Happy Birthday Captain Kirk

Today he turns 81.

Happy birthday to William Shatner, born March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Yes, another in a long line of Canucks who have found their fortune and fame in the USA.

Shatner started his career as a child performer in radio programs for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. As a student at McGill University, he continued to pursue acting. Shatner spent his summers performing with the Royal Mount Theater Company. He graduated from the university in 1952 and joined the National Repertory Theater of Ottawa. Working with Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Shatner also appeared in productions at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario.

In 1956, Shatner made his Broadway debut in Tamburlaine the Great, which was directed by Guthrie. He also found work in the emerging medium of television, appearing on such shows as the Goodyear Television Playhouse, Studio One, and Playhouse 90. Playing one of the title characters, Shatner made his film debut in 1958's The Brothers Karamazov with Yul Brynner. That same year, he returned to Broadway for a two-year run in The Secret Life of Suzie Wong. He won the 1959 Theatre World Award for his performance.

In 1961, Shatner had a small part in the Holocaust drama Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), playing an army captain. He had a lead part in The Intruder (1962) as a racist who fought against school integration. On the small screen, Shatner had his first television series, For the People, in 1965. He starred on the short-lived drama as an assistant district attorney in New York City.

The following year, Shatner took on the role that made him famous around the world. As Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek, he commanded the U.S.S. Enterprise, a starship traveling through space in the twenty-third century. Kirk encountered all sorts of unusual aliens and challenging situations during his journeys. Accompanying him on these adventures was his loyal crew, which included first officer Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and medical officer Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley). The science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry premiered on September 8, 1966, and lasted for three seasons.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
His rendition of this Beatles song could be the low point of his career...

but then his version of Elton John's, Rocket Man could be the lowest. It's a tough call. You be the judge. I wonder how hard Bernie Taupin had to bite his tongue when he said he was proud to have William Shatner sing his song.

He has since learned to laugh at himself and the Capt. Kirk persona.

Here his reoccurring role on Third Rock From The Sun, The Giant Talking Head,  he even takes a jab at his early performance in 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet' for the Twilight Zone.

Nightmare at 20,000 Feet

Capt. Kirk sure did generate a lot of loyal fans.

 

Battle of the Captains Kirk, William Shatner and Chris Pine

With the character of Kirk at an end, Shatner moved forward in new directions. He appeared as a beauty pageant host on Miss Congeniality (2000) and its sequel Miss Congeniality 2 (2005) with Sandra Bullock. In 2003, Shatner made a guest appearance as a talented, but eccentric lawyer on The Practice. His turn as Denny Crane brought him his first Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2004. He had been previously nominated for his guest appearance on the science fiction sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1999.

The Practice creator David E. Kelley created a spin-off series, Boston Legal, featuring Shatner's character Denny Crane in 2004. Law partner and master litigator Crane acts as a mentor of sorts to Alan Shore (played by James Spader). For his work on the series, Shatner won his second Emmy—this time for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series—in 2005. Two nominations in this category followed in 2006 and in 2007.

His personal life has been filled with many ups and downs. From 1956 to 1969, he was married to Canadian actress Gloria Rand. The couple had three children together. Shatner married actress Marcy Lafferty in 1973. That marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Shortly thereafter, he married model Nerine Kidd. Kidd's life came to a tragic end in 1999. She accidentally drowned in a pool at the Shatners' home in Studio City, California.

After such a tragic loss, Shatner was able to find happiness with Elizabeth J. Martin, a horse breeder. The couple married in 2001. As part of his own love of horses, Shatner started the annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show to raise funds for children's charities in 1990.

He has a number of books, films and CDs to his credit.

To buy more of his music and books: click here

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Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing Off

Has Been                                Seeking Major Tom

Spaced Out

The Captains - A Film By William Shatner

 

A Transformed Man

To buy more of his movies, music and books: click here

QUOTED: William Shatner Exposes Betty White's Flexibility

Originally posted 09/15/2010 10:15AM

"She's really old. I think of her as an old friend. I mean an old friend. But listen, she's got moves you wouldn't believe. She’s totally flexible in the hip area. Her arms are stiff, but the hips? Totally flexible."

• William Shatner, joking in Playboy, about what the Golden Girl, 88, could teach a young "whippersnapper" like himself – who's (at the time was) 79. 

Everyone is familiar with his Star Trek days here are a few videos from his earlier days in film and television, enjoy...

William Shatner 21

The Twilight Zone

William Shatner 1955

General Motors Presents

Billy Budd

William Shatner 1957

Alfred Hitchcock Presents S3-e1

The Glass Eye

William Shatner 1957

Studio One S2

William Shatner 1960

Alcoa Presents One Step Beyond S3-e10

The Promise

William Shatner 1961
The Defenders S1-e2
Killer Instinct

William Shatner 1963
Route 66 S4-e5
Build Your Houses with Their Backs to the Sea

William Shatner 1966
Gunsmoke S12-e12
Quaker Girl

William Shatner Shirtless 1962
The Psalms

This DVD was based on a series of interpretations of 7 Psalms from the bible in 1962. The 5 minute adaptations include a then new comer William Shatner along with Raymond Burr. In another very odd twist of fate the camera man on some of these pieces was George Lucas (of Star Wars fame.)