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William Shatner

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Biography

For an actor almost universally associated with a single character -- Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise -- William Shatner has found diverse ways to stay active in the public eye, even spoofing his overblown acting style in a way far more hip than desperate. Years after he last uttered "warp speed," Shatner remains a well-known face beyond Star Trek conventions, re-creating himself as the spoken-word pitchman for /priceline.com, and starring in a popular series of smoky nightclub ads that featured some of the most cutting-edge musicians of the day.

The Canadian native was born on March 22, 1931, in Montréal, where he grew up and attended Verdun High School. Shatner studied commerce at McGill University before getting the acting bug, which eventually prompted him to move to New York in 1956. He initially worked in such live television dramatic shows as Studio One and The United States Steel Hour in 1957 and 1958, as well as on Broadway. His big screen debut soon followed as Alexei in the 1958 version of Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.

Throughout the 1960s, Shatner worked mostly in television. His most memorable appearance came in a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," in which he plays a terrified airline passenger unable to convince the crew that there's a mysterious gremlin tearing apart the wing. He also appeared in such films as Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) and the bizarrely experimental Esperanto-language horror film Incubus (1963). In 1966, he got his big break, though neither he nor anyone else knew it at the time. Shatner was cast as the macho starship captain James Kirk on Star Trek, commanding a crew that included an acerbic doctor, a Scottish engineer, and a logician with pointy ears, on a mission "to boldly go where no man has gone before." However, the show lasted only three seasons, considered by many to be high camp. After providing a voice on the even shorter-lived animated series in 1973, Shatner must have thought Star Trek too would pass. A costly divorce and a lingering diva reputation from Star Trek left him with few prospects or allies, forcing him to take whatever work came his way.

But in 1979, after a decade of B-movie labor in such films as The Kingdom of Spiders (1977) and a second failed series (Barbary Coast, 1975-1976), Shatner re-upped for another attempt to capitalize on the science fiction series with Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This time it caught on, though the first film was considered a costly disappointment. With dogged determination, the producers continued onward with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), at which point fans finally flocked to the series, rallying behind the film's crisp space battles and the melodramatic tête-à-tête between Shatner and Ricardo Montalban.

Shatner had to wrestle with his advancing age and the deaths of several characters in Star Trek II and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), but by Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), the actor got to indulge in his more whimsical side, which has since characterized his career. As the series shifted toward comedy, Shatner led the way, even serving as director of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), which many considered among the series' weaker entries. During this period, Shatner also began parodying himself in earnest, appearing as host of Saturday Night Live in a famous sketch in which he tells a group of Trekkies to "Get a life." He also turned in a wickedly energetic mockery of a moon base captain in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982). Shatner made one final appearance with the regular Star Trek cast in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), then served as one of the crossovers to the new series of films in Star Trek: Generations (1994), in which endlessly theorizing fans finally learned the fate of Captain Kirk.

The success of the Trek movies reenergized Shatner's TV career, even if it didn't immediately earn him more film roles. Shatner played the title role on the successful police drama T.J. Hooker from 1982 to 1987, directing some episodes, then began hosting the medical reality series Rescue 911 in 1989. Shatner returned to the movies with another parody, Loaded Weapon I, in 1993, and in 1994 began directing, executive producing, and acting in episodes of the syndicated TV show TekWar, based on the popular series of Trek-like novels he authored.

In the later '90s, Shatner was best known for his humorously out-there /priceline.com ads, but also guested on a variety of TV shows, most notably as the "Big Giant Head" on the lowbrow farce Third Rock From the Sun. He also appeared as game show hosts both in film (Miss Congeniality, 2000) and real life (50th Annual Miss America Pageant, 2001). In 1999, Shatner suffered public personal tragedy when his third wife, Nerine, accidentally drowned in their swimming pool. The champion horse breeder and tennis enthusiast owns a ranch in Kentucky and remains active in environmental causes. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

