Leonard Nimoy to seek out new life beyond Star Trek conventions

"Change is inevitable," said Adam Malin, co-CEO of Creation Entertainment, which has been running Star Trek conventions across the country for years. "We've enjoyed almost three decades of touring and collaborating with Leonard. Everything he does he throws himself into it with passion and energy. After all this, Leonard's just looking to broaden his horizons and move in different directions with his life."

"Star Trek conventions will live long and prosper without Leonard, but he will be missed," Malin said. "This Sunday is going to be unbelievably poignant and heartfelt. If we can keep it together and not all break down into balls of mush, it should go pretty well."

After the wonderful experience (and expense) of the Las Vegas Creation Con in August, I was unsure as to my attending the Chicago convention just a month later. However, as time went on, it sounded like Mr.Nimoy was very serious about this being his last convention appearance. When I saw his tweet that Mrs. Nimoy and the rest of his family would be there, I knew had to be there too.

Arrangements were made and I was to meet/room with a fellow Nimoy fan, Grace Lenihan, who would be flying in from Washington, DC (my flight was from Raleigh, NC.) We sound like the ‘Mary’ and ‘Sally’ from different parts of the country that Mr.Nimoy talks about ‘finding’ him years ago in Montana!

The first day of the con (Friday) focused on the “Enterprise” TV show and its stars. However, at one point Mr.Nimoy and his family were spotted in the lobby! Grace was already on the scene and had a nice LLAP exchange with Mr.Nimoy. As I was walking up, Aaron (his stepson) was passing me. He stopped when I shook his hand and told him that we had met briefly at the “Secret Selves” reception in July 2010. I went on to say how special it was for Mr.Nimoy to have all of them there. He grinned and said “yes, and thank-you.” Mrs. Nimoy was very striking with her silver hair and a black jacket and tights. The family departed in a van some moments later. We were unsure as to why they were there at that point, as Mr.Nimoy’s seminar was the next evening and his convention talk was scheduled for Sunday.

Read more here.

Never thought I'd do it but I've been to a "Star Trek" convention. And not just any convention - this was going to be "Leonard Nimoy's last ever convention appearance.

While I've been a staunch fan of Mr. Nimoy's for years, believe it or not, I'm a real newbie to the convention scene. While I'd hate to say that it was my "first and last", something tells me that without Leonard there, it simply won't be the same.

I arrived Friday afternoon, just in time for Connor Trineer's talk  full of humor and then the autograph signing by himself and Dominic Keating. Dominic called me "Sweet heart" and Connor conversed briefly with me about a friend of mine and fan of his he's come to know over the years. (Note: While ST:TOS will always be my favorite, I must admit that "Enterprise" was #2 in my heart).

Read more here.

REPORT: Trekkies invade Las Vegas for ‘Star Trek’ con

Hundreds of people lined up for autographs throughout the weekend. The prices ranged from $20 to $90 for the big three: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Despite the sometimes steep asking prices, the autograph tickets flew off the shelves. Stewart and Shatner each signed more than 600 items for the fans.

Several attendees also paid $99 for celebrity breakfasts with the talent on hand.

Saturday saw Leonard Nimoy’s second-to-last convention appearance. After Creation Entertainment’s upcoming Chicago convention, Nimoy is retiring from the public spotlight. For Mr. Spock’s appearance in Las Vegas, the auditorium was packed to the gills. The actor rightfully received a standing ovation when he came on stage.

Nimoy talked mostly about his career as an aspiring actor and how he traveled from Boston to Hollywood at a young age. He had fond memories of his time on Star Trek: The Original Series and the subsequent films. A large portion of his talk was devoted to his love for photography and some of his latest projects.

He finished with a heartfelt thank you to Star Trek fans. Fighting back tears, the actor expressed gratitude for the years of fan support for both himself and his family. Offering a Vulcan goodbye with his right hand, the man who brought Mr. Spock to life exited the stage to thunderous applause.

As to be expected, autographs and photo ops with Nimoy sold out quickly.

Source: Hollywood Soapbox

Leonard Nimoy says goodbye forever at Star Trek convention

Las Vegas - Saturday brought out the biggest crowd in recent memory in anticipation of Leonard Nimoy retiring from doing fan conventions.

Costume day is always a big day at the Official Las Vegas Star Trek Convention. And when historical Trek moments happen the fans always show up in big numbers. All there were anticipating the afternoon with Leonard Nimoy and the costume friendly fans came out by the hundreds.

(...)

After a lunch intermission the afternoon belonged to Leonard Nimoy appearing for his second to last time ever at a convention with his retirement announcement. He came well prepared to provide closure for fans and himself.

He stood at the podium and took the fans through his history through story, poetry, and photos. His opening was great, playing the video he did with Bruno Mars, it could not have been more appropriate.

From his childhood, to train he took to Hollywood, selling insurance, to cleaning fish tanks, and driving a cab in LA were he had JFK as passenger who left Nimoy with a bit of wisdom "there is always room for one more good one."

He stayed on format covering stories from his first films, television jobs, and theater experiences. Then he spoke about highlights from Star Trek and the remainder of his career.

Lenard Nimoy bids a teary farewell as he is retiring from the convention circuit with second to last appearance in Las Vegas.

He told the fans the origin of the Vulcan hand sign came from his Jewish childhood. Then the story of having to evacuate one convention with the help of the fire department and a story of mysterious phone calls to him while on a college speaking engagement in Wyoming.

Having gone to UCLA to study photography he spoke at length about this passion which has lead to three photo books, pictures hanging in museums, and a few stories relating to them.

He came upon the end of his time wrapping up with his later directorial and acting career, he also took a moment to reflect on Deforest Kelly, William Shatner, and James Dohan.

As he attempted to say a final farewell his voice cracked and the tears came. The last words he said was "live long and prosper." It became evident at the end that Leonard Nimoy had chosen to bow out while still on top and a desire to do so honorably and selflessly by sharing the moment with fans.

Source: Digital Journal

Recapping Lenord Nemoy [sic.] Live Streaming From Las Vegas 2011

What a wonderful treat this one was. And what a wonderful actor and human being Leonard Nimoy is. This being his last Las Vegas Star trek Convention for reasons he only knows and we as fans should respect and not speculate was one of those magical moments that I wished I would have been there in person.
The show started with an film intro of Leonard Nimoy in a bath robe in a comical theatric short music video set to the music by Bruno Mars “The Lazy Song”(Video embedded below). Actually its the official alternate song if you want to get technical in which Leonard Nimoy goes about his life in his robe without a care in the world and looking more like Walter Matthau in the old Odd Couple movie then what we think of when we think of Leonard Nimoy. A great humorous way to start the event and a great way to let people know that he has a lighter side.

He received a thunderous ovation when his name was announced as he walked on stage to the music of Star Trek the Motion Picture. He opens by saying . “How did I get involved with Bruno Mars ? “ Long story short his stepson Aaron Bay-Schuck, the Atlantic Records executive who signed Bruno Mars to the label asked him to do a cameo. Leonard went on to say “The next thing I knew I was in whole damn thing”.
He then turned to his life . How his parents were Russian immigrants at the turn of the 19th/ 20th century . He joked about how his parents were aliens (from Russia) “went to Boston and became citizens , I was born in Boston a citizen and went to Hollywood and became an alien”.

(...)

