Editing Leonard Nimoy

{{short description|American actor (1931–2015)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_name         = Leonard Simon Nimoy
| name               = 
| image              = Leonard Nimoy Mission Impossible.jpg
| caption            = Nimoy in 1973
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1931|3|26}}
| birth_place        = [[Boston, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2015|2|27|1931|3|26}}
| death_place        = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery]], [[Culver City, California]], U.S.
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|author|director|photographer|singer}}
| years_active       = 1950–2015<ref name="NYT-20150227" /><ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Nimoy glad to be back with 'Fringe'|url=http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2012/05/12/Nimoy-glad-to-be-back-with-Fringe/UPI-23651336833214|date=May 12, 2012|location=New York|publisher=[[News World Communications]]|work=[[United Press International]]|access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>
| television         = {{Ubl
  | ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''
  | ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''
  }}
| spouse             = {{Ubl
  | {{marriage|Sandra Zober|1954|1987|end=div}}
  | {{marriage|[[Susan Bay]]|January 1, 1989<!--Year omitted per Template:Marriage instructions-->}}
  }}
| children           = {{flatlist|
* [[Julie Nimoy|Julie]]
* [[Adam Nimoy|Adam]]
  }}
| relatives          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Jeff Nimoy]] (second cousin, once removed)
* [[Aaron Bay-Schuck]] (stepson)
* [[Michael Bay]] (cousin-in-law)
* [[Jonah Nimoy]] (grandson)
  }}
| module             = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
   | allegiance    = <!-- United States; obvious -->
   | branch        = [[United States Army]]
   | serviceyears  = 1953–1955
   | rank          = Sergeant
   | servicenumber = 
   | unit          = [[Special Services (entertainment)|Special Services]]
   | battles       = 
   | awards        = }}
| module2            = {{Listen| embed=yes |filename = The Brain's Inner Workings - Part 1 - Structure and Function - Leonard Nimoy voice.ogg |title = Leonard Nimoy's voice |type = speech |description = for a documentary about the brain}}
}}

'''Leonard Simon Nimoy''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|iː|m|ɔɪ}} {{respell|NEE|moy}}; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor and director,<!--NOTE: The lead sentence should stick to what he was primarily known for. The infobox is there to include additional occupations.--> famous for playing [[Spock]] in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise for almost 50 years.<ref name="NYT-20150227" /> This includes [[Development of Spock|originating Spock]] in [[Star Trek: The Original Series|the original ''Star Trek'' series]] in 1966, then ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', the first six [[List of Star Trek films|''Star Trek'' films]], ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', [[Star Trek (2009 film)|the 2009 ''Star Trek'' film]], and ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]''. Nimoy also directed films, including ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'' (1984), ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'' (1986), and ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'' (1987), and his career included roles in music videos and video games.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Snaith|first=Kim|date=March 2, 2015|title=Spock did Video Games too: A homage to Leonard Nimoy|url=https://www.gamespew.com/2015/03/leonard_nimoy_video_games/|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=GameSpew|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mejia|first=Paula|date=February 28, 2015|title=Ten Memorable Leonard Nimoy Onscreen Appearances|url=https://www.newsweek.com/ten-memorable-leonard-nimoy-onscreen-appearances-310373|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Newsweek|language=en}}</ref> In addition to acting and filmmaking, Nimoy was a photographer, author, singer, and songwriter.

Nimoy's [[Leonard Nimoy filmography|acting career]] began during his early twenties, teaching acting classes in Hollywood and making minor film and television appearances throughout the 1950s. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the [[United States Army]] as a Sergeant in the [[Special Services (entertainment)|Special Services]], an entertainment branch of the [[United States Armed Forces|American military]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Military.com|date=February 12, 2019|title=Famous Veteran: Leonard Nimoy|url=https://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/military-transition/famous-veteran-leonard-nimoy.html|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=Military.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Curthoys|first=Kathleen|date=February 27, 2015|title=Leonard Nimoy, a former soldier, dies at 83|url=https://www.armytimes.com/off-duty/movies-video-games/2015/02/27/leonard-nimoy-a-former-soldier-dies-at-82/|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=Army Times|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He originated and developed Spock beginning with the 1964 ''Star Trek'' television pilot "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]" and 1965’s "[[Where No Man Has Gone Before]]", through series' end in early 1969, followed by eight feature films and guest appearances in spin-offs. From 1967 to 1970, Nimoy had a [[Leonard Nimoy discography|music career]] with [[Dot Records]], with his first and second albums mostly as Spock.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Leonard Nimoy Was So Much More Than Mr. Spock|url=https://time.com/3726395/leonard-nimoy-dead-career-besides-spock/|access-date=October 18, 2021|magazine=Time|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Highly Illogical? The singing career of Leonard Nimoy|url=https://www.metv.com/stories/highly-illogical-the-singing-career-of-leonard-nimoy|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Me-TV Network|language=en|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018131029/https://www.metv.com/stories/highly-illogical-the-singing-career-of-leonard-nimoy|url-status=dead}}</ref> After the original ''Star Trek'' series, Nimoy starred in ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' for two seasons, hosted the documentary series ''[[In Search of... (TV series)|In Search of...]]'', appeared in ''[[Columbo]]'', and made several well-received stage appearances.

Nimoy's portrayal of Spock made [[Cultural influence of Star Trek|a significant cultural impact]] and earned him three [[Emmy Award]] nominations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/leonard-nimoy/bio/161833 |title=Leonard Nimoy: Biography |website=TVGuide.com |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |location=San Francisco, California |access-date=February 3, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/tv/best-tv-characters-of-all-time/?cur=spock&morepics=1 |title=Spock |last=Jensen |first=K. Thor |date=November 20, 2008 |website=[[UGO Networks]] |publisher=[[IGN]] Entertainment, Inc. |location=San Francisco, CA |access-date=February 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913050255/http://www.ugo.com/tv/best-tv-characters-of-all-time/?cur=spock&morepics=1 |archive-date=September 13, 2008 }}</ref> His public profile as Spock was so strong that both his autobiographies, ''[[I Am Not Spock]]'' (1975) and ''[[I Am Spock]]'' (1995), were written from the viewpoint of coexistence with the character.<ref>Nimoy (1975), pp. 1–6</ref><ref>Nimoy (1995), pp. 2–17</ref> Leonard Nimoy played the elder Spock, with [[Zachary Quinto]] portraying a younger Spock, in the 2009 [[Star Trek (2009 film)|''Star Trek'']] reboot film, directed by [[J. J. Abrams]]. In 2010, Nimoy announced that he was retiring from playing Spock, citing both his advanced age and the desire to give Quinto full media attention as the character.<ref name=":0" /> His final role as Spock was in the 2013 sequel, ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]''.<ref name="NYT-20150227" />

Nimoy died in February 2015 after a long case of [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD). His death was international news and was met with expressions of shock and grief by fans, ''Star Trek'' co-stars, scientists, celebrities, and the media.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Celebrities and scientists remember Leonard Nimoy|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/celebrities-scientists-remember-leonard-nimoy-t5791|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=TODAY.com|date=February 27, 2015 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Variety Staff|date=February 27, 2015|title='Star Trek' Co-Stars William Shatner, George Takei Remember Leonard Nimoy|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/people-news/leonard-nimoy-death-hollywood-reacts-twitter-1201443225/|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Obama Mourns Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy: 'I Loved Spock'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/i-loved-spock-obama-mourns-star-treks-leonard-nimoy-n314461|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=NBC News|date=February 27, 2015 |language=en}}</ref> An [[asteroid]] was named [[4864 Nimoy]] in his honor.<ref name="planet">[http://www.inquisitr.com/2150132/leonard-nimoy-honored-asteroid-4864-nimoy-named-after-actor-who-played-star-treks-spock/ "Leonard Nimoy, Honored: Asteroid 4864 Nimoy Named After Actor Who Played 'Star Trek's' Spock"], ''Inquisitr'', June 6, 2015</ref> ''[[For the Love of Spock]]'' (2016) was produced by his son [[Adam Nimoy|Adam]] about his life and career, and ''[[Remembering Leonard Nimoy]]'' (2017) was produced by his daughter [[Julie Nimoy|Julie]] about his illness.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/09/08/for-the-love-of-spock-documentary-leonard-nimoy/89796538/ "New documentary by Leonard Nimoy's son honors both his dad and Spock"], ''USA Today'', September 8, 2016</ref>

== Early life ==
Leonard Simon Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931, in an Irish<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bernstein |first1=Adam |date=February 27, 2015 |title=Leonard Nimoy, a pop culture force as Spock of 'Star Trek,' dies at 83 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-a-pop-culture-force-as-spock-of-star-trek/2015/02/27/20867702-bea4-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231001030323/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-a-pop-culture-force-as-spock-of-star-trek/2015/02/27/20867702-bea4-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html |archive-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref> section of the [[West End, Boston|West End]]<ref name="yiddishbookcenter-nimoy-west-end">
*{{cite web |author1=Yiddish Book Center |title=Leonard Nimoy |url=https://archive.org/details/LeonardNimoy15Oct2013YiddishBookCenter |website=archive.org |access-date=October 11, 2022 |date=October 15, 2013}}
*{{cite web |title=Leonard Nimoy Remembers Boston's West End Neighborhood |url=https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/excerpts/woh-ex-0002348/leonard-nimoy-remembers-boston-s-west-end-neighborhood |website=Yiddish Book Center |access-date=October 11, 2022 |language=en}}
*{{cite news |title=A Look Into Leonard Nimoy's Time in Boston's West End |url=https://www.bdcwire.com/leonard-nimoy-boston/ |access-date=October 11, 2022 |work=BDCWire |date=February 26, 2015}}
*{{cite news |last1=Rosenbaum |first1=S.I. |title=Leonard Nimoy: An Alien from Boston |url=http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/laserorgy/archive/2011/05/09/nimoy.aspx |access-date=October 11, 2022 |work=[[The Phoenix (newspaper)|The Phoenix]] |date=May 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324054712/http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/laserorgy/archive/2011/05/09/nimoy.aspx |archive-date=March 24, 2012}}
</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Sammarco |first=Anthony Mitchell |title=Boston's West End |year=1998 |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |location=Charleston, SC |page=[https://archive.org/details/bostonswestend00samm/page/85 85] |isbn=978-0-7524-1257-3 |oclc=40670283 |lccn=98087140 |ref=Sammarco |url=https://archive.org/details/bostonswestend00samm/page/85 }}</ref> of [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]], to Jewish immigrants from [[Iziaslav, Ukraine|Iziaslav]], [[Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialleonardnimoyfanclub.com/Biography.html |title=Biography |website=The Official Leonard Nimoy Fan Club |publisher=Maggy Edwards |location=Coventry, England |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514052249/http://www.theofficialleonardnimoyfanclub.com/Biography.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Simon Nimoy |url=http://www.mlucks.com/genealogy/lucks/getperson.php?personID=I3854&tree=6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231001030909/https://www.mlucks.com/genealogy/lucks/getperson.php?personID=I3854&tree=6 |archive-date=October 1, 2023 |access-date=November 1, 2013 |website=Genealogy of Lucks, Kai and Related Families |publisher=Michael Lucks |location=Columbia, MD}}</ref><ref name="Ellin">{{cite news |last=Ellin |first=Abby |date=May 13, 2007 |title=Girth and Nudity, a Pictorial Mission |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/fashion/13nimoy.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> His parents left Iziaslav separately, his father first walking over the border into Poland while his mother and grandmother were smuggled out of the [[Soviet Union]] in a horse-drawn wagon by hiding under bales of hay.<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|7}} They reunited after arriving in the United States.<ref name="yiddish">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QAYvI5CC5s | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/9QAYvI5CC5s| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live|title=Leonard Nimoy's Mameloshn: A Yiddish Story |publisher=Yiddish Book Center|date=February 6, 2014 |access-date=February 26, 2015 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> His mother, Dora (née Spinner; 1904–1987), was a homemaker, and his father, Max Nimoy (1901–1987), owned a barbershop in the [[Mattapan]] section of Boston.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Boston City Directory |publisher=Sampson & Murdock company |year=1963 |pages=1308 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerber |first=Barbara |date=July 1962 |title=First haircut by Leonard Nimoy's (Dr. Spock's) father, 1962 |url=https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll6/id/5139 |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=openarchives.umb.edu |language=en}}</ref> He had an elder brother, Melvin (1926–2022).<ref name="NYT-20150227">{{cite news |last=Heffernan |first=Virginia |author-link=Virginia Heffernan |title=Leonard Nimoy, Spock of 'Star Trek,' Dies at 82|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/arts/television/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dies-at-83.html |date=February 27, 2015 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 27, 2015 }}</ref>

