Grace Lee Whitney(1930-2015)

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Star Trek VI : Terre inconnue (1991)

Grace Lee Whitney was a versatile actress and vocalist born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Beginning as a "girl singer" on Detroit's WJR radio, she soon opened in nightclubs for Billie Holiday and Buddy Rich, and toured with the Spike Jones and Fred Waring Bands. Grace debuted on Broadway in "Top Banana", and subsequently appeared in the United Artists film Top Banana (1954). Grace is probably best known for her portrayal of Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek (1966) series. She later reprised her role for a string of successful Star Trek films: Star Trek, le film (1979), Star Trek III : À la recherche de Spock (1984), Star Trek IV : Retour sur Terre (1986), and Star Trek VI : Terre inconnue (1991). Grace continued to delight fans in personal appearances at conventions and events throughout North America and Europe. In 1998, she appeared in an episode of Diagnostic: meurtre (1993) with her Star Trek castmates George Takei, Walter Koenig and Majel Barrett. Grace Lee Whitney died at age 85 of natural causes in her home in Coarsegold, California on May 1, 2015.

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Trivia
Moved to Coarsegold, California in 1993 and continued her fellowship work in Fresno and Madera Counties, completely dedicating her life to helping herself and others find daily sobriety and a higher power out of addiction. She wanted to be known more as a survivor of addiction than as a cast member of Star Trek (1966).

Quotes
[on the famous 'Yeoman Rand' basketweave hairstyle from Star Trek (1966)] It was so heavy it kept listing to the left, I swear they had to nail that thing to my head! It was gorgeous Max Factor hair. It cost a lot of money and somebody stole it. I still have visions of that damn wig turning up. I go down to Skid Row for my recovery program - I'm clean and sober now - and I keep expecting to find some bag lady or drag queen wearing it!