On the surface, it seems Leonard Nimoy succeeded at whatever task he tackled. He acted in films, television, and theater, and most likely will be linked forever to his memorable portrayal of Star Trek's Mr. Spock. He was an author of poetry and other works, as well as a director and a producer. He even recorded almost a dozen albums, and there, unfortunately, is where Nimoy finally faltered. One recording, Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space, is particularly campy. Featured numbers included "Highly Illogical," "Spock Thoughts," and "Amphibious Assault," as well as a cover of "Where Is Love?" from the musical Oliver.
Among the titles of Nimoy's other albums are The Touch of Leonard Nimoy, Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy, The Way I Feel, The Martian Chronicles, The War of the Worlds, and The Illustrated Man. A compilation album titled Highly Illogical was also marketed, with covers of "Proud Mary," "If I Was a Carpenter," "Everybody's Talkin'," "Both Sides Now," "If I Had a Hammer," and "Abraham, Martin & John." Die-hard fans of Mr. Spock and dedicated Trekkies who followed similar series-related trivia kept track of the entire list of releases and the albums' availability, as well as similar recordings by William Shatner, who played opposite Nimoy in the role of Captain James T. Kirk.
Nimoy was a native of Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Max, was a barber, and mother, Dora, took care of the family's home and children. He acted throughout his childhood in school and amateur productions before heading to Hollywood at the age of 20. He began getting work in films such as The Brain Eaters and Francis Goes to West Point, but had no memorable roles until that of Mr. Spock in 1966. His other series work included the role of Paris in Mission: Impossible during the early '70s. Nimoy was married twice. He wed Sandra Zober in 1954, and the couple had a son and a daughter before divorcing in 1987. He wed Susan Bay in 1989 and had a stepson with her. Leonard Nimoy died at age 83 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in Los Angeles on February 27, 2015
Linda Seida
AllMusic.com
