Majel Barrett-Roddenberry passed away in her home at 12:27am this morning after a battle with leukemia. She was 76 years old.

Majel was with STAR TREK since before most of the world knew what STAR TREK was, since before she married TREK creator Gene Roddenberry. She played "Number One", Captain Christopher Pike's First Officer, in "The Cage" (an unaired TREK pilot later cannibalized as flashback fodder for an Original Series episode called "The Menagerie"). She also appeared as Nurse Christine Chapel in THE ORIGINAL SERIES - Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy's stalwart sidekick whose crush on Spock provided many memorable, and amusing, moments.

After THE ORIGINAL SERIES, she voiced various characters on STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES, and appeared in Gene Roddenberry produced fare like PLANET EARTH, GENESIS II, SPECTRE, and THE QUESTOR TAPES . She played Lwaxana Troi (Deanna Troi's flamboyant, man-craving mother) in STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - as well as providing the voice for the Enterprise computer in that series. She would reprise bioth the computer and Troi roles in STAR TREKs DEEP SPACE NINE, VOYAGER, multiple TREK films, and was recently announced to be voicing the Enterprise computer in J.J. Abrams' forthcoming STAR TREK movie. It's not clear if Majel recorded her role before passing (J.J.'s previous statements indicated the film would more-or-less be in the can by now, so it seems likely she did. More on this as we know more...)

Barrett's acting career was not limited to STAR TREK, and included BABYLON 5, WESTWORLD, and even GENERAL HOSPITAL. After Gene's passing in 1991, Majel perpetuated his legacy by developing/producing Gene-"concepts" like EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT and ANDROMEDA.

There was something comfortably assuring and fazmiliar when Barrett's association with Abrams' new TREK was announced - I was looking forqward to hearing that voice again . Over the decades, TREK has seen many permutations, and underghone many tribulations. But having her there always made TREK feel a little more comfortable. A little more like...home.

She will be missed.

Nice tribute, misspellings and all.

She was so much of Star Trek

http://network.nationalpo...berry.aspx
[Edited 12/18/08 21:30pm]

I've watched Star Trek since I was little. I remember that I always thought she was "Major" Barrett. Somehow my young mind thought she was a major in real life.

RIP Majel...

bobbywoods said:

Whats with this???

Depressing, but we'll be seeing a few more of the classic Trek crew leaving us in the next few years. We've already lost Jimmy and DeForest. Walter has been lucky to still be here.