As a child, Nimoy took miscellaneous jobs to supplement his family's income, including selling newspapers and greeting cards, shining shoes, or setting up chairs in theaters, and when he got older, selling vacuum cleaners.<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|12}} He began acting at the age of eight in a children's and neighborhood theater.<ref name="yiddish" /> His parents wanted him to attend college and pursue a stable career, or even learn to play the [[accordion]], so he could always make a living, but his grandfather encouraged him to do what he then wanted to do most, which was acting.<ref name="rawnerve">{{cite episode |title=Leonard Nimoy |series=[[Shatner's Raw Nerve]] |date=January 6, 2009 |url=http://www.biography.com/tv/shatners-raw-nerve/episodes/07-leonard-nimoy |network=[[FYI (American TV channel)|The Biography Channel]] |season=1 |number=7 |last=Shatner |first=William (host) |author-link=William Shatner}}</ref> Nimoy realized he had an aptitude for singing, which he developed in his synagogue's choir.<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|17}} His singing during his [[bar mitzvah]] at age 13 was so good he was asked to repeat his performance the following week at another synagogue. [[William Shatner]] said, "He is still the only man I know whose voice was two bar mitzvahs good!"<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|18}}

His first major role was at 17, as Ralphie in an amateur production of [[Clifford Odets]]'s ''[[Awake and Sing!]]'',<ref name="Ellin" /> about the struggles of a matriarchal Jewish family similar to his during the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]]. He said, "Playing this teenage kid in this Jewish family that was so much like mine was amazing{{nbsp}}... The same dynamics, the same tensions in the household."<ref>Pogrebin, Abigail. ''Stars of David'', Broadway Books (2005) p. 197</ref> The role "lit a passion" that led to his acting career, with Nimoy saying "I never wanted to do anything else."<ref name=Fischer>{{cite book|author=Fischer, Dennis|title=Science Fiction Film Directors, 1895–1998|publisher=McFarland|year=2000|pages=480–492|isbn=978-0-7864-6091-5}}</ref> Shatner has said that Nimoy also worked on local radio shows for children, often [[voice acting]] Bible stories:
{{blockquote|Obviously, there was something symbolic about that. Many years later as Captain Kirk, I would be busy rescuing civilizations in distress on distant planets while Leonard's Mr. Spock would be examining the morality of man- and alienkind.<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|17}}}}

Nimoy took drama classes at [[Boston College]], and after moving to [[Los Angeles]], he used $600 he saved from selling vacuum cleaners to enroll at the [[Pasadena Playhouse]], supporting himself by being a theatre usher, taxicab driver and stocking vending machines.<ref name="diehl19680825">{{cite news | url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/08/25/91290697.html?pageNumber=173 | title=Girls All Want To Touch The Ears | work=The New York Times | date=August 25, 1968 | access-date=February 27, 2015 | author=Diehl, Digby | pages=173}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Goodyear |first=Dana |date=December 25, 2023 |title=Mr. Spock's Widow Puts on a Show |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/01/mr-spocks-widow-puts-on-a-show |access-date=December 31, 2023 |issn=0028-792X}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=Spring 2005 |title=Story Book: Legends from the Heights |url=http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/spring_2005/ll_legends.html |journal=Boston College Magazine |issn=0885-2049 |access-date=August 2, 2010 |archive-date=September 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921213619/http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/spring_2005/ll_legends.html |url-status=dead }} Adapted from ''Legends of Boston College'' (2004); Boston, MA: New Legends Press. {{ISBN|978-0-975-55070-0}}. {{OCLC|57510969}}.</ref>{{r|darrach19770725}} However, he was soon disillusioned and quit after six months, feeling that the acting skills he had already acquired from earlier roles were more advanced: "I thought, I have to study here three years in order to do this level of work, and I'm already doing better work".<ref name=Shatner>Shatner, William. ''Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man'', St. Martin's Press N.Y. (2016), {{ISBN|978-1250083319}}</ref>{{rp|25}}

He became a devotee of [[method acting]] concepts derived from the teachings of [[Konstantin Stanislavsky]], realizing the stage allowed him to explore his original inspirations for acting: the "psychological, emotional, and physical territories of life that can't be done anywhere else".<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|481}} Like his method actor role model, [[Marlon Brando]], Nimoy wore jeans and T-shirts. Between studies, he took a job at an ice cream parlor on the [[Sunset Strip]].<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|481}}

In 1953, Nimoy enlisted in the [[United States Army Reserve]] at [[Fort McPherson]] Georgia, serving for 18 months until 1955, leaving as a Staff Sergeant. He had been in the [[Special Services (entertainment)|Army Special Services]], putting on shows which he wrote, narrated, and emceed.<ref name="Military">{{cite web | title = Famous Veteran: Leonard Nimoy | publisher =Military.com | url =http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/military-transition/famous-veteran-leonard-nimoy.html | access-date = February 27, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nimoy, Leonard, S/SGT {{!}} TWS |url=https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=350515 |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=army.togetherweserved.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Curthoys |first=Kathleen |date=February 27, 2015 |title=Leonard Nimoy, a former soldier, dies at 83 |url=https://www.armytimes.com/off-duty/movies-video-games/2015/02/27/leonard-nimoy-a-former-soldier-dies-at-83/ |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=Army Times |language=en}}</ref> One of his soldiers was [[Ken Berry]], whom he encouraged to go into acting as a civilian and helped contact agents.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gates |first=Anita |date=December 2, 2018 |title=Ken Berry, Star of 'F Troop' and 'Mama's Family,' Dies at 85 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/02/obituaries/ken-berry-dies-at-85.html |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York City |access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> During that period, he directed and starred in ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'', with the Atlanta Theater Guild.<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|481}}{{efn|In 2002, the [[Military Personnel Records Center]] reported that Nimoy's entire Army personnel file had been destroyed in the [[National Personnel Records Center fire]] of 1973. A reconstructed file, containing a pay sheet and some personal details, was then created and placed in the agency's security vault for high-profile military service records.<ref>"Freedom of Information Act Request, Leonard Nimoy", NPRC-NARA, published March 13, 2002</ref>}} Soon after he was discharged, his wife Sandi was pregnant with their second child, and they rented an apartment while he became a cab driver in Los Angeles.<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|41}} He once picked up Senator [[John F. Kennedy]] at the [[Bel Air Hotel]] in 1956, before the [[1956 Democratic National Convention|Democratic Convention]] began on August 13. As the Senator was not carrying any cash, Nimoy had to follow him into the [[Beverly Hilton]] to collect his $1.25 from someone Kennedy knew. He got a $1.75 tip.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://metv.com/stories/spock-once-picked-up-jfk-in-his-cab |title=Spock once picked Up JFK in his cab |publisher=metv |date=May 11, 2023 |accessdate=May 13, 2023}}</ref>

== Acting career ==

=== Before and during ''Star Trek'' ===
{{multiple image 
 | align          = right
 | direction      = vertical
 | header   = In ''[[Kid Monk Baroni]]'' (1952)
 | image1   = Kid Monk Baroni 2.jpg
 | image2   = Kid Monk Baroni 1.jpg
 | caption2 = With Richard Rober (top) and [[Kathleen Freeman]] (bottom)
}}
Nimoy spent more than a decade playing only small parts in [[B movies]] and the lead in one, along with a minor TV role.<ref name="darrach19770725">{{cite news | url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20068391,00.html | title=Leonard Nimoy Beams Himself Aboard 'Equus' and Out from Under Mr. Spock's Pointy Ears | work=People | date=July 25, 1977 | access-date=March 2, 2015 | author=Darrach, Brad}}</ref> He believed his performance as the title role in the 1952 film ''[[Kid Monk Baroni]]'' would make him a star, but the film failed after a brief cinema showing. During his military career, the film gained a larger audience on television, and after his discharge he got steadier work portraying a "heavy", where his character used street weapons like switchblades and guns or had to threaten or attack people.{{r|diehl19680825}} He overcame his [[Boston accent]], but realized his lean appearance made stardom unlikely.{{r|darrach19770725}}

He decided to be a supporting actor rather than take lead roles, an attitude he acquired from his childhood: "I'm a second child who was educated to the idea my older brother was to be given respect and not perturbed. I was not to upstage him{{nbsp}}[...] So my acting career was designed to be a supporting player, a character actor."<ref name=Shatner />{{rp|25}} He played more than 50 small parts in B movies, television series such as ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' and ''[[Dragnet (franchise)|Dragnet]]'', and [[Serial film|serials]] such as ''[[Zombies of the Stratosphere]]'' (1952), in which he played a Martian named Narab. To support a wife and two children, he often took other work, such as delivering newspapers, working in a pet shop, and driving cabs.<ref name="kleiner19671204">{{cite news |last=Kleiner |first=Dick |author-link=Dick Kleiner |date=December 4, 1967 |title=Mr. Spock's Trek To Stardom |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B7dGAAAAIBAJ&pg=3727,498929 |newspaper=Warsaw Times-Union |location=Warsaw, IN |publisher=Reub Williams & Sons, Inc. |agency=[[Newspaper Enterprise Association]] |page=7 |access-date=May 7, 2011}}</ref>{{r|darrach19770725}}<ref name="chawkins20150227">{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-leonard-nimoy-20150227-story.html | title=Leonard Nimoy dies at 83; 'Star Trek's' transcendent alien Mr. Spock | work=Los Angeles Times | date=February 27, 2015 | access-date=March 1, 2015 | last=Chawkins | first=Steve}}</ref>

