A visionary who took special delight in mankind's differences, Eugene Wesley Roddenberry (1921-1991) was born on this day in El Paso, Texas, grew up in Los Angeles, and is best known for creating the cultural phenomena Star Trek in 1966.

"A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away," said the self-described Great Bird of the Galaxy.

Roddenberry was a World War II bomber pilot, L.A. cop, and TV writer before giving birth to the "five year mission" of the Starship Enterprise in the 24th century. The first pilot was "turned down for being too intellectual." He persevered.

"How can a simple space opera... reach out and touch the heart and minds of literally millions of people?" he asked. "Obviously, television has incredible power." Power that's lasted for nearly 35 years. The original series, with Spock, Captain Kirk, and other icons, is broadcast regularly in over 100 worldwide countries and spawned three television series and nine motion pictures.

Roddenberry believed the key to Star Trek's success was its message of hope for the future. "There is a tomorrow, the challenges are not gone. There is heroism. It's really just beginning for us."

More Film-Making Quotations

Take special delight in life's differences.