SAG Award Winners
The Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony took place over the weekend, with a couple of ex-Trek folk amongst the winners (previous story). For Ensemble Cast (Film), the critical favorite "Sideways," co-starring Virginia Madsen ("Unforgettable"), picked up a big nod. For Actress in a Comedy Series (Desperate Housewives), Teri Hatcher ("The Outrageous Okona") came up a winner once more. She had previously garnered a Golden Globe award just three weeks prior. Hatcher could lay claim to another SAG award as "Desperate Housewives" won for Comedy Ensemble. Also featured in this ensemble cast award was Steven Culp, our favorite MACO Major Hayes from Season 3 of Star Trek: Enterprise.
"Rod" Roddenberry Joins Section 31
Well, maybe not that covert special ops division of Starfleet, but the young Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry celebrated his 31st birthday in high style atop the Brentwood-Bel Air Holiday Inn in Los Angeles last Saturday night. Joining him for dinner was mother Majel Barrett Roddenberry, as well as other family and close friends. The party then shifted to the rest of the top floor venue as the other guests arrived.
Among the Star Trek luminaries in attendance were actors John Billingsley ("Phlox"), Aron Eisenberg ("Nog"), Max Grodenchik ("Rom"), J.G. Hertzler ("Martok") and Casey Biggs ("Damar"). Actor Jason Carter of Babylon 5 fame also joined in the festivities. Production and general behind the scenes folk included Andre Bormanis, Dan Curry, Ron B. Moore, Penny Juday, Anthony Fredrickson, Dave Rossi, Gene Roddenberry biographer David Alexander, artist Michael David Ward, former Roddenberry assistant Richard Arnold, writer Harry Kloor, former STARTREK.COM producer Guy Vardaman, and Star Trek Communicator's Larry Nemecek.
Actor John Vernon Passes
Actor John Vernon died on February 1, following complications after heart surgery. Although his part in Star Trek is perhaps just a blip in the overall picture, we try to give equal time to everyone in the "family" and Vernon is no exception. Known to millions as the tough Dean Wormer in the cult classic "Animal House," the Canadian-born Vernon was part of the voice cast for the "Star Trek: Klingon Academy" computer game.
