Roddenberry

Roddenberry is a surname of English origin. Notable bearer include Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991), an American television writer and producer who created Star Trek.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war he began a career in television writing and producing, working on series such as The Lieutenant. In 1966 he created Star Trek: The Original Series for Desilu Productions, which presented a utopian vision of a future in which people from diverse backgrounds work together on space exploration. The show ran for three seasons and helped catalyze a broad science fiction franchise, including films, spinoff series, and fan culture.

Roddenberry's influence extended to ongoing negotiations about creative control and long-term franchise development. Following Star Trek, he continued to develop television projects and founded Roddenberry Entertainment to manage and expand the Star Trek property and other science fiction media. Roddenberry died in 1991 in Santa Monica, California. His work is regarded as a major influence on the portrayal of diversity and social issues in science fiction television. The Roddenberry name remains associated with Star Trek through its media properties and related philanthropic and educational initiatives.