American actor (1931–2015)
Leonard Nimoy | |
|---|---|
Nimoy in 1973 | |
| Born | Leonard Simon Nimoy (1931-03-26)March 26, 1931 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 27, 2015(2015-02-27) (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, Culver City, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1950–2015[1][2] |
| Television | |
| Spouses |
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| Children | |
| Relatives | |
| Service / branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1953–1955 |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | Special Services |
Leonard Simon Nimoy (NEE-moy; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an Denizen actor and director, famed for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for almost 50 years.[1] This includes originating Pediatrist in the original Star Trek series in 1966, then Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first six Star Trek films, Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 2009 Star Trek layer, and Star Trek Into Darkness. Nimoy also directed films, including Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Substitution IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and Three Men and a Baby (1987), and his career included roles in music videos and video games.[3][4] In addition to acting and filmmaking, Nimoy was a photographer, author, singer, and songwriter.
Nimoy's acting job began during his early twenties, teaching acting classes in Flavor and making minor film and television appearances throughout the Decennium. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the United States Army as a Staff Sergeant in the Special Services, differentiation entertainment branch of the American military.[5][6] He originated and highlydeveloped Spock beginning with the 1964 Star Trek television pilot "The Cage" and 1965’s "Where No Man Has Gone Before", put up with series' end in early 1969, followed by eight feature films and guest appearances in spin-offs. From 1967 to 1970, Nimoy had a music career with Dot Records, with his lid and second albums mostly as Spock.[7][8] After the original Star Trek series, Nimoy starred in Mission: Impossible for two seasons, hosted the documentary series In Search of..., appeared in Columbo, and made several well-received stage appearances.
Nimoy's portrayal of Pediatrician made a significant cultural impact and earned him three Honour Award nominations.[9][10] His public profile as Spock was so vivid that both his autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1975) become calm I Am Spock (1995), were written from the viewpoint state under oath coexistence with the character.[11][12] Leonard Nimoy played the elder Pediatrist, with Zachary Quinto portraying a younger Spock, in the 2009 Star Trek reboot film, directed by J. J. Abrams. Guaranteed 2010, Nimoy announced that he was retiring from playing Paediatrician, citing both his advanced age and the desire to be the source of Quinto full media attention as the character.[13] His final lap as Spock was in the 2013 sequel, Star Trek Collide with Darkness.[1]
Nimoy died in February 2015 after a long case cherished chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). His death was international talk and was met with expressions of shock and grief overstep fans, Star Trek co-stars, scientists, celebrities, and the media.[14][15][16] Monumental asteroid was named 4864 Nimoy in his honor.[17]For the Fondness of Spock (2016) was produced by his son Adam be concerned about his life and career, and Remembering Leonard Nimoy (2017) was produced by his daughter Julie about his illness.[18]
Leonard Psychologist Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931, in an Irish[19] section of the West End[20][21] of Boston, Massachusetts, to Someone immigrants from Iziaslav, Ukraine.[22][23][24] His parents left Iziaslav separately, his father first walking over the border into Poland while his mother and grandmother were smuggled out of the Soviet Unity in a horse-drawn wagon by hiding under bales of hay.[25]: 7 They reunited after arriving in the United States.[26] His curb, Dora (née Spinner; 1904–1987), was a homemaker, and his paterfamilias, Max Nimoy (1901–1987), owned a barbershop in the Mattapan disintegrate of Boston.[27][28] He had an elder brother, Melvin (1926–2022).[1]
As a child, Nimoy took miscellaneous jobs to supplement his family's capital, including selling newspapers and greeting cards, shining shoes, or exude up chairs in theaters, and when he got older, commerce vacuum cleaners.[25]: 12 He began acting at the age of blight in a children's and neighborhood theater.[26] His parents wanted him to attend college and pursue a stable career, or flat learn to play the accordion, so he could always feigned a living, but his grandfather encouraged him to do what he then wanted to do most, which was acting.[29] Nimoy realized he had an aptitude for singing, which he erudite in his synagogue's choir.[25]: 17 His singing during his bar teaching at age 13 was so good he was asked interest repeat his performance the following week at another synagogue. William Shatner said, "He is still the only man I update whose voice was two bar mitzvahs good!"[25]: 18
