R.I.P. Majel Roddenberry

[Darrell Lawrence]

VARIETY: Majel Barrett Roddenberry, actress who appeared in all five “Star Trek” series, died Thursday of leukemia in her Bel-Air, Los Angeles home. She was 76.

The wife of late “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, she was known as The First Lady of Star Trek.

NBC execs and female viewers alike were said to be displeased that Rodenberry cast a woman -- who was also his girlfriend at the time -- as First Officer in the series pilot “The Cage,” and she was recast as a nurse and then a doctor in subsequent series.

Barrett Roddenberry returned in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as headstrong Betazoid amabassador Lwaxana Troi, and as Troi in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

She also provided the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in almost every incarnation of the series and most of the Star Trek films, including the upcoming J.J. Abrams’ film.

Born Majel Leigh Hudec in Columbus, Ohio, she attended the U. of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. After moving to Hollywood, she appeared in TV shows including “Leave it to Beaver,” “The Lucy Show,” “Bonanza,” “General Hospital,” “Love on a Rooftop” and “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.”

Her film roles included “Westworld,” “The Quick and the Dead” and “A Guide for the Married Man.” She married Roddenberry in 1969; he died in 1991.

She also served as exec producer on “Earth: Final Conflict” and “Andromeda.”

She is survived by a son, Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr.

Donations may be made to the CARE Organization or Precious Paws.

Dang, that's a bit of a surprise. I just caught her cameo as a madam while rewatching Westworld recently. By some accounts, it seems that she was almost as passionate of an advocate of ST as Gene. It looked like she took on the task of carrying the torch after he died. Rest in peace.

[Zoxesyr]

I will mourn for her, by watching my favorite episodes that star her!

There was one TOS episode that comes to mind (aside from her character administering the usual hypospray or always pining away for Spock) in which the story largely centered on she and the Shat. "What are little girls made of," IIRC

[evil_genius_180]

Damn. I love her role as Lwaxana Troi on TNG. In fact, some of my favorite memories from that series feature the interactions between her and Deanna or her and Picard. Even though she was never a main character (unless you count the Enterprise computer) she played some great guest characters. Plus, I hear she was a great lady off the set. She even did the computer voice for the fan film series New Voyages, (now known as Phase II) which I'm sure didn't pay a lot but she did it anyway.

Oh man.
Bummer.
I'm speechless.

[gmd3d]

a sad loss .. condolences to the family

It's strange. Only last night I watched a rerun of babylon 5 and she was the guest star.
I remember her from the orriginal Star trek episodes including the Pilot of which I have all 76 eps on dvd and the pilot as my premier collection. Being the voice of the computer on next gen as well as Troys mother and a nurse and a doctor in the Trek movies and a bridge officer in the pilot she got around the enterprise a lot. Then Babylon 5 as an empress and seer she was quite scii icon.

R.I.P. Majel Roddenberry ( Barrett)

[Thomas P]

Very sad.

[RedEyes]

Sorry to hear that, it's like losing an old friend. Rest in peace.

[mikala]

No Trek will be the same after this.
Very sad loss.

[gmd3d]

yeah thats for sure

[ulimann644]

Condolences to her Family - I was totally speechless as I´ve read it on friday morning. I´ll always remember her in her best role as Lwaxana Troi...

It's difficult to even think of a Trek project without her name attached to it.

It's like the Stones without Mick.
It's just weird.