In Memoriam: Leonard Nimoy

His work influenced millions of Science-Fiction fans.

Story by Matt Cummings

There's few actors that are tied so closely to just one character: Leonard Nimoy was one such phenomenon, forever linked to his role as Mr. Spock on television's Star Trek: The Original Series. Is there a gesture more remembered and used that Nimoy's "Live Long and Prosper?" Not likely. And how about that cool disposition that so many have tried (and frankly failed) to mimic? Nimoy's death on Friday at age 83 wasn't unexpected, as he had been sick for quite some time. But, the outpouring of support in the wake has been nothing but extraordinary.

Everyone from Seth MacFarlane, Patrick Stewart, and even Author JK Rowling chimed in today to pay their respects. But when the President of the United States releases a statement saying, "I loved Spock," you know his effect was widespread. When Twitter explodes with Tweets from dozens of other celebrities who met, worked, or just plain idolized him, you knew his passing was something.

But what you may not know is just how important CBS and Creator Gene Roddenberry thought of Nimoy. After Star Trek's pilot was shot in 1965 and deemed "too cerebral," it was decided that they would re-cast and reshoot. Only Nimoy was brought back in the same role (with Majel Barrett coming back to play Nurse Chapel). That's called Having Your Back.

And yet, Nimoy's life was more than Spock. He directed two Star Trek films (III and IV), as well as the hugely successful Three Men and a Baby. But he was also a painter, singer, and he acted in tons of other shows and movies, including Mission: Impossible, even appearing with Shatner in an episode of TJ Hooker, and against him in the pre-Trek The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

For me, it was all about the way Spock dealt with his half-Human/Vulcan warring inside. It became the basis for so many great scenes, including Bread and Circuses, Mirror Mirror, and Journey to Babel. Nimoy made those epic battles so screen-worthy, as if he truly inhabited the character. It was that cool delivery opposite Shatner, and the way the writers pitted Spock against McCoy in philosophical discussions that made the series so timely.

The rebooted Trek movies probably feature the best Spock and Vulcan in Zachary Quinto; he gets it about as close as possible, and if the reboots continue it will be rewarding to see if he can get closer to Spock. But Nimoy will always be Spock, and it seems like he was ok with that, releasing his second book "I Am Spock" in 1995 and continuing to tour conventions, speaking about his life and times as the iconic Enterprise science officer, and even appearing as Spock Prime in those same reboots.

Leonardo da Vinci once commented on death the best, saying "As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life-well spent brings happy death." How true that was for Nimoy.

Beam me up.

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