Nimoy played an army sergeant in the 1954 science fiction thriller ''[[Them!]]'' and a professor in the 1958 science fiction movie ''[[The Brain Eaters]]'', and had a role in ''[[The Balcony (film)|The Balcony]]'' (1963), a film adaptation of the [[Jean Genet]] [[The Balcony|play]]. With [[Vic Morrow]], he co-produced ''[[Deathwatch (1965 film)|Deathwatch]]'', a 1965 English-language film version of Genet's play [[Deathwatch (play)|''Haute Surveillance'']], adapted and directed by Morrow and starring Nimoy. The story deals with three prison inmates. Partly as a result of his role, he then taught drama classes to members of [[Synanon]], a drug rehab center, explaining: "Give a little here and it always comes back".<ref>Branham, Stacy L. ''Nevada State Prison'', Arcadia Publishing (2012) p. 50</ref>

He had guest roles in the ''[[Sea Hunt]]'' series from 1958 to 1960 and a minor role in the 1961 ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[A Quality of Mercy]]". He also appeared in the syndicated ''[[Highway Patrol (American TV series)|Highway Patrol]]'' starring [[Broderick Crawford]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Guttenberg|first1=Steve|last2=Higgins|first2=Bill|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leonard-nimoy-remembered-by-three-779357|title=Leonard Nimoy Remembered by ''Three Men and a Baby'' Star Steve Guttenberg|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=March 5, 2015|access-date=March 8, 2015}}</ref> and as Luke Reid in the "Night of Decision" episode of the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[Warner Bros.]] [[Western (genre)|western]] series ''[[Colt .45 (TV series)|Colt .45]]''.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Night of Decision |url=http://ctva.biz/US/Western/Colt45_02_%281958-59%29.htm |access-date=November 1, 2013 |series=[[Colt .45 (TV series)|Colt .45]] |network=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] |date=June 28, 1959 |season=2 |number=13}}</ref>

Nimoy appeared four times in ethnic roles on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Wagon Train]]'', the number one rated program of the 1961–1962 season. He portrayed Bernabe Zamora in "The Estaban Zamora Story" (1959), "Cherokee Ned" in "The Maggie Hamilton Story" (1960), Joaquin Delgado in "The Tiburcio Mendez Story" (1961), and Emeterio Vasquez in "The Baylor Crowfoot Story" (1962).<ref>{{Citation|last=Vogel|first=Virgil W.|title=The Baylor Crowfoot Story|date=March 21, 1962|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0743040/|others=John McIntire, Robert Horton, Robert Culp|access-date=January 31, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Lentz1996">{{cite book|author=Harris M. Lentz|title=Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903–1995: Section I. Actors and actresses. Section II. Directors, producers, and writers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWVZAAAAMAAJ|year=1996|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-0217-5|page=592}}</ref>

Nimoy appeared in numerous episodes of ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', as well as in ''Steve Canyon'' (1959), ''[[Bonanza]]'' (1960), ''[[The Rebel (American TV series)|The Rebel]]'' (1960), ''[[Two Faces West]]'' (1961), ''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]'' (1961), ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'' (1961), ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'' (1962), ''[[The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)|The Eleventh Hour]]'' (1962), ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' (1963), ''[[Combat!]]'' (1963, 1965), ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]'', ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' (1964), ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' (1963–1965; first working with ''Star Trek'' co-star [[DeForest Kelley]] in "Man of Violence", episode 14 of season 2, in 1963), and ''[[Get Smart]]'' (1966). He appeared in the 1995 ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|Outer Limits]]'' series. He appeared on ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' in 1961 as Grice, in 1962 as Arnie, and in 1966 as John Walking Fox.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leonard Nimoy on Gunsmoke|url=http://gunsmoketv.org/leonard-nimoy/|website=gunsmoketv.org|access-date=May 14, 2015|archive-date=May 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150531032720/http://gunsmoketv.org/leonard-nimoy/|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Nimoy and later ''Star Trek'' co-star [[William Shatner]] first worked together on an episode of the NBC spy series ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]'', "The Project Strigas Affair" (1964). Their characters were from opposite sides of the [[Iron Curtain]], though with his saturnine appearance, Nimoy played the villain and Shatner played a reluctant U.N.C.L.E. recruit.<ref name="Sackett1993">{{cite book|first=Susan |last=Sackett|title=Prime-time hits: television's most popular network programs, 1950 to the present|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=viLuAAAAMAAJ|date=September 1993|publisher=Billboard Books|isbn=978-0-8230-8392-3|page=82 |quote=One classic episode (now available on video-cassette) was "The Project Strigas Affair," with guest stars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy together for the first time in their pre-"Star Trek" days.}}</ref> By then he had a good reputation in Hollywood as a character actor, and chose ''Star Trek'' over a role on ''[[Peyton Place (TV series)|Peyton Place]]''.{{r|kleiner19671204}}

On the stage, Nimoy played the lead role in a short run of [[Gore Vidal]]'s ''[[Visit to a Small Planet]]'' in 1968 (shortly before the end of the ''Star Trek'' series) at the Pheasant Run Playhouse in [[St. Charles, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beyondspock.de/stage.php |title=Stage |website=Beyond Spock – A Leonard Nimoy Fan Page |publisher=Christine Mau |location=Hamburg, Germany |access-date=July 12, 2011}}</ref>

=== ''Star Trek'' ===
[[File:Leonard Nimoy William Shatner Star Trek 1968.JPG|thumb|upright 1.3|Publicity photo of Nimoy as [[Spock]], alongside [[William Shatner]] as Captain [[James T. Kirk]]]]
Nimoy was best known for his portrayal of [[Spock]], the half-human, half-[[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcan]] character he played on ''[[Star Trek]]'' from the first TV episode in 1966 to the film ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]'' in 2013.<ref name="NYT-20150227" /><ref name=BBC /> According to biographer Dennis Fischer, Spock was Nimoy's "most important role".<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|482}} Spock became an icon and one of the most popular alien characters ever featured on television. Viewers admired his composure and intellect and his ability to take on any task successfully. As a result, Nimoy's character "took the public by storm", nearly eclipsing the star of the series, [[William Shatner]]'s Captain Kirk, adds Fischer.<ref name="Fischer" />{{rp|482}}  Nimoy was later credited for bringing "dignity and intelligence to one of the most revered characters in science fiction".<ref name="Morrow" /><!-- Cites paragraph. -->

Nimoy and Shatner, who portrayed his commanding officer, became close friends during the series' television run, and were "like brothers", according to Shatner.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Science Fiction |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-programs/science-fiction/ |access-date=November 1, 2013 |series=Pioneers of Television |network=[[PBS]] |date=January 18, 2011 |season=2 |number=1}} [https://www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/leonard-nimoy/ "People: Leonard Nimoy"].</ref> ''Star Trek'' was broadcast from 1966 to 1969. For his role as Spock, Nimoy was nominated three times for an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series|Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]], and has long remained the only ''Star Trek'' actor nominated for an [[Emmy Award|Emmy]].<ref>{{cite web|date=February 28, 2015|title=Leonard Nimoy Dies at Age 83: 7 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek's Spock|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/630585/leonard-nimoy-dies-at-age-83-read-7-fascinating-facts-about-the-iconic-actor-who-played-star-trek-s-spock|access-date=November 16, 2020|website=E! Online}}</ref>

Among Spock's recognized and unique symbols Nimoy incorporated into the series is the [[Vulcan salute]], which became identified with him in pop culture. Nimoy created the sign from his childhood memories of the way ''[[Kohen|kohanim]]'' (Jewish priests) hold their hands when giving the [[Priestly Blessing]]. The accompanying spoken blessing is "Live long and prosper".<ref>{{cite book |last=Pogrebin |first=Abigail |author-link=Abigail Pogrebin |title=Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish |orig-year=Originally published 2005 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Broadway Books]] |location=New York |page=198 |isbn=978-0-7679-1613-4 |oclc=153581202 |lccn=2005042141|title-link=Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish }}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|id=G1d83XOORP0|title="Leonard Nimoy: The Origin of Spock's Greeting – Greater Talent Network"|link=no}}</ref>

Nimoy conceived the "[[Vulcan nerve pinch]]", which he suggested as a replacement for the scripted knock out method of using the butt of his phaser. He wanted a more sophisticated way of rendering a person unconscious. Nimoy explained to the director that Spock had, per the story, attended the Vulcan Institute of Technology and had studied human anatomy. Spock possessed the ability to project a unique form of energy through his fingertips. Nimoy explained the idea of putting his hand on his neck and shoulder to Shatner, and they rehearsed it. Nimoy credits Shatner's acting during the "pinch" that sold the idea and made it work on screen.<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|482}}

{{quote box|align=left|width=100%|bgcolor =|quote=His legacy as that character is key to the enjoyment of ''Star Trek''. The way that Spock was used as a device for the writers to examine humanity and examine what it meant to be human, that's really what ''Star Trek'' was all about. And in finding Leonard Nimoy, they found the perfect person to portray that.|source=Matt Atchity, editor-in-chief of [[Rotten Tomatoes]]<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dead-at-83/ "Leonard Nimoy, Spock of 'Star Trek', dead at 83"], Fox News, Feb. 27, 2015</ref>}}

Nimoy reprised Spock in ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'' and two episodes of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''. When the new series ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]'' was planned in the late 1970s, Nimoy was to be in only two of eleven episodes, but when the series was elevated to a feature film, he agreed to reprise his role. The [[List of Star Trek films#The Original Series films|first six ''Star Trek'' movies]] feature the original cast including Nimoy, who also directed two of the films, ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'' and ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]''. He played the elder Spock in the 2009 [[Star Trek (2009 film)|''Star Trek'']] reboot film and briefly in the 2013 sequel, ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]'', both directed by [[J. J. Abrams]].

