Leonard Nimoy, who won fame and fans with his portrayal of logic-bound, half-alien Commander Spock in the Star Trek TV series and movies, died on Friday. He was 83.
Nimoy, who had battled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, died at his home in Los Angeles’ Bel Air section, his agents, Bob and David Gersh, said in a statement.
“We return you now to the stars, Leonard,” fellow cast member George Takei wrote on Facebook.
Photo: Reuters
“You taught us to ‘Live long and prosper,’ and you indeed did, friend,” Takei said, recalling the trademark phrase uttered by Nimoy’s character.
Nimoy at first struggled with a love-hate relationship with the role of the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer on the starship Enterprise, but came to accept its role in his life.
Last year, he disclosed on Twitter that he had been diagnosed with the progressive lung disease.
Photo: Reuters
“I quit smoking 30 years ago. Not soon enough,” he tweeted to his more than 810,000 followers. “Grandpa says, quit now!!”
Nimoy had other roles during a lengthy career in TV, film and theater. He directed successful movies, wrote books, composed poetry, published photographs and recorded music. However, he will be forever linked to Spock in the original 1960s Star Trek TV series and subsequent movies.
Known for suppressing his emotions and using logic to guide his actions, the pointy-eared Spock — whose father was from Vulcan and whose mother was from Earth — became one of science fiction’s most beloved characters.
US President Barack Obama, who has been compared to Spock for his prominent ears and coolheaded demeanor, called Nimoy and his character “the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future.”
“I loved Spock,” the president said in a statement.
Nimoy signed off his tweets with “LLAP,” an abbreviation of “live long and prosper.”
Nimoy was married twice. He is survived by his wife, Susan, his two children and several grandchildren.
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