Gene Roddenberry already had an actor in mind when he created the character Spock for his upcoming show, Star Trek. It was Leonard Nimoy. The actor had guest starred in the first series Roddenberry created, The Lieutenant. He seemed to fit the physical type that Gene had in mind for his this new character, Mr. Spock.
Leonard Nimoy and Star Trek
Nimoy was hired and became the only actor who was there from the first pilot, The Cage, to the second pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before and all the way through to the last episode of the series, Turnabout Intruder.
Nimoy was a method actor, getting inside the skin of this alien character. It took its toll on him. After staying in character for 12-14 hours per day, it took him all of Saturday and half of Sunday to shed the character and reach a point where he finally felt like himself again. Of course, Monday morning was just a few hours away at that point and the whole routine started over.
The stress of the difficult shooting schedule, and perhaps even the way he approached the Spock character, took its toll on Nimoy. He became an alcoholic. He eventually sought help and went into rehab after the show was cancelled.
More Than Just an Actor
Nimoy was something of a Renaissance man. Along with being an actor, he was a writer, poet, photographer, composer and director. He sought answers to life, and explored what it meant to be Jew in today’s world.
He was also a very decent person. He fought for things that he thought needed corrected. One instance involved Nichelle Nichols and the inequity in her pay. Only Leonard Nimoy went to the show’s producers and fought to have her pay increased.
Nimoy’s Trek Legacy
Star Trek would not have been the same show had Leonard Nimoy not been part of it. He brought an intelligence and a emotional subtext to the character that brought a higher level of complexity to his acting. The result was that the show as a whole was elevated.
Image: CultOfMac.com
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