RIP: Majel Barrett-Roddenberry
Reprinted from Entertainment Weekly.com
One of the things that struck me when seeing the trailer for J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek movie was that, for as much as he changed in his effort to revitalize the Trek universe, there were just enough things that he left unaltered—perhaps in an effort to tacitly state, “While this isn’t your father’s Star Trek, it still is Star Trek.” Like that classic “red alert” sound. And it was also reassuring to know that Majel Barrett-Roddenberry—who passed away December 18th from complications from pneumonia at the age of 76—was once again the “voice” of Starfleet computers, reprising the role she had played in every iteration of Star Trek since the very first episode back in 1966.
Even before she married Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry in 1969, she was integral to Star Trek. She was the original first officer aboard the Enterprise—replaced after the pilot by Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock—and reappeared as the faithful Nurse Christine Chapel. When Star Trek: The Next Generation hit airwaves in the late-1980s, Barrett-Roddenberry took the recurring role of Lwaxana Troi—maternal gadfly to the Enterprise’s counselor, Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and romantic thorn to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). After Gene Roddenberry’s death in 1991, Barrett-Roddenberry would eventually shepherd some of his ideas to fruition; she served as the executive producer of Earth: Final Conflict (1997-2002) and Andromeda (2000-2005).
December 28th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
We’ll miss you Majel. Who do you see as the future voice of the Enterprise? How about Victoria Jackson?
December 28th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Ok I always knew you were twisted, but Victoria Jackson? How about Tina Fey/Sarah Palin?
December 28th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Victoria Jackson?! Is it required that it be a female voice?
December 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Ha! No way on VJ. I just wanted to see if anyone was listening. Hmm, a male computer voice? Aren’t ships usually female? Oh wait, maybe Jon Anderson or Geddy? 🙂
December 30th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Queeg 500.
December 30th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
How about Holly? He/She was a Male/Female. Now there’s an Idea. How about Grant/Naylor writing a Star Trek Movie. Star Dwarf!