William Shatner
Canadian actor famous for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek television series and films from 1966 to 1994.
Biography
William Shatner was born on March 22, 1931, in Montreal, Quebec, in a middle-class Jewish family. His father, Joseph, was in the clothing business, and his mother, Anne, was a housewife. Shatner attended several schools in Montreal, like Baron Byng High School and Westmount High School, before going to McGill University, where he studied management. During his time at university, he got involved in theater and found his passion for acting. He also went to summer camps like Camp B'nai Brith and Camp Massad, which helped shape his early character.
After graduating from McGill University in 1952, Shatner started acting professionally in Canadian theater. He performed with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, where he took on classical roles and improved his dramatic skills. He appeared in plays like Henry V and The Tempest. In the late 1950s, he moved to New York City to seek roles on Broadway, where he earned a Theatre World Award in 1959. Around this time, he started appearing on TV anthology series, marking his shift to television.
Shatner's big break came in 1966 when he was cast as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek TV series. The show, created by Gene Roddenberry, originally aired for three seasons until 1969 but became hugely popular in reruns. Shatner's role as the bold, decisive captain became iconic due to his unique speaking style and dramatic delivery. He returned to the role in the animated Star Trek series and seven feature films, from Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979 to Star Trek Generations in 1994.
Beyond Star Trek, Shatner kept busy in entertainment. He starred in the legal drama T.J. Hooker from 1982 to 1986 and later succeeded in the comedy-drama Boston Legal, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for playing Denny Crane. His personal life included four marriages: to Gloria Rand, Marcy Lafferty, Nerine Kidd, and Elizabeth Martin. Sadly, his third wife, Nerine Kidd, drowned in an accident in 1999. Shatner has also been involved in writing, published several sci-fi novels, and trained in martial arts. He was honored with the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his contributions to Canadian performing arts.
Before Fame
William Shatner grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, which shaped his generation's work ethic and determination. His early involvement with Montreal Children's Theatre gave him his first taste of performing, while attending Baron Byng High School and later McGill University in Montreal provided him with a solid educational foundation. After the war, North America's cultural growth offered new opportunities in TV and theater, and talented performers like Shatner were able to move from regional Canadian theater to international fame.
Shatner's rise began with his classical theater training at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, one of Canada's top theatrical institutions. This solid background in Shakespearean drama gave him the acting skills and stage presence that set his TV performances apart. The rise of television in the 1950s opened up new chances for actors who were ready to embrace the new format.
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek for nearly three decades across television and film
- Won Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Boston Legal in 2005
- Received Governor General's Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement in Canadian entertainment
- Became oldest person to travel to space at age 90 in 2021
- Published multiple science fiction novels and memoirs as a successful author
Did You Know?
- 01.He sold a kidney stone on eBay for $25,000 and donated the proceeds to charity
- 02.At age 90, he became the oldest person to travel to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket in 2021
- 03.He recorded several spoken-word albums, including the infamous 1968 album 'The Transformed Man' featuring his dramatic interpretation of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'
- 04.He owned and bred champion American Saddlebred horses, winning multiple horse show competitions
- 05.His Star Trek captain's chair was sold at auction for $304,750 in 2002
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Governor General's Performing Arts Award | — | — |
| Theatre World Award | 1959 | — |