On this date in 1943, Susan Sackett was born in New York City. Growing up in both Connecticut and Florida, Sackett dreamed of working in Hollywood. After receiving a bachelor’s (1964) and master’s of education (1965) from the University of Florida in Gainesville, she taught at an elementary school in Miami for two years. Deciding to pursue her dream, she quit her teaching job, moved to Los Angeles and spent the next four years working as a publicity assistant and commercial coordinator for NBC.
In August 1974, Sackett met and became the personal executive assistant of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the legendary television series “Star Trek.” Sackett served as a production assistant for the first “Star Trek” film (1979) and worked closely with Roddenberry on the next five “Star Trek” movies. Working as a production associate during the first five seasons of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” (1987-94), Sackett and writing partner Fred Bronson sold several stories and teleplays to the series. She worked for Roddenberry for 17 years until his death in October 1991.
Sackett has written several books, including Letters to Star Trek (1977), Star Trek Speaks! (1979, with Fred and Stan Goldstein), The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1980, with Roddenberry) and a memoir, Inside Trek (2002). She also wrote You Can Be a Game Show Contestant and Win! (1982, with Cheryl Blythe), Primetime Hits (1993) and Hollywood Sings! (1995).
Sackett is a member of MENSA, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Writer’s Guild of America. She moved to Arizona and became active in her local American Humanist Association chapter in 1994. She has been an FFRF member since 1995 and became a Lifetime Member in 2007.
