# RIP, Nichelle Nichols; Lt. Uhura **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [July 31, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884 "2022-07-31T19:19:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/81 "2022-08-03T18:19:23Z")
Yes, after her role became superfluous, they couldn’t justify keeping her on the payroll, even though she was guaranteed (IIRC) only six or seven episodes out of every thirteen. As another “featured player,” Nichelle Nichols had a similar deal, but fortunately turned out to be an essential part of the series. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/82 "2022-08-03T18:22:10Z")
I would never have guessed that by looking at her, but I wouldn’t have spurned her advances either. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/83 "2022-08-03T20:01:55Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > All Troi ever did on the bridge was sit around and pretend to be interested when not telling Picard things that were obvious to everybody else. (Stolen from The Family Guy phone game) “As ship’s counselor, it is my job to write your college recommendation letter” ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/84 "2022-08-03T21:20:42Z")
@Zyada In actuality, George Takei and Nichelle Nichols were really good friends. She stood up for Takei when he married Brad Altman. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/85 "2022-08-03T23:31:42Z")
Nichell had a similar “casting couch” experience with a Desilu executive who was eventually fired for forcing himself on a number of women. She was also subjected to racial abuse by another (from Desilu or NBC, I don’t remember which) who apologized profusely when he realized what a shitheel he was. Nichell forgave him, showing again what a lovely person she was. Being rotated around the ship, BTW, was not universally popular. When Riley was posted to the lower Engineering decks for his own protection in “The Conscience of the King,” he was sure he was being punished but couldn’t figure out why. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/86 "2022-08-04T04:55:10Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > it shouldn’t be overlooked that the series was in many ways quite progressive. Agreed. While it’s true there’s things in TOS that haven’t aged well, it was pretty fair for it’s day. [Live-Action TV / Fair For Its Day - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FairForItsDay/LiveActionTV) Interestingly, the bad gets _more_ obvious, while the good gets _less_. I recently read an article that mentioned Uhura taking over the helm and nobody reacted. No raised eyebrows or worried looks, nobody checking over her shoulder, just business as usual. Something like that wouldn’t even be noticed today but would have stood out in its time. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/87 "2022-08-04T19:02:52Z")
I think that was in “Balance of Terror,” after Stiles was ordered to the Phaser room. IIRC, she took over the Navigation station, so yes, she could fill in for another member of the crew when needed. She was able to control communications from the Navigation station as well. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/88 "2026-06-06T23:27:15Z")
She would probably have lived longer, but the hospital failed to diagnose a heart attack: **Heartbreaking Victory: Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura’s Family Wins $13M Verdict:** The verdict follows a lawsuit claiming the facility failed to secure a proper hospital bed or arrange a medical transfer for the “Star Trek” star. [https://www.theroot.com/heartbreaking-victory-star-treks-lt-uhura-s-family-wi-2000109708](https://www.theroot.com/heartbreaking-victory-star-treks-lt-uhura-s-family-wi-2000109708) Unfortunately: > Nichols’ family is expected to receive only a fraction of the $13 million jury award, Hacsi [attorney for Nichols family] said. > > Hacsi said $400,000 is the maximum award the family can collect under the state’s Tort Claims Act, which regulates hospitals owned by governmental agencies. Because Gila Regional Medical Center is owned by Grant County, the hospital falls under the law that was enacted in the 1970s, she said. > **[Jury awards $13M in death of 'Star Trek' star Nichelle Nichols](https://www.abqjournal.com/news/new-mexico-jury-returns-13-million-verdict-in-death-of-star-trek-actor-nichelle-nichols/3057401)** > > A Silver City jury ruled against a Grant County hospital, but the family may only collect $400,000 under New Mexico's Tort Claims Act. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/89 "2026-06-07T00:17:26Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > but the hospital failed to diagnose a heart attack: Even now in 2026 that happens to many women. It shouldn’t, but it does. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/90 "2026-06-07T21:14:59Z")
Meh, I’d need to know more before taking a side. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/91 "2026-06-08T00:26:10Z")
I mean, her family won the court case. Seems like those who had the evidence decided it did indeed happen. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884/92 "2026-06-08T02:43:20Z")
Fair to say, but hospitals try to avoid juries unless they have a good defense or the demands are exorbitant. I don’t know how things are in NM, but where I’m at the hospital wouldn’t be at fault for the assisted living facility not being able to meet her medical needs, unless they’d misrepresented what those needs were. They also can’t _make_ some other facility take a transfer. Being stuck waiting for a bed in a higher level of care facility is not uncommon. Or maybe the hospital fucked up, but I wonder if they’d have thought so if it wasn’t Nichelle Nichols. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura/968884.md?page=4)