=== After ''Star Trek'' ===
[[File:Leonard Nimoy Mission Impossible 1970 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Nimoy in a [[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|''Mission: Impossible'']] photoshoot in 1970|218x218px]]
Following ''Star Trek'' in 1969, Nimoy immediately joined the cast of the spy series ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'', which was seeking a replacement for [[Martin Landau]]. Nimoy was cast in the role of Paris, an IMF agent who was an ex-magician and make-up expert, "[[List of Mission: Impossible characters#The Great Paris|The Great Paris]]". He played the role during [[Mission: Impossible season 4|seasons four]] and [[Mission: Impossible season 5|five]] from 1969 to 1971. Nimoy had been strongly considered as part of the initial cast for the show, but remained on ''Star Trek''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Ken |date=August 8, 2012 |title=The man who would be Spock |url=http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/as-we-see-it/weekly-qa/2012/aug/08/man-who-would-be-spock/ |newspaper=[[Las Vegas Weekly]] |location=Henderson, NV |publisher=[[Greenspun Media Group]] |access-date=June 14, 2014}}</ref>

He co-starred with [[Yul Brynner]] and [[Richard Crenna]] in the Western movie ''[[Catlow]]'' (1971). He also had roles in two episodes of Rod Serling's ''[[Night Gallery]]'' (1972 and 1973) and ''[[Columbo]]'' (1973). He appeared in television films such as ''Assault on the Wayne'' (1970), ''[[Baffled!]]'' (1972), ''[[The Alpha Caper]]'' (1973), ''The Missing Are Deadly'' (1974), ''Seizure: The Story Of Kathy Morris'' (1980), and ''[[Marco Polo (1982 TV series)|Marco Polo]]'' (1982). He received an [[Emmy Award]] nomination for best supporting actor for the television film ''[[A Woman Called Golda]]'' (1982), for playing the role of Morris Meyerson, Golda Meir's husband, opposite [[Ingrid Bergman]] as Golda in her final role.

In 1975, Nimoy filmed an opening introduction to Ripley's [[World of the Unexplained museum]] located at [[Gatlinburg, Tennessee]], and [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]] at San Francisco, California. In the late 1970s, he hosted and narrated the television series ''In Search of{{nbsp}}...'', which investigated [[paranormal]] or unexplained events or subjects. In 2000–2001 he hosted [[CNBC]] TV series ''The Next Wave With Leonard Nimoy'', which explored how e-businesses were integrating with technology and the Internet. He also had a character part as a psychiatrist in [[Philip Kaufman]]'s 1978 remake of ''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)|Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]''.
[[File:Mission impossible cast 1970.JPG|thumb|Nimoy with ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' cast in 1970]]

=== Stage ===
[[File:Leonard nimoy 1980.jpg|thumb|upright|Nimoy at a 1980 sci-fi convention]]
Nimoy won acclaim for a series of stage roles. In 1971 he played the starring role of Tevye in ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'', which toured for eight weeks. Having performed in the Yiddish theater as a young man, he said the part was like a "homecoming" for him because his parents, like Tevye, also came from a [[shtetl]] in Russia and could relate to the play when they saw him in it.<ref name=Isenberg>Isenberg, Barbara. ''Tradition!'', St. Martin's Press (2014) p. 137</ref> Later that year he starred as Arthur Goldman in ''The Man in the Glass Booth'' at the [[Old Globe Theater]] in San Diego.<ref>Gershom, Yonassan. ''Jewish Themes in Star Trek'', (2009) Lulu p. 119</ref><ref>''San Diego Magazine'', Vol. 24, San Diego Publishing (1971)</ref>

He starred as [[Randle McMurphy]] in ''[[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]'' in 1974, one year prior to its release as a feature film, with [[Jack Nicholson]] in the same role. During the run of the play, Nimoy took over as its director and wanted his character to be "rough and tough," and insisted on having tattoos. The costumer for the show, Sharon White, was amused: "That was sort of an intimate thing.{{nbsp}}... Here I am with Mr. Spock, for god's sakes, and I am painting pictures on his arms."<ref>Shervey, Beth Conway. ''The Little Theatre on the Square'', Southern Illinois Univ. Press (2000) p. 41</ref>

In 1975, Nimoy toured with and played the title role<ref>{{cite magazine| magazine= [[Playboy]] | title= In Search of Nielsen Ratings and Other Ancient Mysteries| volume= 23| number= 9| page= 208| date= September 1976| publisher= }}</ref> in the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]'s ''[[Sherlock Holmes]]''.<ref name=Fischer />{{rp|483}} A number of authors have perceived parallels between the rational Holmes and the character of Spock, and it became a running theme in ''Star Trek'' fan clubs. ''Star Trek'' writer [[Nicholas Meyer]] said that "the link between Spock and Holmes was obvious to everyone."<ref name=Sturgis /> Meyer gives a few examples, including a scene in ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,'' in which Spock quotes directly from a [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Doyle]] book and credits Holmes as a forefather to the logic he was espousing. In addition, the connection was implied in ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', which paid homage to both Holmes and Spock.<ref name=Sturgis>Sturgis, Amy H. ''Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine'', #10, Volume 10, Wildside Press (2013) p. 41</ref>

By 1977, when Nimoy played Martin Dysart in ''[[Equus (play)|Equus]]'' on Broadway, he had played 13 important roles in 27 cities, including Tevye, [[Malvolio]] in ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', and [[Randle McMurphy]] in ''[[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]''.{{r|darrach19770725}} In 1981, Nimoy starred in ''Vincent'', a one-man show which he wrote and published as a book in 1984.<ref>Nimoy, Leonard. ''Vincent'', Dramatic Publishing (1984)</ref> The audio recording of the play is available on DVD under the title, ''Van Gogh Revisited.''<ref>Dill, Karen E. ''The Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology'', Oxford Univ. Press (2013) p. 22</ref> It was based on the life of artist [[Vincent van Gogh]], in which Nimoy played Van Gogh's brother Theo. Other plays included ''[[Oliver!]]'', at [[The Melody Top]] Theater in Milwaukee, ''[[6 Rms Riv Vu]]'' opposite [[Sandy Dennis]], in Florida, ''Full Circle'' with Bibi Anderson on Broadway and in Washington, D.C. He was in ''[[Camelot (musical)|Camelot]]'', ''[[The King and I]]'', ''[[Caligula (play)|Caligula]]'', ''The Four Poster'', and ''[[My Fair Lady]].''

=== ''Star Trek'' films ===
After Paramount agreed to settle a lawsuit by Nimoy for ''Star Trek'' merchandise royalties, he agreed to join ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', the first in the [[Star Trek films|''Star Trek'' film series]]. By 1986, Nimoy had earned more than half a million dollars in royalties.<ref name="harmetz19861102">{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/02/arts/new-star-trek-plan-reflects-symbiosis-of-tv-and-movies.html?pagewanted=all | title=New 'Star Trek' Plan Reflects Symbiosis of TV and Movies |work=The New York Times| date=November 2, 1986 | access-date=February 11, 2015 | last=Harmetz |first=Aljean | page=31}}</ref>

=== Other roles ===
==== Voice actor ====
In 1975, Nimoy's renditions of [[Ray Bradbury]]'s "[[There Will Come Soft Rains (short story)|There Will Come Soft Rains]]" and "Usher II", both from ''[[The Martian Chronicles]]'' (1950), were released on [[Caedmon Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Ray-Bradbury-Read-By-Leonard-Nimoy-The-Martian-Chronicles-There-Will-Come-Soft-Rains-Usher-II/master/343686 |title=Ray Bradbury Read By Leonard Nimoy&nbsp;— The Martian Chronicles: There Will Come Soft Rains&nbsp;— Usher II at Discogs |year=1975 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=October 5, 2013}}</ref> During 1980, Nimoy hosted the Friday "Adventure Night" segment of the radio drama series ''[[Mutual Radio Theater]]'', heard via the [[Mutual Broadcasting System]]. In 1986, Nimoy lent his voice to the 1986 cartoon movie ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' for the character Galvatron.

In Bradbury's 1993 animated TV film ''[[The Halloween Tree (film)|The Halloween Tree]]'', Nimoy was the voice of Mr.{{spaces}}Moundshroud, the children's guide. Nimoy lent his voice as narrator to the 1994 [[IMAX]] documentary film, ''[[Destiny in Space]]'', showcasing film-footage of space from nine [[Space Shuttle]] missions over four years time. In 1999, he voiced the narration of the English version of the [[Dreamcast|Sega Dreamcast]] game [[Seaman (video game)|''Seaman'']] and promoted [[Year 2000 problem|Y2K]] educational films.<ref>{{YouTube|id=RoF8PBbK-9o|title="Y2K"|link=no}} (excerpt). {{cite AV media |people=Bisley, Donnie (Director); Nimoy, Leonard (Host, Narrator) |year=1998 |title=The Y2K Family Survival Guide |location=La Vergne, TN |publisher=[[Ingram Entertainment Holdings Inc.|Monarch Home Video]] (Distributor) |oclc=41107104}}</ref>

Together with [[John de Lancie]], another actor from the ''Star Trek'' franchise, Nimoy created [[Alien Voices]], an audio-production venture that specializes in audio dramatizations. Among the works jointly narrated by the pair are ''[[The Time Machine]]'', ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'', ''[[The Lost World (Doyle novel)|The Lost World]]'', ''[[The Invisible Man]]'', ''[[The First Men in the Moon]]'', and several television specials for the Sci-Fi Channel. In an interview published on the official ''Star Trek'' website, Nimoy said that Alien Voices was discontinued because the series did not sell well enough to recoup costs.

In 2001, Nimoy voiced the Atlantean King Kashekim Nedakh in the Disney animated feature ''[[Atlantis: The Lost Empire]]''. Nimoy provided a comprehensive series of voice-overs for the 2005 computer game ''[[Civilization IV]]''. In the television series ''The Next Wave'' he interviewed people about technology. He hosts the documentary film ''The Once and Future Griffith Observatory''. Nimoy and his wife, [[Susan Bay]]-Nimoy, were major supporters of the [[Griffith Observatory]]'s historic 2002–2004 expansion.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Leonard and Susan Nimoy Donate $1 Million to Griffith Observatory Renovation |url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=4402 |location=Los Angeles |publisher=[[Griffith Observatory]] |date=March 19, 2001 |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>

In 2009, he voiced "The Zarn" in the television-based movie ''[[Land of the Lost (film)|Land of the Lost]]''. He voiced the ''[[Star Trek Online]]'' massive multiplayer online game, released in February 2010,<ref>{{cite news |last=Snider |first=Mike |date=December 22, 2009 |title=Leonard Nimoy joins 'Star Trek Online' crew |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/12/leonard-nimoy-joins-star-trek-online-crew/1 |work=[[USA Today]] |location=Tysons Corner, VA |publisher=[[Gannett Company]] |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> and ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]'' as [[Xehanort]], the series' leading villain. [[Tetsuya Nomura]], the director of ''Birth by Sleep'', said Nimoy was chosen for the role specifically because of his role as Spock, to play opposite [[Mark Hamill]], famous for his role as [[Luke Skywalker]] in ''[[Star Wars]]'', as Nomura was a fan of both series and wanted to pit them against each other. Nimoy reprised this role for ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]'' in 2012. After his death in 2015, Nimoy was replaced for the role as Xehanort by [[Rutger Hauer]], who died and was succeeded by Nimoy's ''Star Trek'' co-star [[Christopher Lloyd]].

Nimoy voiced Sentinel Prime in the 2011 film ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''. He was a frequent and popular reader for ''[[Selected Shorts]]'', an ongoing series of programs at [[Symphony Space]] in New York City (that also tours around the country) which features actors, and sometimes authors, reading works of short fiction. The programs are broadcast on radio and available on websites through [[Public Radio International]], [[NPR|National Public Radio]] and [[WNYC]] radio. Nimoy was honored by Symphony Space with the renaming of the Thalia Theater as the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater.

