Grace Lee Whitney
Biography: Grace Lee Whitney (April 1, 1930 - May 1, 2015) was an American actress and singer, best known for her role as Janice Rand on the original Star Trek television series and subsequent Star Trek films. Born Mary Ann Chase, she was adopted by the Whitney family, who changed her name to Grace Elaine. She started her entertainment career as a "girl singer" on Detroit's WJR radio at the age of fourteen. After she left home, she began to call herself Lee Whitney, eventually becoming known as Grace Lee Whitney. In her late teens, she moved to Chicago where she opened in nightclubs for Billie Holiday and Buddy Rich, and toured with the Spike Jones and Fred Waring Bands. Whitney debuted on Broadway in Top Banana, playing Miss Holland. Following the successful run of the show, she joined the cast in Hollywood, where she recreated the role in the 1954 movie of the same name. In Los Angeles, Whitney auditioned for and was cast in the starring role of Lucy Brown in the national tour of The Threepenny Opera. Whitney made more than a hundred television appearances following her television dramatic debut in Cowboy G-Men in 1953; The Real McCoys, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Bat Masterson, The Rifleman, 77 Sunset Strip, Bewitched, Batman, and The Untouchables. During the 1950s and early 1960s, Whitney was also on live television shows including You Bet Your Life, The Red Skelton Show, The Jimmy Durante Show and The Ernie Kovacs Show. Whitney was cast as a member of the all-female band in Billy Wilder's comedy Some Like It Hot. She shared several scenes with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe, including the famed "upper berth" sequence. She had uncredited roles in House of Wax, Top Banana, The Naked and the Dead, and Pocketful of Miracles. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry cast Whitney in the role of Yeoman Janice Rand, the personal assistant to Captain James T. Kirk, in 1966. Whitney appeared in eight of the first fifteen episodes, after which she was released from contract. She had claimed that, while still under contract, she was sexually assaulted by an executive associated with the series. Later, in a public interview, she stated that Leonard Nimoy had been her main source of support during that time. She went into more details about the assault in her book The Longest Trek, but refused to name the executive, saying in the book, "This is my story, not his." Whitney returned to the Star Trek franchise in the 1970s after DeForest Kelley saw Whitney on the unemployment line and told her that fans had been asking for her at fan conventions. Whitney reprised her role as Janice Rand, who had received a promotion to chief petty officer in Star Trek: The Motion Picture). She also appeared in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, with another promotion, as Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand. Five years later, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise, she returned in the 1996 Star Trek: Voyager episode "Flashback", along with George Takei. She also reprised her role in two internet Star Trek episodes. In the 1970s, she appeared in The Bold Ones, Cannon, and Hart to Hart. In 1998, she appeared in an episode of Diagnosis: Murder, which reunited her with her Star Trek colleagues George Takei, Walter Koenig and Majel Barrett.
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: April 01, 1930
Deathday: May 01, 2015
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Known For
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1979-12-07
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Overview: When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.
Genres: Science Fiction Adventure Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1979-12-07
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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991-12-06
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Overview: After years of war, the Federation and the Klingon empire find themselves on the brink of a peace summit when a Klingon ship is nearly destroyed by an apparent attack from the Enterprise. Both worlds brace for what may be their deadliest encounter.
Genres: Science Fiction Action Adventure Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1991-12-06
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Way Down Cellar
1968-01-07
Way Down Cellar
Overview: Three friends find a secret tunnel under the ruins of a church that leads them to the basement of a dilapidated house and, incidentally, a group of counterfeiters.
Genres: Family Crime Mystery TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1968-01-07
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The Man from Galveston
1963-12-18
The Man from Galveston
Overview: Circuit-riding Texas lawyer Timothy Higgins defends a former girlfriend against a murder charge stemming from an extortionist's threat to reveal her shady past. Through adroit courtroom work, Higgins is able to acquit her and reveal who actually shot the fatal bullet.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-12-18
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The Texan Meets Calamity Jane
1950-11-15
The Texan Meets Calamity Jane
Overview: A western in which Calamity Jane's rightful ownership of a gambling hall is challenged. She nearly loses the business to a shady crook, but Texas lawyer Ellison puts up a legal battle to help her stay in charge. After a sensational fight, the letters proving her right are discovered.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-11-15
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To the Journey - Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
2024-11-07
To the Journey - Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
Overview: The documentary explores the legacy of Star Trek: Voyager (1995).
