Manny P. here…
Leonard Nimoy was an actor, film director, poet, singer and photographer. He was best known for his iconic role as Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek series and related films; and as the narrator of the television magazine program, In Search of…, which investigated paranormal or unexplained events or subjects.
Nimoy began his career in his early twenties, teaching acting classes in Hollywood. He ventured into performance, and appeared in more than fifty small parts in movies and on television. One of his first recognizable opportunities was in several scenes as an Army sergeant in the 1954 thriller, Them! This led to substantial work over the next decade on the small screen in Highway Patrol, Wagon Train, Bonanza, Dragnet, Sea Hunt, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Rawhide, Combat!, The Outer Limits, Perry Mason, Get Smart, The Virginian, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Daniel Boone.
In 1965, he made his first appearance in the rejected Star Trek pilot, The Cage, and went on to play Mr. Spock until 1969, followed by the feature films, and in the various spin-off series. Spock has had a significant cultural impact, and garnered LEONARD NIMOY—-> three Emmy nominations. TV Guide named Mr. Spock as one of the 50 greatest television characters. Playing the half-Vulcan, half-human chief science officer, Nimoy became a star. The press predicted he would have his choice of movies or television series. He formed a lasting friendship with William Shatner, who portrayed Captain Kirk, his commanding officer on the science fiction drama. Spock’s Vulcan salute became a recognized symbol of the show. During and following Star Trek, Nimoy used his new-found celebrity to release five albums of musical vocal recordings on Dot Records. He later became an integral part of the Star Trek cinematic series. In addition to playing Spock in six films, he directed and co-wrote the scripts of several of the productions.
After Star Trek, Nimoy starred in Mission: Impossible for two seasons. He also appeared and/or directed episodes of Night Gallery, Columbo, and T.J. Hooker (again with Shatner). Leonard appeared in various made-for-television films, and had a memorable stint as a psychiatrist in Philip Kaufman’s remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Nimoy also won acclaim for a series of stage roles. He appeared in Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, The Man in the Glass Booth, Camelot, Oliver!, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Caligula, Twelfth Night, Sherlock Holmes, Equus, and My Fair Lady.
Nimoy had long been active in the Jewish community. He proudly narrated the documentary A Life Apart: Hasidism in America, about the various sects of Hasidic Orthodox Jews. In 2003, Leonard announced his retirement to concentrate on photography, but subsequently, appeared in television commercials with Shatner for Priceline.com. Nimoy was given casting approval over who would play the young Spock in the 2009 Star Trek film. Later that year, he was interviewed by his life long pal on The Biography Channel’s Shatner’s Raw Nerve.
The two biographies he wrote about his life were published twenties years apart. They tell conflicting stories about the man and the myth created by Hollywood. The first book was called I Am Not Spock; the latter work was entitled I Am Spock. At times, Leonard tried to run away from his decades-long relationship to the Vulcan; boldly going where few celluloid stars dared to tread. His attempts at re-invention rarely changed the public perception. That is the enduring legacy he came to embrace.
After the versatile actor’s passing on Friday, William Shatner and George Takei (Sulu on Star Trek) took to social media sites to honor their ally in teleplay and cinematic space, as he traveled to the final frontier. They spoke of his extraordinary talent, personal decency, and profound friendship.
SYFY is planning to air five hours of programming this Sunday to honor the actor. Starting at 9a and running until 2p, the channel will feature Nimoy’s appearance in The Twilight Zone, his two-episode arc on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the final original cast film, Star Trek 6.
Leonard Nimoy was 83.
Until next time> “never forget”
Part 02 of my visit with Dr. Carlos Vazquez on his Circle of Insight program on the TherapyCable Channel is up and running. The program offered me the opportunity to chat about many of the character actors and supporting players that appear in my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series, including Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Boris Karloff, Cesar Romero, and David Niven (among others).
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