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{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Short description|American actress (1932–2008)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Majel Barrett-Roddenberry
| image = Majel Barrett in 2006 cropped.png
| image = Majel Barrett in 2007 cropped.png
| caption = Barrett in 2006
| caption = Majel Barrett at [[Gen Con]] in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]] in August 2006.
| birth_name = Majel Leigh Hudec
| birth_name = Majel Leigh Hudec
| birth_place = [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], U.S.{{refn|group=nb|name=Birthplace|While many sources state that Barrett was born in Cleveland (e.g., Associated Press,<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/20/arts/television/20roddenberry.html |title = Majel Roddenberry, 'Star Trek' Actress, Dies at 76 |work = [[The New York Times]] |agency = [[Associated Press]] |date = December 19, 2008 |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = November 18, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201118040240/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/20/arts/television/20roddenberry.html |url-status = live }}</ref> ''The Daily Telegraph'',<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> Roddenberry Entertainment<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.roddenberry.com/bios/ |title = Corporate Bios |date = December 29, 2015 |publisher = Roddenberry Entertainment |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = December 16, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191216230415/http://www.roddenberry.com/bios/ |url-status = live }}</ref> and CBS Studios<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.startrek.com/database_article/barrett |title = Barrett |publisher = [[CBS|CBS Studios]] |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = October 31, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191031013530/https://www.startrek.com/database_article/barrett |url-status = live }}</ref>), some sources say Columbus (e.g., ''Cleveland Plain Dealer'',<ref name="PlainDealer">{{cite news |url = https://www.cleveland.com/people/2008/12/shaker_heights_high_school_gra.html |title = Shaker Heights High School grad Majel Roddenberry, 'First Lady of Star Trek,' dies |work = [[Cleveland Plain Dealer]] |date = December 19, 2008 |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191228030019/https://www.cleveland.com/people/2008/12/shaker_heights_high_school_gra.html |url-status = live }}</ref> ''Los Angeles Times''<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-roddenberry19-2008dec19-story.html |title = Majel B. Roddenberry, wife of 'Star Trek' creator, dies |work = [[Los Angeles Times]] |date = December 19, 2008 |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = November 18, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201118040225/https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-roddenberry19-2008dec19-story.html |url-status = live }}</ref> and, curiously, CBS Studios<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.startrek.com/article/remembering-majel-barrett-roddenberry |title = Remembering Majel Barrett-Roddenberry |publisher = [[CBS|CBS Studios]] |date = February 23, 2011 |access-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-date = December 28, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191228041444/https://www.startrek.com/article/remembering-majel-barrett-roddenberry |url-status = live }}</ref>).}}
| birth_place = [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], [[U.S.]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|2|23}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|2|23}}
| death_place = [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]], [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]], California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|12|18|1932|2|23}}
| death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|2008|12|18|1932|2|23}}}}
| death_cause = [[Leukemia]]
| resting_place = To be launched into [[outer space]] in 2014
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| education = [[Shaker Heights High School]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Miami]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Miami]]
| credits = [[Christine Chapel]], [[Lwaxana Troi]], and voice of ship's computer in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise
| residence = Bel Air, Los Angeles, California
| home_town = [[Hollywood]], California
| television = [[Star Trek]]
| known_for = [[Christine Chapel]]<br>[[Lwaxana Troi]]
| party =
| religion =
| other_names = M. Leigh Hudec
| other_names = M. Leigh Hudec
| occupation = Actress, producer, voice actress
| occupation = Actress
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Gene Roddenberry]]|1969|1991}} (his death)
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Gene Roddenberry]]|1969|1991|end=died}}
| children = [[Rod Roddenberry]]
| children = [[Rod Roddenberry]]
| years_active = 1957–2008
| years_active = 1957–2008
| signature = File:Majel Barrett Signature.svg
| website = {{URL|http://www.roddenberry.com/}}
}}
}}


'''Majel Barrett-Roddenberry''' (first name pronounced {{IPAc-en|'|m|eɪ|dʒ|ə|l|}}; born '''Majel Leigh Hudec''';<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3884543/Majel-Barrett-Roddenberry.html Majel Barrett Roddenberry: Actress who found fame as the 'First Lady of Star Trek'], [[The Daily Telegraph]], December 21, 2008</ref> February 23, 1932&nbsp;– December 18, 2008) was an American actress and [[Executive producer|producer]]. She is best known for her role as Nurse [[Christine Chapel]] in the [[Star Trek: The Original Series|original ''Star Trek'' series]], [[Lwaxana Troi]] on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] and [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', and for being the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series. She was also the wife of ''[[Star Trek]]'' creator [[Gene Roddenberry]].
'''Majel Barrett-Roddenberry''' ({{IPAc-en|'|m|eɪ|dʒ|əl}} {{respell|MAY|jəl}}; born '''Majel Leigh Hudec''';<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3884543/Majel-Barrett-Roddenberry.html |title = Majel Barrett Roddenberry: Actress who found fame as the 'First Lady of Star Trek' |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180617170626/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3884543/Majel-Barrett-Roddenberry.html |archive-date = June 17, 2018 |work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] |location = London |date = December 21, 2008 }}</ref> February 23, 1932 – December 18, 2008) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as various characters in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise: Nurse [[Christine Chapel]] (in the [[Star Trek: The Original Series|original ''Star Trek'' series]], ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', and two films of the franchise), [[Number One (Star Trek)|Number One]] (also in the original series), [[Lwaxana Troi]] (on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''), and the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series from 1966 to 2023. She married ''[[Star Trek]]'' creator [[Gene Roddenberry]] in 1969. As his wife and given her relationship with ''Star Trek''{{emdash}}participating in some way in every series during her lifetime{{emdash}}she is sometimes<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> referred to as "the [[First Lady]] of ''Star Trek''{{-"}}.


==Early life==
As the wife of Roddenberry and given her ongoing relationship with ''Star Trek''—participating in some way in every series during her lifetime—she was sometimes referred to as "the [[First Lady]] of ''Star Trek''". She and Gene Roddenberry were married in [[Japan]] on August 6, 1969, after the cancellation of the original ''Star Trek'' series. They had one son together, [[Rod Roddenberry|Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr.]], born in 1974.
Barrett was born in [[Cleveland]], Ohio.{{refn|group=nb|name=Birthplace}} She began taking acting classes as a child. She graduated from [[Shaker Heights High School]] in [[Shaker Heights, Ohio|Shaker Heights]] which is part of Cleveland in 1950.<ref name="PlainDealer" /><ref>{{cite web |title = 1950 Shaker Heights High School Yearbook |url = http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Shaker-Heights-High-School/159719?page=16 |website = Classmates.com |access-date = July 17, 2014 |archive-date = July 26, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140726214401/http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Shaker-Heights-High-School/159719?page=16 |url-status = live |url-access = registration }}</ref> She went to the [[University of Miami]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida]], then had some stage roles and arrived in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]. Her father, William Hudec, was a Cleveland police officer. He was killed in the line of duty while driving a police ambulance which was struck by an Erie Passenger Train at East 91st Street and Loren Avenue on August 30, 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.odmp.org/officer/6792-patrolman-william-hudec |title = Patrolman William Hudec |work = Officer Down Memorial Page |access-date = December 6, 2014 |archive-date = December 10, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141210175130/http://www.odmp.org/officer/6792-patrolman-william-hudec |url-status = live }}</ref> The tragedy occurred while Barrett was touring with an [[off-Broadway]] road company.