The stories that stood out the most was his time as an actor from his beginnings to now. The showed his career arc that started with him staring in his first movie Zombies of the Stratosphere
in which he said “that great experience was followed by another great movie called Attack of the Brain Eaters”. This was his way of saying that his career started off to a bumpy start to say the least and how he had to do odd jobs like fish tank cleaning and such to live.

(...)

The show ended with him tearfully announcing that this was the last show he would be doing and bowing to the audience as they errupted in aplause. A fitting salute to a great actor . He indeed has done honor to his craft. If you are a fan and are interested in seeing this presentation please go to TVOOP . It is a pay to view feature of 7 dollars but its worth it.

Source: Scifiology.com

STAR TREK LAS VEGAS CON – SATURDAY

Leonard Nimoy Bids Farewell To Las Vegas Con

The highlight of Saturday at the Star Trek Con in Las Vegas was an appearance by Leonard Nimoy. The original Spock came with an elaborate presentation taking the audience on a journey through his life from before, during and after Star Trek. This was the same presentation he gave earlier this year at Phoenix Comic Con, and video of that is available on YouTube.

What was different this time, was how Nimoy concluded his time. He became emotional, even tearing up as he haltingly said:

"Friends, this is a very special event for me. I am saying goodbye to this event – I have been here every year for many years and I am filled with gratitude. To you, and to Star Trek, for what it has done for me – the opportunities it has given, my family, all of us. I thank you so much. May you all live long and prosper."

Source: Trek Movie

Creation's Las Vegas Trek Convention, DAY 3 Recap

At 2:35, Leonard Nimoy greeted a full house -- at least 5,800 people, after a screening of the hysterical Bruno Mars video in which he recently appeared. Sporting a LLAP t-shirt, Nimoy shared stories about his youth, his move into acting, the odd jobs he did (cleaning fish tanks, for example) and his time in the Army. He illustrated the conversation with a slide show, by the way. And then, of course, he got into Star Trek. One memorable story: the origins of the Vulcan split-fingered gesture. He saw the rabbis at his temple do it years earlier, with both hands. "I never knew it would come in handy," he said to laughter and applause. He then guided the crowd through the rest of his career, including other acting projects and directing films. And then he talked about how Trek and Spock rose from the ashes. Finally, he discussed his work as a photographer. And then, on the verge of tears and with his voice cracking, Nimoy acknowledged what fans already knew, that this would be his final Vegas convention. He thanked everyone and closed, appropriately, by saying, "May you all live long and prosper." After a brief curtain call, the legend departed the stage to a standing ovation.

Source: Star Trek.com

The 2011 Star Trek Las Vegas Convention Report

Our last stop for the Day was the Leonard Nimoy Panel which was his farewell to trek Cons (save for one final appearance schediled for Chicago that fall). It was heartwarming to hear him talk through his long career form Zombie of the Stratosphere to the latest Abrahms Trek film. It was personal and touching. He took no questions but teared up at the end saying goodbye to everyone and he got a standing ovation. I'm sorry my wallet was too weak too have afforded a photo op or autograph from him- but I was happy to have seen this!

honorarydoctor.livejournal.com

Leonard Nimoy Says Goodbye in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Leonard Nimoy made his final west coast convention appearance on Saturday at the Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas. Nimoy, who announed he would be retiring from such events earlier this year, was welcomed on stage at the Rio Hotel & Casino to enormous applause. The audience of over 4,000 Star Trek fans listened intently as he stood at a podium and walked them through his life and career with the help of photographs, poems and thoughtful anecdotes.

Nimoy talked about growing up in Boston and moving to Hollywood in the 1950s to pursue his dream of acting. He told a story about driving a young John F. Kennedy in a cab and discussed some of his earliest acting jobs, including several westerns and The Twilight Zone. He went on to talk about filming the original Star Trek pilot “The Cage” and how he grew along with the franchise from the 1960′s to present day.

He discussed the Jewish origins of the Vulcan hand sign and fondly remembered his two fallen friends and castmates DeForest Kelley and James Doohan.

With tears in his eyes and voice cracking, a truly memorable and touching moment occured as Nimoy concluded the heartfelt overview of his life with the words “live long and prosper”. At that time, the pure emotion and magnitude of the moment seemed to wash over the rows and rows of fans as they came to their feet for a standing ovation.

I spoke with several fans immediately after — Many of whom told me it was a moment they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Mr. Nimoy has just one convention appearance left as he’ll be the featured guest at Creation Entertainments’s next Star Trek Convention in Chicago on October 2nd.

Source: Trek News

'Star Trek' Celebrates Its 45th Anniversary in Las Vegas

Love is in the air-conditioning at the biggest "Star Trek" convention in the whole world. I am in hot-hot-hot Las Vegas, Nev., which is pretty darned weird, and having one of my greatest weekends ever. Why? Not gambling. Not hookers. Not Manilow. Rather, most of the original crews of the various starships Enterprise (etc.) are here at the lavish hotel Rio, as well as over 20,000 people who not only love these characters but dress like them. It's glorious.

Plus there's a legend in the house -- very exciting, as he's the most iconic figure in all of "Star Trek" (I have his coffee mug): Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, is here. An established artist in various media -- and vibrant at 80! -- he conducts a fun and informative photography seminar, and then, for his penultimate Creation "con" appearance (which brings a Vulcan tear), he gives himself to his fans. He kicks off with a great one-liner ("I was born in Boston, a citizen; I went to Hollywood and became an alien") and proceeds to tell terrific, career-spanning stories: of being a boy in synagogue when first he observed the "passionate, scary, chilling, theatrical" ritual that would eventually yield the popular Vulcan hand gesture ("I never knew that it would come in handy someday"); of being affectionately hounded by fans from Brooklyn to Billings; of directing hit films "The Search for Spock" and "The Voyage Home." Mr. Nimoy even relates his youthful experience of serving as Hollywood cab driver to then-Senator John F. Kennedy:

"He said, 'What are you doing out here?' With my yellow cap on and driving, I said, 'I'm an actor.' And he said, 'A lot of competition in your business.' And I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Just like mine. Just keep in mind, there's always room for one more good one!' Well, that certainly hit home, and I decided I had to be one of the best."

Indeed, Mr. Nimoy. A prophesy realized.

Source: Huffington Post

Comi-Con day 3: The legends speak

Saturday: Live long and prosper

For thousands of Comi-Con attendees, Saturday was the day dedicated to the legendary icons Leonard Nimoy and Stan Lee.

At 2:30 p.m. after a brief introduction from voice actor Vic Mignogna, Nimoy took the stage in front of a crowd of over 4000 people.

His hour-long speech, accompanied by a slideshow of photographs, was heartfelt, sincere, humorous, and enlightening. Nimoy discussed his childhood and entrance into the world of theatre, how he secured his famous role of Spock, and his experiences as a photographer.

Nimoy led the colossal audience through his first involvement with acting and a mantra from that play which emotionally impacted him.

“I first stepped out on that stage when I was eight years old for a production of “Hansel and Gretel”, and I played Hansel,” he said. “This theatre had a beautiful embroidered curtain and there was a forest scene and at the bottom, in very beautiful Gothic letters it said, ‘act right your part; there all honor lies,’ and I took that very seriously and feel that it was very important to do an honorable job in the parts that you play.”

Nimoy went on to share a personal insight that his role as an actor gave him at the age of 17.

“I thought if I can do this kind of work for the rest of my life, helping people understand their lives, illuminating the lives for people in the audience I would consider it very important work; I would consider myself blessed to be able to do that,” he said.

