A strikingly candid conversation between two cultural icons revealing their struggles with alcoholism, relationships, loss and the pitfalls of celebrity has been recorded for posterity and will soon be available for public consumption.

"Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime" features an in-depth dialog between William Shatner ("Captain Kirk") and Leonard Nimoy ("Spock") in which the two stars interview each other, share intimate revelations and stories of survival, and reflect on how their lives have been forever altered since the debut of Star Trek in 1966. The unscripted 75-minute conversation will be available on video and DVD beginning November 6 through www.williamshatner.com or by calling 1-877-880-MIND (6463).

Among the many personal topics touched upon by the two legends are the death of Shatner's father, conflicts they had with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and producer Gene L. Coon, and the strain the show put on their marriages and loved ones.

"We wanted to put something definitive down for the record, but the conditions were two friends talking one-on-one," Shatner said. "It makes it a revealing, honest interchange of feeling and thoughts that no interview would have been capable of doing."

"This is the most personal insight the fans will get into our relationship and into aspects of Bill and myself they've never heard before," said Nimoy.

Filmed at Nimoy's home in Los Angeles, some of those personal insights include Nimoy's admission that he developed an addiction to alcohol during Star Trek that continued for years afterwards. "I started drinking regularly, ritually, during probably the second year or third year of our series..." he says, telling how he made sure his secretary would bring him a drink in a paper cup at the end of every shooting day. "The ritual became so ingrained and so important to me, because I looked forward to that release at the end of the pressure of the day... Before I knew it, I was drinking more and more because my addictive personality was taking over." Eventually Nimoy found a rehabilitation program that helped him, and he has now been sober for 13 years.

Treading into other delicate territory, Shatner and Nimoy discuss some of the animosity that has existed between them and other cast members. For Shatner's part, he was never cognizant of any resentment toward him by castmates during filming of the Original Series, and only became aware of such feelings when the actors started appearing at conventions in the 1970's. "I never fully comprehended what it was that was bothering them," Shatner says, although he admits that a "removal" may have occurred because he, Nimoy and DeForest Kelley worked the most together and became close buddies. However, he says, "I still remain puzzled."

Apropos to the release date of Nov. 6, Nimoy and Shatner talk for a few minutes about the making of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which will be released the same day on DVD in the newly revamped "Director's Edition" version (see related story here). They each say they had a "very tough time" making that movie, largely because they felt the script was lacking and they tried to find ways to improve it. The ideas they came up with were well-received by director Robert Wise, but Shatner and Nimoy were very intimidated trying to present them to Roddenberry. A couple of their ideas made it into the film, such as Kirk's decision to treat V'Ger like a child, but the final product "was not the most satisfying result," Nimoy confesses.

The conversation even gets so deep as to delve into the subject of death. "Perhaps the reason I'm running as fast as I can is, I see very clearly my own death," Shatner says, "what with the death of my wife (Nerine, who drowned in 1999). And the lady I've married (since) nursed her husband through cancer to his death. I see death and mortality very clearly... I'm truly afraid... I don't know how to deal with it."

Nimoy comments, "The loss of De Kelley meant a lot to me. I saw him as kind of an uncle figure — as I remember him, a very even-tempered, very wise gentleman who saw a lot and needed very little."

The video, in fact, closes with a title card reading, "In Memory of De Kelley."

"Mind Meld" is a production of Creative Light Entertainment and Melis Productions, Inc., executive produced by Shatner along with Scott Zakarin, Rick Tackenberg and Peter Jaysen; Jaysen also directed. The DVD is available for $24.95, and the VHS for $19.95.

Video clips from "Mind Meld" can be viewed at Entertainment Tonight Online.