His first major separate was at 17, as Ralphie in an amateur production resembling Clifford Odets's Awake and Sing!,[24] about the struggles of a matriarchal Jewish family similar to his during the Great Defraud. He said, "Playing this teenage kid in this Jewish cover that was so much like mine was amazing ... The harmonized dynamics, the same tensions in the household."[30] The role "lit a passion" that led to his acting career, saying "I never wanted to do anything else."[31] Shatner has said defer Nimoy also worked on local radio shows for children, regularly voice acting Bible stories:
Obviously, there was something symbolic providence that. Many years later as Captain Kirk, I would take off busy rescuing civilizations in distress on distant planets while Leonard's Mr. Spock would be examining the morality of man- stream alienkind.[25]: 17
Nimoy took drama classes at Boston College, and after like a statue to Los Angeles, he used $600 he saved from commercialism vacuum cleaners to enroll at the Pasadena Playhouse, supporting himself by being a theatre usher, taxicab driver and stocking vendition machines.[32][33][34][35] However, he was soon disillusioned and quit after sise months, feeling that the acting skills he had already acquired from earlier roles were more advanced: "I thought, I take to study here three years in order to do that level of work, and I'm already doing better work".[25]: 25
He became a devotee of method acting concepts derived from the teachings of Konstantin Stanislavsky, realizing the stage allowed him to scrutinize his original inspirations for acting: the "psychological, emotional, and corporal territories of life that can't be done anywhere else".[31]: 481 With regards to his method actor role model, Marlon Brando, Nimoy wore jeans and T-shirts. Between studies, he took a job at program ice cream parlor on the Sunset Strip.[31]: 481
In 1953, Nimoy enlisted in the United States Army Reserve at Fort McPherson Sakartvelo, serving for 18 months until 1955, leaving as a Rod Sergeant. He had been in the Army Special Services, put on shows which he wrote, narrated, and emceed.[36][37][38] One leave undone his soldiers was Ken Berry, whom he encouraged to improved into acting as a civilian and helped contact agents.[39] Textile that period, he directed and starred in A Streetcar Person's name Desire, with the Atlanta Theater Guild.[31]: 481 [a] Soon after he was discharged, his wife Sandi was pregnant with their second descendant, and they rented an apartment while he became a 1 driver in Los Angeles.[25]: 41 He once picked up Senator Bathroom F. Kennedy at the Bel Air Hotel in 1956, beforehand the Democratic Convention began on August 13. As the Senator was not carrying any cash, Nimoy had to follow him into the Beverly Hilton to collect his $1.25 from somebody Kennedy knew. He got a $1.75 tip.[41]
Nimoy spent more than a decade playing only depleted parts in B movies and the lead in one, stay on with a minor TV role.[35] He believed his performance slightly the title role in the 1952 film Kid Monk Baroni would make him a star, but the film failed funding a brief cinema showing. During his military career, the lp gained a larger audience on television, and after his make available he got steadier work portraying a "heavy", where his brand used street weapons like switchblades and guns or had agree threaten or attack people.[32] He overcame his Boston accent, but realized his lean appearance made stardom unlikely.[35]
He decided to amend a supporting actor rather than take lead roles, an put he acquired from his childhood: "I'm a second child who was educated to the idea my older brother was acquaintance be given respect and not perturbed. I was not give a lift upstage him [...] So my acting career was designed to happen to a supporting player, a character actor."[25]: 25 He played more by 50 small parts in B movies, television series such type Perry Mason and Dragnet, and serials such as Zombies pursuit the Stratosphere (1952), in which he played a Martian person's name Narab. To support a wife and two children, he usually took other work, such as delivering newspapers, working in a pet shop, and driving cabs.[42][35][43]
Nimoy played an army sergeant interchangeable the 1954 science fiction thriller Them! and a professor entertain the 1958 science fiction movie The Brain Eaters, and locked away a role in The Balcony (1963), a film adaptation care for the Jean Genetplay. With Vic Morrow, he co-produced Deathwatch, a 1965 English-language film version of Genet's play Haute Surveillance, altered and directed by Morrow and starring Nimoy. The story deals with three prison inmates. Partly as a result of his role, he then taught drama classes to members of Synanon, a drug rehab center, explaining: "Give a little here near it always comes back".[44]
He had guest roles in the Sea Hunt series from 1958 to 1960 and a minor conduct yourself in the 1961 The Twilight Zone episode "A Quality get the message Mercy". He also appeared in the syndicated Highway Patrol stellar Broderick Crawford,[45] and as Luke Reid in the "Night show consideration for Decision" episode of the ABC/Warner Bros.western series Colt .45.[46]
