Gene Roddenberry To Be Inducted Into TV Hall of Fame November 10, 2009
by TrekMovie.com Staff , Filed under: TNG, TOS, Trek Franchise , trackback
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences never saw fit to award Gene Roddenberry with an Emmy (even though he was nominated twice), but in January they will make up for it by inducting the creator of Star Trek into the TV Hall of Fame.
Roddenberry gets into TV Hall of Fame
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame Committee has selected seven TV veterans for induction at a ceremony onWednesday, Jan. 20, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. In addition to Roddenberry the new inductees are actress Candice Bergen, art director Charles Lisanby, announcer Don Pardo, actor/comedians Tom and Dick Smothers and game show producer Bob Stewart.
In a statement Television Academy Chairman-CEO John Shaffner said of the inductees:
Each year, the Television Academy has the privilege of honoring television greats that have contributed to the development and success of this ever-evolving medium. This year’s inductees have challenged and shaped popular culture, changed television for the better and entertained us royally while doing so. We are very pleased to be able to induct them into the Hall of Fame for their many achievements.
The statement also included the following profile of Gene Roddenberry:
The legacy of two-time Primetime Emmy Award-nominee Gene Roddenberry continues to flourish as the “Star Trek” franchise he created has reached 10 theatrical movies, seven television series and numerous merchandising and ancillary businesses–all of which maintain the late producer’s vision of the future. Often affectionately referred to as the “Great Bird of the Galaxy,” Roddenberry led a life as colorful and exciting as almost any high adventure fiction. It wasn’t until 1966, when Roddenberry created and produced the original “Star Trek,” that he found his voice in Hollywood. Once “Star Trek” debuted on television, it developed a loyal following as fanatical viewers grew to love The Starship Enterprise and its crew. Roddenberry served as a decorated Second Lieutenant during World War II, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
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Took them long enough…
Finally!
Good to hear, but that profile is one movie short and has one series too many.
11 movies, 6 series.
Seven series?
It is amazing. I have never seen a buzz resurrected like this. Maybe Superman and Batman, but those franchises didn’t stray much from a handful of primary characters. It’s getting so that fanning Star Trek invalidates your geek-on.
This is long overdue, IMO.
Finally
This is honor long overdue. Gene, with his military service in WWII, and The Creation of the Star Trek Legacy, has served this nation in both War and Peace. He is the one of the Greatest Americans(and one of the Greatest human beings) to ever walk this Planet.
uhh, 11 movies…. not 10.
it’s about time!
Way to go, Gene!
but who’s counting?
Its about time that the Great Bird got this honour.
I am happy for Gene to have this honour.
No matter my personal gripes with the new movie at least it will make sure that the current generation will still be able to be exposed to this wonderful universe called Star Trek and that these new fans will go back to tho other Treks
I am happy that they will be exposed to Gene’s original.
It’s a shame that Majel and Gene are no longer with us to enjoy this honor. However I am sure that Rod and the extended Star Trek family of casts, crews, and fans everywhere will continue to carry on their memory and the idea that future doesn’t have to be a bleak place, but can be a world full of wondrous dreams.
Congrats to you Mr Roddenberry, and many thanks.
I count 5 series. TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT. I guess the animated series would be 6 but don’t get where 7 series comes from.
Maybe 10 movies because they don’t consider Abrams “alternate/parallel universe” Trek part of the direct Roddenberry series/movie lineage.
About flippin’ time! (how original)
@17. That is ridiculous, its just an error.
They’re a little late. Don’t think there’s much of him left to induct.
@20 Sadly true.
I must go along with everyone else: It is about [expletive deleted] time.
@17
Yes Abrams Trek is very much part of all the rest of Trek!
No reason to not include jjs movie in that list-in many ways it is more faithful to Roddenberrys vision than some of the trek movies like 5 and Nemesis hehheh–Congrats to the memories of Gene and Majel-very deserved-hell Roddenberry made lightning strike twice when nobody thought he could do it once-tngs success proved tos was no fluke and genes vision updated could survive-now jj has updated the franchise again and renewed it for a third time-
And I am overjoyed to see The Smothers Brothers also on that list. Their humor and tv show was hilarious and edgy and way ahead of its time. It was also political even though CBS told them not to be. Their show got cancelled even tho it was in the top ten—After more than 50 years in show business the brothers are still touring still selling out shows. I saw them last year with my parents in an Indian Casino here in Wa. State…they lost none of their edge, they were still political topical and hilarious, our sides were aching from laughing continuously for such a long time. And they do that without resulting in using foul language or being crude in their humor.Tommy got a delayed writing Emmy awarded to him a year or two ago, he wasnt in the list of writers for the show back in 60s-70 when it was on because his name was controversial and he was afraid it would hurt his staffs chances of winning so EMMY gave him his award a few decades late haha….Just to see their names up there with Genes—wow—two of my lifelong idols both deserving and about time!
Shouldn’t that be “11 theatrical releases”? It doesn’t matter who directs it, it’s still Star Trek.
It stills surprises me how Oprah Winfrey can be in the TV hall of game before Gene. For god sakes !