==Biography==
==Career==
Hudec began taking acting classes as a child. She attended the [[University of Miami]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida]], then had some stage roles and came to Hollywood. Her father, William Hudec, was a Cleveland police officer. He was killed in the line of duty in 1955 while Majel was touring with an off-Broadway road company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.policememorialsociety.com/Officer_pages/hudec_william.htm |title=Fallen Officer |publisher=Policememorialsociety.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-10}}</ref> In the late 1950s and 1960s, she had bit parts in a few movies and small roles in TV series. She worked at the [[Desilu Productions|Desilu Studios]] on several TV shows, including ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[The Lucy Show]]'', and ''[[The Lieutenant]]'' (produced by Gene Roddenberry). She received training in comedy from [[Lucille Ball]]. In 1960, she played Gwen Rutherford on ''[[Leave It to Beaver]]''. She was also briefly seen in the film ''[[Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?]]'' in an ad parody at the beginning of the film.
Barrett was briefly seen in ''[[Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?]]'' (1957) in an ad parody at the beginning of the film, and had roles in a few films, including ''[[Love in a Goldfish Bowl]]'' (1961), ''[[Sylvia (1965 film)|Sylvia]]'' (1965), ''[[A Guide for the Married Man]]'' (1967), and ''[[Track of Thunder]]'' (1967). She worked at the [[Desilu Productions|Desilu Studios]] on several TV shows, including ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'', ''[[The Lucy Show]]'', and ''[[The Lieutenant]]'' (produced by Gene Roddenberry). She received training in comedy from [[Lucille Ball]]. In 1960, she played Gwen Rutherford on ''[[Leave It to Beaver]]''.


===''Star Trek''===
===''Star Trek''===
In various roles, Barrett participated in every incarnation of the popular [[science fiction]] ''[[Star Trek]]'' [[Media franchise|franchise]] produced during her lifetime, including live-action and animated versions, television and cinema, and nearly all of the time periods in which the various series have been set.
[[File:Number One Star Trek.jpg|thumb|Barrett as the original "Number One" in Star Trek: The Original Series first pilot episode]]
In various roles, Barrett participated in every incarnation of the popular [[science fiction]] ''[[Star Trek]]'' [[Media franchise|franchise]] produced during her lifetime, including live-action and animated versions, television and cinema, and all of the time periods in which the various series have been set.


She first appeared in [[Star Trek: The Original Series|''Star Trek'']]'s initial pilot, "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]" (1964), as the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']]'s unnamed first officer, "[[Number One (Star Trek)|Number One]]". Barrett was romantically involved with Roddenberry, whose marriage was on the verge of failing at the time, and the idea of having an otherwise unknown woman in a leading role just because she was the producer's girlfriend is said to have infuriated NBC network executives who insisted that Roddenberry give the role to a man.<ref name=Solow>{{cite book |last1=Solow |first1=Herbert F. |last2=Justman |first2=Robert H. |year=1996 |title=Inside Star Trek: The Real Story |location=New York |publisher=Pocket Books |isbn=0-671-89628-8}}</ref> [[William Shatner]] corroborated this in ''Star Trek Memories'', and added that female viewers at test screenings hated the character as well.<ref>''Star Trek Memories'', dictated by [[William Shatner]] and transcribed by [[Chris Kreski]], which HarperCollins published, with the ISBN 0-06-017734-9, in 1993, made this claim in the chapter on "The Cage."</ref> Shatner noted that women viewers felt she was "pushy" and "annoying" and also thought that "Number One shouldn't be trying so hard to fit in with the men."<ref>William Shatner, ''Star Trek Memories'', Harper Collins, 1993. p.65</ref> Barrett often joked that Roddenberry, given the choice between keeping [[Spock|Mr. Spock]] (whom the network also hated) or the woman character, "kept the Vulcan and married the woman, 'cause he didn't think Leonard [Nimoy] would have it the other way around."<ref>{{cite web
She first appeared in [[Star Trek: The Original Series|''Star Trek'']]'s initial pilot, "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]" (1964), as the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']]'s unnamed first officer, "[[Number One (Star Trek)|Number One]]". Barrett was romantically involved with Roddenberry, whose marriage was on the verge of failing at the time, and the idea of having an otherwise unknown woman in a leading role just because she was the producer's girlfriend is said to have infuriated NBC network executives who insisted that Roddenberry give the role to a man.<ref name=Solow>{{cite book |last1 = Solow |first1 = Herbert F. |last2 = Justman |first2 = Robert H. |name-list-style = amp |year = 1996 |title = Inside Star Trek: The Real Story |location = New York |publisher = Pocket Books |isbn = 0-671-89628-8 |url = https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780671896287 }}</ref> [[William Shatner]] corroborated this in ''Star Trek Memories'', and added that female viewers at test screenings hated the character as well.<ref>{{cite book |title = Star Trek Memories |author1-link = William Shatner |first1 = William |last1 = Shatner |author2-link = Chris Kreski |first2 = Chris |last2 = Kreski |name-list-style = amp |publisher = HarperCollins |isbn = 0-06-017734-9 |year = 1993 }} Claim made in the chapter on "The Cage".</ref> Shatner said that female viewers felt she was "pushy" and "annoying" and also thought that "Number One shouldn't be trying so hard to fit in with the men."<ref>{{harvp|Shatner|Kreski|1993|p=65}}</ref> Barrett often joked that Roddenberry, given the choice between keeping [[Spock|Mr. Spock]] (whom the network also hated) or the woman character, "kept the Vulcan and married the woman, 'cause he didn't think Leonard [Nimoy] would have it the other way around".<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.totse.com/en/ego/science_fiction/majel.html |title = Bio and interview of Majel Barrett |date = August 25–26, 1990 |work = Creation presents Majel Barrett |access-date = May 31, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090117032203/http://www.totse.com/en/ego/science_fiction/majel.html |archive-date = January 17, 2009 }}</ref>
|url=http://www.totse.com/en/ego/science_fiction/majel.html
|title=Bio and interview of Majel Barrett, "Creation presents Majel Barrett
|date=August 25-26, 1990
|work="Creation presents Majel Barrett"
|accessdate=31 May 2013
|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20090117032203/http://www.totse.com/en/ego/science_fiction/majel.html
|archivedate=17 January 2009}}</ref>


When Roddenberry was casting for the second ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' pilot, "[[Where No Man Has Gone Before]]", she changed her last name from Hudec to Barrett and wore a blond wig for the role of nurse [[Christine Chapel]], a frequently recurring character,<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> who was introduced in "[[The Naked Time]]", the sixth new episode recorded, and was known for her unrequited affection for the dispassionate Spock. Her first appearance as Chapel in film dailies prompted NBC executive Jerry Stanley to yodel "Well, well—look who's back!"<ref name="Solow"/>
Her role in subsequent episodes of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' was altered to that of Nurse [[Christine Chapel]], a frequently recurring character, known for her unrequited affection for the dispassionate Spock. Her first appearance as Chapel in film dailies prompted NBC executive Jerry Stanley to yodel "Well, well--look who's back!".<ref name="Solow"/> In an early scene in ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', viewers are informed that she has now become Doctor Chapel, a role which she reprised briefly in ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]''. Barrett provided several voices for ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', including those of Nurse Chapel and a communications officer named [[M'Ress]], an [[Felidae|ailuroid]] officer who served alongside [[Uhura]]. She would return years later in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', cast as the outrageously self-assertive, iconoclastic [[Betazoid]] ambassador [[Lwaxana Troi]], who appeared as a recurring character in the series. Her character often vexed the captain of the ''Enterprise'', [[Jean-Luc Picard]], who spurned her amorous advances. Barrett later appeared as Ambassador Troi in several episodes of ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', where in stark contrast, she developed a strong relationship with [[Odo (Star Trek)|Constable Odo]].