Nimoy expressed his brief naivety during his early acting career when during an audition he truthfully stated he didn’t know how to ride a horse for what he would discover was a western themed production.

“You’ve got to learn very quickly when you’re an actor and you go and audition, whatever they ask you ‘can you do’ you say yes,” he said. “’Can you drop off a ship 100 feet in the water and swim 300 yards, kill a shark and climb back onto the ship?’ yes – I’ve done it many times.”

Nimoy talked about how his involvement in the play “Death Watch” propelled his career and eventually landed him on a series called “The Lieutenant,” produced by Gene Roddenberry, which eventually gave him his role as Spock.

“When [Roddenberry] called … and asked for a meeting, I thought okay now he’s going to audition me or whatever,” Nimoy said. “I got there he showed me around the various departments: showed me the sets being built and the costumes being designed. He showed me the props, the communicator and phaser, and the makeup department and he said ‘you’d be wearing pointed ears’ and I thought oh.

“Anyway I realized he was now selling me on this job, and I could have it if I wanted it; all I had to do was keep my mouth shut and I could go to work.”

Nimoy said the idea of Spock was a little scary, but what attracted him was that it was an alien with a human mother and a Vulcan father who wages an internal war between emotion and logic. He said he liked the idea of portraying a character who tried to live his life through logic, and suppress the emotional side of his persona.

He also discussed the birth of Spock’s iconic phrase, “live long and prosper,” along with the Vulcan greeting. The episode “Amok Time” is when Spock must return to Vulcan in order to fulfill a marriage agreement.

“Spock was in heat, it happens once every seven years as you know that; quite an event actually – well worth waiting for,” Nimoy joked. “I said to the director we should [create] something Vulcans do when they greet.”

Nimoy then described a Jewish practice which he modeled the famous hand gesture after.

“A few days after that went on the air, I had it coming back to me on the streets; Kids, bus drivers, police, waiters in restaurants,” Nimoy said laughing.

Then 27 minutes into his performance, Nimoy’s cell phone rings. He answers it and his wife is on the line. “I’m talking to a couple of people,” he told her.

The crowd then greeted his wife and Nimoy related her message of “have fun everybody.”

Laughing at the occurrence, Nimoy quipped, “that’s the first time that’s ever happened.”

Wrapping up the discussion about his acting career, Nimoy said, “all I wanted was to make a living as an actor; I set out to be one more good one, I believe being a good one if you’re going to do it and let’s be as good as we possibly can.

“I had a great, great run,” Nimoy said. “And honor, well I do have four Emmy nominations, and several lifetime achievements, and four honorary doctorates, and plenty of popularity.

“But Victor Hugo reminds us that popularity is the crumbs of greatness,” he said. “Do I have an identity issue? Of course, if someone yells Spock on the street it’s my head that turns.”

In his closing remarks, Nimoy wished “for all mankind the sweet and simply joy that we have found, and I know that it will be. We shall celebrate, we shall taste the wine and the fruit, celebrate the sunset and the sunrise, cold and the warm, sounds and the silences, and the voices of the children.

“Celebrate the dreams and hopes that have filled the souls of all decent men and women, we shall lift our glasses and toast with tears of joy,” Nimoy said. “Friends, I mean it sincerely when I say to you, may each and every one of you live long and prosper.”

Nimoy left the stage with over 4000 standing ovations.

Source: statepress.com

Saturday at Phoenix Comicon

Then it was off to Leonard Nimoy. Since he was ahead in the poll the last time I checked it, I went to see him. Sorry Girl Power in YA choosers, you eeked him out by a vote at the last minute. I'll write an entire post on what was said there, but let me give you a little preview by saying that I was awed by his humility and by his eloquence. The place was packed to capacity, and he did not take questions. He didn't have time for questions anyway. Amazing.

Source: iheartmonster.com

Don't Cry for Me, Trekkies: Leonard Nimoy Says Goodbye to Fans
By Jayme Rutledge Tue., Oct. 4 2011 at 2:44 PM

Dallas Comic Con 2011

​So long, Mr. Spock.

Actor Leonard Nimoy has appeared at his final Star Trek convention. Nimoy announced his departure at Star Trek's 45th anniversary celebration in Chicago over the weekend, says the Chicago Sun Times. Nimoy, revered by the Trekkie tribe as the original Spock, was the highlight of the sold-out anniversary event.

As Trek fans mourn lost opportunity, should we assume this means Nimoy is leaving the convention circuit altogether? If so, fans in North Texas had their last chance to meet Nimoy at Dallas Comic Con in May at the Irving Convention Center.

Nimoy, always the gracious celebrity, did the usual convention thing: signed autographs, posed for pictures and sat down for a chat with fans about what he knows best. That would be Star Trek, in case you were wondering. The long line for an autograph was a testament to his long-lasting popularity as the face of the franchise.

For decades, Nimoy has gamely embraced the iconic role as the pointy-eared, emotionally repressed half-Vulcan counterpart to Captain Kirk. But at 80, Nimoy has certainly earned his retirement from glad-handing at countless conventions, lucrative though they may be (at DCC, he charged $75 for an autograph and $65 for a photo).

​Nimoy seems to be filling his new-found free time producing fine art photography (check out Secret Selves) and making film appearances in Transformers and other flicks. Fingers are crossed for another Nimoy cameo in J.J. Abrams' next neo-Star Trek installment. Nimoy bid adieu to fans in Chicago with -- what else? -- the four-fingered Vulcan salute.

Live long and prosper, Lennie.

Source: Dallas Observer

Leonard Nimroy [sic.] was live via skype and answered aprox 5 questions from the Audience. He was asked if he has ever had a request to appear on the big bang theory. He said he had been but declined the offer.
Nimroy [sic.] after Dragon con will no longer be making any more convention appearances .He wont be coming to Australia so it was a great opportunity to see him via Skype .He has been to Australia but so long ago he couldn’t remember when .He spoke about his photography and his new photography collection photographing ones inner self. He asked people to come dressed as their secret self; the results were surprising and can be seen on his web page at the link above. Audience members also had the opportunity to put an order in for an Autograph.

Con Report & Photos: Leonard Nimoy Headlines Creation Star Trek San Francisco Con 2011

Of course the biggest draw for Saturday was to see the living legend, Leonard Nimoy. There was a palatable sense of anticipation and excitement leading to thunderous applause and an extended standing ovation when Creation co-founder Adam Malin introduced Nimoy. to a thunderous standing ovation that was sustained for an extended period of time. Leonard Nimoy giddily jumped on the stage from backstage and was noticeably pleased and humbled by the deafening reaction.

Mr. Nimoy then proceeded to chronicle his life and influences through words and photographs. He held the audience in rapt attention as he recounted the highlights of life as an actor and as a man. Since Nimoy is also a celebrated and accomplished photographer, he took the time to also tell of his experiences packaging the images he had shot for his book, "Secret Selves". For many in attendance, there was no doubt that Nimoy’s appearance alone was worth the price of admission. Unfortunately for anyone hoping for spoilers regarding his upcoming appearance on Fringe, the subject didn’t come up.

Source: Trek Movie

The highlight of the second day was the appearance of Leonard Nimoy, who shared stories about his career in acting and photography. He spoke about his (at the time) controversial memoir, I Am Not Spock. “I called the chapter, I Am Not Spock,” he said. When his publisher asked him for the title of his book itself, he said, “Let’s go with I Am Not Spock. People will find that interesting.” But Nimoy soon found out that the fans ” found it interesting, all right, in the wrong way.”

