• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

RIP Grace Lee Whitney

Really sad news.

A bit strange actually. Yesterday I saw an episode of Hawaii 5 0 where the team doctor and a colleague who both were ardent Star Trek fans were bitter enemies over a Janice Rand action figure. However, they solved the problem and did become friends again at the end of the episode.

Then today I wake up and find this. Really depressing. but let us cherish the good memories. She was a great actress.

RIP Grace Lee Whitney.
 
Whitney got a raw deal on the original series in more ways than one. It's entirely to her credit that Rand is as memorable a character as she is. In some respects, she left such an impression that it's hard to believe she was gone after the first 13 episodes.

RIP.

I'll try and put together a Rand/Whitney fact check for later this month.
 
The Four Doctor said:
It's a real shame they depicted her character as a glorified secretary, like they depicted Nichelle as a glorified telephone operator.
Click to expand...

There's a small clue that Rand was qualified to do more than fetch coffee. In "The Naked Time", after Sulu and Riley wig out, Leslie starts cracking up. Kirk orders Rand to take the helm.
 
Good observation. She'd also advanced to the position of Enterprise transporter chief by the time of ST:TMP (set about six years after Season 1 of TOS) and we later see her stationed at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth during the Whale Probe crisis, helping to coordinate global emergency measures.

She was definitely more than just a glorified secretary who carried cups of coffee even if TOS didn't show much of her other capabilities.
 
cooleddie74 said:
Good observation. She'd also advanced to the position of Enterprise transporter chief by the time of ST:TMP (set about six years after Season 1 of TOS) and we later see her stationed at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth during the Whale Probe crisis, helping to coordinate global emergency measures.

She was definitely more than just a glorified secretary who carried cups of coffee even if TOS didn't show much of her other capabilities.
Click to expand...

Years ago, some poster asked something to the effect of "who is that haggard lady at the transporter controls in TMP." What an insult!

Ms. Whitney had some very rough patches in life, but worked hard at recovery, and then unselfishly helped many others to recover as well. And through the years, she has been a fixture of Trek. She was definitely a wonderful person.

:(

Kor
 
So sorry to hear the news. She should be commended on what she accomplished and overcoming her addiction as well as helping others.

I have to admit that as a young lad seeing her in the early 70s when I first was watching the series in syndication, I had more more adult fantasies. She was a beauty and the mini-skirt uniform, no complaints from me.
 
Kor said:
Years ago, some poster asked something to the effect of "who is that haggard lady at the transporter controls in TMP." What an insult!

Ms. Whitney had some very rough patches in life, but worked hard at recovery, and then unselfishly helped many others to recover as well. And through the years, she has been a fixture of Trek. She was definitely a wonderful person.

:(

Kor
Click to expand...

Rude. She looked fine in her TMP scenes.

Are you sure someone wasn't just trolling?
 
Three great posts back to back.


Harvey said:
Whitney got a raw deal on the original series in more ways than one. It's entirely to her credit that Rand is as memorable a character as she is. In some respects, she left such an impression that it's hard to believe she was gone after the first 13 episodes.

RIP.

I'll try and put together a Rand/Whitney fact check for later this month.
Click to expand...

First, thanks, Harvey. I'm sure we'll all look forward to that one.

At this point, I have to recommend her autobiography, "The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy". It is a great read.


Melakon said:
The Four Doctor said:
It's a real shame they depicted her character as a glorified secretary, like they depicted Nichelle as a glorified telephone operator.
Click to expand...

There's a small clue that Rand was qualified to do more than fetch coffee. In "The Naked Time", after Sulu and Riley wig out, Leslie starts cracking up. Kirk orders Rand to take the helm.
Click to expand...

Second, Melakon, a very good catch and a great indication of what her capabilities were.

cooleddie74 said:
Good observation. She'd also advanced to the position of Enterprise transporter chief by the time of ST:TMP (set about six years after Season 1 of TOS) and we later see her stationed at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth during the Whale Probe crisis, helping to coordinate global emergency measures.

She was definitely more than just a glorified secretary who carried cups of coffee even if TOS didn't show much of her other capabilities.
Click to expand...

