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Remembering Spock
If you’re a Trekkie, then maybe you know all of these things already. But for me, these are either brand new, or something I’d forgotten entirely:
Getting a role that would cement Leonard Nimoy firmly in the cultural zeitgeist began almost entirely on something he had no control over: his build. Gene Rodenberry and his crew decided that Spock would be a tall, slender character. Rodenberry remembered an actor he had in a minor role in his latest TV series (1963) who fit the description. He was called in and offered the role. It’s hard to believe that a role so iconic began so simply.
His parents were Ukrainian immigrants to the US.
He came up with the “Vulcan salute,” which comes directly from his Jewish upbringing. When attending synagogue, at the end of a holiday service a group of priests known as “Cohanim” would bless the people. Congregants were supposed to avert their eyes and not look at them as they did this. But little Leonard peeked and saw them hold up both hands in a V-shape with their thumbs out. This gesture was intended to be forming the Hebrew letter “shin” which is the first letter in “Shaddai.” Nimoy used just the one hand for his Vulcan greeting.
He directed our movie of the week, as well as its prequel, (1984). He doesn’t have an extensive directorial filmography, though it does include the monster hit from 1987.
He and William Shatner first met on set for , of course, and became best friends for life. They were the exact same age with only 4 days of difference between them. Shatner is the “older” one. They both suffer(ed) from tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, which happened when the two of them were too close to a special effects explosion during filming of an episode.
In 1975 he published a book titled “I Am Not Spock.” Twenty years later he would publish another, “I Am Spock.” He also loved to write poetry and published several books.
Do you ever remember watching a TV show and being surprised to see Nimoy show up in an episode? He’d appeared in many, including , and . The last two, of course, were just his voice.
Was related through marriage to director Michael Bay. Coincidentally, Nimoy voiced Galvatron in (1986), which was a reimagined version of Megatron. And in 2007, Michael Bay brought Megatron back for his film series.
Star Trek’s writers wanted his character to have some way to immobilize adversaries without resorting to violence, and it was Nimoy who came up with the idea of the “Vulcan nerve pinch.” My favourite use of this is in this week’s movie. An obnoxious punk won’t turn down his loud music on a bus when asked politely to and instead flips Spock and Kirk the bird. Spock reaches over and puts him out with the pinch and the music turns off. Then the other passengers applaud. So great.
His final tweet was sent out just four days before his passing. He wrote, “ A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP ” The final four letters standing for “Live long and prosper.”
Congratulations This is your week.
Best Actress:
Drew Barrymore as Rachel Kramer in
Best Actor:Michael Madsen as Glen in
Best Quote: “Your use of language has altered since our arrival. It is currently laced with, shall we say, more colourful metaphors, ‘double dumb-ass on you’ and so forth.” – Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock in
My top 10 favourite movies featuring the cast:
The Pagemaster (1994, Leonard Nimoy)
Over the Hedge (2006, William Shatner)
Mulan (1998, George Takei, Sulu)
Three Men and a Baby (1987, Leonard Nimoy, director)
Star Trek (2009, Leonard Nimoy)
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004, William Shatner)
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016, George Takei, Sulu)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, Brock Peters, Adm. Cartwright)
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