Lucille Ball is the reason why Star Trek became a hit sci-fi franchise over the years

Gene Roddenberry is largely credited for his creative vision on Star Trek, which gave the world one of its most impressive space westerns. The franchise continues to achieve new heights of popularity even after decades of its inception in the 60s. While Gene Roddenberry's impressive idea shaped the sci-fi franchise we know today, the creator had help from a visionary actress and her production studio.

I Love Lucy's comedic star and actress, Lucille Ball, helped Roddenberry fund his Star Trek Pilot 'The Cage'. The sitcom's popularity helped Ball establish her own film studio with her then-husband Desi Arnaz, called Desilu Productions. Delisu continued to flourish and produce many popular shows like The Andy Griffith Show and The Ann Sothern Show.

While the first Star Trek Pilot was initially rejected by NBC, Lucille Ball convinced her board of directors and the NBC executives to give the space series another chance, and the rest is history. Ball's unwavering confidence in the franchise and Roddenberry's creativity are a testament to her vision and the reason why the series became a hit sci-fi franchise over the years.

More on this in our story.

Lucille Ball saved Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek in the 60s

It is only an attestation to Lucille Ball's creative vision that even when she did not understand what Star Trek was about, she had faith in Roddenberry's series. Author Marc Cushman revealed in his Inside Star Trek: The Real Story how Ball initially misunderstood the series. She thought that the title referred to traveling USO performers during WWII.

Ball was a true visionary of her time who had faith in Roddenberry's Western and stood with his sci-fi series when NBC infamously rejected its first Pilot 'The Cage'. This Star Trek fact is now as popular as the show itself, but what many people don't know is that Lucille Ball funded the re-shoots of the second Pilot 'Where No Man Has Gone Before'.

After conflicting with Desilu's board of directors, Lucille Ball also went on to convince NBC executives to accept the second Pilot, and the rest is history.

Her unwavering determination and support for Roddenberry's vision practically gave the world this cult classic, as a studio accountant named Edwin "Ed" Holly has said on record:

"If it were not for Lucy, there would be no Star Trek today."

It was quite rare for a network like NBC to commission a second pilot for a novice like Roddenberry's show, but Lucille Ball's confidence, support and connection literally gave the world Where No Man Has Gone Before and the subsequent series.

Lucille Ball is also behind another popular franchise

While Star Trek went on to become one of the biggest franchises and cult classic hits, thanks to Lucille Ball and her Desilu Productions, she was also behind another popular CBS franchise in the 60s. Bruce Geller's espionage thriller series Mission: Impossible is another TV franchise backed by Ball in the 60s, which is also a cult classic now.

It is quite coincidental that Mission: Impossible also suffered a similar fate and was canceled after five seasons. However, in 1987, Paramount showed keen interest in rebooting the series and it eventually became one of the biggest espionage franchises in media. Lucille Ball's vision and support for two of the most successful franchises in entertainment prove her admirable foresight. In 2020, Ball was even recognized by Time as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for her work as a comedian, actress, producer, and studio executive.

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