==== Special appearances ====
From 1982 to 1987, Nimoy hosted the children's educational show ''[[Standby...Lights! Camera! Action!]]'' on Nickelodeon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/14/arts/action-group-aroused-by-nickelodeon-ad-plan.html|title=Action group aroused by Nickelodeon ad plan|website=[[The New York Times]]|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|date=February 14, 1984|author-link=Aljean Harmetz}}</ref> He was an occasional voice actor in animated feature films, including the character of [[Galvatron]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' in 1986. He narrated the 1991 [[CBS]] paranormal series ''[[Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories]]''. In 1994, he voiced [[Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]] in ''[[The Pagemaster]]''. In 1998, he had a leading role as Mustapha Mond in ''[[Brave New World (1998 film)|Brave New World]]'', a TV-movie version of [[Aldous Huxley]]'s [[Brave New World|1932 novel]].
[[File:Leonard Nimoy (handprints in cement).jpg|right|thumb|Handprints of Leonard Nimoy in front of [[Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] theme park]]

From 1994 to 1997, he narrated the ''[[Ancient Mysteries]]'' series on [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]] including "The Sacred Water of [[Lourdes]]" and "Secrets of the [[House of Romanov|Romanovs]]". He appeared in advertising in the United Kingdom for the computer company [[Granville Technology Group|Time Computers]] in the late 1990s. In 1997, he played the prophet Samuel, alongside Nathaniel Parker, in ''The [[Bible Collection]]'' movie [[David (1997 film)|''David'']]. He appeared in several popular television series, including ''[[Futurama]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons]]'', both as himself and as Spock. In 2000, he provided on-camera hosting and introductions for 45 half-hour episodes of the anthology series ''Our 20th Century'' on the AEN TV Network. The series covers world news, sports, entertainment, technology, and fashion using original archive news clips from 1930 to 1975 from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and other private archival sources.

In 2001, Nimoy appeared on the television show ''[[Becker (TV series)|Becker]]'', where he played Dr. Emmett Fowler, a professor who cannot recall his former student.

Nimoy played the recurring enigmatic character of Dr.{{spaces}}William Bell on the television show ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fringe-Meet-Dr-1004879.aspx |title=''Fringe'': Meet Dr. William Bell |last=O'Connor |first=Mickey |date=April 8, 2009 |website=TVGuide.com |publisher=CBS Interactive |location=San Francisco, CA |access-date=April 9, 2009}}</ref> Nimoy opted for the role after previously working with Abrams, [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]] on the 2009 ''Star Trek'' film and offered another opportunity to work with this production team again. Nimoy also was interested in the series, which he saw was an intelligent mixture of science and science fiction,<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/10/fringe-leonard-nimoy-on-william-bell.html | title = 'Fringe': Leonard Nimoy on William Bell | date = October 8, 2009 | access-date = March 2, 2015 | website = [[Los Angeles Times]] | first= Andrew | last =Hanson }}</ref> and continued to guest star through the show's fourth season, even after his stated 2012 retirement from acting.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/11/leonard-nimoy-talks-about-big-fringe-return | title = LEONARD NIMOY TALKS ABOUT BIG FRINGE RETURN | website = [[IGN]] | date = May 11, 2012 | access-date = March 2, 2015 | first = Matt | last = Fowler }}</ref> Nimoy's first appearance as Bell was in the Season{{nbsp}}1 finale, "[[There's More Than One of Everything]]", which explored the possible existence of a [[multiverse|parallel universe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trektoday.com/content/2009/04/nimoy-joins-fringe.html |title=Nimoy Joins Fringe |author=T'Bonz |date=April 9, 2009 |website=TrekToday |publisher=Christian Höhne Sparborth |location=Utrecht, Netherlands |access-date=November 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625194943/http://www.trektoday.com/content/2009/04/nimoy-joins-fringe.html |archive-date=June 25, 2009 }}</ref> In the May 9, 2009, episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', Nimoy appeared as a surprise guest in the ''[[Weekend Update]]'' segment with [[Zachary Quinto]] and [[Chris Pine]], who play the young Spock and Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' which had just premiered days earlier. In the sketch, the three actors attempt to appease long-time [[Trekkie|Trekkers]] by assuring them the new film would be true to the original ''Star Trek''.<ref>Jacobs, Matthew (February 27, 2015). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/zachary-quntio-leonard-nimoy_n_6771954.html?cps=gravity_2246_6639204149541054701 "Zachary Quinto Pays Tribute To His Spock Predecessor Leonard Nimoy"]. ''The Huffington Post''.</ref>

==== Producer ====
In 1991, Nimoy starred in ''[[Never Forget (film)|Never Forget]]'', which he co-produced with [[Robert B. Radnitz]]. The movie was about a ''[[pro bono]] publico'' lawsuit by an attorney on behalf of [[Mel Mermelstein]], played by Nimoy as an Auschwitz survivor, against a group of organizations engaged in [[Holocaust denial]]. Nimoy said he experienced a strong "sense of fulfillment" from doing the film.<ref name=nimoy1995>Nimoy (1995)</ref> In 2007, he produced the play, ''Shakespeare's Will'' by Canadian Playwright [[Vern Thiessen]]. The one-woman show starred [[Jeanmarie Simpson]] as Shakespeare's wife, [[Anne Hathaway (wife of Shakespeare)|Anne Hathaway]]. The production was directed by Nimoy's wife, Susan Bay.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Simpson |first=Jeanmarie |subject-link=Jeanmarie Simpson |interviewer=[[Dylan Brody]] |title=Jeanmarie Simpson – ''Artivist'' in the Modern Landscape (Part 2) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dylan-brody/jeanmarie-simpson_b_994437.html |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |location=New York |date=October 5, 2011 |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |last=Nimoy |first=Leonard |interviewer=Margitta |title=Exclusive Interview with Leonard Nimoy |url=http://www.leonardnimoy.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1445:exclusive-interview-with-leonard-nimoy-&catid=23:articles-and-quotes&Itemid=11 |work=Thanks to Leonard Nimoy |publisher=Margitta |date=June 2007 |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-date=March 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301060557/http://www.leonardnimoy.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1445:exclusive-interview-with-leonard-nimoy-&catid=23:articles-and-quotes&Itemid=11 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Kadosh | first = Dikla | date = June 28, 2007 | title = Youngest Torme, Shakespeare, photography, poetry, enamelwork | url = http://www.jewishjournal.com/picks_clicks/article/youngest_torm_shakespeare_photography_poetry_enamelwork_20070629 | newspaper = [[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles]] | location = Los Angeles | access-date = March 1, 2012}}</ref>

=== Semi-retirement ===
In April 2010, Nimoy announced that he was retiring from playing Spock, citing both his advanced age and the desire to give [[Zachary Quinto]] full media attention as the character.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=494534 |title=Mr. Spock Set to Hang Up His Pointy Ears |agency=[[World Entertainment News Network|WENN]] |work=MSN Entertainment News |location=Redmond, WA |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103084507/http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=494534 |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep'' was to be his final performance; however, in February 2011, he announced his intent to return to ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]'' and reprise his role as William Bell.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2011/02/25/leonard-nimoy-confirms-return-to-fringe/ |title=Leonard Nimoy Confirms Return To Fringe |date=February 25, 2011 |website=TrekMovie.com |publisher=SciFanatic Network |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> Nimoy continued voice acting during retirement; his appearance in the third season of ''Fringe'' includes his voice (his character appears only in animated scenes), and he provided the voice of Sentinel Prime in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30588 |title=Leonard Nimoy Voicing Sentinel Prime |website=Empire |date=April 1, 2011 |access-date=July 8, 2015}}</ref> In May 2011, he made a cameo appearance in the alternate version music video of "[[The Lazy Song]]" by [[Bruno Mars]]. [[Aaron Bay-Schuck]], the [[Atlantic Records]] executive who signed Mars to the label, is Nimoy's stepson.<ref name="LazyLeonard">{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2011/05/26/watch-leonard-nimoy-gets-lazy-in-bruno-mars-music-video/ |title=Watch: Leonard Nimoy Gets 'Lazy' In Bruno Mars Music Video [Updated] |date=May 26, 2011 |website=TrekMovie.com |publisher=SciFanatic Network |access-date=June 3, 2011}}</ref>

Nimoy provided the voice of Spock as a guest star in a Season{{nbsp}}5 episode of the CBS sitcom ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' titled "The Transporter Malfunction", which aired on March 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20120312cbs03 |title=Listings – Big Bang Theory, The |website=TheFutonCritic.com |access-date=June 14, 2012}}</ref> Also in 2012, Nimoy reprised his role of William Bell in ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]'' for the [[Fringe season 4|fourth season]] episodes "[[Letters of Transit]]" and "[[Brave New World (Fringe)|Brave New World]]" parts{{nbsp}}1 and{{nbsp}}2.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/JWFRINGE/status/193518932425064448 |title=Jwfringe: @naddycat #FringeLiveTweet We did |last=Wyman |first=Joel |author-link=J. H. Wyman |date=April 20, 2012 |publisher=Twitter |access-date=May 5, 2012 |quote=We did.}}</ref> Nimoy reprised his role as Master Xehanort in the 2012 video game ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://na.square-enix.com/us/blog/kingdom-hearts-3d-dream-drop-distance-voice-actors-return|title=Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] Voice Actors Return|website=na.square-enix.com|language=en-US|access-date=November 1, 2017}}</ref> On August 30, 2012, Nimoy narrated a satirical segment about [[Mitt Romney]]'s life on [[Comedy Central]]'s ''[[The Daily Show]] with Jon Stewart''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cc.com/video-clips/wq59nv/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-rnc-2012---the-road-to-jeb-bush-2016---mitt-romney--a-human-who-built-that|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031002522/http://www.cc.com/video-clips/wq59nv/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-rnc-2012---the-road-to-jeb-bush-2016---mitt-romney--a-human-who-built-that|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2015|title=RNC 2012 – The Road to Jeb Bush 2016 – Mitt Romney: A Human Who Built That|date=August 31, 2012}}</ref> In 2013, Nimoy reprised his role as [[Spock#Star Trek (2009)|Ambassador Spock]] in a cameo appearance in ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Selby|first=Jenn|date=February 27, 2015|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/leonard-nimoy-dead-star-trek-spock-actor-dies-after-suffering-lung-disease-10076199.html|title=Leonard Nimoy dead: Star Trek Spock actor dies after suffering lung disease|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=March 2, 2015}}</ref>

== Other career work ==
=== Photography ===
Nimoy's interest in photography began in childhood; for the rest of his life, he owned a camera he had rebuilt at the age of 13. During the 1970s, he studied photography at the [[University of California, Los Angeles]].<ref name="rawnerve" /><ref>[http://petapixel.com/2015/02/27/leonard-nimoys-passion-for-photography/ Leonard Nimoy's Passion for Photography], PetaPixel, February 27, 2015</ref> His photography studies at UCLA occurred after ''Star Trek'' and ''Mission: Impossible'' while he was seriously considering changing careers. His work has been exhibited at the R. Michelson Galleries in [[Northampton, Massachusetts]]<ref name="rawnerve" /> and the [[Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art]].

