Star Trek‘s Leonard Nimoy Dies at 83

Leonard Nimoy, the man best known for portraying Mr. Spock on Star Trek, passed away this morning after being hospitalized for chest pains. He was 83.

Nimoy, whose acting and directing career spanned decades and included four Emmy nominations, had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. for the past year, a disease he attributed to a smoking habit he quit over 30 years ago.

Few need introduction to the legendary aloof Vulcan he portrayed on Star Trek since the franchise’s inception in 1966, but in their obituary, the New York Times noted his many artistic accomplishments as an actor, director, and musician:

His zeal to entertain and enlighten reached beyond “Star Trek” and crossed genres. He had a starring role in the dramatic television series “Mission: Impossible” and frequently performed onstage, notably as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” His poetry was voluminous, and he published books of his photography.

He also directed movies, including two from the “Star Trek” franchise, and television shows. And he made records, on which he sang pop songs, as well as original songs about “Star Trek,” and gave spoken-word performances — to the delight of his fans and the bewilderment of critics.

But all that was subsidiary to Mr. Spock, the most complex member of the Enterprise crew: both a colleague and a creature apart, who sometimes struggled with his warring racial halves.

Watch his video obituary below, via The New York Times:

[NYT]
[Image via screenshot/CBS]

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