Lastly, cooleddie74, it was good to see her advancement in the movies. If nothing else, it certainly showed the attitude difference from the 60's. It was a good thing.
 
Melakon said:
The Four Doctor said:
It's a real shame they depicted her character as a glorified secretary, like they depicted Nichelle as a glorified telephone operator.
Click to expand...

There's a small clue that Rand was qualified to do more than fetch coffee. In "The Naked Time", after Sulu and Riley wig out, Leslie starts cracking up. Kirk orders Rand to take the helm.
Click to expand...

Her potential as a crewman was somewhat squandered. In Ellison's recent comic version of CotEoF, Rand got to strut some serious stuff, and was recognised as one of the more senior non-coms by taking charge of the security team (she was most likely a senior petty officer in TOS given that she was a chief petty officer in TMP). I love Helen Noel but it would have been nice to see Janice get stuck in on a mission like that during TOS.
 
Kor said:
Years ago, some poster asked something to the effect of "who is that haggard lady at the transporter controls in TMP." What an insult!

Ms. Whitney had some very rough patches in life, but worked hard at recovery, and then unselfishly helped many others to recover as well. And through the years, she has been a fixture of Trek. She was definitely a wonderful person.
Click to expand...


That's a pretty rude statement, but par for the course with some people. Considering what Grace went through and endured during her life she looked amazing in TMP and her appearance was just fine. I recognized her as Janice Rand, and not just because I'm a lifelong Trek fan. I have eyes, plus as Admiral Kirk walks away from the console after Sonak and the other crewperson die he says: "There's nothing you could have done, Rand. It wasn't your fault."

It's right there in the dialogue if you just listen and pay attention to it.
 
Rudeness, one of the more despicable 'human' conditions.:scream:

It really was a pity that Ms Whitney was dropped from the original series so early on. It would have been fun to see her get some more story time if they had toned back the whole romance thing with Kirk. Easy enough to do.

And although she suffered setbacks after that, she seemed to come thru them with great strength of character, helping others battle addictions from a position of understanding.

It was great to see her back in four of the six TOS movies, plus the Voyager episode "Flashback".

Condolences to her sons and other family at this difficult time. But she will be remembered in many hearts and minds I think.

It has not been a good year when it comes to losing cast members. Another childhood hero has departed. :(
 
Ha ha. Grace looked amazing. She certainly carried off the TMP uniform better than some other cast members (no offence intended to anybody else though - it's a compliment to her not an insult to them). Some people can't cope with the concept of having a woman aged over 40 in any show unless she's playing the hot girl's mother or the school principal / headmistress :P
 
I like how she pulled rank on Tuvok when they both served on the Excelsior. Watching Janice (and Grace) get to show her chops was great even if it was decades late. It was also the script where - after 30 years - fans finally learned how long it took her to finally get promoted to the rank of ensign (I guess Janice was serving on another vessel or at a starbase when she got her promotion, then returned to the Enterprise during and after her refit).
 
cooleddie74 said:
I have eyes, plus as Admiral Kirk walks away from the console after Sonak and the other crewperson die he says: "There's nothing you could have done, Rand. It wasn't your fault."

It's right there in the dialogue if you just listen and pay attention to it.
Click to expand...

I've always thought her reaction to that was a look that said "no shit it wasn't my fault".
 
She wasn't that bad looking.

Now most of the original cast is gone.

I have a hard time watching some Trek now because of it.

Leonard Nimoy was a personal hero of mine.
 
A good source for what was being said about Trek was the BEST OF TREK books published in the 1970's and '80's. One issue has a circa 1978 interview with Ms. Whitney, it is a great read. I have most of the books in storage but am due for a re-read. She was a lot of fun in the article, talked about her album To The Stars, her latest information on the new movie, and so forth.

She was fabulous to watch on ST and from the printed interviews I've read in the day, sounded like a positive person to be around.
 
Not bad at all. She was always an attractive woman no matter her age or health.
 
Grace was a lovely person. Cutting Janice Rand from the cast was a huge mistake.

Rest in peace, Ms. Whitney, and thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top