Shatner was inducted ahead of Gene.
Isn’t that incredible ?
I believe Gene should have been inducted along the same time as Rod Serling. Two incredible Sci-Fi TV giants, that captivated a lot of people.
All hail the Great Bird of the Galaxy!
Peace!
Long overdue.
Congrats!
Wish they’d have done this when he was alive.
It’s about flippin’ time if you ask me.
It’s 10 movies. 1-10 (ST:TOS & ST:TNG) he had a hand in developing both. He did not have a “direct hand” in developing ST 11 or XI.
Congrats Great Bird! Better late than never.
Nice of them to not do any decent research before writing their “profile” of him.
The most recent movie counts because it is “Star Trek”, whether Gene technically had anything to do with it or not.
Maybe they’re counting the unproduced scripts for Phase II as one of the series? Even so, that still leaves out 1 of the movies. Unless they had half a mind and not counted ST5, hehe.
Gene may also be credited with Earth Final Conflict and Andromeda?
Can I get a “What What” for the Great Bird. Yes I think Roddenberry and Sterling should have both gone in at the same time. I hope Rod Jr. will be there to recive the award! Too bad Rachel could not have seen this!!
Nice, but still tacky. Tacky that they waited so long, and that they obviously didn’t have the class to research the number of episodes and movies produced.
@Kevin Rubio
Hey, first time Ive seen you on here (this is Don). Gimme a call or Ill blow up your text messaging!
Long overdue award I think and much deserved.
You the man Gene, you the man!
Glad that he’s getting indicted! Sad that it took so long. It seems that they’re only now jumping on the Star Trek bandwagon now that it’s cool again. YAY PUBLICITY!!!
About time. Too bad Majel isn’t around to see this anmyore either.
That said, it is definitely a good thing he gets the recognition.
Awesome news, a well overdue and very well deserved honour! :)
Chris M, I agree…. long overdue.
Go Great Bird!
Maybe they’re counting “The Lieutenant” as one of the series.
I believe they are counting “Andromeda” & “Earth: Final Conflict” as the other 2. I think “Spectre” & “The Questor Tapes” were filmed as pilots, but never got picked up,
Well deserved!
It’s clearly an error since they are talking about “the StarTrek franchise”. This franchise has 11 movies and 6 tv series.
Anyway, great news everyone!
Great. Hopefully soon Bob Justman, Herb Solow, Gene Coon, John Meredyth Lucas and DC Fontana will get in there too.
Congratulations to the Roddenberry family!!
The number of movies:
Typo or not, it reads: “… Gene Roddenberry continues to flourish as the “Star Trek” franchise he created has reached 10 theatrical movies …”
10 movies from the franchise HE created, that’s perfectly correct. The franchise JJ is about to create is something else which has virtually nothing in common with the franchise Gene created, except a few names maybe.
Nemesis never happened. Hence there are 10.
50. Holger
Well, if we’re being picky about it, the franchise Rodders created after he and so many others made TOS had little to do with TOS or Abrams’ films either. And Rodders had nothing to do with, and disliked, Treks II-VI, so perhaps they don’t count as his either!
Abrams’ film is based on the original Star Trek for which Rodders had the idea and others nurtured to greatness.
End of the day, it’s tacky to be arguing about who contributes what on a celebratory thread. If you have such a big issue about Abrams, you’re probably better off starting a thread about it over on TrekWeb!
To those who say ST09 doesn’t count: This movie was the most optimistic bit of science fiction I’ve seen in a very, VERY long time. And that’s including a majority of the Star Trek movies and series. That, to me, exemplifies Gene’s vision. He envisioned a future where all past prejudices are gone, and we see that in the new movie. Also, the endorsement of both Leonard Nimoy and Rod Roddenberry cements the new movie into the franchise whether you like it or not. Quit griping already.
To Gene’s induction: It’s about time. The man has left a lasting legacy behind that, hopefully, will continue on for another 40 years, at least. He deserves this award, though it would’ve been nice if they had given him this honor while he was still with us to appreciate it.
A hearty well-done and it’s-about-time regarding the induction of Mr. Roddenberry.
I can’t help but wonder that if the new Trek movie had tanked that Roddenberry would still be on this list. Hollywood is so finicky. He deserved to be inducted when he was still alive.
Still, I question the integrity of the Academy. If Trek weren’t deemed a hot property again would Roddenberry really have been honored this year? Sorry, but that is how shallow the entertainment industry is.
So Gene, if some essence of your intelligence is floating around out there in the cosmic ether, please haunt the hell out of those folks!
Well this is great news.
Jj’s Trek was far more in the spirit of the original Star Trek than some of the later movies.
I wonder how much of Roddenberry’s “Vision” has been imposed on him by fanatics who have interpreted Trek the way they want it to be.
I mean clearly the show showed humanity in a more positive light but really wasn’t the idea Wagon Train to the Stars. Like a western in space.
@55 Yeah, Western In Space wasn’t done well until Firefly/Serenity sputtered in and out. Stargate SG-1 had that feeling way way early on.
