Within the past two weeks, both the television and film arena have lost three notable actors: Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Ricardo Montalban, and Patrick McGoohan.
Roddenberry, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has her own place in Star Trek lore. She was "Number One" in the original pilot "The Cage," went on to play "Nurse Chapel" in the subsequent series, and found her own place as "Lwaxana Troi," the mother of Deanna, in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also had an off-screen job as the voice of the computer on all the series, along with the upcoming 2009 feature film.
She shone in each part and will forever be remembered by fans of the series.
Ricardo Montalban, who had a long career on both the small and big screen, has a Trek connection, having played the character of "Khan" in both the original series and the second Trek film, appropriately titled Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Another generation discovered his comic side as he played against type in the first Naked Gun film.
Of course, millions of TV fans will remember him as the enigmatic "Mr. Rourke" on Fantasy Island. Others will also think fondly of him as the spokesperson for the now-defunct Chrysler Cordoba, touting the car's "rich, Corinthian leather" in the 70s ads.
Montalban did not let illness keep him from his chosen profession. While wheelchair bound and into his 80's, the actor played the grandfather in two Spy Kids films.
Patrick had a long and distinguished career, starring in several memorable
Disney productions (The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh), and other Hollywood films ("Braveheart" and "Ice Station Zebra," to cite just two).
He will probably be most remembered for his role as the unnamed "Number 6" in the classic TV show, The Prisoner, uttering the memorable, "I am not a number. I am a free man!"
McGoohan was good friends with Peter Falk and guest-starred (or directed) five times on the latter's Columbo, winning two Emmys in the process.
Though they are no longer among the living, they will continue to exist on the celluloid that holds their acting "spirit."
Roddenberry, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has her own place in Star Trek lore. She was "Number One" in the original pilot "The Cage," went on to play "Nurse Chapel" in the subsequent series, and found her own place as "Lwaxana Troi," the mother of Deanna, in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also had an off-screen job as the voice of the computer on all the series, along with the upcoming 2009 feature film.
She shone in each part and will forever be remembered by fans of the series.
Ricardo Montalban, who had a long career on both the small and big screen, has a Trek connection, having played the character of "Khan" in both the original series and the second Trek film, appropriately titled Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Another generation discovered his comic side as he played against type in the first Naked Gun film.
Of course, millions of TV fans will remember him as the enigmatic "Mr. Rourke" on Fantasy Island. Others will also think fondly of him as the spokesperson for the now-defunct Chrysler Cordoba, touting the car's "rich, Corinthian leather" in the 70s ads.
Montalban did not let illness keep him from his chosen profession. While wheelchair bound and into his 80's, the actor played the grandfather in two Spy Kids films.
Patrick had a long and distinguished career, starring in several memorable
Disney productions (The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh), and other Hollywood films ("Braveheart" and "Ice Station Zebra," to cite just two).
He will probably be most remembered for his role as the unnamed "Number 6" in the classic TV show, The Prisoner, uttering the memorable, "I am not a number. I am a free man!"
McGoohan was good friends with Peter Falk and guest-starred (or directed) five times on the latter's Columbo, winning two Emmys in the process.
Though they are no longer among the living, they will continue to exist on the celluloid that holds their acting "spirit."
