Jan Shutan Levinson, Lt. Mira Romaine from Star Trek "The Lights of Zetar", has passed away at 88

Jan Shutan Levinson, Lt. Mira Romaine from Star Trek "The Lights of Zetar", has passed away at 88
Jan Shutan Levinson at Lt. Mira Romaine in Star Trek “The Lights of Zetar”

Jan Shutan Levinson at Lt. Mira Romaine in Star Trek “The Lights of Zetar”

OCTOBER 31, 2021 - Lt. Mira Romaine, from the Star Trek: The Original Series season three episode, “The Lights of Zetar,” was born on Martian Colony 3 to Jacques and Lydia Romaine. Jan Shutan Levinson, who played Lt. Romaine, was born in Los Angeles to Henry and Shirley Dottenheim. She was 88 when she died, as we recently became aware, on October 7.

Star Trek fans remember Lt. Romaine as the sciences specialist who was on her way to Memory Alpha, the Federation central library and archive, when the Zetarians disrupted her plans and those of the U.S.S. Enterprise. She was also one of the rare individuals who managed to establish a relationship with Montgomery Scott away from his engines and technical journals.

According to her obituary in the Los Angeles TimesLevinson also made dozens of commercials and appeared in guest spots on many popular series, such as The Andy Griffith Show and Charlie’s Angels. She launched her career on her honeymoon, in 1955, winning the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout Hour as a singer. Levinson also appeared in The Outer LimitsThe Fugitive, and The FBI, among other television shows and films.

At the end of “The Lights of Zetar” Lt. Mira Romaine returned to Memory Alpha to continue her work. May the memories of Jan Shutan Levinson remain with her friends and family, with whom we ask you to share our condolences. For more reflections on her life, visit Legacy.com.

David is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. He is a librarian, baseball fan, and book and movie buff. He has also written for American Libraries and Skeptical Inquirer. David also enjoys diverse music, but leans toward classical and jazz. He plays a mean radio.