Majel Barrett | |
|---|---|
 Barrett in 2006 | |
| Born | Majel Leigh Hudec (1932-02-23)February 23, 1932 |
| Died | December 18, 2008(2008-12-18) (aged 76) Bel Air, California, U.S. |
| Other names | M. Leigh Hudec |
| Alma mater | University of Miami |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1957–2008 |
| Notable credit(s) | Christine Chapel,Lwaxana Troi, and voice of ship's computer in theStar Trek franchise |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Rod Roddenberry |
| Signature | |
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Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (/ˈmeɪdʒəl/MAY-jəl; bornMajel Leigh Hudec;[2] February 23, 1932 – December 18, 2008) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as various characters in theStar Trek franchise: NurseChristine Chapel (in theoriginalStar Trek series,Star Trek: The Animated Series, and two films of the franchise),Number One (also in the original series),Lwaxana Troi (onStar Trek: The Next Generation andStar Trek: Deep Space Nine), and the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series from 1966 to 2023.
She marriedStar Trek creatorGene Roddenberry in 1969. As his wife and given her relationship withStar Trek—participating in some way in every series during her lifetime—she is sometimes[2] referred to as "theFirst Lady ofStar Trek".
Barrett was born inCleveland, Ohio.[nb 1] She began taking acting classes as a child. She graduated fromShaker Heights High School inShaker Heights, Ohio.[5][8] She went to theUniversity of Miami inCoral Gables, Florida, then had some stage roles and arrived inHollywood. 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 anoff-Broadway road company.
Barrett was briefly seen inWill Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) in an ad parody at the beginning of the film, and had roles in a few films, includingLove in a Goldfish Bowl (1961),Sylvia (1965),A Guide for the Married Man (1967), andTrack of Thunder (1967). She worked at theDesilu Studios on several TV shows, includingBonanza,The Untouchables,The Lucy Show, andThe Lieutenant (produced by Gene Roddenberry). She received training in comedy fromLucille Ball. In 1960, she played Gwen Rutherford onLeave It to Beaver.
In various roles, Barrett participated in every incarnation of the popularscience fictionStar Trekfranchise 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 inStar Trek's initial pilot, "The Cage" (1964), as theUSSEnterprise'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 inStar 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 keepingMr. 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 secondStar 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 nurseChristine 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 inStar Trek: The Motion Picture, viewers are informed that she has now become Doctor Chapel, a role which she reprised briefly inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home, as Commander Chapel. Barrett provided several voices forStar Trek: The Animated Series, including those of Nurse Chapel and a communications officer namedM'Ress, anailuroid officer who served alongsideUhura.[14]
Barrett returned years later inStar Trek: The Next Generation, cast as the outrageously self-assertive, iconoclasticBetazoid ambassador,Lwaxana Troi, who appeared as a recurring character in the series, often visiting her daughterDeanna, the ship's counselor. Her character often vexed the captain of theEnterprise,Jean-Luc Picard, who spurned her amorous advances. She later appeared as Ambassador Troi in several episodes ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, where her character developed a strong relationship withConstable Odo.
She was the regular voice of the onboard computers of Federation starships forStar Trek: The Original Series,Star Trek: The Next Generation,Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,Star Trek: Voyager, and most of theStar Trek movies. She reprised her role as a shipboard computer's voice in two episodes of the prequel seriesStar Trek: Enterprise, thus making her the only actor to have a role in all six televisedStar 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'sAssistant project being initially codenamed Google Majel. She made a point of attending a majorStar 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 the2009 motion picture reboot ofStar Trek.[15]
My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact thatStar 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.
She appeared as Primus Dominic in Roddenberry's 1973postapocalyptic TV drama pilot,Genesis II; as Dr. Bradley in his 1974 television filmThe Questor Tapes and as Lilith the housekeeper in his 1977 TV drama pilot,Spectre. She also appeared inMichael Crichton's 1973 sci-fi Western,Westworld as Miss Carrie, a robot brothel madam; the 1977Stanley Kramer thrillerThe Domino Principle;[17] and the 1979 television filmThe Man in the Santa Claus Suit starringFred Astaire. Her later film appearances included small roles inTeresa's Tattoo (1994) andMommy (1995).
After Gene Roddenberry's death, Barrett took material from his archives to bring two of his ideas into production. She was executive producer ofEarth: Final Conflict (in which she also played the character Dr. Julianne Belman), andAndromeda. She also served as creative director forGene Roddenberry's Lost Universe, acomic book series based on another archival Roddenberry concept.[18]
In a gesture of goodwill between the creators of theStar Trek franchise and ofBabylon 5,[19] she appeared in theBabylon 5 episode "Point of No Return", as Lady Morella, the psychic widow of theCentauri emperor, a role which foreshadowed major plot elements in the series. Parodying her voice work as the computer for theStar Trek series, Barrett performed as a guest voice onFamily Guy as the voice ofStewie Griffin's ship's computer in the episode "Emission Impossible".
Barrett's widely recognized voice performance as theStar Trek computer inspired theAmazon Alexa interactivevirtual assistant, according to its developer Toni Reid, although Barrett had no direct role in it.[20]
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 filmStar Trek, again as the voice of theEnterprise computer. An animated production calledHamlet A.D.D. credited her as Majel Barrett Roddenberry, playing the voiceover role of Queen Robot.[21]
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 inTokyo, where they were married in aShinto 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 asmaids of honor. Roddenberry and Barrett both worekimonos; on theirhoneymoon 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 inBeverly Hills in October 1970.[27] In February 1974, Barrett and Roddenberry had a son, Eugene Jr., known asRod Roddenberry.[23] They remained married until Gene's death at Barrett's side on October 24, 1991, inSanta Monica, California.[28]
After her husband's death, Barrett-Roddenberry commissionedCelestis 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 ofNichelle Nichols andDouglas Trumbull.[33] The Celestis "Enterprise Flight" was successfully launched fromCape Canaveral, Florida on January 8, 2024.[34][full citation needed]
Barrett-Roddenberry died on the morning of December 18, 2008, at her home inBel Air, Los Angeles, California, as a result ofleukemia. She was 76 years old.[35] A public funeral was held on January 4, 2009, in Los Angeles. More than 250 people attended, includingNichelle Nichols,George Takei,Walter Koenig,Marina Sirtis,Brent Spiner, andWil Wheaton.[36]
Barrett and her husband were honored in 2002 by theSpace 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 becameAlexa as “Majel.”[38]
| 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 |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Whirlybirds | Nurse | Episode: "The Black Maria" |
| 1960 | Johnny Midnight | Rosemary McCoy | Episode: "The Villain of the Piece" |
| 1960 | ‘’Leave It To Beaver’’ | Mrs. Rutherford | Episode: “Beaver and Violet” |
| 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) | Episodes: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" & "These Are The Voyages" |
| 2023 | Star Trek: Picard | Enterprise Computer (voice) | Episode: "Vox" & "Last Generation"; Posthumous release |
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 onStar 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?
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