Gene Roddenberry

Gene Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and creator best known for creating the science fiction franchise Star Trek. Born on August 19, 1921 in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry wanted to be a pilot from a young age and earned his wings in the United States Army Air Corps in 1941. He served during World War II, flying 89 combat missions and emerging with a Distinguished Flying Cross, a Air Medal and an Oak Leaf Cluster. After the war, Roddenberry returned to Los Angeles to pursue a career in writing and eventually found success in television.

Roddenberry's career in television began in 1949 when he wrote for the police drama Fighter Squadron. His writing credits soon grew, including episodes of Highway Patrol, Have Gun – Will Travel, and The West Point Story. In 1960, he wrote the original pilot for what would become Star Trek, followed by the second pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. NBC liked the idea and commissioned the new series with Roddenberry as executive producer. Roddenberry collaborated with television writers like D.C. Fontana and started a “Star Trek writers’ room” to produce the show. Star Trek quickly grew in popularity and made Roddenberry a household name.

Roddenberry’s fame and influence continued to grow, allowing him to create two other series: The Questor Tapes in 1974 and Genesis II in 1973. Roddenberry also wrote and produced movies outside of the Star Trek franchise, such as 1978's A Step Toward Tomorrow and 1979's Spectre.

Aside from his writing achievements, Roddenberry was a passionate advocate for human rights. In 1976, Gene and Majel Barrett founded the “Earthlings Foundation”, which worked to promote international understanding and end discrimination. This work eventually led to Roddenberry receiving the Peace and Freedom Award by the NAACP in 1979.

Gene Roddenberry’s legacy lives on in the form of the Star Trek franchise and all it has inspired. Since the show's inception, it has spawned numerous TV series, films and books and even a devoted fan base that spans across the world. Roddenberry’s ideas and writings have influenced the science fiction genre for generations and will continue to do so for years to come. He died on October 24, 1991, at the age of 70.