Source: Trek Today

Nimoy has shared numerous tales with us by this point, but it’s his recollection of how he came to title his memoir, “I Am Not Spock,” that gets us all going. After an experience in San Francisco, when a woman introduces him to her son as Mr. Spock, Nimoy got to thinking about how he and the character are distinct. “I called the chapter, ‘I Am Not Spock,’” he says, and when his publisher asked him for the title of his book, he suggested, “Let's go with I Am Not Spock; people will find that interesting. They found it interesting, all right, in the wrong way.”

He was unsurprised when Trek was resurrected for films, after the success of Star Wars in 1977. But after the first Trek movie, Nimoy says there was no sense that the movies were ongoing, so when he was asked if he want to do a death scene in The Wrath of Khan, Nimoy agreed, thinking the death scene would be among Trek’s last. “Came the day to film Spock’s death scene, though and I was thinking, ‘this is a terrible mistake,’” Nimoy deadpans, raising laughter from the crowd. When the studio asked if he’d like to be involved in Star Trek III, “I said ‘I’d like to direct it.’” And thus, simply, Nimoy’s directing career was born.

After sharing some of his photography— the focus of his career for the past decade-plus— and reading some poetry to the spellbound crowd, Nimoy addresses the question everyone is wondering. “I'm totally satisfied,” he says of his career. “Do I have an identity issue? Of course I do. When somebody yells Spock, I'm the one who looks around.” After Nimoy exits the stage, the void is felt by all.

Star Trek Convention Newbie!

I woud love to describe in exhaustive detail all my wonderful experiences at my very first Star Trek convention this past weekend at the San Francisco Hyatt, but my brain just keeps rolling the same astonished sentence over and over: "I met Leonard Nimoy, I met Leonard Nimoy..."

It may take me a week or three to get over that.

Many of my Facebook friends told me how jealous they were that I got to see Spock, and normally I would say something comforting like, "Oh, don't be, he was a real jerk!" But, he wasn't. He was gracious and talkative and had a smile or a joke for everyone. Nimoy was truly everything one hopes for when meeting someone special that you have been watching on television since toddler-hood!

Nimoy spoke for over an hour on Saturday, thrilling the audience with pictures from his childhood, his time in the U.S. Army, early acting work... including a portrait of him in his first feature film, Zombies of the Stratosphere, rare scenes from the Star Trek set back in the 1960s, a timeline through his many Trek movies, then on up to his most recent photography work.

What a treat, to see such a multi-talented artist share a lifetime of his work, just shy of his 80th birthday (which will be on March 26th). To think, he started out just driving a taxi around Los Angeles.

Source: Pillow Astronaut

Beam Me Up to the World’s Largest STAR TREK Convention
August 20, 2010

Later that day, the Hilton ballroom was at full capacity for the star attractions of Bill Shatner (Kirk) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock), who appeared in succession.

They are still a study in contrasts. Both actors are pushing 80 years old. Nimoy declares that he is again retiring from acting (after a superb role in the latest TREK film), and that this go-around is his last one on the convention circuit.

Shatner, on the other hand, gleefully describes the FOUR television series he now has on the air. A favorite is “Aftermath,” where he interviews names in the news several months after their moment in the spotlight. He talks about a landing airplane manufacturer Bombardier as a production sponsor (providing an airplane for the production crew), after learning that the Canadian manufacturer’s CEO is a STAR TREK fan. Shatner is electric with energy, and answers questions from the crowd. He is rumored to have never seen the latest STAR TREK film, but quashes that rumor with a declaration.

Diembodied voice at microphone: “Why won’t you see J.J. Abrams STAR TREK film?”

Shatner: “I saw it! I saw that wonderful motion picture.”

All of the fans in the room know the undercurrent and backstory. Shatner actively campaigned for a cameo role in the latest film. But that never happened.

“I sat by the phone, day after day,” Shatner tells the audience. “And then the phone rang, and it was Leonard Nimoy telling me that he was going to be in the new film!”

Nimoy is up next. He wears a black t-shirt with four letters emblazoned on the front: “LLAP.”

“Do you know what it stands for?” he asks the faithful.

“Live Long & Prosper,” we all shout back.

Nimoy talks about his passions, beyond acting. Later in the day, he will lead a photography seminar. A fan asks him a question about the 1970’s book “I Am Not Spock.”

“I caught hell for that book,” the actor admits.

“What are your favorite STAR TREK episodes?” asks another fan.

It’s a question Nimoy has been asked hundreds of times, and he rattles off the answer – a list that is agreeable to many in the audience.

City on the Edge of Forever.
Space Seed.
Amok Time.
This Side of Paradise.

“Amok Time was very important episode for Spock character. Theodore Sturgeon wrote beautiful script. It was memorable because it was the first time that ‘Live Long and Prosper’ was spoken and also the first time that we introduced the Vulcan salute.”

Another fan asks the inevitable question: “Would you consider doing another STAR TREK movie.”

Nimoy is forthright.

“That question comes up regularly. I am very flattered. I have learned time and time again — particularly in my STAR TREK career — never to say never. But as we stand here now, I have no plans to be involved.

Together on stage at the end of the session, Shatner and Nimoy relish the opportunity to reflect on being working actors together on a 1960’s TV series.

“They were trying times and very physical work, typically six days a week. It was a great and proud experience,” Nimoy says, as he turns to look at Shatner.

And as they end another convention appearance together, the actor who played the non-emotional, logical science officer from another planet turns to colleague Shatner with a warm smile.

“You are an emotional brother to me, and you always have been.”

And in that moment, these two actors perfectly capture what attracts so many to the STAR TREK universe. After almost 50 years, it’s the human stories of conflict, adventure, love, and longing that continue to draw thousands to the world of the Starship Enterprise.

Source: A Note From Dave

A Nimoy Experience At STLV 2010 - Part 1

I’ve had a crush on Spock since the original Star Trek series. I loved his restraint, his contained fire. I loved that he was an attractive man who appreciated intelligence in a woman, in contrast to the skirt-chasing Kirk. Last year the combination of two Spocks, Nimoy and Quinto, lured me to my first Star Trek convention at Las Vegas. This year, no Quinto alas. But Leonard Nimoy was here and talking about his latest photographic project. So I decided to attend this year's Trek convention.

I won’t do a blow-by-blow report – other sites have done that well: Trek Movie for example. I’d like to share with you the magic of experiencing Nimoy.

Read more here.

 

Nimoy and Secret Selves At STLV 2010 - Part 2

Nimoy reappeared for Q and A after the video. I asked how long he had taken with each, curious about how he drew them out so well. He said it was about 10 minutes per person. Wow! He said that once he understood what they wanted it was easy for him to direct them. Oh yeah, he’s a director as well as actor - as well as photographer as well as poet.

He said he had wondered how many would pose nude, since so much of his work shown online involves nude subjects. There were some but not many. He said the most touching was the woman in the fur coat. He commented on how body art has exploded, from the occasional anchor in his youth to the plethora now. The design curling up the woman’s calf was of bear paws, “one for each man who done me wrong”.

Some subjects scared him. They were so fragile that he didn’t feel qualified to work with them. Others found it a transformative experience - they waited outside Nimoy’s hotel the next day, to share their experience. They had in fact, invited Nimoy to join them but he declined, “I didn’t want to get involved as a mentor or father figure for a therapy group. I’m just not qualified.”

