R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy!!!

Today is a sad day in the world of entertainment. The one and only Leonard Nimoy, most known for playing Mr. Spock on Star Trek, has passed away at the age of 83 due to the final stages of COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

I grew up with the character of Mr. Spock since I can remember. I knew who the character was even before I knew what Star Trek was. My first memory of seeing Mr. Spock was probably in 1991 when they did their last movie together. Not knowing who he was, those pointy ears and that bowl-cut hairdo was something that stuck in my mind. Who was this strange guy who never smiled; never laughed; never got angry? How cool would it be if we all could be like that. The world would be a much better and smarter place. And then there was his friend, Captain Kirk, who was always the first one to jump at the chance of kicking someone's ass. Spock was the voice of reason, not only in Star Trek, but the voice of logic in this world as well. The things he said, such as "It has always been easier to destroy than to create", or "Logic is the beginning of wisdom." had me all

While he wasn't acting or directing, photography was a big hobby for Mr. Nimoy. So much so that in 2007 he published  The Full Body Project, showcasing his photography of women of bigger sizes. This was a focus on obese, thick and curvy women and how they are just as beautiful (in my case, way more attractive) if not more so than what society considers to be "beautiful". His message was clear in his photography and it gave a large amount of focus on how we are all beautiful. I was very pleased to see him make this book and I remember it almost being on the verge of selling out. His interest in photography was also something that is pushing me to start taking photos. Please get a copy of this book when you can.

Leonard Nimoy was born in 1931 in Boston and starting from that he was born to be an actor. Before he landed his big role on Star Trek in 1966, he acted in The Twilight Zone as well as other productions. In 1964, Leonard became probably the most recognized icon in television history: Mr. Spock. Now, the pilot for Star Trek was never aired until 1988 and then with the help and assistance of Lucile Ball, she was able to push for a second pilot of the show and in 1965, the first aired episode of Star Trek hit the screen. This was the first time William Shatner acted alongside Nimoy as the legendary Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. In 1966, Star Trek was finally on the air for good and Spock became a household name. Sadly, in 1969, after 79 episodes (not counting the 1964 pilot), Star Trek was cancelled by NBC and Leonard, along with the actors, went their separate ways. An episode of Columbo was done with Nimoy as the killer and it was great! You should check it out! Finally, in 1973, the crew of Star Trek came back to NBC for a new series. This time, it was to be Star Trek: The Animated Series. This incarnation of Trek featured all of our favorite characters but this time their voices were used. The show ran as a Saturday morning cartoon for two years with 22 episodes.

By the time the third Star Trek film hit, Leonard Nimoy began his directing career! In addition to directing two Trek films, Mr. Nimoy directed several films including the popular 3 Men and a Baby. After doing two more Star Trek films, Nimoy retired from acting in 1991. During the period between 1991 and 2009, Nimoy did voice-over work including the voice of King Kashekim Nedakh in the Disney animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. In 2009, he donned the "Spock ears" one more time as Spock Prime, the link between the original Star Trek timeline and the new one created by J.J. Abrams. Seeing his return as Spock was such a nice surprise and I remember clapping out loud when he appears alongside Chirs Pine. Yes, the movie featured a new Spock as played by Zachary Quinto, but there is only ONE Mr. Spock and that is Leonard Nimoy.

In early 2014, Leonard was diagnosed with COPD after spending many years smoking. Although he quit during the filming of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, nearly 30 years ago, the effects were too great and took a toll on the wonderful actor years later. He was first spotted at LAX airport being pushed in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank, thus confirming his disorder. It was honestly a shock to see this. After he announced his condition, Mr. Nimoy went on television talking about the dangers of smoking and how you should never smoke if you want to live a long life. We are only on the planet for a short period and it is important that we make the best of it. Smoking is wrong.

Leonard Nimoy as Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982).

Leonard left us too soon and we will forever be in his debt. I have a story where Mr. Nimoy came into my place of work. He came into my job with a huge trench coat and baseball cap on. You couldn't mistake him for a second. It was a bit busy at my job but when he came to my register, I tensed up and just kept telling myself, He's a customer like any other. He's a customer like any other... As Spo--I mean, Leonard came up to me asking for a couple of ice cream bars for him and his wife, I knew this was an event I would never forget. Yes, he was a customer and yes I was an employee, but for that short exchange, I didn't care, I was talking to the actor who played my favorite science-fiction character ever! After the transaction was done, I stopped to think about how cool it was to sell something to my idol and that I would never forget that night. I never did, and never will. Live Long and Prosper, Mr. Leonard Nimoy! You will be greatly missed. Your contribution to the Hammer Museum in Westwood, California and the restoration of the Griffith Observatory is impeccable!