In an early scene in ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', viewers are informed that she has now become Doctor Chapel, a role which she reprised briefly in ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'', as Commander Chapel. Barrett provided several voices for ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', including those of Nurse Chapel and a communications officer named [[M'Ress]], an [[Felidae|ailuroid]] officer who served alongside [[Uhura]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Mangels |first = Andy |date = Summer 2018 |title = Star Trek: The Animated Series |journal = RetroFan |issue = 1 |pages = 25–37 |publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]] }}</ref>
She provided the regular voice of the onboard computers of Federation starships for ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', and most of the ''Star Trek'' movies. She reprised her role as a shipboard computer's voice in two episodes of the prequel series ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', thus making her the only actor to have a role in all six televised ''Star Trek'' series. She also lent her voice to various computer games and software related to the franchise. The iconic association of her voice to interactions with computers led to Google's [[Assistant (Google)|Assistant]] project being initially codenamed ''Google Majel''. Barrett had also made a point of attending a major [[Star Trek convention]] each year in an effort to inspire fans and keep the franchise alive.


Barrett returned years later in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', cast as the outrageously self-assertive, iconoclastic [[Betazoid]] ambassador, [[Lwaxana Troi]], who appeared as a recurring character in the series, often visiting her daughter [[Deanna Troi|Deanna]], the ship's counselor. Her character often vexed the captain of the ''Enterprise'', [[Jean-Luc Picard]], who spurned her amorous advances. She later appeared as Ambassador Troi in several episodes of ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', where her character developed a strong relationship with [[Odo (Star Trek)|Constable Odo]].
Barrett is also one of six actors (the others being Jonathan Frakes, Kate Mulgrew, George Takei, Avery Brooks and Michael Dorn) to lend their voices to the CD-ROM ''Star Trek: Captain's Chair'', reprising her role as the voice of the ships' computers.


She was the regular voice of the onboard computers of Federation starships for ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', and most of the ''Star Trek'' movies. She reprised her role as a shipboard computer's voice in two episodes of the prequel series ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', thus making her the only actor to have a role in all six televised ''Star Trek'' series produced up to that time. She also lent her voice to various computer games and software related to the franchise. The association of her voice with interactions with computers led to Google's [[Assistant (Google)|Assistant]] project being initially codenamed Google Majel. She made a point of attending a major [[Star Trek convention|''Star Trek'' convention]] each year in an effort to inspire fans and keep the franchise alive.
On December 9, 2008, less than 10 days before her death, Roddenberry Productions announced that she would be providing the voice of the ship's computer once again, this time for the [[Star Trek (film)|2009 motion picture relaunch]] of ''Star Trek''.<ref>[http://www.roddenberry.com/MajelBarrettRoddenberryToVoiceEnterpriseComputerInJJAbrams039NewStarTrek.254.news Roddenberry Productions press release]{{dead link|date=August 2010}}, December 11, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2008.</ref> Sean Rossall, a Roddenberry family spokesman, stated that she had already completed the voiceover work, approximately December 4, 2008. The film is dedicated to her as well as Gene.


On December 9, 2008, shortly before her death, Roddenberry Productions announced that she would be providing the voice of the ship's computer again, this time for the [[Star Trek (2009 film)|2009 motion picture reboot]] of ''Star Trek''.<ref>{{cite press release |first1 = Sean |last1 = Rossall |first2 = Alfred |last2 = Hopton |name-list-style = amp |url = http://www.roddenberry.com/MajelBarrettRoddenberryToVoiceEnterpriseComputerInJJAbrams039NewStarTrek.254.news |title = Original ''Star Trek'' Actress Majel Barrett-Roddenberry to Voice Enterprise Computer in J.J. Abrams' New ''Star Trek'' Film |publisher = Roddenberry Productions |date = December 11, 2008 |access-date = December 18, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081220001638/http://www.roddenberry.com/MajelBarrettRoddenberryToVoiceEnterpriseComputerInJJAbrams039NewStarTrek.254.news |archive-date = December 20, 2008 }}</ref>
Barrett and her husband, Gene Roddenberry, were honored in 2002 by the [[Space Foundation]] with the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award<ref>[http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=877 - Space Foundation Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award]</ref> for their work creating awareness of and enthusiasm for space.


===Other roles===
===Other roles===
{{rquote|right|My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that ''Star Trek'' fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.|[[Rod Roddenberry|Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr.]]|<br><ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1099045/Star-Trek-creators-widow-dies-leukaemia-76.html Star Trek creator's widow dies of leukaemia at 76], [[Daily Mail]], December 20, 2008</ref>}}
{{rquote|right|My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that ''Star Trek'' fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.|[[Rod Roddenberry|Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr.]]|<ref>{{Cite news |title = Trek creator's widow dies aged 76 |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7791210.stm |date = 2008-12-19 |publisher = [[BBC News]] |access-date = 2021-12-18 |archive-date = 2021-12-18 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211218202918/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7791210.stm |url-status = live }}</ref>}}


She appeared as Primus Dominic in Roddenberry's 1973 [[post-apocalyptic]] TV drama pilot, ''[[Genesis II (film)|Genesis II]]'', as well as his 1977 TV drama pilot, ''[[Spectre (film)|Spectre]]'' as Lilith the housekeeper.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076745/</ref>
She appeared as Primus Dominic in Roddenberry's 1973 [[post-apocalyptic|postapocalyptic]] TV drama pilot, ''[[Genesis II (film)|Genesis II]]''; as Dr. Bradley in his 1974 television film ''[[The Questor Tapes]]'' and as Lilith the housekeeper in his 1977 TV drama pilot, ''[[Spectre (1977 film)|Spectre]]''. She also appeared in [[Michael Crichton]]'s 1973 sci-fi Western, ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]'' as Miss Carrie, a robot brothel madam; the 1977 [[Stanley Kramer]] thriller ''[[The Domino Principle]]'';<ref>{{cite web |first = Majel |last = Roddenberry |url = http://www.roddenberry.com/corporate-majel-biography |title = Majel Barrett Roddenberry – Biography |publisher = Roddenberry Productions |access-date = December 10, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111106161712/http://www.roddenberry.com/corporate-majel-biography |archive-date = November 6, 2011 }}</ref> and the 1979 television film ''[[The Man in the Santa Claus Suit]]'' starring [[Fred Astaire]]. Her later film appearances included small roles in ''[[Teresa's Tattoo]]'' (1994) and ''[[Mommy (1995 film)|Mommy]]'' (1995).


