Grace Lee Whitney - The Year After Leaving TOS

[AtoZ]

I've always enjoyed the early 1st season and Grace Lee Whitney's contribution. The years after Trek were the most turbulent period of her life. Not too long ago I saw some rare pictures of her visiting the set and lunching with Nimoy and Shatner (who were in costume) and to me it looked like an enjoyable reunion. The pics hinted that this occurred somewhere midway through S2.

Clearly Grace was a welcomed visitor despite having been let go, and her IMDB profile hints that she stayed active despite her personal life and eventual decline.

Can anybody elaborate on that visit?

 

[Gary7]

Did you ever read her book? I have to imagine that she probably talked about her time immediately after being let go from Star Trek. I've not read it yet, but intend to eventually getting around to it.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Not too long ago I saw some rare pictures of her visiting the set and lunching with Nimoy and Shatner (who were in costume) and to me it looked like an enjoyable reunion. The pics hinted that this occurred somewhere midway through S2.

The Paramount Commissary was a place to be seen. By casting people.

If you check out IMDb, Grace was still quite busy in the years immediately after Trek, so being on the Paramount lot would be business as usual.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0926298/

 

[feek61]

I loved her character and if I'm honest; I had a crush on her when I was a kid (and still do). I was sorry she left the show. I did read her book a few years ago and if I remember correctly she was devastated at being let go from Star Trek. She says and the early promo photos bear out that she was one of the intended original "big three" which of course eventually became Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

 

[Lt. Uhura-Brown]

Which one was she? Yeoman Rand?

 

[Gary7]

Which one was she? Yeoman Rand?

Let me Google that for you

 

[bbailey861]

Which one was she? Yeoman Rand?

Let me Google that for you

I loved that!! I've never seen that done before. I must learn how to do that, myself!!

Re Grace Lee Whitney's book - I certainly recommend it.

 

[feek61]

You know what this thread needs: PICTURES!!!!

 

[Nerys Myk]

I loved her character and if I'm honest; I had a crush on her when I was a kid (and still do). I was sorry she left the show. I did read her book a few years ago and if I remember correctly she was devastated at being let go from Star Trek. She says and the early promo photos bear out that she was one of the intended original "big three" which of course eventually became Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

The Doctor and Yeoman characters have been a part of Star Trek since the beginning. The doctor character has always been a sounding board/adviser for the Captain, so its doubtful that the Yeoman was intended to be the third of the "big three". Probably the doctor and the yeoman were both meant to be secondary regulars, but once the show got rolling I think they realized the yeoman role was pretty limited and better served by guest stars, day players and extras. Whitney was probably in the promos because it never hurts to include a pretty girl.

 

[Maurice]

Here she is a year ago when we had lunch together. She's a firecracker!

 

[marksound]

I never noticed before this thread, but Christina Applegate bears a strong resemblance to Grace.

http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/Christina-Applegate.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b64/fendert/Forum/kirk_spock_rand_zps5910d1d1.jpg

 

[Gary7]

Here she is a year ago when we had lunch together. She's a firecracker!

OMG... It's Yeoman Rand with Galt! Where's your cloak, man?

I never noticed before this thread, but Christina Applegate bears a strong resemblance to Grace.

Yeah, there's definitely some facial elements common between the two of them. To me, I feel like Grace looks more like her now than she did back in TOS days.

 

[AtoZ]

I never noticed before this thread, but Christina Applegate bears a strong resemblance to Grace.

http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/Christina-Applegate.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b64/fendert/Forum/kirk_spock_rand_zps5910d1d1.jpg

Hey, good call! I never noticed that until you pointed it out.

 

[AtoZ]

Did you ever read her book? I have to imagine that she probably talked about her time immediately after being let go from Star Trek. I've not read it yet, but intend to eventually getting around to it.

I'm in the process of getting a copy. Having cut my teeth on TOS, in a sense, I view the cast as old friends. Add to that some of the revelations that have come out over the years, the Justman/Solow book and whatever one finds floating on the web, Whitney's story has for me taken on a dramatic new shade.

 

[Sir Rhosis]

Great pic, Maurice.

Sir Rhosis

 

[Lance]

Grace Lee is a wonderful person and it's a great shame her contribution to Trek was cut short, as I think she'd definitely have had more to give the series.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Grace Lee Whitney by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

I took this pic of a glowing Grace Lee Whitney as she departed Australia following her first science fiction convention Down Under (1982). We had just collected her from the domestic air terminal and delivered her to the international terminal. ST II had just opened - she had been saddened not to have been included - but it was at this convention, sitting with a bunch of gregarious, supportive Aussies, that she resolved to go teetotal, although we didn't know it then. Her personal life has been on the improve ever since.

It was with great delight that I read a "Starlog" interview, years later, in which Grace mentioned Aussie fans as the turning point in her life.

 

[AtoZ]

Grace Lee Whitney by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

I took this pic of a glowing Grace Lee Whitney as she departed Australia following her first science fiction convention Down Under (1982). We had just collected her from the domestic air terminal and delivered her to the international terminal. ST II had just opened - she had been saddened not to have been included - but it was at this convention, sitting with a bunch of gregarious, supportive Aussies, that she resolved to go teetotal, although we didn't know it then. Her personal life has been on the improve ever since.

It was with great delight that I read a "Starlog" interview, years later, in which Grace mentioned Aussie fans as the turning point in her life.

Incredible. You were a part of Trek history and that of Grace herself. Was she as down to earth as I've heard?

 

[Pauln6]

I'm Rand's number one fan! I think it was a great shame that they didn't want to keep the character around for a few episodes per season (although we can't know if it would have affected Grace's decline due to alcoholism) but the majority of episodes featuring yeomen were in season one in any event. I think it's a wonderful story to hear that she was inspired to quit drinking by Star Trek fans.

I've included Rand as one of the main supporting cast in my cheesy Star Trek motion comic. I think she makes a great everyman, asking dumb questions to help the audience but more than that, Grace gave her a personality that could sparkle when the character was given some meaty scenes.

I'm more annoyed that the reboot hasn't felt able to include the character, since she is probably the one woman who doesn't need an excuse to be tagging along with the captain.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Incredible. You were a part of Trek history and that of Grace herself. Was she as down to earth as I've heard?

When they introduced her on the Saturday morning, she was exuberant, wore a mini-skirt and white cowgirl boots, and was almost shouting from the podium. Her accent was even exaggerated - and a few fans were very underwhelmed that she was "so American". Whatever that means.

When she came out to do her one-hour session in the mid morning, she was still very upbeat, but more down-to-earth. She was warm, friendly, funny and wise. A real hit. And again the next day.

And you know, she ate with the fans at every meal. She attended the fan art show (and chatted to other attendees about the exhibits). She wandered through the hucksters' room. She was amazing. And she'd traveled economy class for no official appearance fee.

And when I ran into her in the US in 1984 and again in 1991 she even remembered me!


Grace at Conquest by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Grace Lee Whitney is carried off by an alien (fan Scott Sullivan) at the first ConQuest convention in Brisbane, 1982. Photo by Australasian Post's Clair Jolliffe. (Sorry about the vertical lines from the 80s-era photo album.)

Boy did I regret not packing my Andorian gear for that photo shoot. (I was in TMP uniform, with lots of other humans, but our group shot wasn't used. This pic was an impromptu lift after the group shot.)