Read a wide-ranging interview with Takei and get confirmation that TOS did not employ invisible stagehands.
Tag: To the Stars
Rodan, John Wayne and what George Takei got wrong
George Takei was thrilled when John Wayne cast him in The Green Berets, but that robbed Takei of the chance to pick up a Tribble with Uhura on K-7.
Except that story is not quite true.