After Gene Roddenberry's death, Barrett took material from his archives to bring two of his ideas into production. She was executive producer of ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' (in which she also played the character Dr. Julianne Belman), and ''[[Andromeda (TV series)|Andromeda]]''. She also served as creative director for ''[[Gene Roddenberry's Lost Universe]]'', a [[comic book]] series based on another archival Roddenberry concept.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Tekno-Comix Debuts First Titles |magazine = [[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue = 63 |publisher = [[Ziff Davis]] |date = October 1994 |page = 232 }}</ref>
She appeared in [[Michael Crichton]]'s 1973 sci-fi western, ''[[Westworld]]'' as Miss Carrie, a robot brothel madam.<ref>{{cite web|author=Majel Roddenberry |url=http://www.roddenberry.com/corporate-majel-biography |title=Majel Barrett Roddenberry - Biography |publisher=Roddenberry.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-10}}</ref>


In a gesture of goodwill between the creators of the ''Star Trek'' franchise and of ''[[Babylon 5]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.ntua.gr/lurk/countries/co/guide/053.html |title = Point of No Return |work = The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 |date = October 29, 1996 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090201041445/http://www.ntua.gr/lurk/countries/co/guide/053.html |archive-date = February 1, 2009 }}</ref> she appeared in the ''Babylon 5'' episode "[[Point of No Return (Babylon 5)|Point of No Return]]", as Lady Morella, the psychic widow of the [[Centauri (Babylon 5)|Centauri]] emperor, a role which foreshadowed major plot elements in the series. Parodying her voice work as the computer for the ''Star Trek'' series, Barrett performed as a guest voice on ''[[Family Guy]]'' as the voice of [[Stewie Griffin]]'s ship's computer in the episode "[[Emission Impossible]]".
After Gene Roddenberry's death, Barrett took material from his archives to bring two of his ideas into production. She was executive producer of ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' (in which she also played the character Dr. Julianne Belman), and ''[[Andromeda (TV series)|Andromeda]]''.


Barrett's widely recognized voice performance as the ''Star Trek'' computer inspired the [[Amazon Alexa]] interactive [[virtual assistant (artificial intelligence)|virtual assistant]], according to its developer Toni Reid, although Barrett had no direct role in it.<ref name="nyt-alexa">{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/11/style/alexa-amazon-echo.html |title = Alexa, Where Have You Been All My Life? |last = Green |first = Penelope |date = July 11, 2017 |access-date = July 12, 2017 |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |quote = When Toni Reid and her colleagues at Amazon set out to build the device that is now known as Alexa, they were inspired by the computer that drove the Enterprise on ''Star Trek'' (voiced by Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played Nurse Chapel on the series and was married to the show's creator). Focusing on cadence and an accent that would suggest 'smart, humble, helpful,' the team tested voices that a diverse population would respond to. 'Our goal was to have Alexa be humanlike,' Ms. Reid said, but why end there? |archive-date = May 15, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200515235523/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/11/style/alexa-amazon-echo.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
In a gesture of goodwill between the creators of the ''Star Trek'' franchise and of ''[[Babylon 5]]'' (some of whose fans viewed them as rivals),<ref>[http://www.ntua.gr/lurk/countries/co/guide/053.html http://www.ntua.gr/lurk/countries/co/guide/053.html]</ref> she appeared in the ''Babylon 5'' episode "[[Point of No Return (Babylon 5)|Point of No Return]]", as Lady Morella, the psychic widow of the [[Centauri (Babylon 5)|Centauri]] emperor, a role which foreshadowed major plot elements in the series.


===Final voiceover work===
Parodying her voice work as the computer for the ''Star Trek'' series, Barrett performed as a guest voice on ''[[Family Guy]]'' as the voice of [[Stewie Griffin]]'s ship's computer in the episode "[[Emission Impossible]]".
Some of Barrett's final voiceover work was still in post-production, to be released in 2009 after her death, as mentioned in the credits of the 2009 film ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]'', again as the voice of the ''Enterprise'' computer. An animated production called ''[[Hamlet A.D.D.]]'' credited her as Majel Barrett Roddenberry, playing the voiceover role of Queen Robot.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2009/05/star_trek_computer_voices_majel_barrett_roddenberry.html |title = Voyages of Star Trek Computer Voice Majel Barrett Roddenberry |work = Voices.com |access-date = June 12, 2009 |archive-date = July 17, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717231308/http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2009/05/star_trek_computer_voices_majel_barrett_roddenberry.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
===The voice in the railroads===


==Personal life and death==
The [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] used her voice talent contained inside Harmon Electronics (of Grain Valley, MO) track-side [[defect detector]] devices, used in various locations west of the [[Mississippi River]]. When a defect is identified on the passing train, the system responds with her recorded voice announcing the defect location information to the train crew over the radio. In railroad forums and railroad radio monitoring groups she was and is still referred to as the "SP Lady". However, with the implementation of newer hotbox detector technology, finding her voice today on working detectors is very rare. The hotbox detectors that had her voice installed in them were not upgradeable to the newer digital signaling requirements, and finding parts for them was problematic. Today her voice is found on smaller regional railroads, usually only at dragging equipment locations, such as in California at milepost 24.6 on the Metrolink Lancaster line (under the I-5 and I-210 interchange in Sylmar), and in Oregon on the Portland & Western at milepost 746.5, near Lake Oswego. These voiced detectors remain because the lines were once owned by Southern Pacific, and because only two non-changing pre-recorded messages are used, compared to the dynamic changing library used in hotbox detectors. The only railroad that still uses her voice today is Union Pacific.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.railroadradio.net |title=Live Railroad Radio Communications |publisher=RailroadRadio.net |accessdate=2007-02-12}} Select ''UP San Francisco Bay Area'' for real-time communications feed.</ref>
[[File:Rod and Majel Roddenberry Star Trek Convention Las Vegas 20080814.jpg|thumb|left|Barrett and son Rod in Las Vegas, August 2008]]
In 1969, while scouting locations in Japan for MGM,<ref name=engel139>{{Cite book |last = Engel |first = Joel |year = 1994 |title = Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind Star Trek |publisher = Hyperion |location = New York |isbn = 0-7868-6004-9 |url = https://archive.org/details/generoddenberrym00enge |page = 139 }}</ref> Roddenberry realized that he missed Barrett, and proposed to her by telephone.<ref name=hise53/> [[Herbert Franklin Solow|Herbert F. Solow]] said that Roddenberry traveled to Japan with the intention of marrying Barrett.<ref name=engel139/> Barrett joined Roddenberry in [[Tokyo]], where they were married in a [[Shinto]] ceremony on August 6, 1969.<ref name=alex370>{{Cite book |last = Alexander |first = David |year = 1995 |title = Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry |publisher = Roc |location = New York |isbn = 0-451-45440-5 |url = https://archive.org/details/startrekcreator00davi |page = 370 }}</ref> Roddenberry considered it "sacrilegious" to have an American minister in Japan perform the ceremony.<ref name=hise53/> The wedding was attended by two Shinto priests as well as [[bridesmaid|maids of honor]]. Roddenberry and Barrett both wore [[kimono|kimonos]]; on their [[honeymoon]] they toured Japan.<ref name=alex370/> Roddenberry continued to have liaisons with other women, telling his friends that while in Japan, he had an encounter with a masseuse about a week after he was married.<ref name=engel140>{{harvp|Engel|1994|p= 140}}.</ref>


The new marriage was not legally binding, as his divorce from Eileen had not yet been finalized. This was resolved two days after his divorce was complete, and on December 29, a small ceremony was held at their home, followed by a reception for family and friends. Despite that, the couple continued to celebrate August 6 as their wedding anniversary. Roddenberry's young daughter, Dawn, decided to live with him and Barrett<ref>{{harvp|Alexander|1995|p= 372}}.</ref> and the family moved to a new house in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]] in October 1970.<ref>{{harvp|Alexander|1995|p= 377}}.</ref> In February 1974, Barrett and Roddenberry had a son, Eugene Jr., known as [[Rod Roddenberry]].<ref name="hise53">{{Cite book |last = Van Hise |first = James |year = 1992 |title = The Man Who Created Star Trek: Gene Roddenberry |publisher = Pioneer Books |isbn = 1-55698-318-2 |url = https://archive.org/details/manwhocreatedsta00jame |page = 53 }}</ref> They remained married until Gene's death at Barrett's side on October 24, 1991, in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>{{harvp|Alexander|1995|p= 7}}.</ref>
===Final voiceover work===
Some of Barrett's final voiceover work was still in post-production, to be released in 2009 after her death, as mentioned in the credits of the 2009 movie ''[[Star Trek (film)|Star Trek]]'', again as the computer's voice. An animated production called "[[Hamlet A.D.D.]]" credited her as Majel Barrett Roddenberry, playing the voice over role of Queen Robot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2009/05/star_trek_computer_voices_majel_barrett_roddenberry.html |title=Voyages of Star Trek Computer Voice Majel Barrett Roddenberry |publisher=Voices.com |accessdate=2009-06-12}}</ref>