Filmography

Lil' Pimp (2003) (voice)
DumbFellas (2002) .... Mafia Boss
Splat Attack (2002) (V) .... Himself
2002 Blockbuster Hollywood Christmas Spectacular, The (2002) (TV) .... Himself
Groom Lake (2002) .... John Gossner
"Full Moon Fright Night" (2002) TV Series .... Host
... aka "William Shatner's Full Moon Fright Night" (2002) (USA: complete title)
"One Hit Wonders" (2002) TV Series .... Host
NBC 75th Anniversary Special (2002) (TV) .... Himself
... aka NBC 75th Anniversary Celebration (2002) (TV) (USA)
American Psycho 2 (2002) (V) .... Professor Robert 'Bobby' Starkman
Showtime (2002) .... Himself
Shoot Or Be Shot (2002) .... Harvey Wilkes
50th Annual Miss USA Pageant, The (2001) (TV) .... Host
Iron Chef USA: Holiday Showdown (2001) (TV) .... Chairman
Iron Chef USA: Showdown in Las Vegas (2001) (TV) .... Chairman
Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime (2001) (V) .... Himself
Festival in Cannes (2001) .... Himself
Kid, The (2001) (TV) (voice) .... Professor
... aka Gahan Wilson's The Kid (2001) (TV) (USA: complete title)
Osmosis Jones (2001) (voice) .... Mayor Phlegmming
28th Annual American Music Awards (2001) (TV) .... Himself/presenter
Falcon Down (2000) .... Major Robert Carson
Miss Congeniality (2000) .... Stan Fields
... aka Miss Undercover (2001) (Europe: DVD title)
Atomic Journeys (1999) (voice) .... Narrator
... aka Atomic Journeys: Welcome to Ground Zero (1999) (USA: DVD title)
First Men on the Moon, The (1999) (V) .... King of the Moon
Nukes in Space (1999) (voice) .... Narrator
... aka Nukes in Space: The Rainbow Bombs (1999) (USA: DVD title)
Saturday Night Live Christmas (1999) (V) .... Host of 'The Lost Ending to 'It's A Wonderful Life'
Stars of Star Wars: Interviews with the Cast, The (1999) (V) .... Himself
Ultimate Trek: Star Trek's Greatest Moments (1999) (TV) (archive footage)
"Twist in the Tale, A" (1998) TV Series (voice) .... Narrator
... aka "William Shatner's a Twist in the Tale" (1998) (USA: complete title)
Free Enterprise (1998) .... Bill
"Hercules" (1998) TV Series (voice) .... Jason of the Argonauts
... aka "Disney's Hercules" (1998) (USA)
Jefftowne (1998) .... Himself
Land of the Free (1997) .... Aiden Cardell
Star Trek: Generations (1997) (VG) (voice) .... Capt. James T. Kirk
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (1997) (VG) .... Captain James T. Kirk
Trekkies (1997) .... Himself
TV Guide Looks at Science Fiction (1997) (TV) .... Host
Prisoner of Zenda, Inc. (1996) (TV) .... Michael Gatewick
... aka Double Play (1996) (TV) (video title)
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond (1996) (TV) .... Himself
Dead Man's Island (1996) (TV) .... Chase Prescott
Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown (1995) (TV) .... Himself
... aka Museum of Television & Radio Presents: Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown, The (1995) (TV)
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories (1995) (V) .... Himself
Trinity and Beyond (1995) (voice) .... Narrator
... aka Atomic Bomb Movie, The (1995)
Star Trek: Judgment Rites (1994) (VG) (voice) .... Captain James T. Kirk
"TekWar" (1994) TV Series .... Walter H. Bascom
Janek: A Silent Betrayal (1994) (TV) .... Bodosh
Star Trek: A Captain's Log (1994) (TV) .... Host
Star Trek: Generations (1994) .... Starfleet Captain James Tiberius Kirk (retired)
... aka Star Trek 7 (1994) (USA: informal alternative title)
TekWar: TekJustice (1994) (TV) .... Walter H. Bascom
TekWar: TekLab (1994) (TV) .... Walter H. Bascom
TekWar: TekLords (1994) (TV) .... Walter H. Bascom
TekWar (1994) (TV) .... Walter H. Bascom
... aka TekWar: The Movie (1994) (TV)
... aka TekWar: The Original Movie (1994) (TV)
Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey (1994) (TV) .... Fielding Chase
Family of Strangers (1993) (TV) .... Earl
Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) .... General Curtis Mortars
... aka National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)
Twenty-Five Year Mission Tour, The (1992) (V) .... Himself
... aka 25-Year Mission, The (1992) (V) (USA: video box title)
Star Trek 25th Anniversary Special (1991) (TV) .... Host
Voices that Care (1991) (TV) .... Choir Member
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) .... Captain James T. Kirk
Happy Birthday, Bugs!: 50 Looney Years (1990) (TV) .... Himself
"Rescue 911" (1989) TV Series .... Himself
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) .... Captain James T. Kirk
Trial of Standing Bear, The (1988) (TV) .... Narrator
Broken Angel (1988) (TV) .... Chuck Coburn
... aka Best Intentions (1988) (TV)
T.J. Hooker: Blood Sport (1986) (TV) .... Sergeant T.J. Hooker
... aka Blood Sport (1986) (TV) (USA)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) .... Admiral/Captain James T. Kirk
... aka Voyage Home: Star Trek IV, The (1986)
Canadian Conspiracy, The (1985) (TV) .... Himself
North Beach and Rawhide (1985) (TV) .... Rawhide MacGregor
Secrets of a Married Man (1984) (TV) .... Chris Jordan
Circus of the Stars #9 (1984) (TV) .... Himself
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) .... Admiral James T. Kirk
Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) .... Cdr. Buck Murdock, Alpha Beta Base