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2024-11-07
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A Public Affair
1962-03-03
A Public Affair
Overview: Expository internal affairs drama which brings to light the often unprincipled tactics used in negative "smear" campaigning, and its effects within the political arena.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1962-03-03
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Bring Back... Star Trek
2009-05-09
Bring Back... Star Trek
Overview:
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2009-05-09
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The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
1983-02-06
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
Overview: A 13-year-old genius goes to college and tries to cope not only with campus social life, but also with his professor.
Genres: Drama Comedy TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1983-02-06
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
1984-06-01
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Overview: A surprise visit from Spock's father provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harboring Spock's living essence.
Genres: Science Fiction Action Adventure Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1984-06-01
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Top Banana
1954-02-22
Top Banana
Overview: Jerry Biffle is the star of the Blendo Soap Program. He has been invited to participate in an autograph-signing party for his new book at an important department store. Jerry meets Sally Peters, one of the department store models, and makes her part of his TV troupe. As part of his campaign to court Sally, Jerry gets Cliff Lane, the tenor of his TV company, to sing to her over the phone. When Sally and Cliff meet, they fall in love, with Biffle ignorant of the complications.
Genres: Comedy Music Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-02-22
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Ironside
1967-03-28
Ironside
Overview: Citizens of San Francisco are stunned by the news that Robert Ironside, the city's hard-nosed, tough-talking chief of detectives, has been shot and left for dead while vacationing at his friend the Police Commissioner's rural retreat. Ironside survives the murder attempt, but the bullet has damaged nerves in his spine, leaving him a paraplegic. Unable to gain reinstatement as chief of detectives, Ironside gets permission to continue investigating criminal cases as a citizen volunteer. With the assistance of two former protegees, Det. Sgt. Ed Brown and Officer Eve Whitfield, and a newly-hired aide/driver, Mark Sanger, Ironside sets out to solve his first case as a civilian by finding the people responsible for the attempt on his life.
Genres: Crime Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1967-03-28
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Some Like It Hot
1959-03-19
Some Like It Hot
Overview: Two musicians witness a mob hit and struggle to find a way out of the city before they are found by the gangsters. Their only opportunity is to join an all-girl band as they leave on a tour. To make their getaway they must first disguise themselves as women, then keep their identities secret and deal with the problems this brings - such as an attractive bandmate and a very determined suitor.
Genres: Comedy Romance Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1959-03-19
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The Captains
2011-07-22
The Captains
Overview: The Captains is a feature-length documentary film written and directed by William Shatner. The film follows Shatner as he interviews the other actors who have portrayed starship captains in the Star Trek franchise.
Genres: Documentary Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2011-07-22
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Star Trek: Of Gods and Men
2007-12-22
Star Trek: Of Gods and Men
Overview: It is the year 2306. Thirteen years have passed since Captain James T. Kirk was swept away by the Nexus, after saving the crew of the USS Enterprise-B. The remaining crew members of the original USS Enterprise have gone their separate ways. Captain Nyota Uhura and Captain Pavel Chekov, along with Captain John Harriman of the Enterprise-B, come together for a special dedication in honor of Kirk's Enterprise. Their reunion is cut short when they receive a distress call from a mysterious planet, that presses the three friends to embark on a mission that will change their lives forever.
Genres: Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-12-22
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Pocketful of Miracles
1961-12-18
Pocketful of Miracles
Overview: A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society lady when the peddler learns her daughter is marrying royalty.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-12-18
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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986-11-26
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Overview: When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew must travel back in time in order to bring back whales and save the planet.
Genres: Science Fiction Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1986-11-26
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Irma la Douce
1963-06-05
Irma la Douce
Overview: When a naive policeman falls in love with a prostitute, he doesn’t want her seeing other men and creates an alter ego who’s to be her only customer.
Genres: Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-06-05
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The Naked and the Dead
1958-08-06
The Naked and the Dead
Overview: Fighting men in World War II learn the value of courage and quickness at the risk of losing their lives.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-08-06
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Critic's Choice
1963-02-24
Critic's Choice
Overview: Parker Ballantine is a New York theater critic and his wife writes a play that may or may not be very good. Now Parker must either get out of reviewing the play or cause the breakup of his marriage.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-02-24
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