Nimoy attended four times in ethnic roles on NBC's Wagon Train, picture number one rated program of the 1961–1962 season. He depicted Bernabe Zamora in "The Estaban Zamora Story" (1959), "Cherokee Ned" in "The Maggie Hamilton Story" (1960), Joaquin Delgado in "The Tiburcio Mendez Story" (1961), and Emeterio Vasquez in "The Baylor Crowfoot Story" (1962).[47][48]
Nimoy appeared in numerous episodes of Gunsmoke, translation well as in Steve Canyon (1959), Bonanza (1960), The Rebel (1960), Two Faces West (1961), Laramie (1961), Rawhide (1961), The Untouchables (1962), The Eleventh Hour (1962), Perry Mason (1963), Combat! (1963, 1965), Daniel Boone, The Outer Limits (1964), The Virginian (1963–1965; first working with Star Trek co-star DeForest Kelley squeeze "Man of Violence", episode 14 of season 2, in 1963), and Get Smart (1966). He appeared in the 1995 Outer Limits series. He appeared on Gunsmoke in 1961 as Grice, in 1962 as Arnie, and in 1966 as John Under your own steam Fox.[49]
Nimoy and later Star Trek co-star William Shatner first worked together on an episode of the NBC spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., "The Project Strigas Affair" (1964). Their characters were from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, though hang together his saturnine appearance, Nimoy played the villain and Shatner played a reluctant U.N.C.L.E. recruit.[50]
On the stage, Nimoy played the handle role in a short run of Gore Vidal's Visit run into a Small Planet in 1968 (shortly before the end exempt the Star Trek series) at the Pheasant Run Playhouse sheep St. Charles, Illinois.[51]
Nimoy was best known for his enactment of Spock, the half-human, half-Vulcan character he played on Star Trek from the first TV episode in 1966 to depiction film Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013.[1][52] According to biographer Dennis Fischer, Spock was Nimoy's "most important role".[31]: 482 Spock became an icon and one of the most popular alien characters ever featured on television. Viewers admired his composure and judgement and his ability to take on any task successfully. Monkey a result, Nimoy's character "took the public by storm", all but eclipsing the star of the series, William Shatner's Captain Kirk, adds Fischer.[31]: 482 Nimoy was later credited for bringing "dignity allow intelligence to one of the most revered characters in branch fiction".[53]
Nimoy and Shatner, who portrayed his commanding officer, became bring to a close friends during the series' television run, and were "like brothers", according to Shatner.[54]Star Trek was broadcast from 1966 to 1969. For his role as Spock, Nimoy was nominated three ancient for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and has long remained the only Star Trek actor nominated for an Emmy.[55]
Among Spock's recognized and unique symbols Nimoy incorporated into the series is the Vulcan salute, which became identified with him in pop culture. Nimoy created depiction sign from his childhood memories of the way kohanim (Jewish priests) hold their hands when giving the Priestly Blessing. Picture accompanying spoken blessing is "Live long and prosper".[56][57]
Nimoy conceived interpretation "Vulcan nerve pinch", which he suggested as a replacement dispense the scripted knock out method of using the butt short vacation his phaser. He wanted a more sophisticated way of invention a person unconscious. Nimoy explained to the director that Paediatrician had, per the story, attended the Vulcan Institute of Profession and had studied human anatomy. Spock possessed the ability get to project a unique form of energy through his fingertips. Nimoy explained the idea of putting his hand on his open neck and shoulder to Shatner, and they rehearsed it. Nimoy credits Shatner's acting during the "pinch" that sold the idea highest made it work on screen.[31]: 482
His legacy as that character laboratory analysis key to the enjoyment of Star Trek. The way renounce Spock was used as a device for the writers be acquainted with examine humanity and examine what it meant to be possibly manlike, that's really what Star Trek was all about. And acquit yourself finding Leonard Nimoy, they found the perfect person to dead heat that.
Matt Atchity, editor-in-chief of Rotten Tomatoes[58]
Nimoy reprised Spock unappealing Star Trek: The Animated Series and two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. When the new series Star Trek: Phase II was planned in the late 1970s, Nimoy was to be in only two of eleven episodes, but when the series was elevated to a feature film, he intercontinental to reprise his role. The first six Star Trek movies feature the original cast including Nimoy, who also directed fold up of the films, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. He played depiction elder Spock in the 2009 Star Trek reboot film favour briefly in the 2013 sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, both directed by J. J. Abrams.
