Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Guinan
5. Who is Texas?
Guinan, as played by Whoopi Goldberg and Ito Aghayere, was based, or perhaps more accurately inspired by, the real-life person of Texas Guinan. Though this Guinan was not a bartender, she was deeply connected to the nightclub scene in America in the 1920s.
Born Mary Louise Cecilia Guinan in 1884, 'Texas' Guinan, as she would later restyle herself, began her career as an entertainer. She gained nationwide notoriety early in her career, which was barely derailed by a weight-loss scheme scandal. She switched from films to stage, flourishing under Prohibition.
It is here that the roots for Star Trek's Guinan began. Though she was not serving the drinks, Texas Guinan was a major draw for people under Prohibition. Her shows often saw enormous success, despite near-constant police raids. She would often find herself shutting down a venue only to move and re-open under a new name. These establishments also served as early career opportunities for those who find later success in Hollywood.
Guinan was, by all accounts, an enormously successful entrepreneur. While her life was cut short by dysentery in 1933, her legacy is such that our Guinan is far from the only character inspired by her life, not least of which being Velma Kelly from Chicago.