Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who entertained generations of fans through her various roles in Star Trek, and widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, died Thursday morning at home. She was 76.
Mrs. Roddenberry had leukemia, a family spokesman told SyFy Portal. The "First Lady of Star Trek" was surrounded by friends and her son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr.
Wow! That's sad to hear. I think that her voice being in the new movie will make it that much more must see for me.
OH NO!!!!! my heart just dropped.
Remembering Majel Barrett Roddenberry
December 18, 2008 by Michael Hickerson || Category: Human Interest, TV
Majel Barrett Roddenberry who played Nurse Chapel on classic "Star Trek" and Lwaxana Troi on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" has passed away at the age of 76 according to the Associated Press. Roddenberry was the widow of Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, died Thursday of leukemia at her home in Bel-Air, Calif., her representative said.
According to reports, she was surrounded by her family friends and her only son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr. Gene Roddenberry died in 1991.
Roddenberry was cast as the original Number One in the pilot of "Star Trek", "The Cage." When NBC wanted the series retooled, Barrett Roddenberry's character was one of those written out of the series, but the actress returned to play Nurse Chapel, who harbored a crush on the Vulcan, Mr. Spock. Roddenberry also served as the computer voice for each starship named Enterprise in "Star Trek" and all of its spin-offs. We will have news on this week's show about Roddenberry's continued involvement in that role in the upcoming J.J. Abrams reboot.
Her romance with Roddenberry earned her the title The First Lady of "Star Trek".
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Roddenberry family during this time.
http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/12/18/remembering-majel-barrett-roddenberry/ (http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/12/18/remembering-majel-barrett-roddenberry/)
Terrible news. It is great that they gave her a nod as the computer voice in the upcoming movie.
She was such a bright spot in the Star Trek Universe. She will be forever missed. How sad. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. :(
I'm so glad she had the chance to voice the computer in the new Star Trek movie so we can hear her voice one more time. Rest in peace, Number One. :'(
Wow, I am completely taken aback by this, especially with the news she was the computer voice in the movie. Very sad news.
Sad news, was not aware she was sick. Rest in Peace
Wow...I like many did not realize she was ill. R.I.P. Mrs Rodenberry. Your voice and wonderful characters will live forever.
A beautiful, strong, and intelligent woman. I liked her more as a brunette. :wub
Sad news indeed. Majel was a very nice and classy lady. Her influence on Star Trek and Gene was great. She will be missed.
For me she was one of my favorite characters in the Next Generation she appeared as Lwaxana Troi, mother of Counselor Deanna Troi and daughter of the Fifth House, the Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed!
I had a chance to meet her a few times, She was a real class act with the fans, and she will be missed :(
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o160/drew1515/ST-Tos/MajelBarrett-Card.jpg)
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o160/drew1515/ST-Tng/MajelBarrett.jpg)
(http://api.ning.com/files/zvSn6pM8qJnQ2oLn4cFyANAcVbBetoQfiFVs4JV8Il13NOvuBNxG3XmRwMEcZJYd*TPqcyORVlx3jVlT0VSMtpGjHeMhUgt8/majelbarrett.jpg)
Majel Barrett never knew that she was a part of my life for 42 years but she was! I'm gonna miss her!
Rest in Peace Majel!
Kevin
I had the Pleasure of meeting her a few times, she was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. She will be sadly missed by many people.
I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but I wish I had. She was a true Anomaly. I admire her pioneering spirit and her devotion to her husband, family, Trek and fandom. May she find peace among the stars.
Something I just found on Youtube.
I'm gonna miss her. I frequently would get lost in those blue eyes.
One of the founders. Rob :'(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3WOY9SwyOs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3WOY9SwyOs)
This evening as a tribute, and in honor of Mrs. Roddenberry, my wife and I watched three Star Trek episodes in which she played a prominent role.
First we watched the classic TOS episode The Naked Time. I have always loved this episode about the virus that spreads among the crew after Spock and another science officer investigate the mysterious deaths of Starfleet Personnel on a planet doomed to destruction. Under the influence of the virus Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett) tells Spock that she is in love with him. In doing so she spreads the virus to Spock who then is almost unable to control his emotions. I love how he tells her that he is very sorry for her.