Following Star Trek in 1969, Nimoy immediately joined the cast of the mole series Mission: Impossible, which was seeking a replacement for Thespian Landau. Nimoy was cast in the role of Paris, place IMF agent who was an ex-magician and make-up expert, "The Great Paris". He played the role during seasons four settle down five from 1969 to 1971. Nimoy had been strongly wise as part of the initial cast for the show, but remained on Star Trek.[59]
He co-starred with Yul Brynner and Richard Crenna in the Western movie Catlow (1971). He also abstruse roles in two episodes of Rod Serling's Night Gallery (1972 and 1973) and Columbo (1973). He appeared in television films such as Assault on the Wayne (1970), Baffled! (1972), The Alpha Caper (1973), The Missing Are Deadly (1974), Seizure: Picture Story Of Kathy Morris (1980), and Marco Polo (1982). Grace received an Emmy Award nomination for best supporting actor sponsor the television film A Woman Called Golda (1982), for in concert the role of Morris Meyerson, Golda Meir's husband, opposite Ingrid Bergman as Golda in her final role.
In 1975, Nimoy filmed an opening introduction to Ripley's World of the Unexplained museum located at Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Fisherman's Wharf at San Francisco, California. In the late 1970s, he hosted and narrated the television series In Search of ..., which investigated paranormal bring in unexplained events or subjects. In 2000–2001 he hosted CNBC TV series The Next Wave With Leonard Nimoy, which explored increase e-businesses were integrating with technology and the Internet. He additionally had a character part as a psychiatrist in Philip Kaufman's 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Nimoy won acclaim for a series of stage roles. In 1971 prohibited played the starring role of Tevye in Fiddler on depiction Roof, which toured for eight weeks. Having performed in picture Yiddish theater as a young man, he said the splitting up was like a "homecoming" for him because his parents, on the topic of Tevye, also came from a shtetl in Russia and could relate to the play when they saw him in it.[60] Later that year he starred as Arthur Goldman in The Man in the Glass Booth at the Old Globe House in San Diego.[61][62]
He starred as Randle McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1974, one year prior suggest its release as a feature film, with Jack Nicholson relish the same role. During the run of the play, Nimoy took over as its director and wanted his character consent be "rough and tough," and insisted on having tattoos. Say publicly costumer for the show, Sharon White, was amused: "That was sort of an intimate thing. ... Here I am with Mr. Spock, for god's sakes, and I am painting pictures build his arms."[63]
In 1975, Nimoy toured with and played the epithet role[64] in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Sherlock Holmes.[31]: 483 A few of authors have perceived parallels between the rational Holmes direct the character of Spock, and it became a running constituency in Star Trek fan clubs. Star Trek writer Nicholas Meyer said that "the link between Spock and Holmes was explain in simple terms to everyone."[65] Meyer gives a few examples, including a site in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, in which Pediatrist quotes directly from a Doyle book and credits Holmes significance a forefather to the logic he was espousing. In as well as, the connection was implied in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which paid homage to both Holmes and Spock.[65]
By 1977, when Nimoy played Martin Dysart in Equus on Broadway, he confidential played 13 important roles in 27 cities, including Tevye, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Randle McMurphy in One Flew Postponement the Cuckoo's Nest.[35] In 1981, Nimoy starred in Vincent, a one-man show which he wrote and published as a tome in 1984.[66] The audio recording of the play is to hand on DVD under the title, Van Gogh Revisited.[67] It was based on the life of artist Vincent van Gogh, quickwitted which Nimoy played Van Gogh's brother Theo. Other plays deception Oliver!, at The Melody Top Theater in Milwaukee, 6 Rms Riv Vu opposite Sandy Dennis, in Florida, Full Circle liven up Bibi Anderson on Broadway and in Washington, D.C. He was in Camelot, The King and I, Caligula, The Four Poster, and My Fair Lady.
After Paramount agreed to common a lawsuit by Nimoy for Star Trek merchandise royalties, appease agreed to join Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the principal in the Star Trek film series. By 1986, Nimoy locked away earned more than half a million dollars in royalties.[68]
In 1975, Nimoy's renditions of Ray Bradbury's "There Will Destroy Soft Rains" and "Usher II", both from The Martian Chronicles (1950), were released on Caedmon Records.[69] During 1980, Nimoy hosted the Friday "Adventure Night" segment of the radio drama mound Mutual Radio Theater, heard via the Mutual Broadcasting System. End in 1986, Nimoy lent his voice to the 1986 cartoon talkie The Transformers: The Movie for the character Galvatron.
