A Vulcan salute to Leonary Nimoy who died Friday at the age of 83. Nimoy played half-Vulcan, half human Mr. Spock on Star Trek. According to his obituary in the Washinton Post:
“Someday,” producer Gene Roddenberry said many decades ago, “I’m going to make a science-fiction series and put pointed ears on that guy.”
The series was “Star Trek,” and the guy was Leonard Nimoy, who died Feb. 27 at 83. A tall, taut-faced actor, he had been laboring in obscurity for 15 years before Roddenberry hired him in 1966 to play the half-human, half-alien space explorer Spock.
Those pointy ears — along with the upswept eyebrows and “five-point” Vidal Sassoon bob — brought Mr. Nimoy enduring stardom in an entertainment and merchandising empire equaled perhaps only by the James Bond, “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” franchises.
“Star Trek,” a drama about the adventures of the starship Enterprise as it explored “the final frontier” of space, was not a critical or popular hit during its initial run on NBC from 1966 to 1969.
In syndication, however, it became a phenomenon.
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….” I feel confident the spirit of Leonard Nimoy continues.
Live long and prosper, Leonard Nimoy. Live long and prosper, wherever your journey takes you, even if it is where no man has gone before.
LLAP – Live Long and Prosper.
Man, another one bites the dust! I’m gettin’ old- all my adolescent icons are passing on, which means I’m not that far behind!
I LOVED Star Trek when it was on. Not a big fan of the later movies or the “Trekkie” culture, but I sure enjoyed the TV show back in the day. Lots of interesting timely topics, good range of characters, even the over-the-top acting was somehow fitting, at least to my teen-age self.
Godspeed, Mr. Nimoy. In the end you managed to avoid the bitterness and obscurity that type-casting often brings to actors. May your journey through the cosmos in eternity be a blessed and holy one.
Ah, middleman, I love your eloquent send off. I was a little more than a teenager but not by much. I loved the show also.
Nimoy was just a neat guy. I never saw the later movies but I loved the original TV show.
Saw the moving story behind his Vulcan salute on Facebook. I never knew…http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/leonard-nimoy-vulcan-salute-yiddish