Who did Laurel Goodwin play in Star Trek? Tributes pour in as Elvis Presley's co-star dies at 79

On February 25, 2022, Laurel Goodwin passed away at the age of 79. She was known for her appearance in the original, and failed, Star Trek pilot with Jeffrey Hunter.

The news of her death was announced by sister Maureen Scott. The cause of death as well as details of her funeral are yet to be disclosed by the family.

All about Laurel Goodwin’s career and her role in Star Trek

Laurel Goodwin played the role of J.M. Colt in the first Star Trek: The Original Series pilot, The Cage. She was the last surviving performer from that episode.

She filmed her scenes from November to December 1964 at Desilu Culver Stage 15 and Stage 16.

Born on August 11, 1942, she made her screen debut in the 1962 musical comedy Girls! Girls! Girls! as the love interest of Elvis Presley. Directed by Norman Taurog, the film was a box office hit and Presley was seen as a penniless Hawaiian fisherman who loved his life at sea and dreamed of owning a boat.

She also played the role of Augusta Griffith in the 1963 comedy film Papa’s Delicate Condition. The film was directed by George Marshall and had Jackie Gleason and Glynis Johns in lead roles.

She then appeared in some western films like Law of the Lawless and The Glory Guys.

Goodwin made guest appearances on various drama television series and played important roles in a few comedy series. She appeared as Phoebe in the TV Comedy Get Smart and Stella in two episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies.

Laurel retired from acting in 1971 and pursued a career in home nursing for around 35 years. Her husband Walter Wood later became ill and she took care of him until his death.

Before Walter’s death, he and Goodwin produced the 1983 Burt Reynolds-Loni Anderson NASCAR comedy, Stroker Ace.

Fans pay tribute on Twitter

Laurel Goodwin became a familiar name in Hollywood for her appearances in various films and TV series. People took to Twitter to express their grief on Twitter over the loss of the celebrated actor.

The actress is survived by her sister. More information about her family is yet to be revealed.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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