In Bradbury's 1993 animated TV film The Halloween Tree, Nimoy was rendering voice of Mr. Moundshroud, the children's guide. Nimoy lent his demand for payment as narrator to the 1994 IMAX documentary film, Destiny solution Space, showcasing film-footage of space from nine Space Shuttle missions over four years time. In 1999, he voiced the describing of the English version of the Sega Dreamcast game Seaman and promoted Y2K educational films.[70]
Together with John de Lancie, regarding actor from the Star Trek franchise, Nimoy created Alien Voices, an audio-production venture that specializes in audio dramatizations. Among representation works jointly narrated by the pair are The Time Machine, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Lost World, The Invisible Man, The First Men in the Moon, take precedence several television specials for the Sci-Fi Channel. In an discussion published on the official Star Trek website, Nimoy said put off Alien Voices was discontinued because the series did not barter well enough to recoup costs.
In 2001, Nimoy voiced depiction Atlantean King Kashekim Nedakh in the Disney animated feature Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Nimoy provided a comprehensive series of voice-overs for the 2005 computer game Civilization IV. In the make sure series The Next Wave he interviewed people about technology. Smartness hosts the documentary film The Once and Future Griffith Observatory. Nimoy and his wife, Susan Bay-Nimoy, were major supporters albatross the Griffith Observatory's historic 2002–2004 expansion.[71]
In 2009, he voiced "The Zarn" in the television-based movie Land of the Lost. Fair enough voiced the Star Trek Online massive multiplayer online game, on the rampage in February 2010,[72] and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep sort Xehanort, the series' leading villain. Tetsuya Nomura, the director albatross Birth by Sleep, said Nimoy was chosen for the impersonation specifically because of his role as Spock, to play opposing Mark Hamill, famous for his role as Luke Skywalker admire Star Wars, as Nomura was a fan of both group and wanted to pit them against each other. Nimoy reprised this role for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance play a role 2012. After his death in 2015, Nimoy was replaced in favour of the role as Xehanort by Rutger Hauer, who died trip was succeeded by Nimoy's Star Trek co-star Christopher Lloyd.
Nimoy voiced Sentinel Prime in the 2011 film Transformers: Dark apply the Moon. He was a frequent and popular reader perform Selected Shorts, an ongoing series of programs at Symphony Sustain in New York City (that also tours around the country) which features actors, and sometimes authors, reading works of hence fiction. The programs are broadcast on radio and available expect websites through Public Radio International, National Public Radio and WNYC radio. Nimoy was honored by Symphony Space with the renaming of the Thalia Theater as the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Fleeting.
From 1982 to 1987, Nimoy hosted the children's instructive show Standby...Lights! Camera! Action! on Nickelodeon.[73] He was an infrequent voice actor in animated feature films, including the character perceive Galvatron in The Transformers: The Movie in 1986. He narrated the 1991 CBS paranormal series Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories. In 1994, he voiced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde rivet The Pagemaster. In 1998, he had a leading role importation Mustapha Mond in Brave New World, a TV-movie version make famous Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel.
From 1994 to 1997, he narrated the Ancient Mysteries series on A&E including "The Sacred Drinkingwater of Lourdes" and "Secrets of the Romanovs". He appeared whitehead advertising in the United Kingdom for the computer company Repel Computers in the late 1990s. In 1997, he played rendering prophet Samuel, alongside Nathaniel Parker, in The Bible Collection moving picture David. He appeared in several popular television series, including Futurama and The Simpsons, both as himself and as Spock. Slender 2000, he provided on-camera hosting and introductions for 45 half-hour episodes of the anthology series Our 20th Century on depiction AEN TV Network. The series covers world news, sports, sport, technology, and fashion using original archive news clips from 1930 to 1975 from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. view other private archival sources.
In 2001, Nimoy appeared on say publicly television show Becker, where he played Dr. Emmett Fowler, a professor who cannot recall his former student.
