Majel Barret Roddenberry died this morning, aged 76, of pneumonia. If you have to ask who Majel was, consider your scifi credentials revoked.

In the early 1960′s she was a young actress who stumbled into the first pilot for Star Trek, playing a woman in command. The networks liked the Star Trek idea, but rejected the notion that a woman could lead. A second pilot was made, the program bought and history launched. Majel played a nurse for the remainder of the series.

After the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, had finished an affair with Nicholle Nichols, Lt. Uhuru, the black communications officer on the originial series, he moved on to Majel, the nurse, and there he stayed, until his death more than a decade ago.

A small actress in a small role, you say, and you might be right except for this little fact: it is honestly estimated that more humans have heard Majel’s voice than any other, though admittedly they could not name her. Four billion people in fact. The reason is this: beginning with the first Star Trek series, through four more series, two animated series, ten movies, and now the eleventh Star Trek Movie already shot and soon to be released, Majel was the voice of every computer and automated device the Star Trek Universe ever had. You can hear that voice here. You’ll recognize it, too.

Oh, and in a very small but related issue, the power of television can be understood by this: if Majel is the most heard voice in history, who is the most recognized face in human history?

That would be Lucille Ball. For 58 years, “I Love Lucy” has run continuously someplace in the world, nonstop. It is estimated that her face is recognized by more than 5 billion people.