William Shatner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Shatner
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Shatner in 2023
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| Born | March 22, 1931 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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| Education | McGill University (BComm) |
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| Years active | 1951–present |
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Works
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Filmography |
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| Children | 3, including Melanie |
| Relatives | Joel Gretsch (son-in-law) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours | Officer, Order of Canada |
William Shatner OC (born March 22, 1931) is a famous Canadian actor. He has been acting for over seventy years! He is most well-known for playing James T. Kirk. This was the captain of the starship Enterprise in the Star Trek TV shows and movies.
Shatner started acting in Canadian films and TV. Then, he moved to American TV shows. He played Captain Kirk in all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series. He also voiced Kirk in Star Trek: The Animated Series. Plus, he was in the first seven Star Trek movies. Outside of Star Trek, he starred as a police sergeant in T. J. Hooker. He also hosted Rescue 911. He appeared in the comedy movie Miss Congeniality.
After his time as Captain Kirk, Shatner continued acting. He appeared in comedies, dramas, and reality shows. He played an alien character called "Big Giant Head" in 3rd Rock from the Sun. From 2004 to 2008, he played attorney Denny Crane in The Practice and Boston Legal. This role won him two Emmy Awards! Later, he starred in Better Late Than Never. This was a funny travel show where older celebrities explored Asia and Europe.
Besides acting, Shatner is also a recording artist. He started in 1968 with his album The Transformed Man. He often recites song lyrics dramatically instead of singing them. Some famous covers include the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and Elton John's "Rocket Man". His album Seeking Major Tom (2011) was very popular.
In 2021, William Shatner flew into space! He went on a Blue Origin rocket. At 90 years old, he became the oldest person to ever fly in space. He was one of the first 600 people to experience space travel. After his flight, he talked about seeing the "overview effect". This is a feeling of wonder about Earth's fragile atmosphere.
Contents
William Shatner's Early Life and Education
Shatner was born on March 22, 1931. His birthplace was Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His parents, Ann and Joseph Shatner, were Jewish. He has two sisters, Joy and Farla. His family name was originally Schattner. His grandfather changed it to Shatner. His grandparents were Jewish immigrants from what is now Ukraine and Lithuania.
Shatner went to Willingdon Elementary and West Hill High School. He also attended the Montreal Children's Theatre. He studied Economics at McGill University in Montreal. He earned a degree in 1952. In 2011, McGill University gave him an honorary degree.
William Shatner's Acting Journey
Starting His Career: Stage, Film, and TV
Shatner began acting in movies while still in college. In 1951, he had a small role in a Canadian comedy. After college, he worked in theater. He joined the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. He even made his Broadway debut in 1956.
In 1954, Shatner moved to New York City. He wanted to act on Broadway. He soon got his first American TV role. It was in a children's show called The Howdy Doody Show. He played Ranger Bob with puppets and Clarabell the Clown. Four years later, he was in a big Hollywood movie. He played Alexei in The Brothers Karamazov. He also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
In 1959, Shatner got good reviews for his role in The World of Suzie Wong on Broadway. He also played detective Archie Goodwin in a TV pilot. This show, Nero Wolfe, was not picked up by CBS.
Shatner appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone. These were "Nick of Time" (1960) and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (1963). The latter was remade into a movie twenty years later. He also starred in the movie The Intruder (1962). He had a supporting role in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). In 1964, he guest-starred in The Outer Limits. He also appeared in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with Leonard Nimoy. They would later work together on Star Trek.
In 1965, Shatner had the main role in a legal drama, For the People. The show was cancelled after 13 episodes. This allowed him to take on the role of Captain Kirk. In 1966, he starred in the horror film Incubus. This movie was unique because all the dialogue was in Esperanto.
Becoming Captain Kirk: Star Trek on TV
Shatner was chosen to play Captain James T. Kirk for the second pilot of Star Trek. He then signed on to play Kirk for the whole show. He was the captain of the USS Enterprise from 1966 to 1969. The show had fair ratings and was cancelled after three seasons. An episode in 1968, "Plato's Stepchildren", showed Captain Kirk kissing Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). This is often remembered as one of the first kisses between a white man and a black woman on American TV. In 1973, Shatner returned to voice Kirk in the animated Star Trek series.
