Leonard Nimoy, the legendary actor who played the iconic role of Mr. Spock on Star Trek, died at his home in Los Angeles this morning. He was 83.
Nimoy was hospitalized late last week for severe chest pains. His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed that he died from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
He announced the illness last February, blaming it on his smoking cigarettes decades earlier.
I quit smoking 30 yrs ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) January 30, 2014
With his final tweets, he shared some of his poetry and advice:
I will be sharing my poetry. Today's is, "You and I have Learned," which is in my book, These Words Are for You. LLAP pic.twitter.com/CsHAtmtDnz
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 22, 2015
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015
As the news broke on Friday afternoon, Nimoy’s friends, former co-stars, fans, and event the President of the United States began expressing grief through social media over his passing.
Spock’s death scene and funeral from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan:
my heart is broken. i love you profoundly my dear friend. and i will miss you everyday. may flights… https://t.co/WPJmt1X4ox
— Zachary Quinto (@ZacharyQuinto) February 27, 2015
#LLAP RIP to the best First Officer. @TheRealNimoy
— Jonathan Frakes (@jonathansfrakes) February 27, 2015
"I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."
-William Shatner https://t.co/U8ZN98tVYp
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 27, 2015
Aside from his well-known portrayal of Captain Kirk’s Number One, he has been involved in many projects of his own creation, some of which, to this day, remain underrated and under-celebrated. Throughout his life, for example, Nimoy immersed himself in a diverse array of acting roles on stage and screen; recorded and performed several musical albums, and produced photographic works of art showcased in exhibits throughout Massachusetts. He was also the director of successful motion pictures and authored two autobiographies and even penned a collection of poetry; such creative resourcefulness is the trademark of an exceptionally talented and brilliant artist.
His acting career in science fiction started with his role as Narab, a Martian invader in the 1952 sci-fi classic Zombies of the Stratosphere. He has since played minor roles in various TV series, such as Dragnet, The Outer Limits, and The Twilight Zone, but it was not until the year 1966 that Leonard Nimoy would star as a lead character in Star Trek, one that created a new breed of scientific personalities in popular science fiction and completely reshaped the genre. He is also known for his screen depiction of the ex-magician, Paris, in the spy drama television series Mission: Impossible and for his minor role as Dr. Kibner in the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
In appreciation of fantasy and science fiction genres, Mr. Nimoy wrote and recorded musical albums under a contract with Dot Records in the late 1960’s while simultaneously fulfilling acting roles in Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. His musical career, though short lived in comparison to his dedication to acting, included songs like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Earth and Spock Thoughts. Nimoy even sang the popular The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins, in dedication of J.R.R. Tolkein’s adventure novel The Hobbit; a music video of Leonard Nimoy’s The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins was produced and can be found on YouTube with viewer counts as high as 1.6 million.
In 1999, Mr. Nimoy participated with John de Lancie, the actor who played the all-powerful Q in three Star Trek television series, to record their stage performance Spock vs. Q, a comedic dramatization of a philosophical and a hilariously frustrating conversation between the characters Spock and Q. It was followed with a sequel in 2000 in which Spock and Q would once again battle each other with wit, logic, and sheer godhood (on account of Q’s omnipotence). In addition to his on-stage performances, Mr. Nimoy also lent his voice for a role as King Nedakh in Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire and for narrations in computer games like the turn-based strategy Civilization IV and the epic MMORPG Star Trek Online.
In 2011, Nimoy appeared at what he has said were his final convention appearances. He gave a heartfelt account of his life and career at Creation’s Las Vegas Star Trek Convention in August and Chicago in October. He also starred in the Bruno Mars music video, “The Lazy Song.”
In 2012, Nimoy gave an emotional convocation speech at Boston University and welcomed the Space Shuttle Enterprise to New York City.
Last year, Nimoy addressed concerns regarding his health, after being seen in a wheelchair at a New York airport — saying that he had been diagnosed with COPD.
Our deepest condolences go out to his wife, children, grandchildren, family, friends and fans worldwide.