Sad Tidings

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry has gone to join Gene in the Undiscovered Country.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28300175/

She worked her butt off to keep Gene's vision alive and did his legacy proud.

In addition to playing Number One and Nurse Christine Chapel in the original series, she played Deanna Troi’s mother on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

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I chose the Number One picture over the Nurse Chapel because the former character showed what the series might have become. I never cared for the Nurse Chapel character because she seemed to be so obviously there only to serve as a sob sister for Spock and his issues. The whole "unrequited love" thing bugged me even as a kid.

And Majel also voiced the computer of the various starships used throughout all of the TV shows and movies from the sci-fi franchise — she just completed her voiceover work as the voice of the Enterprise in director J.J. Abrams’ reboot of “Star Trek,” due in theaters on May 8, 2009.

I had the opportunity to meet her a few times at Cons and the like, including at an event back home which Shatner also attended--this was way back in the day when he didn't charge for autographs (yes, I have a real Shatner autograph that I didn't have to fork out $50 or more for). I think they were just getting ready to launch "The Next Generation", so that tells you just how long ago it was. Ms. Barrett was cordial, shook hands with everyone, posed for pictures as long as she could and told stories of her days on ST-TOS.

Nice lady who was tough as nails when it came to defending the worlds her husband created.