Will he continue working with this concept? He left the door open. It has been 3 years so far. Another group of people? Another small town? It was also clear from being up close to him, that Leonard Nimoy is more fragile than he appears on stage. He was carefully conserving his energy during this seminar.

But whatever he decides to do – or can do – I’ll be watching. He is not only talented in many arenas but also gracious and accepting of the humanness of mankind in a way that brings out our best.

Source: Appreciating Zachary Quinto's Biceps, 2 photos here.

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy still the brightest stars in Star Trek galaxy

By John Katsilometes (contact)

Monday, Aug. 9, 2010 | 2:51 a.m.

Maybe William Shatner hasn't been overacting all these years. Maybe he hasn't even been acting at all, if his performance Saturday before several thousand emotionally orbiting Trek fans is an indication.

Shatner is, to put it in Earth terms, a genuinely dramatic individual.

Shatner was a beyond-this-galaxy superstar at this weekend's Star Trek Las Vegas Convention at the Las Vegas Hilton. In this culture, Shatner doubtlessly needs no introduction. So during a co-headlining appearance Saturday afternoon with the comparatively easy-going but equally beloved Leonard Nimoy, Shatner swept onstage in the midst of Nimoy's question-and-answer session with fans in the temporarily renamed Gene & Majel Roddenberry Theater.

"Eh?" Nimoy said as he noticed his close friend appear unexpectedly as the crowd rose, stunned at the lacking-in-pomp onstage arrival of Captain James T. Kirk. "What is this, a camera?"

"Let me film you!" Shatner called out. "Let me film you!"

Oh, there was a camera. Among Shatner's many projects is a documentary he's working on, titled, "The Captains." He's recording footage of everyone who has ever portrayed a Starship commander in the "Star Trek" franchise's long history. He's recording a lot of his own activities, too, such as mingling with old friends and the fans he encounters at Trek conventions. There were 15,000 to choose from.

Later, in his solo appearance before the standing-room-only audience (the format was Nimoy solo, Shatner solo, then the two together), Shatner took a question from a man who was likely in his mid-30s. The guy wanted to know about the 2009 film, "Star Trek."

Shatner and director J.J. Abrams never found common ground on an ideal role in the film for Captain Kirk, and Shatner was left out while Nimoy appeared as an elder Spock. Shatner's omission from that film is sort of a sticky subject in the Trek universe — he reportedly hadn't watched the film yet — and the self-confident actor seemed to expect this question was heading in that direction:

Questioner: "With your busy schedule, sir ..."

Shatner: "Yes!"

Questioner: "... it has been over a year since the J.J. Abrams film came out the theater."

Shatner: "It is!"

Questioner: "It's been out on disc and home video ..."

Shatner: "Yes!"

Questioner: "... for several months, and I'm just curious, Mr. Shatner ..."

Shatner: "Yes! What!"

Questioner: "... why don't you want to see it?"

Shatner (pausing with the crowd laughing nervously) "Have I got a surprise for HIM! I saw it! I saw it!"

Shatner then was drowned out by cheers, but appeared to say he'd seen it just before the Las Vegas convention. When the applause subsided, he mentioned an earlier comment by Nimoy, who said he'd learned, "Never say never," when assessing his role as Mr. Spock. Filmmakers always seem to write a role for him, even after he has actually died onscreen (as he did in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," which was released 28 years ago).

"I heard my friend Leonard, backstage, saying, 'Never say never.' I said, OK, 'I'm here!'" Shatner said, telling the audience how eager he was to return to feature films as Kirk. "I sat by the phone, day after day, then the phone rang. It was Leonard Nimoy!"

Responding to the laughter, Shatner forged ahead.

"He said, 'I'm in the next Star Trek movie, Bill!' I said, 'They're doing it without me?' And he said, 'Yes!' I said, 'What's it about?' He said, 'I can't tell you!' I said, 'You're KIDDING ME! Tell me what the hell it's about! He said, 'NO!'"

Imagine that: Captain Kirk, with no juice in a "Star Trek" film.

The audience relished what was the biggest event of the three-day festival, a glut of Trek culture that included a Propworx auction of Trek artifacts, displays of such old props and stage effects as phasers, communicators, Tribbles (pretty ugly up close, actually), the original series' multileveled chessboard and captain's chair (which seemed like the front seat of an old Chevy Bonneville tricked-out with little plastic buttons and oversized armrests) and appearances by every living "Trek" star who matters. Among them were George Takei ("Sulu" from the original series), Walter Koenig (Chekov) and Sir Patrick Stewart, who did briefly cut into Shatner's solo appearance Saturday to plug his own appearance Sunday.

Fifteen thousand Trekkies turned out for all this, and a few hundred gathered Sunday to take part snapping the Guinness World Record mark for the largest mass of costumed Trek fans, ever. The target was 507; 543 turned out.

Shatner, who during a now-legendary 1986 appearance on "Saturday Night Live," implored fans at a Trek convention to, "Get a life, will ya?" today still seems enamored of the show's remarkable longevity. He'd even walked among the commoners with his camera crew, recording it all for his documentary.

"It's good to see all of you, and in such wonderful numbers!" he said. "It's a delight to see how many people are in here. And out there, it was an experience." Oh, and then some. The only fan in attendance who seemed not to get it was the guy dressed as Darth Vader. Honestly, this guy was on another planet in more ways than one.

And since Trek fans can't seem to get enough, yet more we learned — or were reminded of — during the icons' dual-headlining appearance. Consider this "Bonus Material":

Shatner once stole Nimoy's bike: A story becoming more popular over recent years is that of Shatner organizing a theft of Shatner's bike during the filming of the original series. Nimoy purchased a bike, "and it even had my name on it," he says, to save time during lunch breaks on the series' set. "I had some makeup issues that he didn't have (Nimoy's Vulcan ears had to be removed and reattached during these lunch breaks), and to save myself five or 10 minutes of walking from the stage to the studio commissary and walking back, I bought a bicycle."

One day Nimoy went to retrieve his bike and it was gone. He asked the cast, "Did someone borrow my bicycle?" And Shatner began laughing. "He was going, 'Hoo-hoo-hoo!' and told me to look around. I around, I looked down, I looked up, and there it was hanging from the rafters by a rope." Shatner also chained the bike to a railing on the set, locking it with a Master Lock, "The type you could shoot and would remain locked!" Nimoy was forced to free the bike loose by cutting the chain with bolt-cutters. This gag went on and on — Shatner also placed the bike in his trailer, with a pair of his trained Dobermans watching guard; and when Nimoy placed the bike in his Buick Riviera, Shatner had the entire car towed from the lot.

"Is this an appropriate way to treat a friend?" Nimoy asked, as the fans — who get giddy during these behind-the-scenes tales — shouted, "No!"

Captain Kirk hates flying: True. Shatner has an artificial hip and invariably is stopped as he walks through airport security devices. "Every time I go through that arch it's BEEEEEP!" Shatner said. "Then all the people around are looking at me, saying 'He's Captain Kirk! What's going on?"

Shatner's plan to visit the hometowns of all the actors who portrayed Starship captains in his documentary project nearly unraveled as he considered flying across the country, to Canada and to London for video interviews. "The prospect of going to all of these airports was more than I could bear," but the Canadian airplane manufacturer Bombardier donated a private jet (at a cost of about $200,000) to Shatner because one of the companies top officials was a fan. "He said, 'Shatner! I became an aeronautical engineer because of you! Take our plane and have a good time!"

