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Fred Freiberger was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He initially worked in advertising before joining the 8th Air Force during World War II as a navigator. After being shot down, he spent 22 months as a prisoner of war in Germany. Following his return, he briefly studied film at Pace University’s Institute of Film and eventually moved to Hollywood using his Air Force back pay. Seeking a position as a publicist, Freiberger was stalled by an industry strike that left him unemployed and without income. During this period, he began writing and sold his first story to Comet Productions, owned by Mary Pickford. This led to his first science-fiction script for the anthology TV series The Clock (1949). Freelancing over the next few years, he co-wrote the screenplay for the cult classic The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) and crafted the original story for the acclaimed western Garden of Evil (1954), starring Gary Cooper and Susan Hayward. Over the next decade, Freiberger became a prolific writer of western teleplays, contributing to popular shows such as Cheyenne (1955), Rawhide (1959), and Laramie (1959).
Freiberger’s first major impact on science fiction came as producer of The Wild Wild West (1965), where he was tasked with creating inventive cliffhangers and unique futuristic gadgets. This required larger budgets and led to creative conflicts with CBS executives who struggled to understand the show’s concept. After ten episodes, Freiberger was dismissed. Due to a planned European trip, he declined an initial offer from Gene Roddenberry to produce Star Trek (1966) from the beginning. However, in 1968, he accepted the role of producer for the show's final season. By that time, severe budget cuts had resulted in many 'bottle episodes' and lower-quality scripts, while the departure of key creative personnel and Paramount's takeover of Desilu negatively affected the series, which had not gained ratings since its first season despite a loyal fan base. Freiberger frequently clashed with writers and directors and faced criticism for prioritizing action over character development. Many blamed him for Star Trek’s cancellation, though figures like William Shatner and Robert H. Justman disagreed. Additionally, NBC’s decision to move Star Trek to the Friday 10 P.M. 'death slot' was a significant factor in its demise.
After Star Trek, Freiberger succeeded in securing a second season for Space: 1999 (1975). He introduced new characters, including the charismatic Tony Verdeschi and the shape-shifting Maya, played by Catherine Schell, to improve ratings. He also wrote three episodes under the pseudonym Charles Woodgrove. Despite these efforts, the series was not renewed, and Freiberger’s contentious involvement with the final season of The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) again cast him as a scapegoat, earning him the unfair nickname 'the series killer.'
Notably, the first interracial kiss on U.S. television—between Kirk and Uhura in the episode "Plato's Stepchildren"—occurred during his tenure, though credit for the moment often went to Roddenberry, who was not involved with that episode.