=== Directing ===
Nimoy's directorial debut was in 1973, with the "Death on a Barge" segment for an episode of ''[[Night Gallery]]'' during its final season. In the early 1980s, he resumed directing consistently, including television and film.

Nimoy began feature film directing in 1984 with ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'', the third in the film series. He directed the second most successful movie (critically and financially) in the franchise, ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'' (1986), and then ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'', the highest-grossing film of 1987. These successes made him a star director.<ref name="harmetz19881030">{{cite news |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |author-link=Aljean Harmetz |date=October 30, 1988 |title=Leonard Nimoy at the Controls |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/30/movies/leonard-nimoy-at-the-controls.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> He directed ''[[The Good Mother (1988 film)|The Good Mother]]'' (1988) and ''[[Funny About Love]]'' (1990). In 1994 he directed his last feature film, ''[[Holy Matrimony (1994 film)|Holy Matrimony]]''. His final directorial credit was "Killshot", the 1995 pilot episode for ''[[Deadly Games (TV series)|Deadly Games]]'', a short-lived science-fiction television series.

At a press conference promoting the 2009 ''Star Trek'' movie, he said he had no further plans or ambition to direct although he enjoyed it.<ref name="Powers">{{cite interview |last1=Nimoy |first1=Leonard |last2=Quinto |first2=Zachary |subject-link2=Zachary Quinto |interviewer=Nicole Powers |title=Leonard Nimoy And Zachary Quinto: The Two Faces Of Spock |url=https://suicidegirls.com/girls/nicole_powers/blog/2680122/leonard-nimoy-and-zachary-quinto-the-two-faces-of-spock/ |work=[[SuicideGirls]] |publisher=Sg Services, Inc. |location=Los Angeles |date=May 1, 2009 |access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref>

=== Writing ===
Nimoy authored two volumes of autobiography. The first is ''[[I Am Not Spock]]'' (1975) and was controversial, as many fans incorrectly assumed Nimoy was distancing himself from the Spock character. In the book, Nimoy conducts dialogues between himself and Spock. The contents of this first autobiography also touched on a self-proclaimed "[[identity crisis]]" that seemed to haunt Nimoy throughout his career. It also related to an apparent love and hate relationship with the character of Spock and the ''Star Trek'' franchise.

{{blockquote|I went through a definite identity crisis. The question was whether to embrace Mr. Spock or to fight the onslaught of public interest. I realize now that I really had no choice in the matter. Spock and ''Star Trek'' were very much alive and there wasn't anything that I could do to change that.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://startrekdom.blogspot.com/2007/05/leonard-nimoys-lovehate-relationship.html |title=Leonard Nimoy's Love/Hate Relationship with Mr. Spock |last=B. |first=Jared |date=May 24, 2007 |website=Trekdom – Star Trek Fanzine |type=Blog |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>}}

In the second volume, ''[[I Am Spock]]'' (1995), Nimoy communicates that he finally realized his years of portraying the Spock character had led to a much greater identification between the fictional character and himself. Nimoy had much input into how Spock would act in certain situations, and conversely Nimoy's contemplation of how Spock acted gave him cause to think about things in a way he never would have, had he not portrayed the character. Nimoy maintained that in some meaningful sense he had merged with Spock while distancing between fact and fiction. In 2014, the audiobook version of ''I Am Spock'', read by Nimoy, was published.<ref>Brilliance Audio, {{ISBN|978-1491575727}}</ref>

He composed several volumes of poetry, some published along with a number of his photographs. A later poetic volume titled ''A Lifetime of Love: Poems on the Passages of Life'' was published in 2002. His poetry can be found in the Contemporary Poets index of The HyperTexts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehypertexts.com |title=The HyperTexts |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> Nimoy adapted and starred in the one-man play ''Vincent'' (1981), based on the play ''Van Gogh'' (1979) by Phillip Stephens.

In 1995, Nimoy was involved in the production of ''[[Primortals]]'', a comic book series published by [[Tekno Comix]] about [[First contact (science fiction)|first contact]] with aliens, which had arisen from a discussion he had with [[Isaac Asimov]]. There was a novelization by [[Steve Perry (author)|Steve Perry]].

=== Music ===
{{See also|Leonard Nimoy discography}}
[[File:Leonard_Nimoy_1967.jpg|thumb|Nimoy playing guitar in 1967]]
In December 1966, when it became apparent that the original ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' was developing a strong following in spite of low [[Nielsen ratings]], [[Dot Records]] approached the producers of the show. The result was the signing of Nimoy to that label. Dot Records was a subsidiary of [[Paramount Pictures]], and both Paramount and [[Desilu]]—the studio producing ''Star Trek''—were acquired by [[Gulf+Western]]: first Paramount in 1966, and then Desilu in 1967. So after the [[merger]] of the two companies, Nimoy wound up working for Paramount both as an actor (from 1966 to 1971) and singer (from 1967 to 1970), doing two television series (''Star Trek'' and ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'') and five albums. Nimoy later recorded a few [[spoken word]] albums and contributed narration to albums such as ''[[Whales Alive]]''.

Nimoy's voice appeared in sampled form on a song by the pop band [[Information Society (band)|Information Society]] in the late Eighties. The song, "[[What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)]]" (released in 1988), reached No.{{nbsp}}3 on the US Pop charts, and No.{{nbsp}}1 on the Dance charts.

Nimoy played the part of the chauffeur in the 1985 music video of The Bangles' cover version of "[[Going Down to Liverpool]]". He also appeared in the alternate music video for the song "[[The Lazy Song]]" by pop artist [[Bruno Mars]].<ref name="LazyLeonard2">{{cite web|date=May 26, 2011|title=Watch: Leonard Nimoy Gets 'Lazy' In Bruno Mars Music Video [Updated]|url=http://trekmovie.com/2011/05/26/watch-leonard-nimoy-gets-lazy-in-bruno-mars-music-video/|access-date=June 3, 2011|website=TrekMovie.com|publisher=SciFanatic Network}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:Leonard Nimoy by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg|thumb|Nimoy at the 2011 Phoenix Comicon|234x234px]]
Nimoy was long active in the Jewish community, and could speak and read [[Yiddish]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Whitney|first=Christa|url=https://archive.org/details/LeonardNimoy15Oct2013YiddishBookCenter|title=Leonard Nimoy 15Oct2013 Yiddish Book Center|publisher=[[Yiddish Book Center]]|at=6:42–7:33|date=February 6, 2014 |access-date=September 24, 2015|quote=(In Yiddish and English:) And my grandmother never learned English. So my brother and I needed to speak to her in Yiddish. But my brother{{nbsp}}... [was] born in Boston, but his first language was Yiddish because my parents only spoke Yiddish when he was a little child. When I was born{{nbsp}}... they were better with English. So my first language was English, but I needed Yiddish to speak with my grandparents.}}</ref> In 1997, he narrated the documentary ''A Life Apart: Hasidism in America'', about the various sects of [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] Orthodox Jews. In October 2002, Nimoy published ''The [[Shekhina (book)|Shekhina]] Project'', a photographic study exploring the feminine aspect of God's presence, inspired by [[Kabbalah]]. Reactions have varied from enthusiastic support to open condemnation.<ref name="Shekhina">{{cite web|url=http://www.scifidimensions.com/Dec02/leonardnimoy.htm |title=Leonard Nimoy: Shedding Light on ''Shekhina'' |last=Snider |first=John C. |year=2002 |website=SciFiDimensions |publisher=John Snider |location=Atlanta, GA |access-date=November 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017101706/http://www.scifidimensions.com/Dec02/leonardnimoy.htm |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }}</ref> Nimoy said objections to Shekhina did not bother or surprise him, but he smarted at the stridency of the Orthodox protests, and was saddened at the attempt to control thought.<ref name="Shekhina" />

Nimoy was married twice. In 1954, he married Sandra Zober (1927-2011), an actress;<ref>Nimoy: "My wife's name is Sandy{{nbsp}}..."<br />[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rboGHXZACPs&t=6m40s Leonard Nimoy interview] with KGW host Konnie Worth in Portland, Oregon, June 1967</ref> they had two children: film producer and director [[Julie Nimoy|Julie]], and director [[Adam Nimoy|Adam]].<ref name="NYT-20150227" /> After 32 years of marriage, he reportedly left Sandra on her 56th birthday and divorced her in 1987.<ref name="rawnerve" /> On New Year's Day 1989, Nimoy married his second wife, actress [[Susan Bay]], cousin of director [[Michael Bay]].<ref>{{Cite news|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|title=Star Trek drove me to drink, says Spock|author=Hugh Davies|date=October 31, 2001|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1361090/Star-Trek-drove-me-to-drink-says-Spock.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1361090/Star-Trek-drove-me-to-drink-says-Spock.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=September 5, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

After two years of part-time study, in 1977 Nimoy earned an MA in education from [[Antioch College]].{{r|darrach19770725}} In 2000, he received an honorary doctorate from [[Antioch University]] in Ohio, awarded for activism in Holocaust remembrance, the arts, and the environment.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Dr. Leonard Nimoy |url=http://midwest.antioch.edu/PDF/alumni_news0011.pdf |date=November 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626141444/http://midwest.antioch.edu/PDF/alumni_news0011.pdf |archive-date=June 26, 2011 |newspaper=Alumni News |access-date=October 16, 2017}}</ref> In 2012, he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from [[Boston University]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bu.edu/today/2012/leonard-nimoy-urges-cfa-grads-to-live-long-and-prosper |title=Leonard Nimoy Urges CFA Grads to 'Live Long and Prosper' |last=Laskowski |first=Amy |date=May 22, 2012 |website=BU Today |publisher=Marketing & Communications |location=Boston, MA |access-date=June 14, 2012}}</ref>

In the 2001 documentary film ''[[Mind Meld]]'', in which Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner discuss their acting careers and personal lives,<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Jaysen, Peter (Director) |year=2001 |title=[[Mind Meld]]: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime|publisher=Creative Light Video |isbn=1-931394-15-6 |oclc=49221637}}</ref> Nimoy revealed that he had become an alcoholic while working on ''Star Trek'' and ended up in [[drug rehabilitation]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Star Trek 'drove Nimoy to drink' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1630463.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |location=London |publisher=BBC |date=October 31, 2001 |access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref> William Shatner, in his 2008 book ''[[Up Till Now]]: The Autobiography'', spoke about how later in their lives, Nimoy tried to help Shatner's alcoholic wife, [[William Shatner#Marriage and Alcoholism|Nerine Kidd]].

