Gene Roddenberry

In 1943 while a US Army Air Corps pilot, he flew B-17 bombers during World War II, his plane crashed on takeoff because of a mechanical failure, killing two crew members.

On 19 June 1947, he was deadheading (traveling while not on duty) on a Pan Am plane when it crashed in the Syrian desert, killing 7 of 9 crew and 7 of 26 passengers on board. He rescued the Maharani of Pheleton from the wreck. Rescue came in hours, but too late to save most of the luggage, and the victims' possessions, from local tribesmen and villagers.

Served on the Los Angeles Police Force from 1949 - 1956, badge number 6089. This information from "Star Trek Creator" by David Alexander.

His first TV script sale, in 1953, was the episode ''Defense Plant Gambling'' for the show "Mr. District Attorney" (1954). It was broadcast 2 March 1954. In the science-fiction field, his first was "The Secret Weapon of 117", broadcast 6 March 1956 on the anthology series "Chevron Hall of Stars".

His old pseudonym Robert Wesley was used in the "Star Trek" (1966) episode "The Ultimate Computer" as the name of a character, played by Barry Russo.

While meeting with George Takei about a role on "Star Trek" (1966), Gene accidentally pronounced George's last name 'Ta-kei', which is similar to the word expensive in Japanese "takai". He remembered the pronouncation by rhyming it with "OK".

He had many lovers and was sometimes overt about it. He and Majel Barrett had been lovers for years when he decided it was time to marry her and asked her to join him -- although he happened to be visiting Japan at the time. Gene did not adhere to any particular religion and since they were in Japan they chose to have a Shinto-Buddhist wedding on 6 August 1969. They regarded this as their real wedding, but his divorce was not yet final and they made it legal with a civil ceremony on 29 December 1969.

During World War II, he had a friend named Kim Noonien Singh; after the war Kim disappeared, and Gene used his name for some characters in the Star Trek series (Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Noonien Soong from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)) in hopes that Kim might recognize his name and contact him.

Shared the same birthday as "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) star Jonathan Frakes.

Died within 48 hours of screening Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), the last Trek that revolved around his original characters.

Died on 24 October 1991, exactly ten years after Marina Sirtis's father.

Father of actress Dawn Roddenberry and Darleen Roddenberry-Bacha who died on 29 October 1995 in an auto accident.

Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 521-522. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.