Leonard Nimoy, Spock of ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 83

[Flux]

 

[Buster's Uncle]

Repeat,

the universe feels wrong without him in it.

[Buster's Uncle]

Leonard Nimoy leaves legacy beyond science-fiction
Associated Press
By DERRIK J. LANG  3 hours ago



In this June 28, 1973 file photo, actor Leonard Nimoy speaks during an interview in New York. Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. (AP Photo/Jerry Mosey, File)



LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leonard Nimoy didn't just leave a lasting impression on the science-fiction world, he also left his mark on science itself.

Seth Shostak, who researches the possibility of real-world extraterrestrial life as the senior astronomer at SETI Research, recalled that Nimoy was regularly willing to lend the organization a helping hand. When he was asked to narrate a planetarium introduction or appear as a guest at an event, Nimoy did so graciously and never charged.

"That struck me then, and it strikes me now," said Shostak. "If you play a famous alien, you might have little interest in how science is searching for real aliens, but Nimoy was actually interested in the science — and he was always willing to help us out."

Remembrances poured in from beyond the entertainment spectrum after news spread Friday about the death of the 83-year-old actor, who played the half-alien, half-human Spock in "Star Trek" films, TV shows and video games. NASA, Virgin Galactic, Intel and Google all sent messages, as did other groups motivated by Nimoy and his role as the truth-seeking science officer.

"Leonard Nimoy was an inspiration to multiple generations of engineers, scientists, astronauts and other space explorers," said NASA administrator Charles Bolden. "As Mr. Spock, he made science and technology important to the story, while never failing to show, by example, that it is the people around us who matter most."

NASA posted a photo online taken in 1976 of Nimoy and his "Trek" cast mates in front of NASA's real-life space shuttle Enterprise, parked outside the agency's manufacturing facilities in Palmdale, California.



In this Oct. 17, 1995 file photo, actor Leonard Nimoy poses during an interview in New York to promote his book, "I Am Spock." Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. (AP Photo/Wyatt Counts, File)


Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian astronaut aboard the International Space Station, similarly tweeted her condolences from space.

"Live Long and Prosper, Mr. #Spock!" she wrote.

Don Lincoln, a senior physicist at Fermilab, said he was inspired to go into science not just because Nimoy's portrayal of the logical Mr. Spock but also because of "In Search of...," the curious 1970s TV series hosted by Nimoy that was dedicated to mysterious phenomena.

"Despite the fact he worked in fiction, anyone who can inspire that many people to look into the sky and wonder has done something really important for mankind," he said.

Lincoln noted that "Trek" and the character of Spock, armed with his Vulcan nerve pinch and phase set to stun, provided the world with a dynamic look at someone interested in science.



In this Jan. 11, 1982 file photo, actor Leonard Nimoy poses for a photo in Los Angeles. Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)


"The fact is that Spock was a cool geek," said Lincoln. "Scientists are not always portrayed as being very strong. Usually, they're the guy with the tape on their glasses and their pants too high. He was clearly a person who had desirable components beyond just being smart."

Nimoy's commitment to astronomy frequently warped from beyond the Alpha Quadrant and into the real world. He and his wife, Susan, donated $1 million to the renovation of the iconic Griffith Park observatory complex overlooking Los Angeles. The observatory's theater is named after Nimoy.

"Mr. Nimoy was committed to people, community and the enlarged perspective conferred by science, the arts and the places where they meet," the observatory said in a statement. "The theater honors Nimoy's expansive and inclusive approach to public astronomy and artful inspiration."

The actor, director and photographer narrated several films focusing on astronomy, including a 2012 short film about NASA's Dawn mission and the 1994 IMAX documentary film "Destiny in Space."

"All I can say is if and when we pick up a signal, it'll be wonderful if the real aliens are half as appealing as Mr. Nimoy was as Spock," said Shostak of SETI Research.

[Unorthodox]

http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/hulu/vi1093534489/

[Buster's Uncle]

Leonard Nimoy's final tweet is beautiful, and it broke my heart
The Verge
By Bryan Bishop on February 27, 2015 01:44 pm






My dad was — and is — a huge Star Trek nerd, and when I was a kid he'd excitedly show me episodes of the original series in syndication. It was a show that he watched in college, he'd say, explaining why Kirk was Kirk, Bones was Bones, and most importantly, why Leonard Nimoy's Spock was Spock. One of my earliest moments of geek fandom was when I tracked down the script for the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage." I got it, read it, and excitedly took it to my dad. Kirk wasn't even in it, I explained to him. Spock had these crazy emotions!

