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.
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.