[[File:Leonard Nimoy, 2011, ST Con-2 A.jpg|thumb|Nimoy giving the [[Vulcan salute]] in 2011|left]]Nimoy has said that the character of Spock, which he played twelve to fourteen hours a day, five days a week, influenced his personality in his private life. Each weekend during the original run of the series, he would be in character throughout Saturday and into Sunday, behaving more like Spock than himself—more logical, more rational, more thoughtful, less emotional, and finding calm in every situation. It was only on Sunday in the early afternoon that Spock's influence on his behavior diminished enough to allow him to feel more himself again—only to start the cycle over again on Monday morning.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bring Back...Star Trek |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bring-back/episode-guide |series-link=Bring Back... |access-date=November 1, 2013 |series=Bring Back... |network=[[Channel 4]] |date=May 9, 2009}}</ref> Years after the show, he observed Vulcan speech patterns, social attitudes, patterns of logic, and emotional suppression in his own behavior.{{r|NYT-20150227}}

Nimoy was a private pilot and had owned an airplane.<ref>{{YouTube|id=_ChnVCeN2JQ&t=5m40s|title="An interview of Leonard Nimoy-SuperstarSuperfans part2/2"|link=no}}. Interview with [[Bob Wilkins]] from the mid-1970s.</ref> The [[Space Foundation]] bestowed to him the 2010 [[Douglas Morrow|Douglas S. Morrow]] Public Outreach Award for creating a positive role model that inspired countless viewers to learn more about the universe.<ref name=Morrow>{{cite press release |last=Hively |first=Carol |date=January 12, 2010 |title=Space Foundation Recognizes Leonard Nimoy with Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award |url=http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=877 |location=Colorado Springs, Colorado |publisher=[[Space Foundation]] |access-date=November 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004121825/http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=877 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 }}</ref>

In 2009, Nimoy was honored by his childhood hometown when the Office of Mayor [[Thomas Menino]] [[Proclamation|proclaimed]] the date of November 14, 2009, as "Leonard Nimoy Day" in the City of Boston.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hardly Illogical: Leonard Nimoy Day, November 14 |first=Shaula |last=Clark |url=http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/laserorgy/archive/2009/11/14/hardly-illogical-leonard-nimoy-day-november-14.aspx |newspaper=[[The Phoenix (newspaper)|Boston Phoenix]] |type=Blog |date=November 14, 2009 |access-date=March 31, 2012}}</ref>

In 2014, [[Walter Koenig]] revealed that Nimoy personally and successfully advocated to the show's producers for equal pay for [[Nichelle Nichols]]'s work on ''Star Trek''.<ref>[http://www.people.com/article/leonard-nimoy-death-nichelle-nichols Nichelle Nichols Remembers Leonard Nimoy: He Made Star Trek into TV History] Adam Carlson, People.com February 28, 2015</ref> This incident was confirmed by Nimoy in a Trekmovie interview, and happened during his years at [[Desilu Productions|Desilu]].<ref>[http://trekmovie.com/2014/07/31/koenig-leonard-nimoy-fought-to-get-nichelle-nichols-pay-equity-for-star-trek-nimoy-confirms/ Koenig: Leonard Nimoy Fought to get Nichelle Nichols Pay Equity for Star Trek + Nimoy Confirms] Anthony Pascale, trekmovie.com, July 31, 2014</ref>

Nimoy has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref name=BBC>[https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31672543 Leonard Nimoy: Obama leads tributes to Star Trek actor] BBC News, February 28, 2015</ref> On June 2, 2015, the [[asteroid]] [[4864 Nimoy]] was named after him.<ref name=planet /><ref>[[Minor Planet Center|MPC]] [http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/2015/MPC_20150602.pdf 94384]</ref>

== Illness and death ==
In January 2014, Nimoy revealed publicly that he had been diagnosed with [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD), a condition he attributed to a smoking addiction he had quit about 30 years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.today.com/health/diagnosed-copd-leonard-nimoy-urged-people-quit-smoking-2D80518449 | title = Diagnosed with COPD, Leonard Nimoy urged people to quit smoking | publisher = [[Today (American TV program)|The Today Show]] | date = February 27, 2015 | access-date = February 28, 2015 | first = A. | last = Pawlowski }}</ref> On February 19, 2015, having been in and out of hospitals for several months, Nimoy was taken to [[Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center|UCLA Medical Center]] for chest pains.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/24/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-feat/ | title = Internet to Leonard Nimoy: Live long and prosper | first = Lisa Respers | last = France | date = February 24, 2015 | access-date= February 27, 2015 | publisher = [[CNN]] }}</ref>

On February 25, 2015, Nimoy fell into a coma,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.treknews.net/2016/05/27/leonard-nimoy-final-months-adam-nimoy-copd/|title=Leonard Nimoy's Son Adam Discusses His Father's Final Months [VIDEO]|date=May 27, 2016|website=treknews.net|access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref> and died of complications from COPD at his home in the [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]] neighborhood of Los Angeles on the morning of February 27, at the age of 83.<ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/02/27/389520008/he-was-and-will-always-be-our-friend-remembering-leonard-nimoy/|title=He Was, And Will Always Be, Our Friend: Remembering Leonard Nimoy|date=February 27, 2015|website=NPR.org}}</ref> [[Adam Nimoy]] said that as his father came closer to death, "he mellowed out. He made his family a priority and his career became secondary."<ref name=mellowed>{{cite web|last=Nimoy|first=Adam|url=https://twitter.com/StarTrek/status/629758274288484352|title=@StarTrek|website=Twitter (confirmed official)|date=August 7, 2015|access-date=August 7, 2015}}</ref> A few days before his death, Nimoy shared some of his poetry on Twitter: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. [[Vulcan salute#"Live long and prosper"|LLAP]]".<ref name=tw-trn-2015-2>{{Cite tweet|user=TheRealNimoy|number=569762773204217857|title=A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP|last=Nimoy|first=Leonard|date=February 22, 2015|access-date=March 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name=hp-ln-2015-02>{{Cite news|last=Goodman|first=Jessica|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leonard-nimoy-dead_n_6770032|title='Star Trek' Star Leonard Nimoy Dead At 83|work=[[HuffPost]]|date=February 27, 2015|access-date=March 30, 2015}}</ref> It was his final tweet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://time.com/3726337/leonard-nimoy-dead-twitter/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|title=Leonard Nimoy's Final Tweet Will Make You Cry|author=Dockterman, Eliana|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=February 27, 2015|access-date=November 1, 2022|archivedate=February 27, 2015|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150227182410/http://time.com/3726337/leonard-nimoy-dead-twitter/}}</ref>

He was buried at [[Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery]] in Los Angeles on March 1, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!-- staff writer(s); no by-line. -->|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31693751|title=Leonard Nimoy's funeral held in LA|work=[[BBC News]]|date=March 2, 2015|access-date=March 2, 2015}}</ref> The service was attended by nearly 300 family members, friends, and former colleagues, including [[Zachary Quinto]], [[Chris Pine]], and [[J. J. Abrams]]. Though [[William Shatner]] did not attend, he was represented by his daughters.<ref name=funeral>{{cite web|last=Vulpo|first=Mike|title=Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto Among Nearly 300 Guests at Leonard Nimoy's Funeral{{nbsp}}...|website=[[E! News]]|date=March 3, 2015|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/631707/chris-pine-zachary-quinto-among-nearly-300-guests-at-leonard-nimoy-s-funeral-all-the-details|access-date=March 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grinberg |first=Emanuella |date=2015-03-01 |title=Shatner defends absence from Nimoy's funeral |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/03/01/entertainment/feat-william-shatner-nimoy-funeral/index.html |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

=== Personal tributes ===
[[File:Astronaut Salutes Nimoy From Orbit.jpg|thumb|[[NASA]] Astronaut [[Terry W. Virts]] shot a photo of the [[Vulcan salute]] from the [[International Space Station]], in orbit above Nimoy's home town of Boston on February 28, 2015.]]
Cast members of ''Star Trek'' who had worked alongside Nimoy gave personal tributes after his death. [[William Shatner]] wrote, "I loved him like a brother.{{nbsp}}... We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dead-at-83/ | title = Leonard Nimoy, Spock of ''Star Trek'', dead at 83 | publisher = [[Fox News Channel]] | date = February 27, 2015 | access-date = February 27, 2015 }}</ref> [[George Takei]] called him an "extraordinarily talented man" and a "very decent human being".<ref>Rosen, Christopher (February 27, 2015). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/william-shatner-leonard-nimoy_n_6770654.html "William Shatner, George Takei Pay Tribute to Leonard Nimoy"]. ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.</ref> [[Walter Koenig]] said that after working with him, he discovered Nimoy's "compassion, his intelligence and his humanity".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Koenig|first=Walter|url=https://time.com/3727326/leonard-nimoy-rip-walter-koenig-chekov/|title=Chekov Remembers Spock: Walter Koenig On Leonard Nimoy|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]|date=February 28, 2015|access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref> [[Nichelle Nichols]] noted that Nimoy's integrity, passion and devotion as an actor "helped transport ''Star Trek'' into television history."<ref>{{cite web|last=Carlson|first=Adam|url=http://www.people.com/article/leonard-nimoy-death-nichelle-nichols|title=Leonard Nimoy Dead: Nichelle Nichols Comments|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=February 28, 2015|access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref> Quinto, who portrayed Spock as a young man in ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]'' and ''[[Star Trek Into Darkness]]'', wrote, "My heart is broken. I love you profoundly, my dear friend. And I will miss you every day."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://instagram.com/p/znSmtrLi1v/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/zacharyquinto/929793673295441263 |archive-date=December 23, 2021 |url-access=subscription|access-date=February 27, 2015|date=February 27, 2015|first=Zachary|last=Quinto|author-link=Zachary Quinto|title=zacharyquinto – February 27, 2015|quote=my heart is broken. i love you profoundly, my dear friend. and i will miss you everyday. may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.}}{{cbignore}} <br />{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/02/leonard-nimoy-death/ |title=How the Internet Is Remembering the Legendary Leonard Nimoy |last1=McMillan |first1=Graeme |date=February 27, 2015 |website=Wired.com |publisher=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |access-date=February 28, 2015}}<br /></ref>

U.S. President [[Barack Obama]], who had met Nimoy in 2007, remembered him as "a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time".<ref>{{cite news|last=Korte|first=Gregory|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2015/02/27/obama-statement-on-leonard-nimoy-spock/24136695/|title=Obama on death of Leonard Nimoy: 'I loved Spock'|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=February 27, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2015}}</ref> Former [[NASA]] [[astronaut]] [[Buzz Aldrin]] called Nimoy "a fellow space traveler because he helped make the journey into the final frontier accessible to us all".<ref>{{cite news|last=Aldrin|first=Buzz|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/27/opinion/buzz-aldrin-leonard-nimoy-spock/|title=Buzz Aldrin: Leonard Nimoy, my fellow space traveler|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=February 28, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Statement by the President on the Passing of Leonard Nimoy.jpg|thumb|Statement by United States President [[Barack Obama]] on Nimoy's death.]]
''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', which made frequent references to Spock, and for which Nimoy voiced one episode, paid tribute to him after his death. Creator [[Chuck Lorre]]'s [[production logo|vanity card]] at the end of the Season 8 episode, "The Colonization Application" (airing on March 5), featured a picture of Nimoy with the caption, "The impact you had on our show and on our lives is everlasting."<ref name=vanity>{{cite news|last=Derschowitz|first=Jessica|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-big-bang-theory-pays-tribute-to-leonard-nimoy/|title=''The Big Bang Theory'' pays tribute to Leonard Nimoy|work=[[CBS News]]|date=March 6, 2015|access-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref>

The 136th episode of the web series ''[[Angry Video Game Nerd]]'' created by and starring [[James Rolfe]], which covered ''[[Seaman (video game)|Seaman]]'', was dedicated to Nimoy.

