Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry, Sr. was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer. Roddenberry flew 89 combat missions in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and worked as a commercial pilot after the war. He later followed in his father's footsteps, joining the Los Angeles Police Department to provide for his family, but began focusing on writing scripts for television.