Leonard Nimoy be remembered for all his craftsmanship through out his 83 years of service to the whole of Entertainment. His eyes of wonder, extraordinary creativity in all aspects, from private to public...his life is amazing from hard time to good times.. His eyes drew you close to all what he created and accomplished.. Rest In Peace...
Leonard Simon Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. Leonard Nimoy was the youngest child of Max and Dora, Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants who had escaped from Stalinist Russia. The son of Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Iziaslav, Soviet Union (now Ukraine).His parents left Iziaslav separately—his father first walking over the border into Poland—and reunited in the United States. His mother, Dora (née Spinner), was a homemaker, and his father, Max Nimoy, owned a barbershop in the Mattapan section of the city. The family settled in the West End of Boston, where Max was a popular local figure and enjoyed his life as a barber. The young Nimoy brothers -- Leonard and older brother Melvin -- were neighbourhood fixtures, and sold newspapers in Boston Common.
The acting bug bit Leonard Nimoy early on, and he was just 8 years old when he appeared in his first play.His parents wanted him to attend college and pursue a stable career, or even learn to play the accordion—with which, his father advised, Nimoy could always make a living—but his grandfather encouraged him to become an actor.His first major role was at 17, as Ralphie in an amateur production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing! which dealt with the struggles of a matriarchal Jewish family during the Great Depression. Nimoy said the role "lit a passion" that led him to pursue an acting career. "I never wanted to do anything else."
He performed throughout his teen years at Boston's English High School, and after his graduation in 1949, he attended Boston College. While playing the role of Ralphie in a collegiate production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing, Leonard Nimoy noticed that another Odets play was making a professional, pre-Broadway debut in Boston. After seeking career advice from one of the play's established cast members, Leonard Nimoy submitted an application to California's Pasadena Playhouse. He made his way out to the West Coast using money he earned by selling vacuum cleaners.
Attended and graduated from Boston University in 1953. He later received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the university in May 2012.
He performed throughout his teen years at Boston's English High School, and after his graduation in 1949, he attended Boston College. While playing the role of Ralphie in a collegiate production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing, Leonard Nimoy noticed that another Odets play was making a professional, pre-Broadway debut in Boston. After seeking career advice from one of the play's established cast members, Leonard Nimoy submitted an application to California's Pasadena Playhouse. He made his way out to the West Coast using money he earned by selling vacuum cleaners.
Attended and graduated from Boston University in 1953. He later received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the university in May 2012.
By the early 1950s, Leonard Nimoy was appearing in bit parts in feature films, and his first title role came with 1952's boxing-themed Kid Monk Baroni. After a two-year stretch in the U.S. Army Reserve beginning in 1953, and marrying Sandra Zober in 1954, Leonard Nimoy resumed his acting career in 1955. He began studying with Jeff Corey, a highly respected acting coach, and continued to land bit parts on television series and B-movies. During this time, he became a father of two; daughter Julie was born in 1955 and son Adam followed in 1956.
After carving out a niche with day-player roles on shows that included Dragnet, The Rough Riders, Sea Hunt, Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildaire and Perry Mason, Nimoy's featured role on a 1965 episode of The Lieutenant earned the attention of producer and writer Gene Roddenberry. At the time, Roddenberry was casting for the upcoming sci-fi series Star Trek, and thought Nimoy would be ideal for the role of the stoic, logical and brilliant science officer known as Mr. Spock. Roddenberry even allowed Nimoy to contribute his own elements to the character. Nimoy developed both the pacifistic Vulcan nerve pinch and the two-fingered Vulcan salute; the latter is reportedly based on a Jewish blessing.
His father had a barber shop in Boston, where one of the more popular haircuts given was the "Spock cut".
On television, Leonard Nimoy appeared as "Sonarman" in two episodes of the 1957–1958 syndicated military drama The Silent Service, based on actual events of the submarine section of the United States Navy. He had guest roles in the Sea Hunt series from 1958 to 1960 and a minor role in the 1961 The Twilight Zone episode "A Quality of Mercy". He also appeared in the syndicated Highway Patrol starring Broderick Crawford.
Nimoy appeared four times in ethnic roles on NBC's Wagon Train, the No. 1 program of 1962. He portrayed 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).Nimoy appeared in Bonanza (1960), The Rebel (1960), Two Faces West (1961), Rawhide (1961), The Untouchables (1962), The Eleventh Hour (1962), Perry Mason (1963; playing murderer Pete Chennery in "The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe", episode 13 of season 6), Combat! (1963, 1965), Daniel Boone, The Outer Limits (1964), The Virginian (1963–1965; first working with Star Trek co-star DeForest Kelle in "Man of Violence", episode 14 of season 2, in 1963), Get Smart (1966) and Mission: Impossible (1969–1971). He appeared again in the 1995 Outer Limits series. He appeared in Gunsmoke in 1962 as Arnie and in 1966 as John Walking Fox.
