Tag Archives: actress-on-star

Actress Grace Lee Whitney has passed away at the age of 85. Whitney was best known for her portrayal of Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek TV series. Despite being dropped from the show after just eight episodes, Whitney reprised her role in five Star Trek theatrical films and even had a cameo appearance on the Star Trek: Voyager spinoff series in 1996. In addition to her acting work, Whitney was an accomplished singer, dancer and author. She released a popular memoir entitled The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy in 1998. Though she sang with some of the world’s most famous orchestras, and her film credits include such classics as Some Like It Hot, Whitney maintained that her greatest triumph was conquering addiction. A recovering alcoholic who spent the last 35 years of her life helping others who struggled with substance abuse, Whitney stated in several interviews that she would rather be known as a survivor of addiction than as an actress on Star Trek. Earlier this year, Whitney spoke publicly about the death of Leonard Nimoy , calling her famous co-star “a great friend” whom she credited with helping her to overcome her alcoholism. Click through the gallery below for a full list of the celebrities we’ve lost in 2015 . View Slideshow: Celebrities We Lost in 2015

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Grace Lee Whitney Dies: Star Trek Actress Was 85