Leonard Nimoy, the actor, the poet, the writer, the artist, the director, the teacher and the man most fondly remembered as Spock in the Star Trek universe has died of complications due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at age 83. Nimoy announced the disease last year attributing it to his years as a smoker then 30 years past.
Beginning his acting career in the 1950s mostly in B movies, Nimoy quickly found a home on television, appearing in dozens of popular shows of the day including The Silent Service (1957-1958), Broken Arrow (1957-1958), Dragnet (1954, 1959), Sea Hunt (1958-1960), Outlaws (1960), Bonanza (1960), Rawhide (1961), Twilight Zone (1961), The Untouchables (1962), Wagon Train (1959-1962), Perry Mason (1963), General Hospital (1963), Dr. Kildare (1963), The Outer Limits (1964), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964), The Virginian (1963, 1965), Combat (1963, 1965), Get Smart (1966), Gunsmoke (1961, 1962, 1963, 1966) and of course Star Trek (1966-1969) which forever sealed his legacy as the half human, half Vulcan science officer and first officer of starship Enterprise.
Nimoy would solidify his legacy as Spock in the Stark Trek animated series and the original Star Trek film and its many of its sequels, both in front of and behind the camera.
His last film appearance was the most recent Star Trek sequel Star Trek Into Darkness.
I didn’t grow up a Trek fan, but I loved paranormal mystery stories and I was obsessed of In Search Of… (1977-1982) hosted by Nimoy.
Here’s one of my favorites, the Big Foot episode.
Check out more biographical info in the NY Times obituary.