After her husband's death, Barrett-Roddenberry commissioned [[Celestis]] to launch her together with Gene on an infinite mission to deepest space.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/090126211944.sgyf3ejk.html |title = Ashes of ''Star Trek'' creator and wife rocketing to deep space |work = Space Daily |access-date = March 21, 2019 |date = January 26, 2009 |archive-date = March 21, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190321203207/http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/090126211944.sgyf3ejk.html |url-status = live }}</ref> After putting them on the manifest for NASA's "Sunjammer" mission, the agency cancelled the mission in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/solarsail/index.html/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120405190251/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/solarsail/index.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = April 5, 2012 |title = Solar Sail Demonstrator ('Sunjammer') |publisher = National Aeronautic and Space Administration |access-date = March 21, 2019 }}</ref> Celestis rescheduled a launch for 2020, then later rescheduled it for June 2022, the next available commercial mission to deep space.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://enterprise-flight.com/dna/ |title = Enterprise Flight into Deep Space DNA Launch &#124; Celestis® |date = January 12, 2022 |access-date = March 11, 2022 |archive-date = March 13, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220313170101/https://enterprise-flight.com/dna/ |url-status = live }}</ref> A sample of the couple's cremated remains would be sealed into a specially made capsule designed to withstand space travel. A spacecraft will carry the capsule along with digitized tributes from fans, on Celestis' "Enterprise Flight".<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.celestis.com/star-trek-community/ |title = Star Trek Community |publisher = Celestis.com |access-date = March 21, 2019 |archive-date = March 21, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190321203208/https://www.celestis.com/star-trek-community/ |url-status = live}}</ref> The flight also would contain the ashes of [[Nichelle Nichols]] and [[Douglas Trumbull]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/26/nichelle-nichols-star-trek-ashes-space |title = Nichelle Nichols to become latest Star Trek star to have ashes sent into space |website = [[The Guardian]] |location = London |date = August 26, 2022 }}</ref> The Celestis "Enterprise Flight" was successfully launched from [[Cape Canaveral, Florida]] on January 8, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.celestis.com/launch-schedule/enterprise-flight/ |title = Enterprise Flight }}</ref>{{fcn|date=September 2024}}
===Death===
Barrett-Roddenberry died on December 18, 2008, at her home in [[Bel Air, Los Angeles]], [[California]], as a result of [[leukemia]]. She was 76 years old.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/12/18/us-roddenberry-idUSTRE4BH7FP20081218 Sci-fi icon Majel Barrett Roddenberry dies at 76], [[Reuters]], Thursday, December 18, 2008</ref>


A public funeral was held on January 4, 2009, in [[Los Angeles]]. More than 250 people attended including [[Nichelle Nichols]], [[George Takei]], [[Walter Koenig]], her on-screen daughter [[Marina Sirtis]], [[Brent Spiner]], [[Wil Wheaton]] and many [[Trekkie]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20090105/roddenberry_funeral_090105/|title=L.A. funeral held for actress Majel Roddenberry|publisher=[[CTV News]]|accessdate=2008-01-05}}</ref>
Barrett-Roddenberry died on the morning of December 18, 2008, at her home in [[Bel Air, Los Angeles]], California, as a result of [[leukemia]]. She was 76 years old.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-roddenberry-idUSTRE4BH7FP20081218 |title = Sci-fi icon Majel Barrett Roddenberry dies at 76 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160817050318/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-roddenberry-idUSTRE4BH7FP20081218 |archive-date = August 17, 2016 |publisher = [[Reuters]] |date = December 18, 2008 }}</ref> A public funeral was held on January 4, 2009, in Los Angeles. More than 250 people attended, including [[Nichelle Nichols]], [[George Takei]], [[Walter Koenig]], [[Marina Sirtis]], [[Brent Spiner]], and [[Wil Wheaton]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ctvnews.ca/l-a-funeral-held-for-actress-majel-roddenberry-1.357210 |title = L.A. funeral held for actress Majel Roddenberry |publisher = [[CTV News]] |access-date = January 5, 2008 |archive-date = October 21, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121021213100/http://www.ctvnews.ca/l-a-funeral-held-for-actress-majel-roddenberry-1.357210 |url-status = live }}</ref>


==Honors==
After Gene Roddenberry died in 1991, his wife had commissioned [[Celestis]] Inc., a company that specializes in "memorial spaceflights", to [[Space burial|launch a part of his remains into space]] in 1997. On January 26, 2009, Celestis said that it would ship the remains of Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett-Roddenberry into space the following year, but the launch has been delayed. The couple's cremated remains will be sealed into specially made capsules designed to withstand space travel. A rocket-launched spacecraft will carry the capsules, along with digitized tributes from fans.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2009-01-27-roddenberry-remains-space_N.htm |title=Gene Roddenberry, wife to spend eternity in space |publisher=Associated Press on USA Today |accessdate=2010-01-31 | date=January 27, 2009}}</ref> The spacecraft is currently planned for launch in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.celestis.com/memorial/voyager/default.asp |title=Majel Roddenberry - Celestis Voyager Flight Participants |publisher=Celestis.com |date= |accessdate=2012-01-19}}</ref>
Barrett and her husband were honored in 2002 by the [[Space Foundation]] with the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=877 |publisher = Space Foundation |title = Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111004121825/http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=877 |archive-date = October 4, 2011 }}</ref> for their work creating awareness of and enthusiasm for space.

Amazon code-named the project which eventually became [[Amazon Alexa|Alexa]] as “Majel.” <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/majel-barrett-roddenberry-paved-the-way-alexa-siri-1234716164/ | title=Remembering the 'First Lady of Star Trek' Whose Voice Paved the Way for Alexa and Siri | date=April 12, 2022 }}</ref>

==Filmography==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
| 1957
| ''[[Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?]]''
| Shampoo demonstrator
| Uncredited
|-
| 1958
| ''[[As Young as We Are]]''
| Joyce Goodwin
|
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Black Orchid (film)|The Black Orchid]]''
| Luisa
| Uncredited
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Buccaneer (1958 film)|The Buccaneer]]''
| Townswoman #1
|
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''
| Gwen Rutherford
|
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Love in a Goldfish Bowl]]''
| Alice
|
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Back Street (1961 film)|Back Street]]''
| Woman at Table
| Uncredited
|-
| 1963
| ''[[The Quick and the Dead (1963 film)|The Quick and the Dead]]''
| Teresa
|
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Sylvia (1965 film)|Sylvia]]''
| Anne
| Uncredited
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Made in Paris]]''
| Mrs. David Prentiss
| Uncredited
|-
| 1967
| ''[[A Guide for the Married Man]]''
| Mrs. Fred V.
|
|-
| 1967
| ''[[Track of Thunder]]''
| Georgia Clark
|
|-
| 1968
| ''[[Here Come the Brides]]''
| Tessa
|
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]''
| Miss Carrie
|
|-
| 1977
| ''[[The Domino Principle]]''
| Yuloff
|
|-
| 1979
| ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''
| [[Christine Chapel]]
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]''
| Christine Chapel
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Teresa's Tattoo]]''
| Henrietta
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Star Trek Generations]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Mommy (1995 film)|Mommy]]''
| Mrs. Withers
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Star Trek: Insurrection]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Star Trek: Nemesis]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role;<br>Posthumous release
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Hamlet A.D.D.]]''
| Queen Robot
| Voice role;<br>Posthumous release
|-
|}

