trekz

Leonard Nimoy, Actor, Director, and 'Star Trek' Icon, Dies at 83

By Ethan Alter

Yahoo TV Feb. 27, 2015

Leonard Nimoy Dies at 83

I Am Not Spock proclaimed the title of Leonard Nimoy's 1975 autobiography, in which the veteran actor tried to distinguish himself from his most iconic role, as Star Trek's emotionless half-human, half-Vulcan science officer. Twenty years later, he published a follow-up entitled, I Am Spock, in which the actor-director warmly embraced his pointy-eared alter ego. Like it or not, Nimoy — who passed away on Feb. 27 at the age of 83 from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — was Spock to generations of sci-fi fans, so much so that when J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise in the 2009 blockbuster, Nimoy was the one original cast member he made sure to bring back.

Even though the role defined his career for those of us watching him at home and in theaters, Spock was only one small part of Nimoy's overall life. An actor from childhood, the Boston-born Nimoy worked steadily on television before and after Star Trek, appearing on such disparate shows as Sea Hunt, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible and In Search Of…, a five-season series that explored the mysteries of the paranormal. In the '80s, he became an established film director, overseeing back-to-back big-screen Star Trek installments (The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home) followed by the 1987 hit, Three Men and a Baby.

Nimoy parlayed his eye for the camera into a respected career as a photographer, snapping pictures that hung in galleries and were collected in books like The Full Body Project — a collection for which he shot nude photos of plus-sized and obese women. "The first time I had photographed a person of that size and shape, it was scary," he remarked in a 2007 NPR interview. "I didn't know quite how to treat this figure. And I think that's a reflection of something that's prevalent in our culture. I think, in general, we are sort of conditioned to see a different body type as acceptable and maybe look away when the other body type arrives. It led me to a new consciousness about the fact that so many people live in body types that are not the type that's being sold by fashion models."

That's the kind of eminently logical argument that Spock would make and speaks to how being involved in a progressive, socially-conscious series like Star Trek must have helped shape Nimoy's worldview going forward. One of the reasons the franchise has endured is that it imagines a future Earth free of prejudice and strife. Through his life and work on-screen and off, Nimoy sought to make that world of tomorrow possible today.

*On a personal note, I have gotten his autograph, and photo, and seen him at numerous conventions. He will be sorely missed! - Trekz

Arlene Martel, Spocks Bride-to-Be on 'Star Trek,' Dies at 78 From The Hollywood Reporter By Mike Barnes

Actress Arlene Martel, an exotic beauty who played the prospective bride of Leonard Nimoys Mr. Spock in the only episode of NBCs Star Trek set on the planet Vulcan, has died. She was 78.

Martel died Tuesday from complications of a heart attack at St. Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, her son, Jod Kaftan, told The Hollywood Reporter.

In the episode Amok Time, which opened Star Treks second season on Sept. 15, 1967, a feverish Spock is compelled to return to his home planet, where he must mate or die. Martels character, TPring, was betrothed to him as a child, and the outcome of a fight between Spock and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) will decide whether she marries the logical first officer on the Starship Enterprise.

I was just so happy to be working and playing a part that was so challenging in terms of what I had done before, Martel said in Tom Lisantis 2003 book, Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties. I had no idea it would continue to this day. Fans purchase my Star Trek photos at conventions, where I sign autographs. I had no idea that TPring would be so memorable to people.

Said Nimoy on Twitter: Saying goodbye to TPring, Arlene Martel. A lovely talent.

A native of the Bronx who was frequently billed as Arline Sax, her birth name, Martel also appeared on two episodes of The Twilight Zone, on five Hogans Heroes installments as French underground contact Tiger and two on Bewitched as the scary witch Malvina.

Playing women of various nationalities and ethnicities, she guest-starred on such shows as Death Valley Days, The Detectives, Route 66, The Untouchables, Cheyenne, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., My Favorite Martian, The Monkees, The Outer Limits, The Young and the Restless, Columbo, Battlestar Galactica and Brothers & Sisters.

In the 1957 Warner Bros. documentary The James Dean Story, directed by Robert Altman, Martel said she was romantically involved with the actor for years. Once I told him I loved him, but he pretended he didnt hear, she says in the film. Then he said, &lsquoYou cant love me. I dont think anyone can yet.