Nimoy's favorite original "Star Trek" episode is, "Amok Time": As he explained, "It's a very important episode for the Spock character, where he had to return to Vulcan to fulfill a marriage commitment. It was a beautiful script, written by a very good writer named Theodore Sturgeon (the renowned science-fiction writer who died in 1985) — the writers often don't get enough credit. There were two very memorable moments that came out of that script. One was, the words, 'Live long and prosper," were spoken for the first time in an episode. The other was the introduction of this (holds hands up in the universally recognized "V" sign)."

At age 79, Shatner might be the hardest-working man in show business: Along with "The Captains," Shatner is set to star in the CBS sitcom "Bleep My Dad Says," based on the Twitter feed of (roughly) that some name; he hosts the interview show, "Shatner's Raw Nerve" on The Biography Channel (among his guests have been Gene Simmons, Regis Philbin, Valerie Bertinelli and Rush Limbaugh); he hosts the news magazine-format show, "William Shatner's Aftermath" also on Biography Channel (the series debuted with Shatner's interview of "D.C. Sniper" accomplice John Malvo); and the Discovery Chanel reality show "Weird or What."

Nimoy, who at the same age as Shatner says he is retiring from acting and directing to focus on his photography (Nimoy hosted a symposium of his work Saturday night), seemed surprised at Shatner's workload. "Four series?" he said. "How many more do you need?"

When Shatner mentioned "Weird Or What," which will examine some of the more unusual unsolved cases centering on paranormal phenomena, medical oddities and unexplained natural disasters, Nimoy said, "That sounds like, "In Search Of," his own similar series from a generation ago. Shatner quickly responded, "Yes, but we're after a younger, more vigorous audience!"

Nimoy outsmarted himself with the title of his own book: The title, "I Am Not Spock" sent ripples through the "Trek" culture when the book was released in 1977. Nimoy agreed that his autobiography, even 33 years ago, would be interesting reading. He dedicated one chapter in the book to the differences between himself and his famed TV character.

"I was writing it, I was in the San Francisco airport and a woman recognized me. She had a little boy who was about 9 years old and said, 'Look who's standing in front of you!' The kid had no recognition," Nimoy said. "She said, 'This is your favorite person on television! You watch him every week!' But there was no recognition. Then she said, 'This is Mr. Spock!'

"Well, I'm standing there with my glasses and street clothes, no uniform, nobody else is talking to me in the San Francisco airport," Nimoy said, laughing at the memory. "I found this very interesting. She was using a kind of a language that was a shortcut — she meant to say that this was the actor who plays Mr. Spock. But she said, 'This is Mr. Spock.' Well, I wasn't. I wrote chapter about this — I am not Spock, and he is not me. I have a brother; he does not. I have a brother, Spock didn't — at that time (laughs). Later, of course, we found a brother (he would be Sybok, who hijacks the Enterprise in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier"). My parents were Russian immigrants, his were not. Spock had a Vulcan father, I did not. I'm an actor, Spock was not. So we talked about this identity issue, and when it came time to publish the book, I thought, 'I am not Spock' was an interesting title."

Nimoy's publishers warned him about the title's negativity hurting its sales. Nimoy held up, "Gone With the Wind" as a negative title did work. "But I was too smart for my own good. It didn't sell well, because people thought I was rejecting Spock and got very angry about it. They read the book, but they didn't read the title," Nimoy said. "If I had the choice to play any character on television, it would be Spock. But I caught hell for that book. It didn't stop until 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' came along.

"I certainly am Spock, and I am happy to be."

The Trek fans, hundreds of whom were wearing pointed ears and replicas of Spock's faded-blue Starship Enterprise officer's shirt, shrieked with delight: Live long and prosper. A message for all time.

Source: Las Vegas Sun

Adventures in Geekdom

Lines.

LINES!

Lines to get into lines for other lines!

That is what stands out in my mind when someone asks me about the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. Followed very quickly by “fucking awesome!”

Leonard Nimoy!

Brent Spiner!

Billy Dee Williams!

Malcolm MacDowell and so on.

It was truly awesome.

It was my first Con of any kind ever. So I didn’t know what to expect really. I figured with “Advance tickets” I wouldn’t have to stand in line for an hour to get in. But I did. We figured out where and when the Leonard Nimoy panel would be and made plans to get in line for that.

The panel was awesome. He seemed like a very friendly down to earth guy. Funny. Not something I expected from Leonard Nimoy, to be funny, but he was. To be honest, I don’t really remember a lot of what he said, I know what he talked about, but as for actual words…they seem to have escaped me. I can say with 90% confidence that the rumour that the Leonard Nimoy in Vulcan was a double, is in fact false. It was @TheRealNimoy (his twitter name), cause it’s the real Nimoy. get it? Yeah…you get it. :)

(...)

Back to the Leonard Nimoy signing. Now I do have a slight gripe about this. I realize that there was no posed photography allowed, and I also get that were were literally thousands of people wanting a signature, but we aren’t cattle. Lady in front of me who asked if I could get a picture of you getting your autograph, here is what happened:

We handed over our cash and Communicator to be signed while you were getting yours signed. I looked in the view finder…GAH! Its the big lens!! All I got was a REAL up close of Mr. Nimoy. I moved back. Barely got you and him in the view finder, body guard snapped at me for “taking too long” (roughly 20seconds), and that’s when I moved, and bumped into someone and pressed the button to take the picture. Plus I was all excited. If you are reading this, I do sincerely apologize for the AWFUL picture I took of you getting your autograph. I feel terrible. If it’s any consolation, I didn’t get a picture of us getting ours either.

The people working Mr. Nimoy’s table were very GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!!! It felt very rushed. They were so fast that he had signed our box before we had gotten to him. They handed the box to the wrong person! Like..calm down people. I managed a “Thank you very much sir.” as we walked past him. P’s & Q’s are important people! Celebrity or not. I don’t blame Leonard Nimoy or the staff, I understand the need to keep the line moving…but…

Anyway…we got it signed and it was awesome to even be that close to one of the pioneers of Sci-Fi, a legendary pop culture icon.

(...)

All in all, an excellent experience. I really enjoyed myself. Lots of fun. A gamut of emotion. Got some cool stuff, and it was nice to be able to geek out without being thought of as socially retarded. :P

Thank you organizers of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. It was an amazing experience. I will definitely go back, but, I think I’m gonna aim for VIP tickets next time.

To quote random guy who asked Leonard Nimoy a question:

“Hello Mr. Nimoy *pause* I’m sorry, *slight pause* you’ll have to excuse me, I’m totally just geekin out here”

We all were my friend.

We all did.

Crowd control at a geek convention in Calgary is rather interesting. First, it’s Calgary, so the chances of anything major happening are rather small. Second, it’s geeks. Really. What are geeks going to do?

There are three kinds of geeks in the world:

1) Skinny geeks.
2) Fat geeks.
3) Sheldon.

(If you have to ask about Sheldon, you’re not a geek. Trust me.)

I’m the first kind, so my ability to stop a geek of the second kind, or, really, anyone, is somewhat limited, but then again, as I said, these are geeks.

The line moved. Things got signed. People asked questions. Mr. Nimoy answered them. Over and over again.

At one point, Mr. Nimoy asked, “how long is this line?” When he was told, he groaned and put his head down on the desk.

