Star Trek Actress Dies, Her Episode Was Iconic
Maggie Thrett, who starred in the Star Trek episode "Mudd’s Women," has passed away.
Coming right on the heels of the sad news that Kirstie Alley passed away following a battle with cancer, Deadline is reporting that another beloved Star Trek actress has died. Maggie Thrett, best known for portraying Ruth in the “Mudd’s Women” episode of the original 1960s series, reportedly died due to complications from an infection at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York.
“Mudd’s Women” premiered on October 13, 1966, and it was the sixth episode of NBC’s Star Trek. Maggie Thrett played Ruth Bonaventure, alongside fellow aliens Eve McHuron (Karen Steele) and Magda Kovacs (Susan Denberg). In the episode, the trio was given a drug called Venus by Harry Mudd (Roger Carmel), which not only preserved their illusion of beauty, but also rendered the crew of the Enterprise helpless against their charms.
To this day, “Mudd’s Women” is one of the most beloved Star Trek episodes of all time. Oddly enough, Maggie Thrett had no idea what the series was prior to appearing on the iconic episode. Additionally, even though Roger Carmel was her real-life neighbor, she was still required to audition for the role of Ruth.
Although “Mudd’s Women” is a favorite among Star Trek fans, Maggie Thrett didn’t have the best experience while filming the episode. The actress told author Tom Lisanti in 2017 that she and the cast and crew worked long hours, and even though they went into “triple overtime,” the network didn’t want to compensate them. She did eventually get her money, but she was never invited back to the series.
Aside from Star Trek, Maggie Thrett had roles on several other television shows. She appeared in two episodes of the Michael Garrison-created series The Wild Wild West, alongside main stars Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. The western series ran for four seasons from 1965-1969.
Another role she scored following her appearance on Star Trek was on the hit comedy series I Dream of Jeannie, which was created by Sidney Sheldon and aired on NBC. The show ran for five seasons before being canceled. Maggie Thrett appeared as Joan on the 14th episode of Season 5, which was titled Never Put a Genie on a Budget.
The actress’s final on-screen role came just eight years after she portrayed Ruth Bonaventure on Star Trek. She played a character known simply as Mother on the short-lived drama series Run, Joe, Run. The show, which was created by Richard H. Landau, centered on a trained member of the military’s K9-Corp, Joe, who’s falsely accused of attacking his master, and manages to escape before being killed but not before a bounty is placed on his head.
In addition to her acting career, Maggie Thrett was a singer and dancer, and she reportedly regularly performed at Trude Heller’s in Greenwich Village, New York. Still, she will likely best be remembered for her iconic turn as Ruth Bonaventure on Star Trek. The news of her passing is devastating, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
