Laurel Goodwin Passes On

Laurel Goodwin, who appeared opposite Elvis Presley in the movie Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) and played Yeoman J. M. Colt in the first Star Trek  pilot, "The Cage," died on February 25 at age 79.

Laurel Goodwin was born in Wichita, Kansas on August 11 1942. Her family moved to San Diego and then later San Francisco. She was only 7 years old when she began working as a model. She attended Lowell High School in San Francisco and then San Francisco State.

Laurel Goodwin worked as a babysitter for  photographer Kurt Gunther. He circulated photographs of her to Paramount Pictures. The studio signed her to a seven year contract. Miss Goodwin studied acting under character actor Jeff Corey and, when he was not available, Leonard Nimoy.

She made her film debut in Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), playing one of Elvis's love interests. In the Sixties she also appeared in the movies Papa's Delicate Condition (1963), Law of the Lawless (1964), Stage to Thunder Rock (1964), and The Glory Guys (1965). Laurel Goodwin made her television debut in an episode of The Virginian in 1964. She was cast as Yeoman Colt in the initial Star Trek pilot "The Cage," which starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. When NBC did not pick Star Trek up, the producers kept her under contract. Unfortunately, when Jeffrey Hunter decided not to go ahead with the series, Laurel Goodwin was let go. A second pilot, starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," was made and NBC picked Star Trek up. In the Sixties she also guest starred on the shows Run Buddy Run, Get Smart, The Beverly Hillbillies, Premiere, and Mannix.

In the Seventies she guest starred on the show The Partners. She retired from acting in 1972, but later appeared in the mini-series The Dain Curse. After retiring from acting she went into nursing. She co-produced the movie Stroker Ace (1983) with her husband Walter Wood. She and Mr. Wood were married for 43 years.

While Laurel Goodwin did not have a long career, she was a good actress who played a variety of roles In Girls! Girls! Girls! she was the wholesome wealthy young woman Laurel Dodge who has to compete for Elvis's heart with immature singer Robin Gantner (Stella Stevens). On Get Smart she played The Chief's niece Phoebe, who falls in love with Hymie the Robot and then Max himself. On The Beverly Hillillies she played Stella, a hippie chick who becomes one of Jethro's followers when he was playing Robin Hod in Griffith Park. She could play a variety of roles.