... aka Flying High II (1982)
Battle of the Network Stars XIII (1982) (TV) .... ABC Team Captain
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) .... Admiral James T. Kirk
... aka Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) (new title)
... aka Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - The Director's Edition (2002) (USA: director's cut)
Battle of the Network Stars XII (1982) (TV) .... ABC Team Captain
Visiting Hours (1982) .... Gary Baylor
... aka Fright, The (1982)
... aka Get Well Soon (1982)
... aka Terreur à l'hôpital central (1982) (Canada: French title)
"T.J. Hooker" (1982) TV Series .... Sgt. Thomas J. Hooker
T.J. Hooker (1982) (TV) .... T.J. Hooker
Circus of the Stars #6 (1981) (TV)
Babysitter, The (1980/I) (TV) .... Dr. Jeff Benedict
Kidnapping of the President, The (1980) .... Jerry O'Connor
52nd Annual Academy Awards, The (1980) (TV) .... Himself (presenter, Best Documentary)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) .... Admiral/Captain James T. Kirk
... aka Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition (2001) (USA: DVD title)
Disaster on the Coastliner (1979) (TV) .... Stuart Peters
Riel (1979) (TV) .... The Barker
Crash (1978) (TV) .... Carl Tobias
... aka Crash of Flight 401 (1978) (TV)
Little Women (1978) (TV) .... Professor Friedrich Bhaer
Third Walker, The (1978) .... Munro Maclean
Bastard, The (1978) (TV) .... Paul Revere
... aka Kent Chronicles, The (1978) (TV)
Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) .... Dr. Robert 'Rack' Hansen
"Testimony of Two Men" (1977) (mini) TV Series .... Adrian Ferrier
Whale of a Tale, A (1976) .... Dr. Jack Fredericks
... aka Joey and the Whale (1976)
Columbo: Fade in to Murder (1976) (TV) .... Detective Lucerne/Ward Fowler
Perilous Voyage (1976) (TV) .... Steve Monroe
... aka Revolution of Antonio DeLeon, The (1976) (TV) (USA)
Land of No Return (1975) .... Curt Benell
... aka Challenge to Survive (1975)
... aka Snowman (1975)
Tenth Level, The (1975) (TV)
"Barbary Coast" (1975) TV Series .... Jeff Cable
Devil's Rain, The (1975) .... Mark Preston
Barbary Coast (1975) (TV) .... Jeff Cable
Big Bad Mama (1974) .... William J. Baxter
Impulse (1974) .... Matt Stone
... aka I Love to Kill (1974)
... aka Want a Ride, Little Girl? (1974)
"Inner Space" (1974) TV Series
Pray for the Wildcats (1974) (TV) .... Warren Summerfield
Indict and Convict (1974) (TV) .... Sam Belden
"Star Trek" (1973) TV Series (voice) .... Captain James T. Kirk
... aka "Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, The" (1973) (USA: video box title)
... aka "Star Trek: TAS" (1973) (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka "Star Trek: The Animated Adventures" (1973) (USA)
... aka "Star Trek: The Animated Series" (1973)
Pioneer Woman (1973) (TV) .... John Sergeant
... aka Pioneers (1973) (TV)
Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973) (TV) .... Paul Kovalik
Go Ask Alice (1973) (TV) .... Sam, Alice's Father
Incident on a Dark Street (1973) (TV) .... Deaver G. Wallace
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1972) (TV) .... George Stapleton
... aka Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1972) (TV)
People, The (1972) (TV) .... Dr. Curtis
Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law (1971) (TV) .... District Attorney Dave Blankenship
... aka Pattern of Morality, A (1971) (TV) (USA)
Vanished (1971) (TV) .... Dave Paulick
Andersonville Trial, The (1970) (TV) .... Lieutenant Colonel N.P. Chipman
Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970) (TV) .... John Adams
Sole Survivor (1970) (TV) .... Lt. Col. Josef Gronke
Shadow Game (1969) (TV)
Comanche blanco (1968) .... Johnny Moon/Notah
... aka Hour of Vengeance (1968)
... aka White Comanche (1968)
Alexander the Great (1968) (TV) .... Alexander
Star Trek: Where No Man Has Gone Before (1966) (TV) .... Captain James T. Kirk
... aka Where No Man Has Gone Before (1966) (TV)
"Star Trek" (1966) TV Series .... Captain James T. Kirk
... aka "Star Trek: TOS" (1966) (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Incubus (1965) .... Marc
"For the People" (1965) TV Series .... David Koster
Outrage, The (1964) .... Preacher
Intruder, The (1961) .... Adam Cramer
... aka I Hate Your Guts! (1961) (USA: reissue title)
... aka Shame (1961) (USA: reissue title)
... aka Stranger, The (1961) (UK)
Explosive Generation, The (1961) .... Peter Gifford
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) .... Capt.Harrison Byers, Haywood's Aide
... aka Judgement at Nuremberg (1961)
Julius Caesar (1960/II) (TV)
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (1960) (TV)
Night of the Auk, The (1960) (TV) .... Lewis Rohnen
City Out of Time (1959) (voice) .... Narrator
... aka Ville intemporelle (1959) (Canada: French title)
"Tactic" (1959) TV Series
Brothers Karamazov, The (1958) .... Alexi Karamazov
... aka Murderer Dmitri Karamazov, The (1958)
Oedipus Rex (1957) .... Priest
"Howdy Doody" (1954) TV Series .... Ranger Bob (1954)
Butler's Night Off, The (1951) .... A crook
Star Trek: Original Series Vol. 05 (????) (TV) .... Capt. James T. Kirk
Star Trek: Original Series Vol. 06 (????) (TV)

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