Elizabeth Rogers
| Elizabeth Rogers | |
|---|---|
 Elizabeth Rogers as Lt. Palmer in Star Trek | |
| Born |
Betty Jayne Rogers May 18, 1934 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Died |
November 6, 2004 (aged 70) Tarzana, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress and Producer |
| Years active | 1965–1986 |
| Spouse(s) | Erik L. Nelson (1968-2004) (1 child) |
Elizabeth Rogers (May 18, 1934 – November 6, 2004) was an American actress.
Life and career
Born Betty Jayne Rogers in Austin, Texas, she played minor characters in thirty-seven episodes of a dozen different prime-time network series, including Little House on the Prairie, Bewitched, Gunsmoke, The Waltons, Marcus Welby, M.D., Dragnet 1966, Mannix, Dragnet 1967, Bonanza, The Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, Dr. Kildare, and Slattery's People. She had two roles in the original Star Trek television series. She provided the (uncredited) voice for entity known as "The Companion" in the episode "Metamorphosis" (1967). She also portrayed Lt. Palmer, a substitute communications officer, in the episodes "The Doomsday Machine" (1967) and "The Way to Eden" (1969). For Doomsday Machine, Rogers was brought in at the last minute after Nichelle Nichols informed the producers that she was flying to New York for a concert performance. As Nichols had no standard contract she was legally free to do so, but Rogers' appearance was intended to convince her to keep herself available for Star Trek. Rogers said in a later interview, "I got the part when Urura [Nichols] had a singing engagement. I was used as an instant 'threat' replacement."[1]
During the 1970s, she also appeared in a string of Irwin Allen produced films including The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974). She was a personal friend of Allen and his wife Sheila Matthews Allen, and was married to actor Erik Nelson (also a regular in Irwin Allen films) in the backyard of Allen's home. Her other film appearances included Bittersweet Love (1976), The Van (1977), Grand Theft Auto (1977), and An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) as David Keith's mother.
She died from multiple strokes and lung cancer on November 6, 2004 in Tarzana, California at the age of 70.
Filmography
| Film | Class | Episode | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outrage! | Television Movie | — | 1986 | Stella Smith |
| The Yellow Rose | Television Series | The Far Side of Fear | 1984 | Tess Anderson |
| The Night the Bridge Fell Down | Television Movie | — | 1983 | — |
| An Officer and a Gentleman | Screen Movie | — | 1982 | Betty Worley |
| Little House on the Prairie | Television Series | For the Love of Nancy | 1981 | Mrs. Miles |
| Goldie and the Boxer | Television Movie | — | 1979 | First matron |
| Hanging by a Thread | Television Movie | — | 1979 | Maggie Porter |
| The Swarm | Screen Movie | — | 1978 | Woman Scientist (extended version only) |
| Lacy and the Mississippi Queen | Television Movie | — | 1978 | Madam Josephine |
| Grand Theft Auto | Screen Movie | — | 1977 | Priscilla Powers |
| A Sensitive, Passionate Man | Television Movie | — | 1977 | Sophie |
| The Van | Screen Movie | — | 1977 | Mrs. Eastman |
| Flood! | Television Movie | — | 1976 | Nancy Lowman |
| Bittersweet Love | Screen Movie | — | 1976 | Joan |
| The Waltons | Television Series | The Nurse | 1975 | Nurse Smith |
| Adventures of the Queen | Television Movie | — | 1975 | Irene McKay |
| The Towering Inferno | Screen Movie | — | 1974 | Lady in Buoy |
| The Poseidon Adventure | Screen Movie | — | 1972 | Woman Next to Mr. Tinkham (uncredited) |
| Something Evil | Television Movie | — | 1972 | Party Guest |
| Bewitched | Television Series | The Ghost Who Made a Spectre of Himself | 1971 | Duchess |
| Gunsmoke | Television Series | Mirage The Well Parson Comes to Town | 1971 1966 1966 | Hostage (uncredited) Mrs. Davis Hostage |
| Marcus Welby, M.D. | Television Series | Go Get 'Em, Tiger | 1970 | Woman Executive |
| Land of the Giants | Television Series | Sabotage | 1969 | Secretary |
| Star Trek | Television Series | The Way to Eden Metamorphosis The Doomsday Machine | 1969 1967 1967 | Lt. Palmer The Companion (voice, uncredited) Lt. Palmer |
| Dragnet 1966 | Television Movie | — | 1969 | Eve Sorenson |
| Mannix | Television Series | Shadow of a Man | 1969 | Records Clerk |
| Dragnet 1967 | Television Series | The Little Victim | 1968 | Mrs. Bradley |
| Bonanza | Television Series | Journey to Terror Once a Doctor | 1967 1965 | Ellie Blackwell Allie Lou |
| The Time Tunnel | Television Series | The Alamo | 1966 | Mrs. Reynerson |
| Dr. Kildare | Television Series | Aftermath A Little Child Shall Lead Life in the Dance Hall | 1965 1965 1965 | Miss Trilling Miss Trilling Miss Trilling |
| Slattery's People | Television Series | The Hero | 1965 | Betty Dyne |
References
- ↑ Marc Cushman, with Susan Osborn, These Are the Voyages, TOS, Season Two, Jacobs/Brown Press, Los Angeles, 2014, p 149
External links
-
Biography portal - Elizabeth Rogers at the Internet Movie Database
- Elizabeth Rogers at Find a Grave