Writer, Producer, and Son of The Velvet Fog, Tracy Tormé, Dies at 64

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His interests ranged from UFOs to baseball and football, and his writing encompassed comedy, drama, and science fiction. Star Trek: The Next Generation writer Tracy Tormé died last week as a result of complications from diabetes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 64.

Tormé was the son of the crooner Mel Tormé, born in Los Angeles. He attended Beverly Hills High School and the film schools at the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount. His writing career began in college when he sent samples to SCTV, which hired him in the late 70s. He also worked on Saturday Night Live.

Tormé wrote episodes for the first two seasons of TNG, including “The Big Goodbye,” the only Star Trek episode to win a Peabody Award. (“Tracy Torme” was shown on screen as the author of the Dixon Hill novels.) He also served as Executive Story Editor during season one and as Creative Consultant during season two. According to Memory Alpha, Tormé left after season two despite being invited back by Executive Producer Rick Berman, after creative conflicts during the first two seasons with head writer Maurice Hurley.

Tormé went on to write and produce for film and television, including Intruders, Fire in the Sky (for which he was nominated for a Saturn Award), Sliders (which he co-created), The Outer Limits, Odyssey 5, and Carnivàle.

Please join us in offering our condolences to the friends and family of Tracy Tormé, and head over to The Hollywood Reporter for more on his life and legacy.