Gene Roddenberry's Daughters

[Kamdan]

Has anyone ever heard any details about Darleen and Dawn Roddenberry from Gene's first marriage? I've quite frankly had enough of hearing about Rod Roddenberry trying to figure out who his father was and him being treated like he's the only legacy left behind by Roddenberry.

They're hardly acknowleged in any writings and if it weren't for their roles in Miri, I wouldn't have known anything about them. I've read that Dawn passed away in 1995, so that leaves Darleen, who's 59 at this time. I'm sure if Rod had talked to her for his documentary, she would have provided some of those interesting "human" insights about apparently abandoning his family to marry an actress.

Apparently Dawn tried to sue Barrett after getting disinherited, so there's probably some bad blood between the two there. It'd just be an interesting new perspecitive to hear from instead of all of the things Rod keeps saying that they're going to do, but have nothing to show for it. I'm suprised that Trek Nation actually got made.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

As a lifelong fan I know a lot about TOS, both in-universe and behind the scenes, and if I ever knew the Roddenberry daughters existed, I'd forgotten entirely. They really are pretty obscure. I knew that Shatner and Whitney had their kids in "Miri," but not GR.

 

[R. Star]

Obviously they're living their own lives. If they've kept a low profile away from Trek, it's for a reason and I'll respect that. Much better than Rod suddenly deciding he wants cas-- I mean cares about Star Trek.

 

[Durek]

You know until I read this thread, I never knew Gene had children besides Eugene Wesley "Rod" Roddenberry, Jr. It just shows that contrary to popular belief, Gene had flaws.

 

[Trek Survivor]

Obviously they're living their own lives.

Well, sadly one isn't - she died after a car accident in 1995. Really tragic.

 

[Commishsleer]

Apparently Dawn tried to sue Barrett after getting disinherited, so there's probably some bad blood between the two there. It'd just be an interesting new perspecitive to hear from instead of all of the things Rod keeps saying that they're going to do, but have nothing to show for it. I'm suprised that Trek Nation actually got made.

I read that Majel Barrett countersued a suit from Dawn which ensured that Dawn didn't get any money from the estate.

Yet I read that Barrett left her dogs more money in her will than Dawn was going to get from the estate.

I'm just going on media reports so that may be wrong.

 

[Therin of Andor]

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Dawn_Roddenberry

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Darleen_Roddenberry

The lawsuit:

June 29, 1996: "Dawn Roddenberry, the daughter of 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry, has been disinherited and will share in none of her father's fortune, according to a ruling by the California Court of Appeal.

"The appellate court ruled Tuesday that Dawn Roddenberry will have to forfeit all claims to her father's fortune because she had challenged his will - a will that had expressly stipulated that anyone who contested it would be cut out.

"Gene Roddenberry died Oct. 24, 1991, leaving most of his estate in trust for his widow, Majel Roddenberry, but he provided that Dawn would receive $500,000 plus a share of the trust fund upon Majel's death. He also left money to his son, Rod; daughter Darleen; and to his sister and mother.

"Dawn contested the will six weeks after her father died on grounds that there was undue influence allegedly exercised by Majel.

"Not only will Dawn not receive the $500,000 her father had left her, but she will also not share in the millions of dollars that could have been hers upon Majel's death."

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NEWS+LITE+:+RODDENBERRY+HEIR%27S+LOSING+ENTERPRISE.-a083951248

 

[Push The Button]

Oh, how families get ugly when someone dies and there are valuables left to be fought over. I had to deal with this nonsense last year after my father passed, and it was over something worth one hell of a lot less than the Roddenberry estate.

Fortunately, I have no children, and will probably have very little money, or anything else of value left when I leave this world.

 

[ichab]

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Dawn_Roddenberry

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Darleen_Roddenberry

The lawsuit:

June 29, 1996: "Dawn Roddenberry, the daughter of 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry, has been disinherited and will share in none of her father's fortune, according to a ruling by the California Court of Appeal.

"The appellate court ruled Tuesday that Dawn Roddenberry will have to forfeit all claims to her father's fortune because she had challenged his will - a will that had expressly stipulated that anyone who contested it would be cut out.

"Gene Roddenberry died Oct. 24, 1991, leaving most of his estate in trust for his widow, Majel Roddenberry, but he provided that Dawn would receive $500,000 plus a share of the trust fund upon Majel's death. He also left money to his son, Rod; daughter Darleen; and to his sister and mother.