=== Television ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
| 1959
| ''[[Whirlybirds]]''
| Nurse
| Episode: "The Black Maria"
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Johnny Midnight (TV series)|Johnny Midnight]]''
| Rosemary McCoy
| Episode: "The Villain of the Piece"
|-
| 1961–1962
| ''[[Pete and Gladys]]''
| Dental Assistant
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1962<br>1966
| ''[[Bonanza]]''
| Belle Ganther<br>Annie Slocum
| Episode: Gift of Water<br>Episode: Three Brides for Hoss
|-
| 1964
| ''[[The Lieutenant]]''
| Ruth Donaldson
| Episode: "In the Highest Tradition"
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' "[[The Cage (Star Trek)|The Cage]]"
| [[Number One (Star Trek)|Number One]]
| Original Star Trek-Pilot
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1966–1969
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''
| [[Christine Chapel]]
| 26 episodes
|-
| Ship Computer
| Voice role; 7 episodes, uncredited
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Genesis II (film)|Genesis II]]''
| Primus Dominique
| Television film
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1973–1974
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]''
| Christine Chapel (voice)
| 9 episodes
|-
| Various characters (voice)
| 22 episodes
|-
| 1974
| ''[[Planet Earth (film)|Planet Earth]]''
| Yuloff
| Television film
|-
| 1974
| ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]''
| Mrs. Derek
| Episode: "The Animal"
|-
| 1974
| ''[[The Questor Tapes]]''
| Dr. Bradley
| Television film
|-
| 1977
| ''[[Spectre (1977 film)|Spectre]]''
| Mrs. Schnaible
| Television film
|-
| 1979
| ''[[The Suicide's Wife]]''
| Clarissa Harmon
| Television film
|-
| 1979
| ''[[The Man in the Santa Claus Suit]]''
| Miss Forsyth
| Television film
|-
| 1987–1993
| rowspan="2" |''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''
| [[Lwaxana Troi]]
| 6 episodes
|-
| 1987–1994
| Ship Computer
| Voice role; 101 episodes, uncredited in early seasons, later credited.
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1993–1999
| rowspan="2" |''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''
| Ship/Federation Computer
| Voice role; 30 episodes
|-
| Lwaxana Troi
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1995–2001
| ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''
| Ship Computer
| Voice role; 115 episodes
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Babylon 5]]''
| Lady Morella
| Episode: "Point of No Return"
|-
| 1996-1998
| ''[[Spider-Man (1994 TV series)|Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]''
| Anna Watson (voice)
| 17 episodes
|-
| 1997–1999
| ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]''
| Dr. Julianne Belman
| 11 episodes
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Family Guy]]''
| Ship Computer (voice)
| Episode: "[[Emission Impossible]]"
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''
| Ship Computer (voice)
| Episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II & These Are The Voyages"
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Star Trek: Picard]]''
| Enterprise Computer (voice)
| Episode: "Vox" & "Last Generation"; Posthumous release
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.roddenberry.com Roddenberry Entertainment website]
{{commons}}
{{commons}}

{{portal|Star Trek}}
* {{IMDb name|0000854}}
* {{IMDb name|0000854}}
* {{Amg name|4168}}
* {{AllMovie name|4168}}
{{Memoryalpha|Majel Barrett-Roddenberry|Majel Barrett}}
{{Memory Alpha|Majel Barrett-Roddenberry}}
* [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=121554052 ''AP'' Obituary] in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
* [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=121554052 ''AP'' Obituary] in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''


{{Portal bar|Biography|United States|Ohio|California|Film|Speculative fiction|Television}}
{{wikinews|Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, wife of 'Star Trek' creator dies of cancer at 76}}
{{Gene Roddenberry}}{{Star Trek: The Original Series}}{{Authority control}}


{{Authority control|VIAF=27275583|LCCN=no/00/001043}}

<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME= Barrett-Roddenberry, Majel
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Hudec, Majel Leigh
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actress, film producer, voice actress
|DATE OF BIRTH= February 23, 1932
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Cleveland, Ohio]], U.S.
|DATE OF DEATH= December 18, 2008
|PLACE OF DEATH= [[Bel Air, Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Majel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Majel}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:Actresses from Cleveland, Ohio]]
[[Category:Actresses from Cleveland]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film producers]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:Television producers from Ohio]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:Audio book narrators]]
[[Category:Audiobook narrators]]
[[Category:Cancer deaths in California]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia in California]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia]]
[[Category:Gene Roddenberry]]
[[Category:University of Miami alumni]]
[[Category:University of Miami alumni]]
[[Category:American women film producers]]
[[Category:Film producers from Ohio]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:American women television producers]]
[[Category:Space burials]]

Latest revision as of 05:43, 12 November 2024

Majel Barrett
Barrett in 2006
Born
Majel Leigh Hudec

(1932-02-23)February 23, 1932
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.[nb 1]
DiedDecember 18, 2008(2008-12-18) (aged 76)
Bel Air, California, U.S.
Other namesM. Leigh Hudec
Alma materUniversity of Miami
OccupationActress
Years active1957–2008
Notable credit(s)Christine Chapel, Lwaxana Troi, and voice of ship's computer in the Star Trek franchise
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1969; died 1991)​
ChildrenRod Roddenberry
Signature

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (/ˈmeɪdʒəl/ MAY-jəl; born Majel Leigh Hudec;[2] February 23, 1932 – December 18, 2008) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as various characters in the Star Trek franchise: Nurse Christine Chapel (in the original Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and two films of the franchise), Number One (also in the original series), Lwaxana Troi (on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series from 1966 to 2023. She married Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry in 1969. As his wife and given her relationship with Star Trek—participating in some way in every series during her lifetime—she is sometimes[2] referred to as "the First Lady of Star Trek".

Early life

[edit]

Barrett was born in Cleveland, Ohio.[nb 1] She began taking acting classes as a child. She graduated from Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights which is part of Cleveland in 1950.[5][8] She went to the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, then had some stage roles and arrived in Hollywood. Her father, William Hudec, was a Cleveland police officer. He was killed in the line of duty while driving a police ambulance which was struck by an Erie Passenger Train at East 91st Street and Loren Avenue on August 30, 1955.[9] The tragedy occurred while Barrett was touring with an off-Broadway road company.

Career

[edit]

Barrett was briefly seen in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) in an ad parody at the beginning of the film, and had roles in a few films, including Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961), Sylvia (1965), A Guide for the Married Man (1967), and Track of Thunder (1967). She worked at the Desilu Studios on several TV shows, including Bonanza, The Untouchables, The Lucy Show, and The Lieutenant (produced by Gene Roddenberry). She received training in comedy from Lucille Ball. In 1960, she played Gwen Rutherford on Leave It to Beaver.

Star Trek

[edit]

In various roles, Barrett participated in every incarnation of the popular science fiction Star Trek franchise produced during her lifetime, including live-action and animated versions, television and cinema, and nearly all of the time periods in which the various series have been set.

