Star Trek Host: Welcome to today's STARTREK.COM chat with Leonard Nimoy.
Leonard Nimoy: Yes, sure, hello, it's been a long time since we've communicated.
Star Trek Host: It was announced today that Fred Freiberger, producer of the third season of Star Trek has passed away. What are your thoughts on that...?
LN: I knew Fred for many, many years, even before Star Trek. I met Fred in the 1950's and he was a gentleman and a gentle man.
Q: Your voice talent is excellent. Will we be seeing more voice work from you?
designationlocutus
LN: Probably not. It's hard to see voice work, but you might hear some.
Q: Hello, Mr. Nimoy. What inspired your recent photography and how long did it take you to build your collection?
startreknemesis
LN: I've been a photography hobbyist since I was a teenager and the book I published last fall, "Shekhina," took eight years to put together.
Q: Dear Mr. Nimoy -I Love your work in poetry and photography I hope you do more of it but where can I get your new photography books?
tlor246
LN: It's in most bookstores, but you definitely can get it online at BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com.
Q: I understand women are a favorite subject for your photography. Why?
cassiopia
LN: I enjoy women and the female figure has been a great subject for art for many centuries. This particular book goes beyond the female figure; it's a book about mystic spirituality.
Q: As a writer and advanced amateur photographer myself for many years now, there are many questions I would like to ask you about your passion for still photography, culminating in your latest, and remarkable, "Shekhina" project. For example, how did your interest in photography evolve, and did you begin with 35mm?
gundar
LN: I actually started in my teenage years with an old Kodak bellows camera, it was a cloth bellows. And I do use 35 mm and I also use medium format now. And early in the 1970's I studied photography at UCLA.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, welcome! What was it like to work with a visionary like Mr. Roddenberry?
stevepeonio
LN: He was a very complicated man and a great visionary.
Q: Do you currently stay in touch with any other cast members?
iceplanetzeo
LN: I'm very much in touch with Bill Shatner. He and I and Nichelle Nichols and Jimmy Doohan were together at the TV Land Awards, Star Trek was presented with an award and we accepted for Star Trek. It will be aired on March 12, on TV Land and Nick at Nite.
Q: What do you think of the new series Enterprise?
maxxanth66
LN: I haven't seen much of it. I think they're very talented people.
Q: Do you think Jolene Blalock is doing a good job of playing a Vulcan?
trumpett
LN: I really can't pass judgment, I haven't seen enough to say.
Q: Are you still doing "Alien Voices"?
accordionforever
LN: No, we're finished with Alien Voices. We did "The Time Machine," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "The Invisible Man," "The Lost World," "Spock vs. Q" and the sequel ["Spock vs. Q: The Sequel"].
Q: Mr. Nimoy, how has your relationship changed with your character Spock? At first you seemed to shy away from the character, but now?
scath
LN: I'm not sure that that's accurate. I know that there is that perception out there. Mostly because I published an autobiography called "I Am Not Spock." But if you get a copy of the book, I think you'll find that I very much embraced that character, even in that book. The title was based on a chapter in which I explored the differences between myself and Spock.
Q: I really enjoyed your portrayal of a holocaust survivor ["Mel Mermelstein"] in the film "Never Forget" [1991]. What was your reason for choosing that part or film?
Abram
LN: Well, it was a very current story. It was about a gentleman who actually lives now in Southern California and although there have been many period pieces done about the Holocaust, this story took place in the present and had to do with people who deny that the Holocaust ever took place.
Q: Now that you're retired from acting and directing, what's a typical day like for you? Besides your photography pursuits, what does Leonard Nimoy do to pass the time?"
robbie
LN: My wife and I are very active in the art community in Los Angeles and in New York. My wife is a Trustee at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and we spend a lot of time in galleries and museums. We also have a house at Lake Tahoe and an apartment in New York as well as our home in LA. So we move around quite a bit.
Q: Can you tell me what the most amazing/memorable place is that you have traveled to? Thank you.
moags900
LN: I spent a month in China in 1981, working on the "Marco Polo" miniseries and a month in Morocco just a few years ago working on the miniseries about the biblical David. I did some scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, what were you doing on the day of September 11th?
mikejmoe
LN: We were in New York in our apartment. My wife had the TV set on, she yelled out, "A plane just hit the World Trade Center"! We both went to the set and watched the second plane hit the second building.
Q: How did it feel coming back as Spock for the episodes of The Next Generation?
bambi_
LN: I enjoyed that a lot, I liked the people.