My dad knew, of course. He was a Star Trek geek after all.

Nimoy was there too, when I sat down cross-legged on our living room carpet to watch episodes of In Search Of. The show was a kind of Cosmos for crazy murders and conspiracy theories, and with Nimoy narrating, I loved it. It was his voice: Calm. Commanding. Instant gravitas, but never off-putting. It was the kind of warm, almost paternal presence that invited you into a story, telling you This is important, and you will want to see what happens.

Then came Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. For my money, it's easily the best of the Star Trek films, and when Spock died, I was devastated. I've cried far too many times over his final scene in that film — to this day it still pushes those buttons — but that's what Nimoy brought to his portrayal of Spock. A character that was not only the most stoic of the stoic, but paradoxically, the most human of the human.

Nimoy stepped into the director's chair for the next two installments in the franchise, and I still remember how the young me was amazed that somebody could both act and direct a movie. I was eight when The Search for Spock came out, and it was the turning point when I understood that the movies weren't just something magical that I went to with my dad every weekend; they were things that were made. It was a revelation that would basically dictate my interests and the direction of my life from that day forward.

And as I grew up, Leonard Nimoy continued to be that comforting presence. Whenever he showed up in anything — yes, even Fringe — the movie or show became instantly grounded. Safe. His presence simply meant that I was going to enjoy what I was watching more than I had before. There aren't many actors that do that; he was one. (There's a reason he's been the best thing about J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films, after all.)

And now he's gone.

It's really strange to type that, and while I can't say I ever had the pleasure of meeting or interviewing Nimoy, he's nevertheless felt like a continual presence in my life. That can happen with media personalities, of course. You see somebody on the television every day, and you begin to think you know them; you follow the ups and downs of a fictional character, and you become emotionally bonded to them. Nimoy was something slightly different, though. A star in the media constellation that remained forever constant; true north.

Of course, it should go without saying that the sense of someone we get from their acting and public appearances often bears little resemblance to who they actually are. But what is undeniable is the emotional impact their work has on us. And for the millions of people, like myself, that grew up with Leonard Nimoy, those are the memories that we will carry with us throughout our lives.

It's a sentiment that Nimoy himself reflected upon on Twitter this past Sunday, in his very last post. "A life is like a garden," he wrote. "Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."

That's what we'll have to do, then.

Leonard Nimoy        ✔   @TheRealNimoy  Follow

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.  LLAP

2:36 AM - 23 Feb 2015

220,442 Retweets   145,118 favorites   Reply Retweet

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http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/27/8121021/leonard-nimoy-spock-live-long-and-prosper

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Live Long And Prosper
 

[Unorthodox]

If anyone wants a Spock avatar besides what's already in the user gallery, please speak up.

If it'll help, I believe you know what an avatar for me requires.  I do love my present one, but can sport it elsewhere. 

[Buster's Uncle]

So Nimoy doing horror - I could probably do something with a screeny from that Night Gallery episode; any scenes strike you?

[Unorthodox]

nah, the pumpkin would look snazzy on a blue uni.

[Unorthodox]

maybe in place of the gold starfleet doodad.

[Unorthodox]

He had a great series about mysterious things in the 70s or early 80s I loved.  can't remember the name. 

[Buster's Uncle]

Hmmm.  I wish I had a 3D model of the Earth O'Lantern - it would look cool in place of the science viewer in the pic atop that last article, but it would need the face turned up towards Spock...

[ninja'd]  In Search Of - fantastic show, if stories about bigfoot flying saucers from Atlantis fascinate.

[Unorthodox]

[ninja'd]  In Search Of - fantastic show, if stories about bigfoot flying saucers from Atlantis fascinate.

they consumed me as a child

[Buster's Uncle]

The narrator was really good.

[Unorthodox]

evil stare spock ftw.   eartholantern that starfleet crap out?

[Buster's Uncle]

AC2 values your business.  Please be patient while your request is being processed.  Funny you should mention evil Spock.