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Born in New York City, Drexler was a first-generation ''Star Trek'' fan - although he was prohibited from watching television on school nights, Drexler managed to watch {{e|This Side of Paradise}}, and subsequently to persuade his parents to allow him an hour's viewing a week, for ''Star Trek''.
Born in New York City, Drexler was a first-generation ''Star Trek'' fan - although he was prohibited from watching television on school nights, Drexler managed to watch {{e|This Side of Paradise}}, and subsequently to persuade his parents to allow him an hour's viewing a week, for ''Star Trek''.
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Drexler, along with [[Ron Barlow]], ran a small ''Star Trek'' store in Manhattan, New York - "The Federation Trading Post" - during the early 1970s. [http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/the-federation-trading-post-east/] Although failing initially, the store became more well-known after advertising during ''Original Series'' syndication, eventually becoming a focus for media contact about ''Star Trek''. Drexler and Barlow were approached by [[Paradise Press]] to edit one of the first ''Star Trek'' [[magazines]], the ''[[Star Trek Giant Poster Book]]''. [http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/the-smithsonian-report-poster-book-flashback-1977/] It was through the store that Drexler met frequent collaborator [[Geoffrey Mandel]], with whom he compiled one of the first technical [[reference works]] in ''Trek'' history: the ''USS Enterprise Officer's Manual''.
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Drexler, along with [[Ron Barlow]], ran a small ''Star Trek'' store in Manhattan, New York - "The Federation Trading Post" - during the mid-1970s. [http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/the-federation-trading-post-east/] Although failing initially, the store became more well-known after advertising during ''Original Series'' syndication, eventually becoming a focus for media contact about ''Star Trek''. Drexler and Barlow were approached by [[Paradise Press]] to edit one of the first ''Star Trek'' [[magazines]], the ''[[Star Trek Giant Poster Book]]''. [http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/the-smithsonian-report-poster-book-flashback-1977/] It was through the store that Drexler met frequent collaborator [[Geoffrey Mandel]], with whom he compiled one of the first technical [[reference works]] in ''Trek'' history: the ''USS Enterprise Officer's Manual''.
Drexler also contributed as co-writer of two [[Gold Key TOS]] [[comics]] issues, "[[This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit]]" (#47) and "[[Sweet Smell of Evil]]" (#48). On issue #47, he is credited as a Story Consultant.
Drexler also contributed as co-writer of two [[Gold Key TOS]] [[comics]] issues, "[[This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit]]" (#47) and "[[Sweet Smell of Evil]]" (#48). On issue #47, he is credited as a Story Consultant.
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===''Star Trek'' affiliation===
===''Star Trek'' affiliation===
[[File:Doug Drexler profile.jpg|thumb|Doug Drexler on the set of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]]]
[[File:Doug Drexler profile.jpg|thumb|Doug Drexler on the set of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]]]
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Now able to work in California, Drexler approached Westmore to reapply for a position in the ''Next Generation'' make-up department. Drexler worked as a make-up artist for three years, earning two [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] nominations. He then moved over to [[Michael Okuda]]'s art department and went on to become the lead scenic artist on ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', after that series wrapped, a visual effects artist at [[Foundation Imaging]] on ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' (the only time during his ''Star Trek'' years he was not employed by [[Paramount Pictures]]), and Senior Illustrator on ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', where he designed the {{EnterpriseNX}}. He was the co-author and illustrator of the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]'', illustrator of the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'', and is a contributor and editor of the popular ''[[Star Trek: Ships of the Line|Ships of the Line]]'' calendars.
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Now able to work in California, Drexler approached Westmore to reapply for a position in the ''Next Generation'' make-up department. Westmore, incredulous at first that an Academy Award winner would want to work as a lesser paid makeup artist for a television show, hired him and Drexler's first assignment was putting on the Shakespeare makeup on [[Patrick Stewart]] for {{TNG|The Defector}}. (''[[The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine]]'', issue 11, p. 53) Drexler worked as a make-up artist for three years, earning two [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] nominations. Happy as Drexler was, working on ''Star Trek'', he has professed that, "''(...)the art department was calling to me and that's really where I wanted to be.''" He struck up a friendship with [[Michael Okuda]], whom he admired, and kept in touch with him and his Scenic Art department, waiting for an opportunity to move over. That opportunity came when ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' went into production and Okuda hired him, eventually becoming the lead scenic artist on the series. A grateful Drexler recalled, "''Looking through the trade paper, ''Variety'', I saw that [[Paramount Television|Paramount]] had made up their minds and they were going to do ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. I got on the phone right away to Mike Okuda, who really stuck out his neck for me, and that's how it happened!''" (''[[The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine]]'', issue 11, p. 54) After that series wrapped, Drexler moved over as a visual effects artist to [[Foundation Imaging]], and worked on ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', the only time during his ''Star Trek'' years he was not employed by Paramount. He subsequently, back in the employ of Paramount, worked as Senior Illustrator on ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', where he designed the {{EnterpriseNX}}. He was the co-author and illustrator of the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]'', illustrator of the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'', and is a contributor and editor of the popular ''[[Star Trek: Ships of the Line|Ships of the Line]]'' calendars.
During his tenure as scenic artist on ''Deep Space Nine'', Drexler taught himself the {{w|Adobe Illustrator}} software which served him well in providing the technical illustrations for the ''Manual'' and ''Encyclopedia''. He went on to master the [[CGI]] {{w|LightWave 3D}} software as well, the build of the [[Breen warship]] for {{DS9|Penumbra}} being his first contribution in this format for the franchise. ({{STTM|1|7}}, p. 50) His mastery of the software, aside for his regular work for televised ''Star Trek'', also served him well, when he was asked by [[Pocket Books]] to provide (CGI) covers for several of their novels, most notably the covers of the ''[[Star Trek: Vanguard]]'' series. ({{STM|162}}, pp. 82-84)
During his tenure as scenic artist on ''Deep Space Nine'', Drexler taught himself the {{w|Adobe Illustrator}} software which served him well in providing the technical illustrations for the ''Manual'' and ''Encyclopedia''. He went on to master the [[CGI]] {{w|LightWave 3D}} software as well, the build of the [[Breen warship]] for {{DS9|Penumbra}} being his first contribution in this format for the franchise. ({{STTM|1|7}}, p. 50) His mastery of the software, aside for his regular work for televised ''Star Trek'', also served him well, when he was asked by [[Pocket Books]] to provide (CGI) covers for several of their novels, most notably the covers of the ''[[Star Trek: Vanguard]]'' series. ({{STM|162}}, pp. 82-84)