We all know Leonard Nimoy, who died last week, for originating the unforgettable character of Mr. Spock in the first four seasons of TV’s Star Trek. I was a teenager during the first run of Star Trek and, although I’m certainly not a Trekkie or even a huge fan of sci-fi in general, I remember that it was Must Watch TV – more of a phenomenon than a television show.
Nimoy gets much of the credit for Star Trek becoming a cultural sensation. The show’s special effects now seem remarkably lame and the other characters pretty ordinary (although the ethnic mix of the cast was novel for its time and William Shatner’s line readings were so eccentric). However, creator Gene Roddenberry’s story lines were so aspirational, exploring themes of tolerance and aggression and peace and discovery – how to Encounter the Other. And then there was Mr. Spock. Sure, the Vulcan’s pointy ears and the freedom from emotion were in the script, but it’s impossible to imagine any other actor as Spock.
Leonard Nimoy had 62 screen credits BEFORE Star Trek, mostly in television work including lots of Westerns like Bonanza, Rawhide, Wagon Train, The Virginian and Daniel Boone. And immediately after Star Trek, he went on to three seasons as part of the Mission: Impossible team in another, even more mainstream, hit TV series.
But my favorite Nimoy performance? It was the chillingly confident and authoritative Dr. David Kibner in the 1978 Philip Kaufman remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Not everybody can be menacing in a turtleneck.