Q: I'm excited by the [Special Collector's] Edition release of "The Voyage Home," but I haven't heard much about it. Any changes to the film itself? And, are you happy with the finished product (special features, etc.)?
chinookstar
LN: No changes in the film. I think they've done a very good job of building additional material based on interviews with Bill and myself and lot of different people. I think the film is still a lot of fun to watch.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, do you have a favorite science fiction genre book author?
padmeamanda
LN: Well, I keep thinking about the people who wrote some of wonderful Star Trek episodes, and Nicholas Meyer did a lot of wonderful work on the films, on the series, Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison and Robert Bloch to name a few.
Q: Hi from Sweden. What are you most proud of in your career beside Star Trek?
mikegyver
LN: I feel lucky; I've worked with so many wonderful people. Certainly would want to mention Ingrid Bergman who I worked with on a miniseries called "A Woman Called Golda" [1982]. She was such a brilliant actress; it was a thrill to work with her.
Q: Could you describe for us what those ears felt like when you wore them. Were they uncomfortable?
iceplanetzeo
LN: They were somewhat uncomfortable, they sometimes irritated my skin.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, was it hard to learn to lift one eyebrow in that manner?
trekkieat9
LN: It came very naturally. It wasn't something I set out or planned to do. It was something that I did as a natural reaction to something DeForest Kelley said to me one day.
Q: Happy early birthday, Mr. Nimoy! I am a big fan and love all the work you've done in Star Trek ... would you ever consider working on Enterprise or another Trek project?
ckm
LN: Thank you. I haven't had a call to work on anything connected to Star Trek for many years and I don't anticipate hearing from them.
Q: Where do your concepts of mystic spirituality come from, and what are your basic ideas?
cleansocks
LN: Read the book. (laughing) It comes from my experiences I had in my childhood, being raised in a Jewish home being exposed to Kabbala, which is Jewish mysticism. The subject is well covered in the "Shekhina" book.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, are you going to be at any conventions anytime soon?
mikejmoe
LN: I'm going to be at the Grand Slam in Pasadena, and I will be in Tulsa on the weekend of June 27. And I have agreed to go to London next January for Creation.
Q: How did you get signed into doing The Simpsons and Futurama? Those were a riot! I loved them!
thewriter
LN: I'm a fan of the show and Matt Groening called and asked me if I'd come on.
Q: Clearly you've delved into sci-fi after playing Spock. Did you enjoy sci-fi prior to Star Trek?
cassiopia
LN: I actually acted in science fiction in 1951, in a project called "Zombies of the Stratosphere."
Q: I was wondering if you put anything else besides the hand greeting from Judaism into Vulcan culture or Star Trek in general.
Shira
LN: No, the answer is no.
Q: Will there be a follow-up photography book to "Shekhina"? Will you be doing a book tour?
jonna
LN: I have been out doing book appearances since last October; I'm almost finished. I have a few left to do in the California area.
Q: I hear your voice as narrator on many science specials. Do you enjoy doing those?
hattie
LN: I do.
Q: What Vulcan philosophy do you think is the most valuable for YOUR real life?
cleansocks
LN: I think managing to control your emotions is a good idea.
Q: Can you share one of your fondest memories when playing Spock?
cassiopia
LN: I always think about the camaraderie of the cast, we had a great time.
Q: Mr. Nimoy Do you have your own fan Web site?
hedgeclippers
LN: No. I have a photography website: leonardnimoyphotography.com
Q: Artistically and creatively you are multi-talented. Is there something you've dabbled in that hasn't piqued your interest? Conversely, what creative outlet(s) would you like to explore further?
cassiopia
LN: Well, I'm committing a lot of time to my photography now. That's where my creative energy is going.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, how do you feel about the direction the Star Trek franchise has taken, particularly with the new series and the rumored departure of Star Trek from the big screen?
al1066
LN: Well, I think they've done a remarkable job of keeping it alive over the last 12-13 years since I was involved. I can't really say whether or not it has run its course. It's very possible that with enough imagination and talent they could find a way to keep it going a lot longer.
Q: And if you could pick one person from history to take a portrait photograph of, who would it be?
wayne
LN: Moses.
Q: I was recently watching VH1 and saw a brief clip of you singing a song about Bilbo Baggins ["The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins"]. Ever thought about re-releasing the tune because of all the interest in "Lord of the Rings" right now?
jared
LN: Yes, I did record several albums in the late 60's and early 70's and my producer, Charlie Grean came up with the idea and wrote "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins." I don't own it, it's out there — there are people who are playing it in various places as a result of the movies.
Q: Were you approached in doing Star Trek: The Animated Series? What did you think of the storylines and working with the original cast again?
kirk1701a
LN: That was an interesting project. I was, frankly, disappointed. I think because the animation could not capture the chemistry between the cast members we had on the TV series.