She first appeared in Star Trek's initial pilot, "The Cage" (1964), as the USS Enterprise's unnamed first officer, "Number One". Barrett was romantically involved with Roddenberry, whose marriage was on the verge of failing at the time, and the idea of having an otherwise unknown woman in a leading role just because she was the producer's girlfriend is said to have infuriated NBC network executives who insisted that Roddenberry give the role to a man.[10] William Shatner corroborated this in Star Trek Memories, and added that female viewers at test screenings hated the character as well.[11] Shatner said that female viewers felt she was "pushy" and "annoying" and also thought that "Number One shouldn't be trying so hard to fit in with the men."[12] Barrett often joked that Roddenberry, given the choice between keeping Mr. Spock (whom the network also hated) or the woman character, "kept the Vulcan and married the woman, 'cause he didn't think Leonard [Nimoy] would have it the other way around".[13]

When Roddenberry was casting for the second Star Trek pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before", she changed her last name from Hudec to Barrett and wore a blond wig for the role of nurse Christine Chapel, a frequently recurring character,[2] who was introduced in "The Naked Time", the sixth new episode recorded, and was known for her unrequited affection for the dispassionate Spock. Her first appearance as Chapel in film dailies prompted NBC executive Jerry Stanley to yodel "Well, well—look who's back!"[10]

In an early scene in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, viewers are informed that she has now become Doctor Chapel, a role which she reprised briefly in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, as Commander Chapel. Barrett provided several voices for Star Trek: The Animated Series, including those of Nurse Chapel and a communications officer named M'Ress, an ailuroid officer who served alongside Uhura.[14]

Barrett returned years later in Star Trek: The Next Generation, cast as the outrageously self-assertive, iconoclastic Betazoid ambassador, Lwaxana Troi, who appeared as a recurring character in the series, often visiting her daughter Deanna, the ship's counselor. Her character often vexed the captain of the Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard, who spurned her amorous advances. She later appeared as Ambassador Troi in several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where her character developed a strong relationship with Constable Odo.

She was the regular voice of the onboard computers of Federation starships for Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and most of the Star Trek movies. She reprised her role as a shipboard computer's voice in two episodes of the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise, thus making her the only actor to have a role in all six televised Star Trek series produced up to that time. She also lent her voice to various computer games and software related to the franchise. The association of her voice with interactions with computers led to Google's Assistant project being initially codenamed Google Majel. She made a point of attending a major Star Trek convention each year in an effort to inspire fans and keep the franchise alive.

On December 9, 2008, shortly before her death, Roddenberry Productions announced that she would be providing the voice of the ship's computer again, this time for the 2009 motion picture reboot of Star Trek.[15]

Other roles

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My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.

— Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr., [16]

She appeared as Primus Dominic in Roddenberry's 1973 postapocalyptic TV drama pilot, Genesis II; as Dr. Bradley in his 1974 television film The Questor Tapes and as Lilith the housekeeper in his 1977 TV drama pilot, Spectre. She also appeared in Michael Crichton's 1973 sci-fi Western, Westworld as Miss Carrie, a robot brothel madam; the 1977 Stanley Kramer thriller The Domino Principle;[17] and the 1979 television film The Man in the Santa Claus Suit starring Fred Astaire. Her later film appearances included small roles in Teresa's Tattoo (1994) and Mommy (1995).

After Gene Roddenberry's death, Barrett took material from his archives to bring two of his ideas into production. She was executive producer of Earth: Final Conflict (in which she also played the character Dr. Julianne Belman), and Andromeda. She also served as creative director for Gene Roddenberry's Lost Universe, a comic book series based on another archival Roddenberry concept.[18]

In a gesture of goodwill between the creators of the Star Trek franchise and of Babylon 5,[19] she appeared in the Babylon 5 episode "Point of No Return", as Lady Morella, the psychic widow of the Centauri emperor, a role which foreshadowed major plot elements in the series. Parodying her voice work as the computer for the Star Trek series, Barrett performed as a guest voice on Family Guy as the voice of Stewie Griffin's ship's computer in the episode "Emission Impossible".

Barrett's widely recognized voice performance as the Star Trek computer inspired the Amazon Alexa interactive virtual assistant, according to its developer Toni Reid, although Barrett had no direct role in it.[20]

Final voiceover work

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Some of Barrett's final voiceover work was still in post-production, to be released in 2009 after her death, as mentioned in the credits of the 2009 film Star Trek, again as the voice of the Enterprise computer. An animated production called Hamlet A.D.D. credited her as Majel Barrett Roddenberry, playing the voiceover role of Queen Robot.[21]

Personal life and death

[edit]
Barrett and son Rod in Las Vegas, August 2008

In 1969, while scouting locations in Japan for MGM,[22] Roddenberry realized that he missed Barrett, and proposed to her by telephone.[23] Herbert F. Solow said that Roddenberry traveled to Japan with the intention of marrying Barrett.[22] Barrett joined Roddenberry in Tokyo, where they were married in a Shinto ceremony on August 6, 1969.[24] Roddenberry considered it "sacrilegious" to have an American minister in Japan perform the ceremony.[23] The wedding was attended by two Shinto priests as well as maids of honor. Roddenberry and Barrett both wore kimonos; on their honeymoon they toured Japan.[24] Roddenberry continued to have liaisons with other women, telling his friends that while in Japan, he had an encounter with a masseuse about a week after he was married.[25]

The new marriage was not legally binding, as his divorce from Eileen had not yet been finalized. This was resolved two days after his divorce was complete, and on December 29, a small ceremony was held at their home, followed by a reception for family and friends. Despite that, the couple continued to celebrate August 6 as their wedding anniversary. Roddenberry's young daughter, Dawn, decided to live with him and Barrett[26] and the family moved to a new house in Beverly Hills in October 1970.[27] In February 1974, Barrett and Roddenberry had a son, Eugene Jr., known as Rod Roddenberry.[23] They remained married until Gene's death at Barrett's side on October 24, 1991, in Santa Monica, California.[28]

After her husband's death, Barrett-Roddenberry commissioned Celestis to launch her together with Gene on an infinite mission to deepest space.[29] After putting them on the manifest for NASA's "Sunjammer" mission, the agency cancelled the mission in 2014.[30] Celestis rescheduled a launch for 2020, then later rescheduled it for June 2022, the next available commercial mission to deep space.[31] A sample of the couple's cremated remains would be sealed into a specially made capsule designed to withstand space travel. A spacecraft will carry the capsule along with digitized tributes from fans, on Celestis' "Enterprise Flight".[32] The flight also would contain the ashes of Nichelle Nichols and Douglas Trumbull.[33] The Celestis "Enterprise Flight" was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 8, 2024.[34][full citation needed]

Barrett-Roddenberry died on the morning of December 18, 2008, at her home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, as a result of leukemia. She was 76 years old.[35] A public funeral was held on January 4, 2009, in Los Angeles. More than 250 people attended, including Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, and Wil Wheaton.[36]

Honors

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Barrett and her husband were honored in 2002 by the Space Foundation with the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award[37] for their work creating awareness of and enthusiasm for space.

