Grace Lee Whitney (Yeomand Rand)

Anyone else read this book?

http://startrekdom.blogspot.com/2007/07/trekdom-review-grace-lee-whitneys.html

Any ideas or theories who "The Executive" was?

 

I read her book.

I bet you it was either that womanizing Gene Roddenberry or Herb Solow the studio executive who had power over all of them.

There is no way Whitney can come out and slander GR considering how much esteem the Star Trek fans have of the man in their eyes, and Herb Solow is still alive the last I checked.

 

^^^
I thought that at first too (GR), because it really fits his profile. But she also speaks fondly of GR at times in the book (sort of).

One clue: the polished stone.

I remember reading somewhere that Gene's first wife Eileen collected rare stones and gems. Or maybe it was Coon's first wife.

Something like Justman went to someone's house to have dinner and he brought some jewels for somebody's wife who collected them.

 

I think it was Gene as well.

By that time Gene had already bagged Nichelle, right?

anyone know why Nichelle wanted to leave?

 

According to Bob Justman in "Inside Star Trek," it was definitely Gene Roddenberry's first wife who collected stones to make lovely...I don't know what the words for them are, but those clear, colorful glass wall type things that people build in living rooms with colorful stones embedded in them.

Sexual harassment, rape, and the casting couch is quite common in Hollywood. And it is hard to prosecute stars, producers, directors, and executives in powerful positions without solid evidence, because there is a good chance of being blacklisted from Hollywood when you make accusations like that. Sadly, if Whitney ended up going after "the executive" who sexually harassed her without solid evidence, as backlash, there is a high probability that she would have risked being labeled by her employers as drunk, difficult, and a slut. And it would have been their word against hers. It is no wonder she kept silent for all those years.

 

Do you know the pages for that? I can't seem to find it in my copy. Think that is just circumstantial evidence?

 

^^^
I do recall reading about someone from TOS collecting stones to decorate in their house. Like you, I remember reading it.

And I do remember it was one of the older members of TOS, married, and American. So that narrows it down to Gene Roddenberry, DeForest Kelley, and Bob Justman. And for my money, I would say that it was Bob Justman who was either invited over to Roddenberry or Kelley's home to observe that stone decoration in the living room.

 

She wrote in her autobiography that she wanted to leave because Uhura's lines kept getting cut. It was only after MLK jr. told her she was a role model that she decided to stay.

But, there was something going on between her and GR. At one time, someone walked into GR's office to find Nichols in nothing but one of GR's sweaters. Nichols tried to play this off as a practical joke played on someone (I can't remember who) but other accounts are more straightforward. She was sleeping with GR during the first season.

 

Geez I can't find it, but I'm almost positive it was Roddenberry's first wife. I'll look for it again. Thanks GWR.

Isn't that kind of sick though? GR stole a stone from his wife's collection to use as a thank you gift for a BJ from an actress.

 

therin is right. this really isnt a productive thread and just about everytime it comes up it leds to a lot of unfounded speculation about something very serious.

as therin also pointed out if one counts in the nbc and desilu execs there are a broad number of people it could be aimed at.

and to speculate on some reference to polished stone and whether someone might have a mosiac (a pretty common thing in that day) is going a little too far.

 

You're kidding, they were? Well, seems that GR's own philosophy worked well for
him in real life. He had no problem having sex with a black woman back in the 60's. ;-)

 

It was over before she was hired for ST, as I understand it.

 

I think it's unfair to blame Wise for not letting her wear makeup as a way to punish her for a practical joke gone wrong. Were any actresses besides baldy allowed to wear makeup in Wise's sterile, monotone, and drab set?

 

Nichelle Nichols looks like she had makeup on as well.

 

I was happy to see her back in Star Trek:The Motion Picture and her appearance in SFS, TVH and TUC. I still think that she should have had her signature at the end of TUC too.

 

I love the TMP shots with the full cast. The promo shots and the end of STIV are the only times all nine of the main recurring cast all appeared together. It's a shame that Grace doesn't come onto the bridge with Majel and Scotty at the end of TMP. A shot in the movie with all of them would have been awesome.

Yeah, she was the female lead, she was treated very badly, and she was possibly largely responsible for the mini skirts that made Trek so iconic. They owed her a bit more credit than they gave, for sure. But then I wanted Majel involved in STVI too so...

 

The detail of the polished stones removed any doubt in my mind about who "The Executive" really was.