As a teenager, Martel was accepted into the High School for the Performing Arts in New York City (where her classmates included future Bob Newhart Show actress Suzanne Pleshette) and appeared on Broadway in the 1956-57 comedy Uncle Willie opposite Norman Fell.

On the big screen, Martel appeared with Rod Taylor in Hong Kong (1961), had the lead in The Glass Cage (1964) and played a biker chick in Angels From Hell (1968). More recently, she had a small role in Adam Shankmans A Walk to Remember (2002).

Martel was married three times, including to actors Boyd Holister and Jerry Douglas, a longtime player on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.

In addition to Jod, survivors include daughter Avra Douglas, a former assistant of Marlon Brandos and an executor of the actors estate; son Adam Palmer; and grandchildren Molly Rose and Dashiell.

Memorial services are pending. The family asks that donations be made to the organization Cure Autism Now.

Personal note: I saw her at many conventions, often in the dealers room. She always seemed gracious to fans. I was hoping she and other TOS veterans would still be alive for the big 50th anniversary of Star Trek in 2016. RIP Arlene Martel.

Congratulations to him and you. Parental support is always important, especially Freshman year.

Sorry for the board being down for a little while, I've been pretty busy and hadn't realized that the hosting renewal hadn't gone through.

 

Anyway, I've just finished school (graduated Magna Cum Laude) and should be able to do more to update things and refresh the boards.

Wow! Congratulations!

Take a little time to relax before you plunge into anything!

Tea. Breakfast. Hot!

I too watch and keep watching because they are so bad they are funny. Occasionally I watch thinking they have to get better ... but of course they usually don't ....

I believe they actually showed Blade Runner recently. I watched, yet was still stunned they were showing a great Sci Fi movie....

Welcome aboard! Enjoy the site!

Encounter at Farpoint on the first night it aired.

Hi trekzone.

I remember you. Glad you're back!

I saw the movie in 3D the first night and thought the special effects were impressive, though I wasn't that impressed with the warp effect. There was certainly lots of action. Not as many lens flares, though still more than I would prefer.

I guess I expected something different and original. After changing the time line, I got the impression that the writers and director wanted to be able to go off in new directions. The terrorism theme was certainly an attempt, but throwing Khan into the mix diluted that theme in my opinion. I felt the lack of explanation of the creation of Supermen (Eugenics War) to be a plot weakness. The militarism of Star Fleet has certainly been addressed in various series. It seemed unlikely that a secret construction base for massive ships wouldn't be guarded, or better guarded. Wouldn't the blood of other superman be as powerful or healing as that of Khan's? Is the invasion of Klingon space to be addressed in the next movie? If so, why not at least mention some kind of reaction at the end of this film when such a big deal was made of it earlier? I like the first Abrams movie a bit better than this, though some changes (blowing up Vulcan!) still bother me.

Into Darkness will certainly be popular for its relentless action, special effects, and appealing young characters. I think the new fans (or neo ST fans) will really like this movie, as will some longtime fans. I just wish there was more originality, or that things were a bit better done as far as the plot and backstory went. If you're not going to be original, why redo something that past fans appreciated and liked?

I am excited to see it. I will go on the first weekend because (1) it's a treat on the weekend of my birthday, and (2) I have been working hard to avoid seeing previews, trailers, and other info, so the sooner I see the movie, the sooner I can stop avoiding many mentions of the movie.

Kirk to Spock: Tiny Pluto moon to be named Vulcan

Michael Winter, USA TODAY9:06p.m. EST February 25, 2013

William Shatner's 'Star Trek' suggestion tops poll to name two moons. SETI cites its mythological link to dwarf planet.

Humans have spoken: One of Pluto's smallest moons will be named Vulcan, the fictional alien world of Star Trek's Mr. Spock, and the mythical god of fire.

The name was suggested, logically, by half-human Spock's thoroughly human commanding officer, Capt. James T. Kirk, aka William Shatner, who trumpeted the winner Monday via Twitter:

174,062 votes and Vulcan came out on top of the voting for the naming of Pluto's moons. Thank you to all who voted! MBB

(For the uninitiated, Shatner's acronymical sign off stands for "My Best, Bill.")