Amazon code-named the project which eventually became Alexa as “Majel.” [38]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1957 Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Shampoo demonstrator Uncredited
1958 As Young as We Are Joyce Goodwin
1958 The Black Orchid Luisa Uncredited
1958 The Buccaneer Townswoman #1
1960 Leave it to Beaver Gwen Rutherford
1961 Love in a Goldfish Bowl Alice
1961 Back Street Woman at Table Uncredited
1963 The Quick and the Dead Teresa
1965 Sylvia Anne Uncredited
1966 Made in Paris Mrs. David Prentiss Uncredited
1967 A Guide for the Married Man Mrs. Fred V.
1967 Track of Thunder Georgia Clark
1968 Here Come the Brides Tessa
1973 Westworld Miss Carrie
1977 The Domino Principle Yuloff
1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Christine Chapel
1986 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Christine Chapel
1994 Teresa's Tattoo Henrietta
1994 Star Trek Generations Ship Computer Voice role
1995 Mommy Mrs. Withers
1996 Star Trek: First Contact Ship Computer Voice role
1998 Star Trek: Insurrection Ship Computer Voice role
2002 Star Trek: Nemesis Ship Computer Voice role
2009 Star Trek Ship Computer Voice role;
Posthumous release
2014 Hamlet A.D.D. Queen Robot Voice role;
Posthumous release

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Whirlybirds Nurse Episode: "The Black Maria"
1960 Johnny Midnight Rosemary McCoy Episode: "The Villain of the Piece"
1961–1962 Pete and Gladys Dental Assistant 2 episodes
1962
1966 		Bonanza Belle Ganther
Annie Slocum 		Episode: Gift of Water
Episode: Three Brides for Hoss
1964 The Lieutenant Ruth Donaldson Episode: "In the Highest Tradition"
1965 Star Trek "The Cage" Number One Original Star Trek-Pilot
1966–1969 Star Trek Christine Chapel 26 episodes
Ship Computer Voice role; 7 episodes, uncredited
1973 Genesis II Primus Dominique Television film
1973–1974 Star Trek: The Animated Series Christine Chapel (voice) 9 episodes
Various characters (voice) 22 episodes
1974 Planet Earth Yuloff Television film
1974 The F.B.I. Mrs. Derek Episode: "The Animal"
1974 The Questor Tapes Dr. Bradley Television film
1977 Spectre Mrs. Schnaible Television film
1979 The Suicide's Wife Clarissa Harmon Television film
1979 The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Miss Forsyth Television film
1987–1993 Star Trek: The Next Generation Lwaxana Troi 6 episodes
1987–1994 Ship Computer Voice role; 101 episodes, uncredited in early seasons, later credited.
1993–1999 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Ship/Federation Computer Voice role; 30 episodes
Lwaxana Troi 3 episodes
1995–2001 Star Trek: Voyager Ship Computer Voice role; 115 episodes
1996 Babylon 5 Lady Morella Episode: "Point of No Return"
1996-1998 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Anna Watson (voice) 17 episodes
1997–1999 Earth: Final Conflict Dr. Julianne Belman 11 episodes
2001 Family Guy Ship Computer (voice) Episode: "Emission Impossible"
2005 Star Trek: Enterprise Ship Computer (voice) Episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II & These Are The Voyages"
2023 Star Trek: Picard Enterprise Computer (voice) Episode: "Vox" & "Last Generation"; Posthumous release

Notes

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  1. ^ a b While many sources state that Barrett was born in Cleveland (e.g., Associated Press,[1] The Daily Telegraph,[2] Roddenberry Entertainment[3] and CBS Studios[4]), some sources say Columbus (e.g., Cleveland Plain Dealer,[5] Los Angeles Times[6] and, curiously, CBS Studios[7]).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Majel Roddenberry, 'Star Trek' Actress, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 19, 2008. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Majel Barrett Roddenberry: Actress who found fame as the 'First Lady of Star Trek'". The Daily Telegraph. London. December 21, 2008. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "Corporate Bios". Roddenberry Entertainment. December 29, 2015. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "Barrett". CBS Studios. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Shaker Heights High School grad Majel Roddenberry, 'First Lady of Star Trek,' dies". Cleveland Plain Dealer. December 19, 2008. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  6. ^ "Majel B. Roddenberry, wife of 'Star Trek' creator, dies". Los Angeles Times. December 19, 2008. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  7. ^ "Remembering Majel Barrett-Roddenberry". CBS Studios. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  8. ^ "1950 Shaker Heights High School Yearbook". Classmates.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  9. ^ "Patrolman William Hudec". Officer Down Memorial Page. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Solow, Herbert F. & Justman, Robert H. (1996). Inside Star Trek: The Real Story. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-89628-8.
  11. ^ Shatner, William & Kreski, Chris (1993). Star Trek Memories. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-017734-9. Claim made in the chapter on "The Cage".
  12. ^ Shatner & Kreski (1993), p. 65
  13. ^ "Bio and interview of Majel Barrett". Creation presents Majel Barrett. August 25–26, 1990. Archived from the original on January 17, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  14. ^ Mangels, Andy (Summer 2018). "Star Trek: The Animated Series". RetroFan. No. 1. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 25–37.
  15. ^ Rossall, Sean & Hopton, Alfred (December 11, 2008). "Original Star Trek Actress Majel Barrett-Roddenberry to Voice Enterprise Computer in J.J. Abrams' New Star Trek Film" (Press release). Roddenberry Productions. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
  16. ^ "Trek creator's widow dies aged 76". BBC News. December 19, 2008. Archived from the original on December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Roddenberry, Majel. "Majel Barrett Roddenberry – Biography". Roddenberry Productions. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  18. ^ "Tekno-Comix Debuts First Titles". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 63. Ziff Davis. October 1994. p. 232.
  19. ^ "Point of No Return". The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5. October 29, 1996. Archived from the original on February 1, 2009.
  20. ^ Green, Penelope (July 11, 2017). "Alexa, Where Have You Been All My Life?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2017. When Toni Reid and her colleagues at Amazon set out to build the device that is now known as Alexa, they were inspired by the computer that drove the Enterprise on Star Trek (voiced by Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played Nurse Chapel on the series and was married to the show's creator). Focusing on cadence and an accent that would suggest 'smart, humble, helpful,' the team tested voices that a diverse population would respond to. 'Our goal was to have Alexa be humanlike,' Ms. Reid said, but why end there?
  21. ^ "Voyages of Star Trek Computer Voice Majel Barrett Roddenberry". Voices.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  22. ^ a b Engel, Joel (1994). Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind Star Trek. New York: Hyperion. p. 139. ISBN 0-7868-6004-9.
  23. ^ a b c Van Hise, James (1992). The Man Who Created Star Trek: Gene Roddenberry. Pioneer Books. p. 53. ISBN 1-55698-318-2.
  24. ^ a b Alexander, David (1995). Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry. New York: Roc. p. 370. ISBN 0-451-45440-5.
  25. ^ Engel (1994), p. 140.
  26. ^ Alexander (1995), p. 372.
  27. ^ Alexander (1995), p. 377.
  28. ^ Alexander (1995), p. 7.
  29. ^ "Ashes of Star Trek creator and wife rocketing to deep space". Space Daily. January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  30. ^ "Solar Sail Demonstrator ('Sunjammer')". National Aeronautic and Space Administration. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  31. ^ "Enterprise Flight into Deep Space DNA Launch | Celestis®". January 12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  32. ^ "Star Trek Community". Celestis.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  33. ^ "Nichelle Nichols to become latest Star Trek star to have ashes sent into space". The Guardian. London. August 26, 2022.
  34. ^ "Enterprise Flight".
  35. ^ "Sci-fi icon Majel Barrett Roddenberry dies at 76". Reuters. December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016.
  36. ^ "L.A. funeral held for actress Majel Roddenberry". CTV News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  37. ^ "Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award". Space Foundation. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011.
  38. ^ "Remembering the 'First Lady of Star Trek' Whose Voice Paved the Way for Alexa and Siri". April 12, 2022.
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