- Born
- Died
- Birth nameEugene Wesley Roddenberry
- Nickname
- The Great Bird of the Galaxy
- Height6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
- While in junior high school, he became interested in science fiction, and years later while reading a copy of 'Astounding Stories' when he was working as an airline pilot, he decided to give it up and become a writer. He moved West and joined the Los Angeles police force to gain experience that would help him toward a writing career in Hollywood. He began selling scripts for television shows such as 'Dragnet' and 'Naked City'. He was head writer on 'Have Gun Will Travel' for two years, winning the 'Writer's Guild Award' for 'Best Script'. He created and produced 'The Lieutenant' followed by 3 years of the 'Star Trek' television series and produced the films 'Pretty Maids All in a Row', the first 'Star Trek' film and was executive consultant on the following two.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpousesMajel Barrett(December 29, 1969 - October 24, 1991) (his death, 1 child)Eileen Anita Rexroat(June 20, 1942 - December 27, 1969) (divorced, 2 children)
- His stories often reflect his social views
- His characters are often very diverse, covering many races and ethnicities
- Frequently used sci-fi stories as metaphors for social issues
- Best known as the creator of the television series Star Trek (1966)
- Many of his antagonists are portrayed as good individuals taken over by fanaticism
- During World War II, he had a friend named Kim Noonien Singh; after the war Kim disappeared, and Gene used his name for some characters in the Star Trek series (Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Noonien Soong from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)) in hopes that Kim might recognize his name and contact him.
- Passed away within 48 hours of screening Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), the last Trek that revolved around his original characters.
- Some of his ashes sent up in a rocket, launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
- Was an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department from 1949 - 1956. He left the L.A.P.D. as a Sergeant to pursue his interest in the entertainment industry.
- His series Star Trek (1966) was one of the first series to have African-American and Asian actors in leading roles.
- A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away.
- I have felt many times trapped by Star Trek. It cost me dearly. It won't anymore, because I've come to grips with what it is and where it fits in my life.
- Normal television limits what you can do. With science fiction, you can exercise your imagination more. I fell in love with it.
- I wish I had more control, more like Edgar Rice Burroughs had, but I'm a realist, too. I work in television. I don't know that I would want to spend the rest of my life controlling my characters.
- We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing, all-powerful God, who creates faulty humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes.
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