Actor: Grace Lee Whitney
First Appearance: TOS “The Man Trap” S01E01 (1966)
Species: Human
Janice Rand was a character during the first season of the original Star Trek. She appeared in the first eight episodes, notably as the woman the Mirror Kirk attacks and nearly rapes, the woman whom Charlie X gets a crush on, and the character whom Miri becomes jealous of, causing the landing party’s betrayal. In her job as Yeoman, she also brings Jim Kirk meals and coffee. She later became a commander and communications officer aboard the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000)
Janice Rand was a character during the first season of the original Star Trek. She appeared in the first eight episodes, notably as the woman the Mirror Kirk attacks and nearly rapes, the woman whom Charlie X gets a crush on, and the character whom Miri becomes jealous of, causing the landing party’s betrayal. In her job as Yeoman, she also brought Jim Kirk meals and coffee.
Gene Roddenberry’s original pitch for Star Trek featured a female Captain’s Yeoman named “Colt”. She was described as “blonde and with a shape that even a uniform could not hide.” In this first version of Star Trek, she worked as Captain Robert April’s “secretary, reporter, and bookkeeper”. That character however evolved into Yeoman Janice Rand by the time the show first aired.
By the mid-2270s, Rand had been promoted to chief petty officer and transporter chief of the Enterprise. Before Rear Admiral Kirk assumed command of the Enterprise, she also served under the command of Captain Will Decker (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) while the ship underwent a major refit in spacedock.
In 2286, (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home) Rand was a communications officer assigned to Starfleet Command on Earth. When the Whale Probe began vaporizing the Earth’s oceans, she was on duty.
In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and VOY: “Flashback” Lieutenant junior grade Rand was a communications officer on the USS Excelsior, under the command of Captain Hikaru Sulu. She had by this time completed her officer training, and was promoted in three years to commander.
Our ‘Star Trek’ Day ‘Who is’ Series 2021 is authored by Commander Bodan Landar
