Biography

Gene Roddenberry

Jump to

While in junior high school, he became interested in science fiction. 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 three years of the 'Star Trek' television series, as well as producing the films 'Pretty Maids All in a Row' and Star Trek - the Motion Picture.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

His stories often reflect his social views
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
His stories often have a conflict between emotion and logic

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.
An interviewer asked Roddenberry about the casting of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, saying "Wouldn't they have cured baldness by the 24th Century?". Roddenberry answered "By the 24th Century, they wouldn't care.".

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.

Suggest an edit or add missing content