Soap opera actress Marj Dusay who guest starred in Spock’s Brain, infamous as the worst episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, has passed away of natural causes.
Marj Dusay played Kara, leader of the Eymorg on Sigma Draconis VI in the infamous episode Spock’s Brain, which most fans considered one of the worst episodes of Star Trek, and some considered the worst of the show’s 79 episodes. Good, bad, or indifferent, almost everyone has heard of the episode.
TV Line announced Dusay’s death. She passed away Tuesday, January 28, 2020.
Memory Alpha said “Marjorie Ellen Pivonka Mahoney (20 February 1936 – 28 January 2020; age 83), best known as Marj Dusay, was the Emmy nominated actress who played Kara in the Star Trek: The Original Series third season episode “Spock’s Brain“. She filmed her scenes on Monday 8 July1968 and between Wednesday 10 July1968 and Friday 12 July 1968 at Desilu Stage 9 and Paramount Stage 3.”
In addition to her role on Star Trek, she also appeared in Santa Barbara, Guiding Light, All My Children, and Days of Our Lives. She also appeared on Facts of Life as Blair’s mother, Monica. She had guest roles on Galactica 1980, Tucker’s Witch, Cliffhangers, and Friday the 13th: the Series. Non-science fiction roles included guest shots on Family Affair, Murder, She Wrote, Hogan’s Heroes, and Bonanza.
She won two Emmys, one in 1995 and one in 2002. She was married twice, to John Murray Dusay from 1955 to 1961, and to Thomas Perine from 1967 to 1988. She and her first husband had two children.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
