The so-called “nepo baby” granddaughter of legendary crooner Bing Crosby — who once posed for Playboy and later became a cult favorite on Star Trek: The Next Generation — looked worlds away from her glamorous heyday during a recent sighting at 68.
Spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Monday, the actress appeared relaxed and cheerful as she picked up a drink while running errands. Dressed down in a graphic tee, joggers, and a practical fanny pack, she embraced an easygoing look — a stark contrast to her red-carpet appearances on Days of Our Lives or her headline-making nude Playboy shoot in 1979.
Sci-fi fans, of course, know her best as Security Chief Tasha Yar, one of the original crew members aboard the Enterprise-D. Horror lovers also remember her chilling starring role in Pet Sematary, adapted from the novel by Stephen King.
But long before she stepped into the spotlight, her family name was already making headlines. She is the daughter of Dennis Crosby, the eldest son of Bing Crosby and actress Dixie Lee. Dennis married Las Vegas showgirl Pat Sheehan in May 1958 — only to be served days later with a paternity lawsuit filed by Marilyn Miller Scott, who claimed he was the father of her newborn daughter, Denise. The legal battle dragged on for three years, ultimately ending with a court ordering Dennis to pay child support and legal fees — a ruling that placed the Crosby family under intense and uncomfortable public scrutiny.
The family’s history would be shadowed by further tragedy. Her uncle Lindsay Crosby died by suicide in 1989, and Dennis himself died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1991. Years later, her half-brother Dennis Crosby Jr. passed away from a drug overdose in 2010.
Born in Hollywood on November 24, 1957, Denise reportedly never met her famous grandfather, who died in 1977 when she was just 19. Still, she carved out her own path in entertainment. After gaining attention as Lisa Davis on Days of Our Lives in the early 1980s, she transitioned into film with roles in 48 Hrs. alongside Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, as well as appearances in Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther.
Her career breakthrough came in 1987 with the revival of the Star Trek franchise. Initially considered for the role of Counselor Deanna Troi, series creator Gene Roddenberry ultimately cast her as Tasha Yar instead, switching roles with Marina Sirtis. Though she left the show during its first season, her departure only strengthened her cult status among devoted Trekkies.
In 1997, she embraced that fandom by co-producing and narrating the documentary Trekkies, later returning for its sequel — a testament to her lasting bond with the franchise’s passionate fan base.
Off screen, Denise was married to Geoffrey Edwards, son of director Blake Edwards, from 1983 to 1990. She later wed Ken Sylk in 1995, and the couple welcomed their son, August, in 1998.
If you guessed Denise Crosby — you’d be right.