Leonard Nimoy featured role on a 1965 episode of The Lieutenant earned the attention of producer and writer Gene Roddenberry At the time, Roddenberry was casting for the upcoming sci-fi series Star Trek, and thought Leonard Nimoy would be ideal for the role of the stoic, logical and brilliant science officer known as Mr. Spock. Roddenberry even allowed Nimoy to contribute his own elements to the character. Leonard Nimoy developed both the pacifistic Vulcan nerve pinch and the two-fingered Vulcan salute; the latter is reportedly based on a Jewish blessing.
With the blockbuster success of George Lucas 1977 blockbuster Star Wars, America confirmed its love of big-budget sci-fi. At the same time, audiences showed a renewed interested in Star Trek as a result of re-run syndication. Paramount Pictures, determined to stay competitive with Lucas' high-grossing creation, decided to capitalize on the Star Trek series, giving the green light to a big-screen version of Star Trek. After settling some longstanding financial issues with the studio, Leonard Nimoy signed on to reprise his role as Mr. Spock.
The film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, was released in December of 1979. It was a box-office smash, and was nominated for three Oscars. Leonard Nimoy returned for 1982's sequel, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, and even directed the third and fourth installments in the series -- 1984's Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Then he appeared in the last two Star Trek films where he again established himself as a creative and inspiring actor in the new beginning of Star Trek an also did voice overs is the Simpsons and visited On several TV shows.
He had also co-starred in the 1982 TV film A Woman Called Golda, about Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (played by Ingrid Bergman), with Leonard Nimoy earning another Emmy nod for his efforts.
Largely retired from acting, Leonard Nimoy embraced a new career as a photographer and a philanthropist. He also mended fences with his former Star Trek co-star, serving as best man in Shatner's 1997 wedding to Nerine Kidd. His 2002 photography book The Shekhina Project drew controversy for its depiction of Jewish themes, and his equally provocative 2007 work, The Full Body Project, toyed with the idea of physical size and beauty. He and wife Susan also continued to support the arts with generous financial gifts from the Nimoy Foundation. The actor returned to acting to reprise his most famous role in J.J. Abrams' reimagining of Star Trek in 2009 and Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013.
Is an accomplished photographer (specializing in black and white images) and has given exhibitions of his works.
Leonard has a master's degree in photography as a fine art, and he would call his work primarily conceptual." I don't carry cameras with me wherever I go. I get an idea of a subject matter I want to deal with and I pull out my cameras."
After the series ended, Leonard Nimoy was snapped up as a series regular on the show Mission: Impossible. He spent the next two years playing the role of The Great Paris, a master of disguise and illusion. He left the show in 1971.
After recovering from a stomach ulcer, Leonard Nimoy resumed an intensive acting schedule, touring as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and adding made-for-TV movies to his usual roster of work. During this time, he began to explore other pursuits as well. Nimoy stepped behind the camera and established a reputation as a competent television director. Throughout the '70s, he issued several volumes of poetry, and in 1975, he released his self-penned (and fan-offending) autobiography, I Am Not Spock, which featured a series of imagined discussions between himself and his most famous character. However, he never strayed far from on-screen work, and in 1976, he began hosting the long-running series, In Search Of..., a show devoted to investigations of the unusual and the paranormal. And in 1978, he starred in the hit big-screen remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Leonard has a master's degree in photography as a fine art, and he would call his work primarily conceptual." I don't carry cameras with me wherever I go. I get an idea of a subject matter I want to deal with and I pull out my cameras."
After the series ended, Leonard Nimoy was snapped up as a series regular on the show Mission: Impossible. He spent the next two years playing the role of The Great Paris, a master of disguise and illusion. He left the show in 1971.
After recovering from a stomach ulcer, Leonard Nimoy resumed an intensive acting schedule, touring as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and adding made-for-TV movies to his usual roster of work. During this time, he began to explore other pursuits as well. Nimoy stepped behind the camera and established a reputation as a competent television director. Throughout the '70s, he issued several volumes of poetry, and in 1975, he released his self-penned (and fan-offending) autobiography, I Am Not Spock, which featured a series of imagined discussions between himself and his most famous character. However, he never strayed far from on-screen work, and in 1976, he began hosting the long-running series, In Search Of..., a show devoted to investigations of the unusual and the paranormal. And in 1978, he starred in the hit big-screen remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Hit #121 on the Billboard Singles Chart in 1967 with "Visit to a Sad Planet" (Dot 17038).