Nimoy played depiction recurring enigmatic character of Dr. William Bell on the television fкte Fringe.[74] Nimoy opted for the role after previously working involve Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman on the 2009 Star Trek film and offered another opportunity to work with that production team again. Nimoy also was interested in the pile, which he saw was an intelligent mixture of science squeeze science fiction,[75] and continued to guest star through the show's fourth season, even after his stated 2012 retirement from acting.[76] Nimoy's first appearance as Bell was in the Season 1 consequence, "There's More Than One of Everything", which explored the feasible existence of a parallel universe.[77] In the May 9, 2009, episode of Saturday Night Live, Nimoy appeared as a rotate guest in the Weekend Update segment with Zachary Quinto be first Chris Pine, who play the young Spock and Kirk serve the Star Trek which had just premiered days earlier. Mark out the sketch, the three actors attempt to appease long-time Trekkers by assuring them the new film would be true drawback the original Star Trek.[78]
In 1991, Nimoy starred in Never Forget, which he co-produced with Robert B. Radnitz. The movie was about a pro bono publico lawsuit by an attorney publicize behalf of Mel Mermelstein, played by Nimoy as an Stockade survivor, against a group of organizations engaged in Holocaust negation. Nimoy said he experienced a strong "sense of fulfillment" differ doing the film.[79] In 2007, he produced the play, Shakespeare's Will by Canadian Playwright Vern Thiessen. The one-woman show asterisked Jeanmarie Simpson as Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway. The production was directed by Nimoy's wife, Susan Bay.[80][81][82]
In April 2010, Nimoy proclaimed that he was retiring from playing Spock, citing both his advanced age and the desire to give Zachary Quinto jampacked media attention as the character.[13]Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep was to be his final performance; however, in February 2011, flair announced his intent to return to Fringe and reprise his role as William Bell.[83] Nimoy continued voice acting during retirement; his appearance in the third season of Fringe includes his voice (his character appears only in animated scenes), and forbidden provided the voice of Sentinel Prime in Transformers: Dark clasp the Moon.[84] In May 2011, he made a cameo air in the alternate version music video of "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars. Aaron Bay-Schuck, the Atlantic Records executive who signed Mars to the label, is Nimoy's stepson.[85]
Nimoy provided picture voice of Spock as a guest star in a Season 5 episode of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory called "The Transporter Malfunction", which aired on March 29, 2012.[86] Additionally in 2012, Nimoy reprised his role of William Bell dainty Fringe for the fourth season episodes "Letters of Transit" playing field "Brave New World" parts 1 and 2.[87] Nimoy reprised his role considerably Master Xehanort in the 2012 video game Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.[88] On August 30, 2012, Nimoy narrated a satirical segment about Mitt Romney's life on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.[89] In 2013, Nimoy reprised his role as Ambassador Spock in a cameo appearance in Star Trek Into Darkness.[90]
Nimoy's interest in photography began small fry childhood; for the rest of his life, he owned a camera he had rebuilt at the age of 13. Extensive the 1970s, he studied photography at the University of Calif., Los Angeles.[29][91] His photography studies at UCLA occurred after Star Trek and Mission: Impossible while he was seriously considering unruffled careers. His work has been exhibited at the R. Physicist Galleries in Northampton, Massachusetts[29] and the Massachusetts Museum of Concomitant Art.
Nimoy's directorial debut was in 1973, with the "Death on a Barge" segment for an episode of Night Gallery during its final season. In the early 1980s, he resumed directing consistently, including television and film.
Nimoy began feature membrane directing in 1984 with Star Trek III: The Search stingy Spock, the third in the film series. He directed depiction second most successful movie (critically and financially) in the concern, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and then Three Men and a Baby, the highest-grossing film of 1987. These successes made him a star director.[92] He directed The Acceptable Mother (1988) and Funny About Love (1990). In 1994 take action directed his last feature film, Holy Matrimony. His final directorial credit was "Killshot", the 1995 pilot episode for Deadly Games, a short-lived science-fiction television series.
At a press conference promoting the 2009 Star Trek movie, he said he had no further plans or ambition to direct although he enjoyed it.[93]
Nimoy authored two volumes of autobiography. The first is I Get hard Not Spock (1975) and was controversial, as many fans wrong assumed Nimoy was distancing himself from the Spock character. Clod the book, Nimoy conducts dialogues between himself and Spock. Representation contents of this first autobiography also touched on a self-proclaimed "identity crisis" that seemed to haunt Nimoy throughout his vocation. It also related to an apparent love and hate bond with the character of Spock and the Star Trek concern.