Life After Star Trek
After Star Trek was cancelled in 1969, Shatner found it hard to find work. He was often seen only as Captain Kirk. He had little money and even lived in a truck-bed camper for a while. He took any small job to support his family.
During this time, Shatner acted in B-movies like Big Bad Mama (1974) and Kingdom of the Spiders (1977). On TV, he appeared in many popular shows. These included Columbo, Ironside, and The Six Million Dollar Man. He also knew American Kenpo karate.
To earn more money, Shatner appeared on many TV game shows. He was on The Hollywood Squares and Match Game. He also played on The $10,000 Pyramid. He even had a "Kirk versus Spock" match-up with Leonard Nimoy. Shatner also did many TV commercials. He promoted General Motors' Oldsmobile cars and Promise margarine.
Star Trek Movies and T. J. Hooker
Star Trek became very popular through reruns. Fans, called Trekkies, started holding conventions. Shatner and other actors often attended these events.
In the mid-1970s, Paramount decided to make a Star Trek movie. Shatner and the original cast returned for Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He played Kirk in six more Star Trek films. His last appearance as Kirk was in Star Trek Generations (1994). In this movie, Captain Kirk dies heroically. He also played Kirk in a video game and a TV commercial.
Shatner has a unique relationship with his fans. In a 1986 Saturday Night Live sketch, he famously told Trekkies to "get a life". He also made fun of Captain Kirk's heroic image in movies like Airplane II: The Sequel (1982).
In 1982, Shatner starred in the TV show T. J. Hooker. He played a police sergeant in Los Angeles. The show ran for five seasons until 1986. Its success led him to host Rescue 911 from 1989 to 1996. Shatner also started directing in the 1980s. He directed many episodes of T. J. Hooker. He also directed the movie Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
In 1983, Shatner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. This honors him as the first Canadian actor to star in major shows on three big U.S. networks.
TekWar and Other Projects
Working on T. J. Hooker gave Shatner an idea for a new show. He wanted to play a private investigator in a future world. He turned this idea into a novel called TekWar, published in 1989. This book started a series that sold many copies. The novels became four TekWar TV movies. Shatner played a supporting role and directed some episodes.
In 1994, Shatner returned to Columbo as a guest star. In 1995, his TekWar series became a computer game. He also narrated a TV miniseries called A Twist in the Tale (1998).
In the late 1990s, Shatner became famous for commercials for priceline.com. He played a funny version of himself. He also was a CEO for a special effects studio called C.O.R.E.. In 1999, he wrote a book called Get a Life!. It was about his experiences with Star Trek fans.
Films and Denny Crane
In the comedy movie Miss Congeniality (2000), Shatner played Stan Fields. He was the co-host of the Miss United States Pageant. He also appeared in the sequel in 2004. In 2001, he voiced Mayor Phlegmming in the animated movie Osmosis Jones. He also directed and starred in the film Groom Lake (2002). In 2004, he had a supporting role in the comedy DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.
After seeing Shatner's commercials, TV producer David E. Kelley cast him in The Practice. Shatner played the unique lawyer Denny Crane. He continued this role in the spin-off show Boston Legal. This role earned him a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award in 2005. He was nominated for more Emmys until the show ended in 2008.
In 2006, Shatner voiced characters in two animated movies. He was Ozzie the opossum in Over the Hedge. He also voiced Kazar the wildebeest in The Wild. From 2007, he started posting daily video blogs online. He also hosted a humorous chat show called Shatner's Raw Nerve.
Shatner made several guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. He often performed funny readings of speeches and tweets. He also read from his own memoir, Up Till Now. Shatner was not in the 2009 Star Trek film. The director said it was hard to fit him in naturally.
Recent Projects
In 2010, Shatner began hosting Weird or What on the Discovery Channel. This show explored strange news reports about UFOs and mysterious creatures. He also guest-starred in the show Psych. In 2011, he directed and presented The Captains. This documentary featured him interviewing other actors who played captains in Star Trek shows.