As part of a campaign for the 2016 feature film ''[[Star Trek Beyond]]'', aimed at benefiting several charities, Zachary Quinto and other cast members posted a video tribute to Nimoy,<ref>{{cite web|last=Domanico|first=Anthony|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/star-trek-beyond-cast-delivers-touching-tribute-to-leonard-nimoy/|title=''Star Trek Beyond'' cast delivers touching tribute to Leonard Nimoy|website=[[CNET]]|date=August 25, 2015|access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref> and the film itself paid tribute to him. Its director, [[Justin Lin]], explained: "It's something you'll see in the film. It obviously affected everybody, because he's been a big part of our lives. There's an attempt to acknowledge that in some way."<ref>[http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/04/star-trek-beyond-will-pay-tribute-to-leonard-nimoy/ "''Star Trek Beyond'' will pay tribute to Leonard Nimoy"], ''Flickering Myth'', April 12, 2016</ref>

Adam Nimoy directed a biographical documentary on his father, ''[[For the Love of Spock]]'', which Quinto narrated and with which Shatner was also involved.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/leonard-nimoy-son-spock-documentary-1201461815/|title=Leonard Nimoy's Son Plans Spock Documentary{{nbsp}}...|date=March 27, 2015|access-date=March 27, 2015|first=Dave| last=McNary|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Adam Nimoy's 'For The Love Of Spock' To Premiere At Tribeca Film Festival|date=March 16, 2016|url=http://www.treknews.net/2016/03/16/adam-nimoy-for-the-love-of-spock-tribeca-premiere/|access-date=March 27, 2016}}</ref> For charity, Shatner used [[selfie]]s made by Nimoy's fans to create an online tribute mosaic of the Vulcan salute.<ref name=GISHWHES>{{cite news|last=Hanks|first=Henry|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/09/entertainment/leonard-nimoy-william-shatner-selfie-tribute-feat/|title=Fans and William Shatner pay tribute to Leonard Nimoy with selfie mosaic|work=[[CNN]]|date=August 9, 2015|access-date=August 10, 2015}}</ref>

In June 2015, the [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] named a {{convert|10|km|miles|abbr=on}}-wide asteroid 4864 Nimoy, originally discovered in 1988, in the Solar System's main [[asteroid belt]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/06/06/asteroid_4864_nimoy_named_for_leonard_nimoy.html | title = Leonard Nimoy Immortalized in the Asteroid Belt | first = Phil | last = Platt | date = June 6, 2015 | access-date = June 6, 2015 | website = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] }}</ref>

Shatner wrote a book about his friendship with Nimoy titled ''Leonard: My Fifty Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man'', released on February 16, 2016.<ref>{{cite book |title=Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man|isbn=978-1-250-08331-9 |url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25819509-leonard|access-date=May 22, 2016}}</ref>

In April 2017, a biographical documentary about his illness, ''[[Remembering Leonard Nimoy]]'' was released, produced by his daughter [[Julie Nimoy|Julie]].

In front of the [[Boston Museum of Science]], a memorial to Nimoy is planned for installation, near where he grew up in the [[West End, Boston|West End of Boston]]. The monumental sculpture will be a larger-than-life representation of a hand displaying his iconic "[[Vulcan salute|live long and prosper]]" gesture. {{As of|2024|11}}, the project is at least 75% funded.<ref name="Nimoy-MOS">{{cite web |title=Leonard Nimoy Memorial |url=https://donate.mos.org/campaign/leonard-nimoy-memorial/c329955 |website=Museum of Science |publisher=Museum of Science, Boston |access-date=2024-11-12}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{{See also|Leonard Nimoy filmography}}

=== Music videos ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Artist
! Notes
|-
| 1967
| "[[The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins]]"
| Leonard Nimoy
|
|-
| 1985
| "[[Going Down to Liverpool]]"
| [[The Bangles]]
| The Chauffeur
|-
| 2011
| "[[The Lazy Song]]"
| [[Bruno Mars]]
| Alternate music video
|}

=== Video games ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Voice role
! Notes
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (computer game)|Star Trek: 25th Anniversary]]''
| rowspan="2" | Spock
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Star Trek: Judgment Rites]]''
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Seaman (video game)|Seaman]]''
| The Narrator<ref>{{cite video game | developer=[[Vivarium Inc.|Vivarium]], [[Jellyvision]] | title=Seaman | publisher=[[Sega]] | scene=Ending credits, 4:17:55 in, Narration By | year=2000}}</ref>
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Civilization IV]]''
| The Narrator
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Star Trek Online]]''
| Spock
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]''
| rowspan="5" | [[Xehanort]]<ref name="auto">{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Return to the Magical Realm of Kingdom Hearts on September 7, 2010 |url=http://release.square-enix.com/na/2010/05/17_01.html |location=Los Angeles |publisher=[[Square Enix]]; [[Disney Interactive Studios]] |date=May 17, 2010 |access-date=August 2, 2010}}</ref><ref name="rad-Monkey">{{cite web|author=rad-Monkey|date=May 31, 2012|title=The Voice Talent of Kingdom Hearts 3D|url=http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/voice-talent-kingdom-hearts-3d|access-date=November 1, 2013|publisher=Square Enix|type=Blog}}</ref>
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]''
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix]]''
| (Birth By Sleep Final Mix)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue]]''
| (Dream Drop Distance HD)
|-
| ''Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix''
| (Birth By Sleep Final Mix)
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Association
! Category
! Work
! Result
|-
| [[19th Primetime Emmy Awards|1968]]
| rowspan="3"| [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]
| rowspan="3"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]]
| rowspan="3"| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[20th Primetime Emmy Awards|1969]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[21st Primetime Emmy Awards|1970]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[6th Saturn Awards|1978]]
| rowspan=2|[[Saturn Awards]]
| rowspan=2|[[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)|Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[7th Saturn Awards|1979]]
| ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[34th Primetime Emmy Awards|1982]]
| Primetime Emmy Awards
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special]]
| ''[[A Woman Called Golda]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[12th Saturn Awards|1984]]
|Saturn Awards
|[[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
|1985
|[[Hugo Award]]s
|[[Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation|Best Dramatic Presentation]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[14th Saturn Awards|1986]]
| rowspan="3" |Saturn Awards
|Best Director
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| {{Nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |1987
| colspan="2" |[[The Life Career Award]]
| {{yes|Awarded}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hugo Awards
| rowspan="2" |Best Dramatic Presentation
|''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home''
| {{Nom}}
|-
|1992
|''[[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[29th Annie Awards|2001]]
| [[Annie Awards]]
| [[Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production|Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production]]
| ''[[Atlantis: The Lost Empire]]''
| {{Nom}}
|-
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 2009|2009]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast|Best Cast]]
| rowspan="3" | ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[15th Critics' Choice Awards|2009]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Awards]]
| [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble|Best Cast]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2009
| [[Scream Awards]]
| [[2009 Scream Awards#Best Ensemble|Best Ensemble]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[36th Saturn Awards|2009]]
| Saturn Awards
| [[Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television|Best Guest Starring Role on Television]]
| ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2014
| [[National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]] Boston/New England Chapter<ref>{{cite web |title=Chapter Honors List|url=http://newenglandemmy.org/awards/chapter-honors-list/|access-date=October 3, 2016}}</ref>
| [[New England Emmy Awards]]
Governors' Award
| ''Enduring Contributions to the Television Industry''
| {{won}}
|}

== Bibliography ==
* Poetry
** ''You & I'' (1973) • {{ISBN|9780912310268}}
** ''Will I Think of You?'' (1974) • {{ISBN|9780912310701}}
** ''We Are All Children Searching for Love: A Collection of Poems and Photographs'' (1977) • {{ISBN|9780883960240}}
** ''Come be with Me'' (1978) • {{ISBN|9780883960332}}
** ''These Words Are for You'' (1981) • {{ISBN|9780883961483}}
** ''Warmed by Love'' (1983) • {{ISBN|9780883962008}}
** ''A Lifetime of Love: Poems on the Passages of Life'' (2002) • {{ISBN|9780883965962}}
* Autobiography
** ''[[I Am Not Spock]]'' (1975) • {{ISBN|9781568496917}}
** ''[[I Am Spock]]'' (1995) • {{ISBN|9780786861828}}
* Screenplays
** ''Vincent'' (1981) (teleplay based on the play "Van Gogh" (1979) by Phillip Stephens) • {{OCLC|64819808}}
** ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'' (1986) (story by)
** ''[[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country]]'' (1991) (story by)
* Photography
** ''[[Shekhina (book)|Shekhina]]'' (2005) • {{ISBN|9781884167164}}
** ''The Full Body Project'' (2008) • {{ISBN|9780979472725}}
** ''Secret Selves'' (2010) {{ISBN|9780976427698}}

== Discography ==
{{Portal|Film|Television|Music|Science fiction|Speculative fiction}}
* ''[[Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy]]'' (1968)
* ''[[The Way I Feel (Leonard Nimoy album)|The Way I Feel]]'' (1968)
* ''[[The Touch of Leonard Nimoy]]'' (1969)
* ''[[The New World of Leonard Nimoy]]'' (1970)

== Notes==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
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<!--===============================================================================-->
{{Sister project links|v=no|b=no|wikt=no|n=no|s=Author:Leonard Simon Nimoy}}
{{Wikisource|Statement by the President on the Passing of Leonard Nimoy}}
{{Wikisource|NASA Administrator Remembers Leonard Nimoy}}
{{Wikisource|Tribute to Leonard Nimoy by Adam Schiff}}

* [http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Leonard_Nimoy Leonard Nimoy] at [[Memory Alpha]] (a ''[[Star Trek]]'' [[wiki]])
* {{IMDb name|559}}
* {{tcmdb name|id=141401%7C97752|name=Leonard Nimoy}}
* {{EmmyTVLegends name|leonard-nimoy}}
* {{Discogs artist|Leonard Nimoy}}

{{Leonard Nimoy}}
{{The Life Career Award}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television}}
{{Portal bar|Film|Television|Music|Science fiction|Speculative fiction}}

{{Authority control}}

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