"Dawn contested the will six weeks after her father died on grounds that there was undue influence allegedly exercised by Majel.

"Not only will Dawn not receive the $500,000 her father had left her, but she will also not share in the millions of dollars that could have been hers upon Majel's death."

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NEWS+LITE+:+RODDENBERRY+HEIR%27S+LOSING+ENTERPRISE.-a083951248

So she got greedy and lost out on everything. Can't say I feel bad for her.

 

[R. Star]

Yeah, people dying always brings out the worst in the survivors as they scrounge for the scraps. It's sad, though I suppose it's a small blessing the dearly departed can't see the vultures that are his relatives picking for carrion from their dead corpse. I see this happening with my own family sometime sadly...

 

[Anji]

I wonder if Gene ever saw his grandchildren???

 

[ZapBrannigan]

So she got greedy and lost out on everything. Can't say I feel bad for her.

I don't think so. It's more likely that Majel set a trap. Majel got Gene to forestall Dawn's inheritance until after Majel died, and to cut Dawn out if she contested the will.

And the estate went into a trust, a newly-created legal entity with ownership powers as if it were a person, and that can make the terms and conditions private or at least well-obscured.

Dawn probably had no way of knowing the terms of the will. So when Gene died, all Dawn could see was that nothing was coming her way. This lured her into contesting the will, and Majel's trap was sprung. Dawn got disinherited-- something Majel could never have talked Gene into doing directly.

Majel, knowing the terms and conditions that Dawn did not, may have taunted Dawn into contesting the will.

I think it stinks on ice.

 

[publiusr]

Majel certainly was hell for folks selling fan products at conventions.

Fortunately, I have no children, and will probably have very little money, or anything else of value left when I leave this world.

Same here.

Besides, the worst thing you can ever do to someone isn't to waterboard someone, or beat them up.

It is to make someone love you--and then die on them.

I make people very mad supporting NASA's SLS to the point that I think folks would cheer if I kicked the bucket and would celebrate my death.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

So she got greedy and lost out on everything. Can't say I feel bad for her.

I don't think so. It's more likely that Majel set a trap. Majel got Gene to forestall Dawn's inheritance until after Majel died, and to cut Dawn out if she contested the will.

And the estate went into a trust, a newly-created legal entity with ownership powers as if it were a person, and that can make the terms and conditions private or at least well-obscured.

Dawn probably had no way of knowing the terms of the will. So when Gene died, all Dawn could see was that nothing was coming her way. This lured her into contesting the will, and Majel's trap was sprung. Dawn got disinherited-- something Majel could never have talked Gene into doing directly.

Majel, knowing the terms and conditions that Dawn did not, may have taunted Dawn into contesting the will.

I think it stinks on ice.

That's quite the soap opera you're spinning based on let's see.. nothing.

It's a shame if Rod has/had no relationship with his sisters.

 

[ichab]

So she got greedy and lost out on everything. Can't say I feel bad for her.

I don't think so. It's more likely that Majel set a trap. Majel got Gene to forestall Dawn's inheritance until after Majel died, and to cut Dawn out if she contested the will.

And the estate went into a trust, a newly-created legal entity with ownership powers as if it were a person, and that can make the terms and conditions private or at least well-obscured.

Dawn probably had no way of knowing the terms of the will. So when Gene died, all Dawn could see was that nothing was coming her way. This lured her into contesting the will, and Majel's trap was sprung. Dawn got disinherited-- something Majel could never have talked Gene into doing directly.

Majel, knowing the terms and conditions that Dawn did not, may have taunted Dawn into contesting the will.

I think it stinks on ice.

All speculation.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

All speculation.

It explains what happened. Majel didn't want children not her own to get any of the fortune, so she arranged things. It happens in families all the time: children from a prior marriage get cut out.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

All of this can also be explained by brain parasites fighting a hidden xenophobic war against other symbiotic beings.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

All of this can also be explained by brain parasites fighting a hidden xenophobic war against other symbiotic beings.

The difference is, my explanation is something that arises from human nature and happens all the time in real life. The children of a prior marriage don't end up with nothing by accident. It gets arranged for them.

 

[Hound of UIster]

As a lifelong fan I know a lot about TOS, both in-universe and behind the scenes, and if I ever knew the Roddenberry daughters existed, I'd forgotten entirely. They really are pretty obscure. I knew that Shatner and Whitney had their kids in "Miri," but not GR.

Were GR's daughter not mentioned by his first wife when she claimed that he made up Star Trek to entertain them?