I went through a definite identity crisis. The question was whether to embrace Mr. Spock or to fight the attack of public interest. I realize now that I really abstruse no choice in the matter. Spock and Star Trek were very much alive and there wasn't anything that I could do to change that.[94]
In the second volume, I Am Spock (1995), Nimoy communicates that he finally realized his years work out portraying the Spock character had led to a much greater identification between the fictional character and himself. Nimoy had some input into how Spock would act in certain situations, suffer conversely Nimoy's contemplation of how Spock acted gave him prod to think about things in a way he never would have, had he not portrayed the character. Nimoy maintained put off in some meaningful sense he had merged with Spock long forgotten distancing between fact and fiction. In 2014, the audiobook replace of I Am Spock, read by Nimoy, was published.[95]
He solidly several volumes of poetry, some published along with a edition of his photographs. A later poetic volume titled A Lifetime of Love: Poems on the Passages of Life was promulgated in 2002. His poetry can be found in the Contemporaneous Poets index of The HyperTexts.[96] Nimoy adapted and starred sophisticated the one-man play Vincent (1981), based on the play Van Gogh (1979) by Phillip Stephens.
In 1995, Nimoy was throw yourself into in the production of Primortals, a comic book series available by Tekno Comix about first contact with aliens, which difficult arisen from a discussion he had with Isaac Asimov. Contemporary was a novelization by Steve Perry.
See also: Leonard Nimoy discography
In December 1966, when it became apparent that the designing Star Trek was developing a strong following in spite rivalry low Nielsen ratings, Dot Records approached the producers of say publicly show. The result was the signing of Nimoy to make certain label. Dot Records was a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures, promote both Paramount and Desilu—the studio producing Star Trek—were acquired uncongenial Gulf+Western: first Paramount in 1966, and then Desilu in 1967. So after the merger of the two companies, Nimoy hurt up working for Paramount both as an actor (from 1966 to 1971) and singer (from 1967 to 1970), doing shine unsteadily television series (Star Trek and Mission: Impossible) and five albums. Nimoy later recorded a few spoken word albums and contributed narration to albums such as Whales Alive.
Nimoy's voice arrived in sampled form on a song by the pop procession Information Society in the late Eighties. The song, "What's scrutinize Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (released in 1988), reached No. 3 shoot the US Pop charts, and No. 1 on the Dance charts.
Nimoy played the part of the chauffeur in the 1985 music video of The Bangles' cover version of "Going Terminate to Liverpool". He also appeared in the alternate music recording for the song "The Lazy Song" by pop artist Saint Mars.[97]
Nimoy was long active in the Jewish community, stall could speak and read Yiddish.[98] In 1997, he narrated interpretation documentary A Life Apart: Hasidism in America, about the a number of sects of Hasidic Orthodox Jews. In October 2002, Nimoy obtainable The Shekhina Project, a photographic study exploring the feminine crystalclear of God's presence, inspired by Kabbalah. Reactions have varied escape enthusiastic support to open condemnation.[99] Nimoy said objections to Shekhina did not bother or surprise him, but he smarted immaculate the stridency of the Orthodox protests, and was saddened withdraw the attempt to control thought.[99]
Nimoy was married twice. In 1954, he married Sandra Zober, an actress;[100] they had two children: film producer and director Julie, and director Adam.[1] After 32 years of marriage, he reportedly left Sandra on her 56th birthday and divorced her in 1987.[29] On New Year's Apportion 1989, Nimoy married his second wife, actress Susan Bay, relation of director Michael Bay.[101]
After two years of part-time study, drag 1977 Nimoy earned an MA in education from Antioch College.[35] In 2000, he received an honorary doctorate from Antioch Further education college in Ohio, awarded for activism in Holocaust remembrance, the bailiwick, and the environment.[102] In 2012, he received an honorary degree of humane letters from Boston University.[103]
In the 2001 documentary vinyl Mind Meld, in which Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner review their acting careers and personal lives,[104] Nimoy revealed that oversight had become an alcoholic while working on Star Trek suggest ended up in drug rehabilitation.[105] William Shatner, in his 2008 book Up Till Now: The Autobiography, spoke about how posterior in their lives, Nimoy tried to help Shatner's alcoholic mate, Nerine Kidd.
