Gene Roddenberry

A visionary writer, producer and futurist, "Star Trek" (NBC, 1966-69) creator Gene Roddenberry changed the face of science fiction with a concept that grew to encompass film, television, comic books and video games, and whose influence on the genre could only be arguably rivaled by the likes of George Lucas. Although it barely lasted a mere three seasons, "Star Trek" became the first TV series to have an episode preserved in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and was influential enough to prompt NASA to name one of its space shuttles after the show's iconic starship, Enterprise. Following a resurgence in popularity on television syndication, the series was resurrected on the big screen with the visually impressive, yet ponderous film adaptation "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979). The success of the feature film spawned several sequels, including the more warmly received "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982). And while his involvement in the features became largely ornamental, Roddenberry brought his creative energies to bear on the first of many TV spin-offs; "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (syndicated, 1987-1994). Despite the fact that it had been 40 years since the original series left the airwaves, the franchise proved to be stronger than ever with the colossal success of the J.J. Abrams-directed feature reboot, "Star Trek" (2009), a prequel chronicling the assemblage of the young Enterprise crew. Beyond merely creating one of the most successful entertainment franchises in history, the influence of Roddenberry's brainchild imbedded itself deep within the very fabric of pop culture, its effects even rippling into the realms of real world science and technology.