Barbara Baldavin dead: Star Trek and Medical Center actress dies aged 85 after heart failure

Barbara Baldavin, who appeared on three episodes of the original Star Trek and recurred on Medical Center, has died aged 85. Her son Marc D’Agosta told The Hollywood Reporter she died of congestive heart failure at her home in Manhattan Beach on Sunday (March 31).

Baldavin appeared as Angela Martine, the phaser control officer, in two episodes of NBC's Star Trek in 1966. In one of these episodes, her character's wedding to Starfleet officer Robert Tomlinson, with Captain Kirk officiating, was disrupted by a Romulan attack. She later returned as Lieutenant Lisa, serving as a communications officer and court reporter, in the series finale ‘Turnabout Intruder’ in June 1969.

During the last six seasons (1970-76) of CBS' Medical Center, she portrayed Nurse Holmby in 51 episodes, having previously appeared as another character in the first season. In the 1980s, Baldavin moved to the casting departments of various shows, including Hagen, Square Pegs, Matt Houston, Dynasty, Finder of Lost Loves, and Trapper John, M.D.

Originally from Quincy, Massachusetts, Baldavin began acting while attending El Camino College in Torrance, California, and continued her studies at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

Her acting career also includes appearances in numerous television series, including Rawhide, The Fugitive, Insight, Columbo, Mannix, Adam-12, Toma, The F.B.I., McMillan & Wife, Bronk, Baretta, Barnaby Jones, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Vega$, and others.

Baldavin was also an instructor at Dawn Wells' Film Actor's Boot Camp and shared a close friendship with the late Gilligan's Island star, sharing the same birthdate of October 18, 1938.

She is survived by her son, Joseph, and her grandchildren, Casandra and Justine. Her former husband, Joseph D'Agosta, served as the casting director on Star Trek and other Desilu series.