Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, TV | Tagged: Jeri Taylor, star trek

Star Trek Universe Pays Tribute to Voyager Co-Creator Jeri Taylor

Voyager stars Kate Mulgrew, Roxann Dawson Robert Picardo, and the Star Trek Universe paid tribute to the late co-creator Jeri Taylor.

Star Trek lost one of its most revered figures and influential forces during the syndication era when writer and executive producer Jeri Taylor passed on October 24 at 86. Making her debut in 1979 in the Warner Bros/CBS miniseries California Fever in 1979, she went to work on some of the biggest series in the 1980s, including NBC's Little House on the Prairie, In the Heat of the Night, and Quincy M.E., CBS's The Incredible Hulk, Jake and the Fat Man, and Magnum P.I., ABC Afterschool Specials, and ABC's Blue Thunder before landing her biggest break on Star Trek: The Next Generation joining in season four and becoming showrunner by the seventh and final season, serving as writer and executive producer. She would also write three episodes in the franchise's second live-action spinoff in Deep Space Nine before co-creating – with Rick Berman and Michael Piller – the spinoff Voyager for UPN, which ran for seven seasons from 1995-2001.

Star Trek Community Remembers Jeri Taylor

Colleagues and fans from throughout the Star Trek community paid tribute to Taylor. Starting with Voyager, Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Kathryn Janeway on Voyager, wrote on social media, "Jeri Taylor was responsible, in large part, for changing my life. She was elegant, erudite, and fiercely opinionated. She wanted Kathryn Janeway to be a significant part of her legacy, and I think there is no doubt that in that endeavor, she succeeded. I owe her a debt of gratitude. May she rest in peace."

Roxann Dawson, who played chief engineer Lt. B'Elanna Torres, wrote, "RIP JERI TAYLOR. I am heart broken to hear of the passing of Jeri Taylor. Not only was her contribution to Voyager remarkable, but she was unmistakably the female voice of Voyager. I know my journey both on the show and beyond is completely affected by her presence, her talent and her vision. She was the first person I spoke to about wanting to direct. And with her support and guidance, my life was changed. I am deeply saddened by her passing but her infectious joyful outlook on life will continue to inspire me. My heart and prayers are with her family."

Robert Picardo, who played The Doctor, wrote, "What a wonderful person to work with! Jeri Taylor was the beating heart of [Star Trek] #Voyager 's groundbreaking #CaptainJaneway character. I will miss her. My condolences to her family." Star Trek franchise art designer Michael Okuda wrote, "The world of Star Trek lost one of its giants yesterday with the passing of writer-producer Jeri Taylor. Jeri became a supervising producer on Star Trek: TNG's fourth season, eventually becoming co-executive producer."

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