I turned to him (my job was to usher people out of the exit when they had finished getting their autograph) and said, “this has ‘long day’ written all over it.” He made eye contact with me, and then went back to what he was doing.

Eventually, the line dissipated, and was closed to new additions as lunch time was approaching. At the very end, one young guy showed up and asked to come in. As nobody else was around and Mr. Nimoy was still finishing a few last autographs, we said okay.

When this guy got to the front of the line, I immediately realized that he was “one of them.” A true “fanboy”. Mr. Nimoy was the immaculate professional and politely listened to him babble on and on and on about nothing, then said “thank you,” and got up to leave.

Fanboy wasn’t satisfied. He wanted Mr. Nimoy to write “best wishes”. Mr. Nimoy wanted lunch. I wanted Fanboy to leave. Eventually, John came over, got rid of Fanboy, and told me to get going – escort the golf cart with Mr. Nimoy on it around to his green room. The object being to ensure that nobody had snuck into the back passages and was waiting to ambush Mr. Nimoy. Fortunately, nobody had, and Mr. Nimoy went into his green room for lunch.

More here.

Vancouver Star Trek Con Report & Photos: Shatner, Nimoy, Shimerman, Trinneer & more Trek celebs

Vancouver Star Trek Convention – June 25-27

Report and photos from Corey Madsen

Creation Entertainments Vancouver Star Trek Convention 2010 was held to the Sheraton Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver last weekend. What else can I say but .. amazing!

Sunday: The Nimoy and Shatner Show + Li’l Spock

The highlight was the finale with appearances from Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on their own and together on Sunday. Leonard Nimoy started it out, sharing some stories about his new photography ventures and his recent visit to Calgary and Vulcan, AB. He was even sweet enough to bring a girl on stage who had travelled all the way from New Zealand to be there.

Soon, William Shatner came out to ‘relieve’ Leonard for a time, and to have this solo time with us. He gave us a very passionate talk about salmon conservation and how much more we all need to do to help preserve the natural habitats. Not exactly Trek related, but an important issue here in Canada to be sure.

Once they were both out together, the fun really started. Bill picks on Leonard so much, such as this exchange:

Bill: I was in Calgary two weeks ago…
Leonard: I was just telling them that I was in Calgary about six weeks ago.
Bill: *I* don’t care, I’m talking about *me* here!

Bill actually harassed Leonard so much about his trip to Vulcan that Leonard eventually dragged his chair to the far side of the stage to sit alone. It was so funny to watch them bicker back and forth like an old married couple! Of course, Bill dragged his own chair over to join him and make amends.

Source: Trek Movie

Along with his regular convention appearance, Leonard has agreed to present "A Leonard Nimoy Photography Seminar " set for Saturday Evening from 7:30 pm to 9pm. This limited seating presentation will include a screening of Leonard's video on "Secret Selves" and a lecture about the aesthetics of fine art/conceptual photography. Don't miss the rare opportunity to see Leonard in this unique format.

More here.

Vancouver Star Trek Convention 2010

The Vancouver Star trek Convention took place last weekend at the Sheraton Hotel, (June 25-27) which brought together Trekkies from Calgary to Portland, and even New Zealand to celebrate their passion for the Star Trek phenomena.

This was my first Star Trek convention, so I didn't really know what to expect, and this was the first time in a long time that the con -- organized by Creation Entertainment -- returned to the city of Vancouver. For many Trek fans this was an opportunity that couldn't be missed, especially with rumors of Nimoy making his last appearance.

(...)

The convention was packed on Sunday, the final day of the convention where Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner would be making an appearance as well as photo opportunities with fans.

Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner chat like a married couple. Nimoy whined about Shatner not meeting him for breakfast that morning. Among other things Nimoy spoke about his trip to Vulcan Alberta for the Star Trek tribute, and his 'big women' photography, while Shatner spoke of his experience participating at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic ceremony, with his reward of six Men's Olympic Hockey tickets as well as his passion for protecting the BC wildlife/wild salmon.

Shatner also went on to talk about his future projects such as 'The Captains.'

Source: rez2cool.blogspot.de

Then, Leonard Nimoy spoke, and it was touching and I was surprised for some reason. I have never heard much about what kind of person he is. What I saw was him interacting with each person who came to ask a question in a very personal way, very much paying attention to them like they were the only person in the room. He seems to be a very thoughtful, intelligent and kind person. Surprised is not the right word for it; it's not like I was expecting him to be an ass or anything. It's just that he was particularly excellent.

What I did love though, one of the first questions asked (apparently written down before hand) was do you have Zachary Quntio's number, and can I have it. I think I was the only one in a room of 1500 that said WOOOT, lol.

We saw that people were going through the line and NOT getting autographs, just saying hi, and we figured there was no reason we couldn't do the same. The woman collecting money asked each person in line for said monies, and my response was "I am of the lower class and would just like to meet and greet" and she waved me through. Then, for a brief moment, I held Leonard Nimoy's hand in mine, and stole his powers. Just long enough to be uncomfortable, but not long enough for him to have to ask for it back. Just at that awkward level at which I consistently operate. I guess at least I didn't squeal "You're my faaaaaavorite!!" this time, which is progress.

Standing twenty feet from Leonard Nimoy, I was impressed by his gracious demeanor. After over twenty years of being in the spotlight from one role in his career, he is more appreciative and respectful of his fans than most who've been dealing with fame for only half that time. He spoke of his photography, friendship with William Shatner, acting career, and life, and came off as truly content with what he has been given. Anyone would have been a fan of his after a panel like that.

When I heard that Leonard was going to be at this gathering in his home town of Boston, I knew this was an event I did not want to miss. My co-worker, Kathy Sykes and I made our flight/hotel/con registration arrangements in July for the November event.

Besides Leonard, other guests included John deLancie (Q in ST:TNG), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood) and James Hong, a wonderful Asian-American character actor. Individuals from NASA and Popular Science magazine were additional speakers present.

On the first day, we met Mr. deLancie and Mr. Hong, who were both quite funny individuals. Leonard's first appearance was the next day at the photo op offered to fans as part of the con. Your's truly was first in line. Things had to go quickly as there had been a power outage that delayed the start time. I was wearing the "Matisse Dancers" (Full Body Project) photo T-Shirt that I purchased through Leonard's photography web site. When I scampered up for the photo, he said "nice shirt!" I recited the web site name into the camera and he laughed. Alas, the next person was now up and I had to run.

Go on reading here

Shatner, Nimoy, Quinto and more rock the last day of Star Trek Las Vegas

That afternoon William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy appeared together and provided a wonderfully entertaining session before an even more packed Barron room. Shatner admitted he hadn’t seen the new movie, and jokingly chided Nimoy for appearing in a Star Trek movie without him. Nimoy chided back: “You did a Star Trek movie without me (Star Trek Generations). And I saw it.” Nimoy for the win.

The chemistry between the two friends enthralled the audience, providing insight into the secret of the success of The Original Series. A telling moment during Quinto’s appearance: when asked how many had seen the new movie nearly the entire hall filled with raised hands; when asked how many were attending their first Star Trek convention, more than half raised again. Looks like the JJ Abrams movie has captured that magic too.

During Nimoy’s solo portion of the event, fans were treated to a photo op as Quinto and Young Spock Jacob Kogan came on stage to greet Nimoy. Kogan's poise had impressed during his own appearance between Quinto and Shatner/Nimoy.

All in all, a great last day for Star Trek Las Vegas.

