag.org