Picture Courtesy of www.Variety.com
Born in Boston from a family originally from Ukrainian roots, Leonard Simon Nimoy took to acting from an early age and started off in bit parts in movies and many supporting parts in television. He often played bad guys whose roles did not last longer than one episode but when Gene Roddenberry saw him play a part in his show THE LIEUTENANT, Roddenberry knew Nimoy was a name to watch.
The Man From UNCLE : The STRIGAS Affair (also starring William Shatner)
One honorable mention is for an episode of the series THE MAN FROM UNCLE. The episode called THE STRIGAS AFFAIR starred Leonard as a Russian bad guy opposite William Shatner as an American called into the battle by Napoleon Solo and Mr. Kuryakin. Neither Nimoy nor Shatner had an inkling of the bond they would soon start to form. When Gene Roddenberry pitched STAR TREK as a Wagon Train To The Stars, no one could have known that Leonard Nimoy's role of the half Vulcan Mr. Spock would become so legendary.
Mr. Spock in STAR TREK (1966-1969)
STAR TREK ran from 1966 to 1969 and starred Nimoy amongst actors as William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols and Majel Barrett. During the show the friendship between these people grew strong, even if sometimes conflicts arose due to dramatic situations during the writing of the episodes.
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy off screen
The success of STAR TREK can be called strange because millions of people enjoyed the show each week while on the other hand from the production side, the show never really made it into the big time. So after having spent three years on the Enterprise, it seemed to be over and Leonard Nimoy made a move to another popular series, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, to fill in a spot vacated by Martin Landau. For two years, Nimoy played Paris, a master of disguises who would have another face each week in order to play a part in the team effort to overthrow that week's villain.
Leonard Nimoy in Mission Impossible
After MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Nimoy also spent time in the theater and flexing his talent for photography, an activity he would return to every number of years. When STAR WARS however raked in tons of money, Paramount of course scrambled to get something of theirs in form. And so, STAR TREK was revived (after many false starts) to come to the big screen of the movie theater. STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE flew into cinema's in late 1979, however because the film was rushed no one felt it did justice to the characters. And the characters are what made the series so successful. STAR TREK II THE WRATH OF KHAN corrected this but allowed Leonard Nimoy his wonderful exit by having Mr. Spock sacrifice his life for the Enterprise and all his friend aboard her.
"It was logical to do so. The good of the many outweighs the good of the few... or the one !"
The incredible success of STAR TREK II immediately cried out for another film and naturally, Paramount wanted Nimoy aboard. So with STAR TREK III THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK, Leonard Nimoy became a big name director as well. STAR TREK IV THE VOYAGE HOME was for many years the biggest box office hit and allowed for two more films of the Classic Trek cast to be made.
In the 1990s, Nimoy wrote a follow up to his 1975 book I AM NOT SPOCK. But the 1995 book was called I AM SPOCK, because it dealt with his acceptance of the fact that he and Spock would often be seen as one, because Spock had also become part of Leonard Nimoy and Leonard Nimoy part of Spock. In these same years, Nimoy also became active again with his photography and in later years, came back to television, to the series FRINGE, before J.J. Abrams asked him to be the anchor of Classic Trek in his reboot of the franchise with 2009's STAR TREK and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
"I have been and always shall be your friend."
For the Abrams films, Nimoy had been talking to Zachary Quinto, who was to take on the role and take it into the future. It had been hoped Nimoy would have been able to do a small part with Shatner as the old Kirk and Spock for the upcoming Star Trek film, but now that Mr. Nimoy has left this world, it remains to be seen what will be done at all.
The Two Spocks, Nimoy and Quinto.
For me personally, I never had the opportunity to meet you, but you have meant a great deal to me. Your constant performances as SPOCK have enlightened my life and brought not only reason and logic in my life but also joy and caring for others. For that, Mr. Nimoy, you have my deepest thanks.
May your afterlife be as rewarding as your life was interesting !
"A life is like a garden.
Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.
Live Long and Prosper"
The final message from Leonard Nimoy's Twitter Account.
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