RIP: Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

While saying that Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is true, she was so much more in her own right. The 76 year old Actress passed away from leukemia just after mid-night Thursday.

Majel was involved in Star Trek right from the beginning, playing the strong female Number One in the original pilot. At a convention with Gene Roddenberry years ago, I heard him tell the audience that Paramount didn't find a woman second-in-command believable nor the pointy eared alien. He was told to get rid of one, he "kept the alien and married the woman. Then brought the woman back as the doctor's nurse."

Majel stayed involed in the Trek Universe, running Lincoln Enterprises, a mail-order-company specialising in Star Trek merchandise.

In the 80's with the spin-off series, Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, she guest starred on numerous episodes as the amorous telepathic Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi, mother to Deanna Troi. She also provided the voice of many of the Federation's computers in the various series and two weeks ago completed the same role for the upcoming J.J. Abrams reboot of the franchise.

She was also Executive Producer of the Gene Roddenberry created TV series Earth: Final Conflict and Andromeda, where she played re-ocuring roles as well.

Our condolences go out to her family, friends and fans. She will always be remembered as the Fisrt Lady of Star Trek.

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