Grace Lee Whitney

'Grace Lee Whitney' (qv) was a versatile actress and vocalist born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Beginning as a "girl singer" on Detroit's WJR radio, she soon opened in nightclubs for 'Billie Holiday' (qv) and 'Buddy Rich' (qv), and toured with the 'Spike Jones' (qv) and 'Fred Waring' (qv) Bands. Grace debuted on Broadway in "Top Banana", and subsequently appeared in the United Artists film _Top Banana (1954)_ (qv). Grace is probably best known for her portrayal of Yeoman Janice Rand on the original _Star Trek: The Original Series (1966)_ (qv) series. She later reprised her role for a string of successful Star Trek films: _Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)_ (qv), _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)_ (qv), _Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)_ (qv), and _Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)_ (qv). Grace continued to delight fans in personal appearances at conventions and events throughout North America and Europe. In 1998, she appeared in an episode of _Diagnosis Murder (1993)_ (qv) with her Star Trek castmates 'George Takei' (qv), 'Walter Koenig' (qv) and 'Majel Barrett' (qv). 'Grace Lee Whitney' (qv) died at age 85 of natural causes in her home in Coarsegold, California on May 1, 2015.::Anthony Wynn <StarParty@aol.com>