Q: As a photographer how do you feel about the rise of digital photography?
jerryjones
LN: I think there's no stopping it. I think for certain usage, it's fantastic. But I do think that fine art photography will always be done on film, with chemicals. Then again, I could be wrong.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, I just saw you in an episode of Perry Mason. Was that your first TV acting job?
MattTrek
LN: No, not my first by a long shot.
Star Trek Host: What was your first?
LN: Probably an episode of Dragnet in the early 50's.
Q: Several years ago I saw you in a one-man show that revolved around the concept of Van Gogh's brother, Theo, speaking about Vincent. I thought it was terrific and quite moving. I have not been able to find a script or other productions. Can you tell me if any are being done or if you have any intentions of doing it again, perhaps here in New York!
Joe
LN: There are occasional productions done around the country and we did videotape my production of it, I believe it's still available through Paramount Home Entertainment.
Q: Any future TV or film collaborations with your son, Adam, in the works?
joannx
LN: No, not that I know of. Adam has just finished directing an episode of Skulls, which was very good.
Q: Okay, another question (BTW, my 8-year-old says "Hi, Mr. Spock"): Can you describe your experience with your voice work for Disney, for the movie "Atlantis"?
robmeister
LN: I went in, maybe five or six times because of additional dialogue and rewrites, they were a very warm and welcoming group of people and I enjoyed working with them.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, what was the last movie you saw?
hoosierflyboy1972
LN: The last movie I saw — last night I watched "Antwone Fisher" on DVD. Thumbs up! Good picture.
Q: What is your favorite Spock quote?
iceman834
LN: My favorite Spock quote? It was line in "Amok Time" that I thought was very interesting, it was something like, "You may find that wanting is more pleasurable than having. It is not logical, but it is often so."
Q: If you could beam one message to all people living on Planet Earth today — what would that message be? I heard you speak recently at Sinai Temple — fantastic!
Dee Long
LN: Wow. "Wouldn't it be great if we could all learn to live together?"
Q: Any plans on doing a sequel to Bill's "Mind-Meld" DVD project?
joannx
LN: Haven't heard of any.
Q: I believe you can tell a lot about a person by the art on their walls. What art is on your walls?
ange
LN: Well, we collect a lot of contemporary art. Some of it is representational and some of it is abstract.
Q: Have you ever been offered a role that you turned down and regretted doing so?
joannx
LN: I was offered the role of "Dracula" in the original Broadway production some years ago. Frank Langella took the job and when I saw the production I decided that I had made a mistake.
Q: Did you have a good working relationship with Mark Lenard?
designationlocutus
LN: Very good.
Q: Did you enjoy acting in the series Mission Impossible?
cpt_becky_archer
LN: I did for a while. Then I'd had enough of it. I got restless.
Q: Mr. Nimoy, I recently hosted a discussion on ethics within Star Trek in a philosophy club at my school, and with books like "The Ethics of Star Trek" being published and people obviously taking an interest in the subject, how much do you feel you contributed to the particular philosophy/ethics of the show?
emergencymichaelhologram
LN: I think the concepts of the show came from great writers. And all pointing towards the vision that Gene Roddenberry established.
Q: In "I Am Spock," the book you wrote in 1995, you said that you talk to Spock. Do the two of you still have chats?
qlotti
LN: Yeah, but it's kind of hard to talk to him these days. He's deep on a secret mission in the Romulan Empire, and communication is difficult.
Star Trek Host Too: Thank you very much for attending our chat with Leonard Nimoy.
LN: I'd like to say thanks a lot for being with me and having me on. And live long and prosper.
Live Long & Prosper O Vulcan of my dreams!
personwholikesspock
Thank you for your time Leonard. Qua'pla jolan tru!
bambi_
Happy birthday!
tlor246
Thank you Mr. Nimoy for taking the time out of your day to speak with us.
trekkieat9
THANKS!
z_monster
It was fun
Ska
GOOD BYE!
iceman834
Bye Spock, Happy B-Day!
startrekfan9372
Thank you Mr. Nimoy. To your continued health and success
stirling
Peace and long life, Leonard.
robmeister
You're the best!!
andrew_2000ca
Have a wonderful day, and goodbye!
trekkieat9
bye Mr. nimoy
lazydude68
thanks for the time, all the best
borg636
That was such a logical thing to do tonight!
stamods
hope to talk to u again soon
ozzyfan
Jolan True, Mr Nimoy!
sanik
Bye, Thanks
coach_lmc
Happy birthday, and may you have many more!
mbogomol
