Maggie Threett dies: The actress and singer most famous for the “Maud Women” episode of Star Trek was 76

Maggie Threat, actress and singer who prominently played Ruth in the “Moody Women” episode of the original Star TrekHer family had died, she announced. She was 76 years old.

Women of Mode is considered one of the most memorable episodes of the 1960s Star Trekin no small part because it featured three stunningly beautiful women (Threeth, Karen Steele, and Susan Denberg) who seemed to have strange powers over the male members of the Enterprise crew – except for Spock, of course.

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The women are on their way to a mining colony where they must become wives to the rich but lonely men who mine the precious dilithium crystals. Their secret is that they were made both beautiful and irresistible by ingesting a so-called “Venus” drug given to them by one of the series’ most notorious villains, Harry Mudd (Roger Carmell).

Ironically, even though Carmel was her neighbor, Thrait had to audition for the role. She had no idea what the show was actually like.

“I was shocked, after years, that I became famous for doing this episode,” she told author Tom Lisanti in 2017. “I’m in TV history forever. At least it wasn’t bad so I’m not embarrassed about it. Some companies approached me to sell my signature on these Star Trek cards. They paid me to resell them at these Star Trek conventions. I was invited once but it didn’t succeed.”

Speaking of the salary, Rich told Lesante that she had to fight for her wages from the show.

“I remember we got the extra golden goal that day [of filming]. We were there from about 4 am to about 9 or 10 pm. You have been passed regular overtime and entered triple overtime. Threat said. “I had to fight for it through the Screen Actors Guild. They don’t like when you do it and it hurts your chances of ever appearing on the show again. I got my money back and no surprise invite ever again. Years later, I got a letter from Gene Roddenberry to confiscate what I had left.” and donate it to his charity. I refused.”

Threat, who was born Diane Payne in 1946, appeared in a number of big-name series of the period, including Wild WestAnd the I dream of Jenny And the McCloud. She also co-starred opposite Christopher Jones, Yvette Mimio and Judy Pace in the 1968 comedy Three in the attic, which became that year’s highest grossing hit on American International Pictures’ list. The movie and Thrett appeared briefly in Quentin Tarantino’s Once upon a time in hollywoodas a TV commercial for the movie plays on the TV in the background during one scene.

As a singer, she achieved minor success with her single “Soupy”, which was produced by Bob Crewe, who convinced her to change her name. The song is a fitting – for 1965 – groovy, high-energy arrangement with plenty of horns. You can listen to it below.

In May 1970, Thrett was involved in a road accident while riding Gram Parsons’ motorcycle. Although she was apparently unharmed (Parsons had suffered major injuries), shortly thereafter, Threat turned her back on the entertainment business.

Her nephew, who is ironically named Chris Pine, wrote earlier this week, “She left Hollywood, I was originally told it was because ‘it didn’t work out’ but later, I learned that she had become frustrated with the industry and how it treated women. She kept a lot of that to herself, only opening up about her own experience when she was older and finally being able to enjoy some of the perks that came with being Star Trek. “

She even changed her mind about agreements, according to signing agent Scott Ray.

“In the last five years of her life, Maggie made two appearances at the convention,” Ray wrote. “I was amazed when I saw how her career had suffered…and made new fans who weren’t even alive when she did.” [Star Trek]. “