Second, we watched the 1st season episode of TNG called Haven in which Lwaxana Troi makes her first appearance. In this episode she arrives with wedding presents and the husband to be of Deanna, unbeknown to Deanna I might add. The man Deanna is promised to was surprised when he sees her because she was not who he had expected. All his life he has had dreams of a woman who he had always believed was Deanna calling him. Lwaxana however, despises the bridegrooms parents and it makes for many humorous moments. In fact this episode has many funny moments.
Third, we watched the 5th season episode Cost of Living. This is one of my favorite episodes. Interestingly enough the tables are turned in this episode and it's Lwaxana that is getting married and her groom is arriving on the Enterprise. She wants the captain to give her away. The main story however, centers on her relationship with Worf's son Alexander and there are some wonderful moments of her and Alexander in the holosuite.
Sometime in the near future I would like to sit down and watch all the Lwaxana episodes back to back. That would make for a fun day!
Kevin
Today is a sad day in the Trek Universe. May she rest in peace.
*refuses to believe it*
This is a nice tribute....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNNi8W8kEgw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNNi8W8kEgw)
Rest in Peace Majel, a sad day for all Trek fans. Lets hope they dedicate the new film to her, that would be a nice touch.
Quote from: HawkeyeMeds on December 19, 2008, 08:55:05 AM
Rest in Peace Majel, a sad day for all Trek fans. Lets hope they dedicate the new film to her, that would be a nice touch.
Nice one, Meds, that would be very appropriate.
Quote from: Bryancd on December 19, 2008, 09:34:55 AM
Nice one, Meds, that would be very appropriate.
Knew you would appreciate that mate. It was her last work as well so seems fitting.
We've lost a lot of good people recently.
Alas Alan we are all getting older and the people we grew up with on TV are passing away. I was shocked to hear about the great Peter Falk has advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. He was on TV here in England and was on great form, feel shocked by that.
This caught me by suprise. Still a bit tough to accept. Such a wonderful actress, a beautiful woman, and so much a part of my life for close to 40 years. And since I never met her, that goes to show what a wonderful and close family the Star Trek clan is.
Ugh....I feel sick.
My best to Rod. My parents are both gone also, it's tough.
On October 1 (1994), just before the start of the Planetary Studies Foundation's Annual Benefit Dinner....
MBR: Well, the fact is space is a new land, this is a new place, this is a new world, this is unknown. This is uncharted, this is all there is. We don't have any other place to go. I always quote Gene as saying "Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we take the trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are." And that is our whole philosophy of Star Trek, of life, of everything else. ....
According to a new Shatner video he's put up in tribute he says that Majel didn't get the chance to record the computer voice. Anyone know the truth to this,
The following excerpt I pulled from Trekmovie site:
"Majel recorded her final voiceover as the ship's computer for J.J. Abrams upcoming Star Trek film only a few weeks ago.
It will be both appropriate and poignant to hear it. She was there at the beginning and she'll be there to be part of the launch of the new Star Trek."
Excellent, thanks Kenny.
Some very nice tributes by Trek stars here for Majel:
http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/19/star-trek-luminaries-remember-barrett-rodenberry/ (http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/19/star-trek-luminaries-remember-barrett-rodenberry/)
And a video by Bill...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIxXHbjSQos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIxXHbjSQos)
(One footnote, Bill is wrong about Majel and her last role. As has been said before, she did record her lines for the new movie before her passing.)
On Friday I got challenged to operate the lighting desk wearing a Star Trek uniform, the deal was if I did it I'd get Saturday night off. I did it, partly because I'd get the following night off but mostly as my own little geeky way of remembering Majel :)
(Sorry no pictures, but it was a TOS era science shirt and we have a Strand 520i console, set up with three TFT monitors and I wear a funky head set but not as cool as Uhura's.)
Photo's Steph, you know we need photos.
Well... I might do it again for the final show before Christmas and I'll get one of the followspots to take a picture.
*round of applause*
The Roddenberry family has honored its matriarch with a special video highlighting the amazing life of Majel Barrett Roddenberry.
http://www.platformsl.com/syfy/MajelBarrettStream.mov (http://www.platformsl.com/syfy/MajelBarrettStream.mov)