Lent his famous voice to the introduction at the Mugar Omni Theater (The Museum of Science, Boston).
During and following Star Trek, Nimoy also released five albums of musical vocal recordings on Dot Records.[ On his first album, Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space, and half of his second album Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy, science fiction-themed songs are featured where Nimoy sings as Spock. On his final three albums, he sings popular folk songs of the era and cover versions of popular songs, such as "Proud Mary" and Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line". There are also several songs on the later albums that were written or co-written by Nimoy. He described how his recording career got started:
- Charles Grean of Dot Records had arranged with the studio to do an album of space music based on music from Star Trek, and he has a teenage daughter who's a fan of the show and a fan of Mr. Spock. She said, 'Well, if you're going to do an album of music from Star Trek, then Mr. Spock should be on the album.' So Dot contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in either speaking or singing on the record. I said I was very interested in doing both. ... That was the first album we did, which was called Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space.
- Nimoy's voice appeared in sampled form on a song by the pop band Information Society in the late Eighties. The song, "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (released in 1988), reached No. 3 on 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 Down to Liverpool". He also appeared in the alternate music video for the song "The Lazy Song" by pop artist Bruno Mars.
"Today we salute the legendary Leonard Nimoy #LiveLongAndProsper," tweeted the nerdy hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, on which Nimoy once made a memorable cameo appearance voicing a Spock doll.
(1974) Poetry book: "Warmed By Love"
(2000s) Audio book: Narrates "Alien Voices Presents H.G. Wells' 'The Time Machine'"
(June 1995) Biography (of Vincent van Gogh): "Vincent".
(1997) Audio book: Narrated "Star Trek: Vulcan's Forge"
Created the "Primortals" comic book series.
TV commercial: Oldsmobile cars ("This is not your father's Oldsmobile" with daughter Julie Nimoy)
Narrated the "New England Time Capsule" Omnimax film for the Boston Museum of Science.
(Late 1960s-early 1970s) Recorded several albums of folk-rock including camp classic versions of "Proud Mary" and "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" (some of these songs were issued in the 1990s on the CD "Spaced Out")
Video game: Narrated the English-language version of the Sega Dreamcast video game "Seaman."
(1983) Hosted a one-hour retrospective on Star Trek. This special has since been added to some syndication packages of "Star Trek" (1966) .
(1984) Music video: Directed and appeared in The Bangles video "Going Down to Liverpool"
(1987) Album: Narrrated "Whales Alive" by Paul Winter and Paul Halley. The album was made to call attention to the endangerment of whales and was released to capitalize on the themes of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)).
A "music video" is in circulation showing Nimoy lip-synching "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" on a 1960s TV show.
(2004) TV commercial: Priceline.com (with William Shatner)
Played Spock on two comedic live recordings with John de Lancie , entitled "Spock vs. Q" and "Spock vs. Q: The Sequel."
Audio CD: "William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy Read 4 Science Fiction Classics: Foundation, Psychohistorians, Mimsy Were The Borogoves, and Martian Chronicles."
(October 1989) Audio CD: Narrates, with J.M. Dillard and James Doohan, "Star Trek: The Lost Years"
(2004) TV commercial: Aleve pain relief medication
(1970s) Magazine advertisement: Celestron telescopes
(October 2006) TV commercial: DirecTV as Capt. Spock from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991); appears on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise with William Shatner as Capt. James T. Kirk, DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James Doohan as Captain Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Walter Koenig as Cmdr. Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Cmdr. Uhura, George Takei as Capt. Hikaru Sulu and Kim Cattrall as Lt. Valeris.
(October 1989) Audio book: Narrates, with J.M. Dillard, "Star Trek V"
(1988) TV commercial (PSA): various childhood diseases
(2003) Referenced by 'Weird Al' Yankovic on the track "Albquerque" on his CD "Poodle Hat"
(2006) TV Spokesperson for non-profit organization Amnesty International.
Video game: Narrates "Sid Meier's Civilization IV" video game.