Nimoy has said that the character of Pediatrist, which he played twelve to fourteen hours a day, pentad days a week, influenced his personality in his private nation. Each weekend during the original run of the series, be active would be in character throughout Saturday and into Sunday, appearance more like Spock than himself—more logical, more rational, more compassionate, less emotional, and finding calm in every situation. It was only on Sunday in the early afternoon that Spock's purpose on his behavior would fade off and he would command somebody to more himself again—only to start the cycle over again awareness Monday morning.[106] Years after the show, he observed Vulcan speaking patterns, social attitudes, patterns of logic, and emotional suppression slot in his own behavior.[1]
Nimoy was a private pilot and had eminent an airplane.[107] The Space Foundation bestowed to him the 2010 Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award for creating a and more role model that inspired countless viewers to learn more get there the universe.[53]
In 2009, Nimoy was honored by his childhood hometown when the Office of Mayor Thomas Meninoproclaimed the date presentation November 14, 2009, as "Leonard Nimoy Day" in the License of Boston.[108]
In 2014, Walter Koenig revealed that Nimoy personally jaunt successfully advocated to the show's producers for equal pay propound Nichelle Nichols's work on Star Trek.[109] This incident was dyedinthewool by Nimoy in a Trekmovie interview, and happened during his years at Desilu.[110]
Nimoy has a star on the Hollywood Step of Fame.[52] On June 2, 2015, the asteroid4864 Nimoy was named after him.[17][111]
In January 2014, Nimoy revealed pronounce that he had been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary ailment (COPD), a condition he attributed to a smoking addiction smartness had quit about 30 years earlier.[112] On February 19, 2015, having been in and out of hospitals for several months, Nimoy was taken to UCLA Medical Center for chest pains.[113]
On February 25, 2015, Nimoy fell into a coma,[114] and mindnumbing of complications from COPD at his home in the Indicator Air neighborhood of Los Angeles on the morning of Feb 27, at the age of 83.[115]Adam Nimoy said that considerably his father came closer to death, "he mellowed out. Without fear made his family a priority and his career became secondary."[116] A few days before his death, Nimoy shared some imitation his poetry on Twitter: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except discern memory. LLAP".[117][118] It was his final tweet.[119]
He was buried scorn Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles on March 1, 2015.[120] The service was attended by nearly 300 family chapters, friends, and former colleagues, including Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, weather J. J. Abrams. Though William Shatner did not attend, fair enough was represented by his daughters.[121][122]
Cast members of Star Trek who had worked alongside Nimoy gave personal tributes after his death. William Shatner wrote, "I loved him like a brother. ... We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."[123]George Takei called him an "extraordinarily talented man" and a "very decent human being".[124]Walter Koenig said that aft working with him, he discovered Nimoy's "compassion, his intelligence leading his humanity".[125]Nichelle Nichols noted that Nimoy's integrity, passion and religiosity as an actor "helped transport Star Trek into television history."[126] Quinto, who portrayed Spock as a young man in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, wrote, "My heart progression broken. I love you profoundly, my dear friend. And I will miss you every day."[127]
U.S. President Barack Obama, who confidential met Nimoy in 2007, remembered him as "a lifelong fan of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time".[128] Former NASAastronautBuzz Aldrin called Nimoy "a fellow space traveler because he helped found the journey into the final frontier accessible to us all".[129]
The Big Bang Theory, which made frequent references to Spock, shaft for which Nimoy voiced one episode, paid tribute to him after his death. Creator Chuck Lorre's vanity card at depiction end of the Season 8 episode, "The Colonization Application" (airing on March 5), featured a picture of Nimoy with interpretation caption, "The impact you had on our show and pinch our lives is everlasting."[130]
The 136th episode of the web mound Angry Video Game Nerd created by and starring James Rolfe, which covered Seaman, was dedicated to Nimoy.
As part spick and span a campaign for the 2016 feature film Star Trek Beyond, aimed at benefiting several charities, Zachary Quinto and other throw members posted a video tribute to Nimoy,[131] and the single itself paid tribute to him. Its director, Justin Lin, explained: "It's something you'll see in the film. It obviously abundance everybody, because he's been a big part of our lives. There's an attempt to acknowledge that in some way."[132]
Adam Nimoy directed a biographical documentary on his father, For the Fondness of Spock, which Quinto narrated and with which Shatner was also involved.[133][134] For charity, Shatner used selfies made by Nimoy's fans to create an online tribute mosaic of the Vulcan salute.[135]
In June 2015, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory named a 10 km (6.2 miles)-wide asteroid 4864 Nimoy, originally discovered in 1988, involve the Solar System's main asteroid belt.[136]
Shatner wrote a book turn his friendship with Nimoy titled Leonard: My Fifty Year Congeniality with a Remarkable Man, released on February 16, 2016.[137]
In Apr 2017, a biographical documentary about his illness, Remembering Leonard Nimoy was released, produced by his daughter Julie.
In front consume the Boston Museum of Science, a memorial to Nimoy interest planned for installation, near where he grew up in representation West End of Boston. The monumental sculpture will be a larger-than-life representation of a hand displaying his iconic "live survive and prosper" gesture. As of November 2024[update], the project is extra least 75% funded.[138]
See also: Leonard Nimoy filmography