Lucille Ball was responsible for approving the initial production of the Star Trek series.

Lucille Ball is best known for her role on I Love Lucy. However, during the mid-1960’s, she was the executive producer of Desilu Sudios, and therefore, responsible for approving the initial production of Star Trek: The Original Series. 

Even after NBC rejected the original pilot, her love for Gene Roddenberry and empathy with the series’ general goals caused the studio to approve the series. Ball’s daughter Lucie Arnaz, eventually became the wife of The Final Frontier actor Laurence Luckinbill. 

Lucie reported that her mother convinced the studio to keep the two most expensive shows, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek, with this argument; “But I like ‘em.” Now, isn’t that another to love Lucy. 

(Source)