Grace Lee Whitney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grace Lee Whitney
Grace Lee Whitney at a Star Trek convention (around 1980)
Born	Mary Ann Chase (1930-04-01)April 1, 1930 Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Died	May 1, 2015(2015-05-01) (aged 85) Coarsegold, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1947–2007
Spouse(s)	Sydney Stevan Dweck ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1966)​ Jack Dale ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1991)​
Children	2

Grace Lee Whitney was an American actress and singer. She was born Mary Ann Chase on April 1, 1930, and passed away on May 1, 2015. Many people remember her as Janice Rand from the original Star Trek TV show and movies.

Early Life and Career

Grace Lee Whitney was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She was adopted by the Whitney family and her name was changed to Grace Elaine. She started her career in entertainment at age 14. She sang on the radio station WJR in Detroit. Later, she began to call herself Lee Whitney, and then Grace Lee Whitney.

In her late teens, she moved to Chicago. There, she performed in nightclubs. She also toured with famous bands like Spike Jones and Fred Waring.

First Acting Roles

Grace Lee Whitney first appeared on Broadway in a musical called Top Banana. She played a character named Miss Holland. After the show was a success, she went to Hollywood. There, she acted in the movie version of Top Banana in 1954.

While in Los Angeles, Whitney got a main role in the play The Threepenny Opera. She played Lucy Brown in the national tour.

She made over 100 TV appearances. Her first TV acting role was in Cowboy G-Men in 1953. She appeared in many popular shows. These included Gunsmoke, Batman, and The Untouchables.

From 1957 to 1958, she was a regular on the show Queen for a Day. She also appeared in episodes of The Outer Limits and Bewitched.

Whitney also acted in movies. She was part of the all-female band in the comedy Some Like It Hot (1959). She had scenes with actors like Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. She also had small roles in movies like House of Wax (1953) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961). In 1963, she played Kiki the Cossack in the movie Irma la Douce.

Star Trek Adventures

The Original Series

Whitney posing with a Star Trek prop at a science-fiction convention, 1975

The creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, chose Whitney for the role of Yeoman Janice Rand. Janice Rand was the personal assistant to Captain James T. Kirk. Whitney appeared in eight episodes of the first season in 1966. After these episodes, her character left the show.

Returning to the Star Trek Universe

Grace Lee Whitney returned to the Star Trek world in the 1970s. Her friend DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. McCoy, encouraged her. Fans at Star Trek conventions often asked about her.

She played Janice Rand again in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). In this movie, her character had been promoted to chief petty officer. She also appeared in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), her character was a Lieutenant Commander.

In 1996, she appeared in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Flashback". This was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Trek. She acted alongside George Takei, who played Sulu.

Whitney also appeared in fan-made Star Trek shows. These included "Star Trek: New Voyages" (2007) and "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" (2007). An episode of Star Trek Continues was dedicated to her memory in 2015.

Later Roles and Music

In the 1970s, Grace Lee Whitney had roles in TV shows like Cannon and Hart to Hart. In 1998, she was in an episode of Diagnosis: Murder. This episode brought her together with other Star Trek actors like George Takei and Walter Koenig.

Music Career

Whitney at the first Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Awards, December 5, 1976

Grace Lee Whitney also had a singing career. In the 1960s and 1970s, she sang with different orchestras and bands. Later, she focused on jazz and pop music with her band, Star.

With her second husband, Jack Dale, she wrote songs about Star Trek. In 1976, she released a record with songs called "Disco Trekkin’" and "Star Child". She also recorded other Star Trek-themed songs. These songs were released on cassette tapes in the 1990s. Some album titles were Light at the End of the Tunnel and Yeoman Rand Sings!.

Her Story and Final Years

Grace Lee Whitney wrote a book about her life called The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy. It was published in 1998. In the book, she shared stories about her time on Star Trek. She also wrote about being the first mermaid for the brand Chicken of the Sea.

Whitney had two sons, Scott and Jonathan Dweck. She moved to Coarsegold, California, in 1993 to be near Jonathan. She often attended Star Trek and science-fiction conventions starting in the 1980s.

Her last acting role as a Star Trek character was in the fan film Star Trek: Of Gods and Men in 2007. Her very last appearance on screen was in a documentary called The Captains in 2011.

Grace Lee Whitney passed away peacefully at her home in Coarsegold on May 1, 2015. She was 85 years old.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Grace Lee Whitney para niños