Well one can argue the vison of trek to clear avross the mirror universe but you know this was way overdue! Roddenberry is already with the ground breaking greats Jules verne & HG Wells! Sad they too did not get their honors till they passed on. However. He. Has been long over due and a wrong has brn made right! When celestus departs this award should go with Majel&Gene!
@51. Anti-Nemesis
Oh man, why didn’t I think of that….
Congratulations Gene!
Star Trek envisions a future in which humanity aspires to “become,” but allegorically, shows humanity’s faults clothed in green skins, embodied as alien, and diplomacy settles disputes, after violence forces its use; it reminds us we are all similar, even if you are a Vulcan, Klingon, or Romulan; even human.
I.D.I.C. – Infinite Diversity Infinite Combination
Sidenote: Wouldn’t it have been nice for this news to have been announced on Nov. 11, instead of a day earlier? Fitting tribute to have been announced on “Armistice” or “Veterans Day.” — Gene would have appreciated this, as well.
@32:
um, not to get nitpicky or anything, but didn’t Gene pass on before ST: VI? so he wouldn’t have had ANY hands involved with the TNG films…that would’ve been Mr. Berman…
An honour that is long, long ovedue for Gene Roddenberry. I am glad it finally happened.
57. Losira
I wouldn’t go quite that far, but he was a very good ideas man when he was younger, if less talented as an actual writer.
Gene should have been Honard a long time ago. But at least they are doing so now. He realy deserves it and Im glag fis son and family will be there to accept it.
57, that gives me an idea: They should name the first Orion spaceship after Mr. Roddenberry. Or, better still, the first ship with interstellar drive!
At least name one of them after the Enterprise!
The Apollo capsules have had a variety of names, including the names of U.S. naval ships, including the America and the Kitty Hawk. And many people are aware that the first working space shuttle, though not one that was configured for space travel, was named “Enterprise.”
If they can name an Apollo capsule and a LM spacecraft “Charlie Brown” and “Snoopy,” respectively, as they did with Apollo 10, they can name a manned NASA spaceship after Mr. Roddenberry.
In fact, I would say that several important figures in American space science and science popularization, such as Robert Goddard, Isaac Asimov, and Gene Roddenberry should be so honored.
On the matter of series count, if they were going by what’s listed on IMDB for Mr. Roddenberry, they may well be counting “Star Trek: New Voyages”.
It’s listed among his writing credits, and they very well may not have known to distinguish it as a”fan” series.
So the list of 7 would be:
1) Star Trek (TOS)
2) Star Trek (animated)
3) Star Trek: The Next Generation
4) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
5) Star Trek: Voyager
6) (Star Trek:)Enterprise
7) Star Trek: New Voyages
I still can’t account for the 10 vs. 11 on the feature films, though.
#66 Denny Cranium ” inducted not indicted”
Knowing the often strong and perverse professional jealousies in Hollywood, the original poster may have been more correct than you imagine! (grin)
52 Dom: It seems you have much bigger an issue with all of this than I have.
Hard to believe that this has happened already.
Cheeze whiz frakkin’ cripes!
“Hard to believe that this hasn’t happened already.”
Bloody Typonians. Edit Button!!
53. Capt. of the USS Anduril opined “This movie was the most optimistic bit of science fiction I’ve seen in a very, VERY long time.”
Eh? The Prime hero failed to save not one but TWO planets and their indigenous civilizations! I’m sorry, but when this movie’s Vulcan fell I felt a lot of things but optimism wasn’t one of them.
I hated how they are trying to bring religion to Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry was a atheist not a christian.
72-
He described himself as a “secular humanist.”
Technically, it isn’t atheism – which is a form of theology – as much as an avoidance of theological discussion completely. Secular humanists don’t make any claim about the supernatural. They simply don’t believe anyone should conduct themselves differently either way.
While certain humans need god(s) to tell them that playing with fire might lead to death, others use deductive reasoning to come to the same conclusion. If an idea is rational, scientific, or logical, secular humanists believe we’ll eventually find some sort of common ground. Religion is, therefore, unnecessary. As humans can function just fine without being controlled by fear of divine retribution.
However, at least as far as I know, Roddenberry never went beyond this. He never claimed religion was inherently “evil” or “bad.” Only that you can live a perfectly happy and productive life without it.
This makes Gene quite different from, say, Christopher Hitchens.
DOESN’T matter how manny series or films they are:Gene give us the UNIVERSE without frontiers…full of peace and hope!they took so long to get him there..it was the time,finally!Live long in our souls GENE!
About bloody time…….
Well deserved to be sure.
Amazes me why we have to wait so long for people who have had such a great, and worldwide, influence to be recognised. Why does it have to be posthumously? What’s wrong with honouring such people while they’re still with us? For someone who has influenced popular culture, and individual destinies, so much this is too late.
I’m still waiting for Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley to get their knighthoods. Yes, I’m a Liverpool fan through-and-through. Kopites are as dedicated and knowledgeable in their field as Trekkers. We share a strong sense of tradition and shared vision too. YNWA
About time!!! This is great news!
Well, I’m glad they’ve only mentioned 10 movies. :)
And yes, it was about time!