(Late 1980s) Audio book: Provided the voice of Spock on audio adaptation of "Star Trek" novel "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"
(Late 1980s) Audio book: Provided the voice of Spock on audio adaptation of "Star Trek" novel "Strangers from the Sky"
(Late 1980s) Audio book: Provided the voice of Spock on audio adaptation of "Star Trek" novel "Yesterday's Son"
(Late 1980s) Audio book: Provided the voice of Spock on audio adaptation of "Star Trek" novel "The Entropy Effect"
(2000s) Audio book: Narrates "Alien Voices Presents Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Lost World'"
(2000s) Audio book: Narrates "Alien Voices Presents H.G. Wells' 'War of the Worlds'"
(2000s) Audio book: Narrates "Alien Voices Presents Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'"
(1998) Foreword: Wrote the foreword for Grace Lee Whitney's autobiography, "The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy"
Poetry book: "You and I"
(1974) Poetry book: "Will I Think of You?"
(1977) Book: "We Are All Searching for Love: A Collection of Poems and Photographs"
Poetry book: "These Words Are For You"
(1978) Poetry book: "Come Be With Me"
(1988) Voice from the original "Star Trek" (1966) series episode "Errand of Mercy" speaking the phrase, "Pure energy" used in music video by Information Society called "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)".
Stage: Appeared in "Equus" on Broadway.
Stage: Appeared in "Camelot" on Broadway
Stage: Appeared in "Oliver" on Broadway
Stage: Appeared in "Fiddler on the Roof" on Broadway
(March 22, 1979) Guested on the daytime program "Afternoon Exchange" to talk about the play "Vincent" which he starred in at the Drury Playhouse.
(May 29, 1989) Guest on "Live on Five" talking about "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier".
(May 29, 1989) Guest on "Live on Five".
(2014) TV commercial for VW Golf - Actor.
When Richard Widmark left, Nimoy became the Friday night host for "The Mutual Radio Theater" on Mutual Radio (1980).
Leonard Nimoy had long been active in the Jewish community. He could speak and read Yiddish, his first language. In 1997, he narrated the documentary A Life Apart: Hasidism in America, about the various sects of Hasidic Orthodox Jews. In October 2002, Nimoy published The Shekhina Project, a photographic study exploring the feminine aspect of God's presence, inspired by Kabbalah. Reactions have varied from enthusiastic support to open condemnation. Leonard Nimoy said that objections to Shekhina did not bother or surprise him, but he smarted at the stridency of the Orthodox protests, and was "saddened at the attempt to control thought".
The character Spock would be resurrected for several feature films after Star Trek snowballed into a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s and 1980s, making Spock's Vulcan salute and salutation "live long and prosper" a touchstone of the science-fiction world.
Leonard Nimoy built off his sci-fi and Spock fame for the rest of his career, lending his voice to documentaries, video games and television shows.
He sold "Live Long and Prosper" apparel, and waved the Vulcan salute at Star Trek conventions.
He returned to Star Trek as an older version of his Spock character in the franchise's reboot directed by JJ Abrams in 2009 and in a 2013 sequel.
Leonard Nimoy remained active in his later years, releasing photography books and poetry.
He also took a role on sci-fi TV series Fringe, which ran from 2008 to 2013 and was also directed by Abrams
Dragnet, The Rough Riders, Sea Hunt, Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildaire and Perry Mason were just some of the shows which he appeared in.
From 1982 to 1987, Leonard Nimoy hosted a children's educational show Standby: Lights, Camera, Action on Nickelodeon.
Nimoy was featured as the voice-over narrator for the CBS paranormal series Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories in 1991.
Leonard Nimoy remained active in his later years, releasing photography books and poetry.
He also took a role on sci-fi TV series Fringe, which ran from 2008 to 2013 and was also directed by Abrams.
In his last tweet, posted Monday under his handle @TheRealNimoy, Nimoy said: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
After roles on Dragnet and The Twilight Zone, Leonard Nimoy earned the attention of producer and writer Gene Roddenberry and was cast on Star Trek as Mr. Spock. Star Trek premiered in 1966 and turned Leonard into a awesome star. Leonard always stayed active as an actor with other projects, working as a photographer, producer, musician and director as well, while his role as Spock on the television show and Star Trek movies over the years dominated his reputation. Leonard Nimoy died on February 27, 2015 at the age of 83.
Leonard Nimoy has made his make for futures to come as he was diversified and a extraordinary creative man in public life as well in his private life.
Thank you for being an Inspiring and creative being.
You will be missed greatly Leonard Nimoy.
Leonard Simon Nimoy died on February 27, 2015 at the age of 83 in his Bel Air home from complications of COPD. He is survived by his wife, two children, six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Thank you for being the being you were born to be..
Leonard Simon Nimoy has inspired, created and achieved more than most men.
This is only a small part of this man's life.. Leonard is worth more than a 500 words which most write about..
No comments:
Post a Comment