The SETI Institute, which organized the naming, noted that Vulcan is the nephew of Pluto, the ruler of mythical hell. Two weeks ago the institute's Mark Showalter wrote that any connection to the 1960s TV sereis was "purely coincidental, although we can be sure that Gene Roddenberry read the classics." He also thanked Shatner for the suggestion.

Cerberus — the mythical multiheaded hound that guards the gates of hell — polled second, with nearly 100,000 votes.

Voting ended Monday at noon ET. More than 450,000 people cast ballots for 21 names for the two tiny moons, currently called P4 and P5, which are only about 15 miles to 20 miles in diameter.

P4 was discovered in 2011 and P5 last year, bringing Pluto's lunar total to five. Charon, the largest, was discovered in 1978, and Nix and Hydra in 2005.

Pluto itself was discovered in 1930 as the ninth planet of our solar system, but in 2006 it was reclassified and downgraded to a dwarf, or minor, planet.

I thought this sketch was great. Sadly, MacFarlane kept joking and got mixed reviews. I thought his quip about Booth and Lincoln was particualrly tasteless and offensive. On the other hand, his remark about the Academy being "unable to discover who the Director of Argo was." was pretty clever.

That is excellent.

Fortunately they must not have been over Capitol Hill, or he could have reported that there was no INTELLIGENT life....

Happy New Year!

I'm also getting a warning on my computer, but am able to get on by clicking, visit the website anyway....

This sounds positive. I used to read Archie back in High School, which was strange, since my consolidated school district was named ... Riverdale.

I was fortunate enought to be in New Orleans and attend the event with Frakes and 5 of the other Bridge crew onstage of the ComicCon. It was fun to see them onstage together and observe them interacting. Frakes sat next to Burton and there was a bromance vibe between the two of them. Frakes is indeed a talented director.

In regards to the next movie, despite trying to avoid hearing or seeing too much about it, it is obvious it will be darker. Without Vulcan as a member of the Federation and the apparent weakness of the Federation, it may not exist by the time of the TNG timeline. I will go see the movie, but continue to have reservations. I also question whether the new fans of the reboot will become total fans of the the whole Trek universe. I hope they will....

Are people in town worried that because of the reboot, some people may think the town no longer exists?

I'm sure there will be lots of action and a good story arc. What bothers me is the sentence:

"So going into this one, I was so excited that we’d brought all these new fans to this franchise that I wanted to do my job to make sure they come back."

While I agree it's important to get the "new" fans back, it would be nice if someone mentioned the "Old" fans too, and just saying franchise just doesn't do it for me...

I think this sets a very scary precedent. If Shatner isn't dead as the Priceline negotiator, maybe he didn't really die in Star Trek 7 and could come back as Kirk.... Nooooooooo!

I went to the Chicago Wizard World Comic con today to see three Captains: Kirk (William Shatner0, Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Archer (Scott Bakula). A fourth Casptain was there in spirit with a Captain Picard action figure. It was originally put on the podium by the moderator. It made it onto the guest table. Subsequently Shatner picked it up as Avery pushed a water pitcher toward it. Shatner said, moving the figure's legs: "Look Picard's running! Look Picard's diving!" as he dropped the figure headfirst into the pitcher! Brooks broke up laughing. Eventually, minutes later, Bakula exclaims, "I can't stand it any longer!" removed the figure from the pitcher and proceeded to give it mouth to nouth resusitation, and chest compressions, finally exclaiming, "He's alive!" Pictures were taken and should surface soon, I'm sure!

Kor, Glad to hear that you and Mr. Psychic got to Shore Leave and saw Kate Mulgrew & Levar Burton.

I'm going to Chicago Comic con (Wizard World) this weekend and plan to see Scott Bakula, Avery Brooks and Shatner. Mulgrew cancelled :( Also hope to see Dean Stockwell, and some other celebs.

In the show, Wheaton records and puts some of the stories told at the bachelor party on the internet, where Bernadette reads it. It was another good episode.

As I recall, the reason many fans did not like the episode The Naked Now was because it WAS a redo of The Naked Time. Making a redo in just the third episode worried some fans, as they feared that TNG might become a just rehash of TOS. There was a sizeable number of TOS lovers that were not fans of TNG early on and this redo so early in the series had them very concerned with a lack of originality. I think TNG and Star Trek fans in general are open to seeing casts do different things, but not redoing the same plot over and over.