Janice Rand
Encyclopedia
Yeoman Janice Rand, played by Grace Lee Whitney
, is a character in Star Trek: The Original Series
. She subsequently appears in several Star Trek films and in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager
.
to Captain James T. Kirk
aboard the USS Enterprise
in the first half of the first season of The Original Series. A mutual attraction is suggested between her and Captain Kirk in episodes such as "The Naked Time", "The Enemy Within", and "Miri". The most noticeable confession of their "feelings they've been hiding" was in "The Enemy Within" while Kirk, Spock, and McCoy ask her about her attack. Rand appeared in eight episodes.
She next appeared in the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture
as a transporter
operator and non-commissioned officer
. Her next appearance was in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
where she has been promoted to Chief Petty Officer and was stationed in San Francisco along with Christine Chapel
. She served as a communications officer aboard the USS Excelsior in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
and in the Voyager episode "Flashback".
Whitney had a cameo in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
and was identified by fans as portraying Janice Rand, although the credits listed her as a red-haired "woman in cafeteria". Whitney, in her autobiography, maintained that she was not playing Rand in that movie.
The reasons for Whitney's departure from the show are unclear, although the most commonly cited cause was that her character limited romantic possibilities for Captain Kirk. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
's biography suggests that it was simply a budget cutback.
Whitney was suffering from alcoholism
at the time, and according to some sources this affected her performance, which resulted in Rand's character being written out of certain episodes. Subsequently, this led to Rand being written out of the show altogether. Whitney in the 1980s identified these as possible causes for her dismissal, but in her autobiography, she steadfastly rejected the claims.
According to Whitney, in the first season, only William Shatner
and Leonard Nimoy
were guaranteed to appear in every episode. Of the three episodes in which she did not appear, Rand's character was not written into two ("Mudd's Women" and "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"). The only episode that Rand was deliberately written out of was "Dagger of the Mind", which Whitney said was a creative decision made because the episode's storyline put the mutual and yet repressed attraction between Kirk and Rand too much out in the open.
In her autobiography, Whitney alleges that an unnamed television executive made a sexual assault against her, and she draws a link between this and her sacking a few days later.
's novel The Captain's Daughter, Rand tells Captain Sulu that she left Starfleet for a period of time to raise a daughter, Annie. The child's father was a "Starfleet officer on the fast track to greatness" who never knew about the child. Annie became ill and died at the age of two; after this traumatic event, Rand rejoined Starfleet.
Grace Lee Whitney
Grace Lee Whitney, also known as Ruth Whitney and Lee Whitney is an American actress and entertainer. She is best known for playing the role of Janice Rand on the Star Trek television series and subsequent films.-Early life:...
, is a character in Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
. She subsequently appears in several Star Trek films and in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
.
Depiction
Rand serves as yeomanYeoman (US Navy)
Yeoman is the oldest rating in the United States Navy. Yeomen perform secretarial and clerical work. They deal with visitors, telephone calls and incoming mail. They organize files and operate copy machines and order and distribute supplies...
to Captain James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
aboard the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
in the first half of the first season of The Original Series. A mutual attraction is suggested between her and Captain Kirk in episodes such as "The Naked Time", "The Enemy Within", and "Miri". The most noticeable confession of their "feelings they've been hiding" was in "The Enemy Within" while Kirk, Spock, and McCoy ask her about her attack. Rand appeared in eight episodes.
She next appeared in the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. The film is set in the twenty-third century, when a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'Ger approaches the Earth,...
as a transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
operator and non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. Her next appearance was in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fourth feature film based on the Star Trek science fiction television series and completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued in Star Trek III: The...
where she has been promoted to Chief Petty Officer and was stationed in San Francisco along with Christine Chapel
Christine Chapel
Christine Chapel is a fictional character in the original Star Trek series, and in some of the films based on it. She was played by the late Majel Barrett....
. She served as a communications officer aboard the USS Excelsior in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
and in the Voyager episode "Flashback".
Whitney had a cameo in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
and was identified by fans as portraying Janice Rand, although the credits listed her as a red-haired "woman in cafeteria". Whitney, in her autobiography, maintained that she was not playing Rand in that movie.
Departure
Grace Lee Whitney was released during the filming of the first season. The last episode in which she appeared as a primary character was "Miri", with "The Conscience of the King" being the final episode that included the character of "Yeoman Rand". Her appearance in this episode was quite brief, and she had no spoken lines.The reasons for Whitney's departure from the show are unclear, although the most commonly cited cause was that her character limited romantic possibilities for Captain Kirk. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
's biography suggests that it was simply a budget cutback.
Whitney was suffering from alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
at the time, and according to some sources this affected her performance, which resulted in Rand's character being written out of certain episodes. Subsequently, this led to Rand being written out of the show altogether. Whitney in the 1980s identified these as possible causes for her dismissal, but in her autobiography, she steadfastly rejected the claims.
According to Whitney, in the first season, only William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
and Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
were guaranteed to appear in every episode. Of the three episodes in which she did not appear, Rand's character was not written into two ("Mudd's Women" and "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"). The only episode that Rand was deliberately written out of was "Dagger of the Mind", which Whitney said was a creative decision made because the episode's storyline put the mutual and yet repressed attraction between Kirk and Rand too much out in the open.
In her autobiography, Whitney alleges that an unnamed television executive made a sexual assault against her, and she draws a link between this and her sacking a few days later.
Star Trek novels
Vonda N. McIntyre's novel Enterprise: The First Adventure suggests that Rand lied about her age in order to enlist in Starfleet and was only 17 at the start of Kirk's five-year mission. In Peter DavidPeter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
's novel The Captain's Daughter, Rand tells Captain Sulu that she left Starfleet for a period of time to raise a daughter, Annie. The child's father was a "Starfleet officer on the fast track to greatness" who never knew about the child. Annie became ill and died at the age of two; after this traumatic event, Rand rejoined Starfleet.