Shatner returned to theater in 2012. He performed a one-man show called Shatner's World: We Just Live in It on Broadway. He also appeared in a documentary about Star Trek fandom called Get a Life!. In 2014, his one-man show was filmed and shown in theaters. In 2015, he played Mark Twain in Murdoch Mysteries. He also produced and directed William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge, a documentary about Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In 2016, Shatner starred in the NBC reality show Better Late Than Never. He traveled around Asia with other older celebrities. He also launched Shatner Singularity, a comic-book publisher. In 2017, he voiced Grand Pear in the children's show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
In 2021, Shatner starred in the film Senior Moment. He also hosted a science documentary show called I Don't Understand with William Shatner. This show was on RT, a Russian TV network. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Shatner supported Ukraine. He then left his show on RT. In 2022, Shatner competed on The Masked Singer as "Knight". He also hosted The UnXplained on History from 2019 to 2023.
William Shatner's Music Career
Albums and Collaborations
Shatner released his first album, The Transformed Man, in 1968. He would read parts from plays and then dramatically recite popular songs. He covered songs like Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". He kept this unique talk-singing style throughout his career.
His second studio album, Has Been, came out in 2004. It was produced by Ben Folds. It included new songs and a cover of "Common People" with Joe Jackson. His album Seeking Major Tom (2011) featured many famous musicians. It had covers of space-themed songs like David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Shatner's album Ponder the Mystery was released in 2013. He also released a country music album, Why Not Me, in 2018. A holiday album, Shatner Claus, came out in 2018. His album The Blues (2020) reached number one on the Billboard Blues Chart. His tenth album, Bill, was released in 2021.
Shatner has also appeared on other artists' albums. He was on Ben Folds's album Fear of Pop: Volume 1. He also sang with Brian Evans on a live album.
Musical Performances on TV and Film
Shatner's unique musical style was shown on TV. In 1978, he hosted the Saturn Awards. He performed a version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" that became famous for being funny. He also performed Harry Chapin's "Taxi" on a talk show.
In films, Shatner also had musical moments. In Free Enterprise, he recited a speech over a rap song. In Miss Congeniality, he sang "Miss United States". He also voiced Buzz Lightyear singing in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins.
In 2007, his album Has Been was used for a dance project. It was called Common People and performed by the Milwaukee Ballet. A documentary about this, William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet, was well-received. Shatner also uses his singing style in commercials. He often makes fun of himself, like in the Priceline ads.
William Shatner's Space Adventures
Space Shuttle Discovery
NASA often wakes up astronauts with special recordings. On March 7, 2011, the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery heard Shatner's voice. He recited an adapted version of the famous Star Trek introduction. He said, "Space, the final frontier. These have been the voyages of the Space Shuttle Discovery."
His Real Spaceflight in 2021
Shatner flew into space on October 13, 2021. He was part of Blue Origin's second human spaceflight. Jeff Bezos, the creator of Blue Origin, invited him. Shatner flew on the New Shepard rocket capsule. At 90 years old, he became the oldest person to fly into space. He broke the record set by Wally Funk, who flew at 82. After his flight, Shatner spoke about the "overview effect". He described feeling a deep connection to Earth's fragile atmosphere.
William Shatner's Personal Life
Shatner doesn't like watching his own performances. He says he hasn't seen all of his Star Trek episodes. He also avoids watching himself in Boston Legal. He claims the only Star Trek movie he's seen is Star Trek V, which he directed.
Shatner lives in the U.S. and has a green card.
Family Life
Shatner has been married four times. His first wife was Gloria Rand. They married in 1956 and had three daughters: Leslie, Lisabeth, and Melanie. They divorced in 1969.
His second wife was Marcy Lafferty. Their marriage lasted from 1973 to 1996. They did not have children.
Shatner's third wife was Nerine Kidd. They married in 1997. Sadly, she passed away in 1999. Shatner was very sad about her death. His 2004 album Has Been included a song about his grief.
In 2001, Shatner married Elizabeth Anderson Martin. They divorced in 2020.
Friendships with Other Actors
Shatner first worked with Leonard Nimoy in 1964. They were both guest stars on The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Like their characters Kirk and Spock, they had a professional rivalry that grew into a close friendship. They worked together on Star Trek and other shows. Nimoy was even Shatner's best man at his fourth wedding. When Nimoy passed away in 2015, Shatner said, "I loved him like a brother."
Shatner has been friends with actress Heather Locklear since 1982. They co-starred on T. J. Hooker. Shatner helped her get other roles. Locklear also comforted him after his third wife's death. They worked together again on Boston Legal.
Some of Shatner's Star Trek co-stars, like George Takei and James Doohan, had issues with him. Takei has spoken about his difficulties with Shatner. However, Walter Koenig and Doohan eventually became friends with Shatner. Doohan even contributed to Shatner's memoir later on.
Health and Hobbies
Shatner has tinnitus, a ringing in the ears. He thinks it might be from a loud noise during filming Star Trek in 1967. He supports the American Tinnitus Association. He has also mentioned having some joint pain as he gets older.
In his free time, Shatner loves horses. He breeds and shows American Saddlebreds and Quarter Horses. He has a farm in Kentucky called Belle Reve Farm. He raises American Saddlebreds there. He has won awards for his work with horses. In 2019, he won a world championship with his horse Track Star.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Shatner plays in celebrity poker games to raise money for charity. Most of his charity work involves horses. Since 1990, he has supported the Hollywood Charity Horse Show. This event raises money for children's organizations. His farm also helps a program called "Horses for Heroes".
In 2006, Shatner sold a kidney stone for $25,000. He donated the money to Habitat for Humanity. This charity helps build homes for people in need.
Public Appearances and Honors
Shatner has made many public appearances. He was king of the Mardi Gras Bacchus parade in 1987. On New Year's Day 1994, he was the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade in California. He led the parade on horseback!
He was also a speaker at the closing ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In 2017, he was the honorary captain of the first official Star Trek cruise. He also visited the replica Star Trek set in New York.
William Shatner's Filmography
Shatner has starred in movies and TV shows for seven decades. He has also appeared in video games, often as James T. Kirk. He has been in many commercials too.
Awards and Honours for William Shatner
Entertainment
- Three-time Saturn Award winner
- 1980 Life Career Award
- 1983 Best Actor (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
- 2015 Guest Actor (Haven)
- Two-time Emmy Award winner
- 2004 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (The Practice)
- 2005 Outstanding Supporting Actor in A Drama Series (Boston Legal)
- 2005 Golden Globe Award
- 2009 Prism Award
- 2009 Streamy Award – Best Reality Web Series
- 2015 Voice Arts Icon Award
Equestrian
- Multiple time World Champion breeder
- 1985 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Meritorious Service Award
- 2017 National Reining Horse Association Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2021 ASHA C.J Cronan Sportsmanship Award
National
- 2011 Governor General's Performing Arts Award
- 2019 Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada by Canadian Governor General Julie Payette
Organizational
- 2014 NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal – highest award NASA gives a non-government employee
Halls of Fame
- 1983 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1995 ASHA Breeders Hall of Fame
- 2000 Star on Canada's Walk of Fame
- 2006 Television Hall of Fame
- 2020 WWE Hall of Fame – Celebrity Wing inductee
Honorary Degrees
- 2011 Honorary Doctorate of Letters from McGill University
Mock/Satirical
- Two-time Golden Raspberry Award winner
- 1989 Worst Actor (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
- 1989 Worst Director (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
William Shatner's Discography
- The Transformed Man (1968) – Decca Records
- Isaac Asimov - Foundation: the Psychohistorians (1975) - Caedmon Records
- William Shatner Live (1977) – live double album – Lemli Records
- Science Fiction Soundbook with Leonard Nimoy (1977) - Caedmon Records
- Spaced Out: The Very Best of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner (1996) – compilation album – Universal
- Has Been (2004) – produced by Ben Folds – Shout! Factory
- Exodus: An Oratorio in Three Parts (2008) – JMG/Jewish Music
- Seeking Major Tom (2011) – Cleopatra Records
- Ponder the Mystery (2013) with Billy Sherwood – Cleopatra Records
- Why Not Me (2018) with Jeff Cook – Heartland Records Nashville
- Shatner Claus (2018) – with Iggy Pop, Brad Paisley and Judy Collins – Cleopatra Records
- The Blues (2020) – with Brad Paisley, Kirk Fletcher, Sonny Landreth, Canned Heat – Cleopatra Records
- Bill (2021) – Produced by Daniel Miller. - Republic Records.
- So Fragile, So Blue (2024) - with Ben Folds, National Symphony Orchestra, and Steven Reineke
- Where Will The Animals Sleep: Songs For Kids And Other Living Things (2024) - Cleopatra Records
See also
In Spanish: William Shatner para niños