Source: Examiner

VegasCon09 Finale: Three Spocks and a Shatner

August 12, 2009
by Anthony Pascale

Shatner and Nimoy
After a break it was time for the original Kirk and Spock. As they usually do when appearing together, they each get some solo time, with additional time together on stage. Shatner began, coming out and explaining that he hadn’t been to a con in years and how he didn’t know what to say. After going off on a tangent about taking his granddaughter to a Jonas Brothers concert, The Shat pronounced loudly "I haven’t seen the movie!" He repeated his previous reasoning about not wanting to deal with the embarrassment of facing people asking him in a theater "you are William Shatner, you’re not in the movie are you?" But he noted "I’m sure everyone is wonderful."

The actor then went into Q&A, first recalling a long story about how he used to steal Leonard Nimoy’s bike on the lot at Paramount during the production of TOS. Apparently they used to race to get to the cafeteria at lunch, but he was faster so Nimoy had to get a bike to beat him, and he wasn’t going to let that happen. Shatner explained why Nimoy needed the bike saying "he is of the arts, he likes esoteric things…I kick ass." Shatner may not have been to a con in years, but hasn’t lost it, keeping the crowd laughing with more stories, such as when he was in a hospital after a horse fell on him and he had to give a ‘sample’, saying "I am sorry to say, but Captain Kirk was peeing in a bottle, and then this nurse poked her head in and said ‘I am your biggest fan’".

Shatner spoke at length about the death of Captain Kirk in Star Trek Generations and how it helped him face death and how he was using that life lesson for a speech he is currently preparing on the subject of ‘fear.’ Regarding his ad-libbed final line as Kirk "oh my", the actor said he imagined "something awesome and wonderful was coming his way…and it was death."

It was during this discussion that Leonard Nimoy came to the stage to join Shatner for their joint appearance time. Nimoy immediately noted that he thought Bill played the death of Kirk "extremely well" but he didn’t understand why Kirk had to die, and it seemed to be for "no reason". Shatner quickly retorted that it was because "the producer [Rick Berman] wanted to kill off Captain Kirk."

Spock Prime then started asking Bill about the new movie. Shatner recalled how he met with JJ Abrams, but never understood what the film was about, and how he was upset that Leonard wouldn’t fill him in on the details. Nimoy quickly retorted "if you want to know what the movie is about, then all you have to do is go see it."

Nimoy noted he saw Generations, even though he didn’t enjoy it. Bill retorted "well I wouldn’t want to say the same to you about this movie so I didn’t see it" and at that moment it seemed many in the crowd turned on Shatner. Nimoy quickly recovered with a joke, recalling how on the SNL sketch he did recently, he said people who didn’t like the movie were ‘dickheads’.

After moving on to other subjects, Shatner was talking about what a great actor Nimoy was and how he always tried to get his friend to join shows he was on, but how Nimoy demurred. However, it was a different story when JJ Abrams called, such as Nimoy’s recent time on Fringe. Shatner then jumped up and started running around the stage mocking Nimoy ‘oh yes, JJ, anything you want JJ’, then screaming "whore!" at Nimoy, which Leonard thought was pretty funny.

Later in the appearance the subject of the new Star Trek came up again and Nimoy said to Shatner that he wanted "for the two of us to sit and watch the movie together." Shatner agreed on two conditions "one, you buy the popcorn, and two, you hold my hand." Nimoy went on to say how Shatner may like the film, noting:

Chris Pine honors you. You might find out are proud of this movie, proud of the way Captain Kirk, a character you created, is honored in this movie

Shatner retorted:

I might, or I might have rather played it myself…but truly I am not sure what JJ and his cohorts could have done with a character that’s 40 years older or more if you go further back, and physically different. And what do you do with that character that wouldn’t get in the way of the new script…on the other hand, there was a marketing value to having me around

To which Nimoy replied "no question." But also noted that he personally put a lot of thought into it and couldn’t figure a way to get Bill into he movie.

Throughout the presentation, even though there was a lot of ribbing, it was clear that these two are truly the close friends with both heaping compliments on each other and demonstrating a chemistry that is stronger than ever. As they wrapped up Nimoy said to Shatner "you’re my dearest friend," to which he replied "I love you Leonard."

Eventually Shatner left the stage for Nimoy’s solo time, which quickly went into Q&A. The actor took questions leading to discussions of a lot of his non-Trek projects, including his upcoming ‘Identity Project’ photography exhibit (see LeonardNimoyPhotography.com), his play Vincent, past films like A Woman Called Golda, narration work on NOVA, and more.

Regarding the new Star Trek movie, Nimoy said he and Zach Quinto had spent up to fifteen hours together before filming, but they focused on the philosophy of Star Trek and the Vulcans and they didn’t get into specific scenes. He felt Quinto did an "excellent job" and it was "appropriate" that Quinto’s Spock was different due to the different time in Spock’s life. Regarding the relationship with Uhura, the original Spock joked he was "jealous", but that even though it was surprising he thought it was well done. He went on to say:

It reminded us that we are not watching exactly the same people, we are watching people in another timeline. I thought that was a real intelligent construction of this movie. It feed them so they can do things like that that and not deal with those that say ‘that isn’t he way it was in this or that episode’

As for if he will return to directing, Nimoy said that he "had enough" of that side of the business, with the time and politics, and that it was never as much as a draw for him as much as acting. He then used that question as a transition to talk about JJ Abrams and the new movie, saying:

When I had these conversations with Abrams and [Roberto] Orci and [Alex] Kurtzman, I realized that I was hearing people who talk about Star Trek in a way that was touching to me. They were talking about these characters in a way that I recognized, that I really really felt at home with. I thought ‘they get it.’ They really know who these people are. I found that very attractive, it was flattering, and in fact I was very emotional in those meetings. I thought this is something I should support and be there. And it worked out very well. Mr. Abrams is a director who can handle the gigantic scene with great action and also great moments between the characters, very funny and touching moments. Not a lot of directors can do both.

When asked what he has left on his Bucket List, Nimoy said that it was a profound question and wasn’t going to joke about it. He noted that he was getting up there in years, but that he does not have any ‘somedays’, as in "someday I will…". He told the crowd his life is perfect with his photography, his new acting, his family and his wife, effusing: "I am extremely fulfilled…I am just so happy."

Three Spocks!
As Nimoy was wrapping up, there was a big surprise as out came the two other Spocks, Quinto and Kogan, to join him on stage. This moment was actually the first time Nimoy had met the youngest new Spock, but he immediately embraced Kogan, telling him "you did a great job".

Nimoy then told the crowd "get out your cameras" as the three Spocks posed for the fans.

After that the two other Spocks left the stage and Nimoy talked a bit more, then gave the crowd a "live long and prosper" and Vulcan salute and it was over.

Source: TrekMovie

The final day of the 2009 Las Vegas Star Trek Convention Special
Aug 10, 2009 by Jay David Murphy

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy together again at the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention 2009.

Then the audience exploded with more applause, cheers, and a standing ovation. As if on cue, Leonard Nimoy came out on to the stage to join Shatner. It was good the thing the 1000’s of fans had a brake earlier because this convention was set to tear the roof off the Hilton in Vegas.

Shatner: “This is one of the great guys in the world, Leonard Nimoy.” He followed after great applause with, “The movies announced and I’m not it, you’re my friend for 40 years, and they have been odd,” speaking with a hurt inquisitive tone. Speaking about the Saturday Night Live skit Nimoy said they were concerned that Trekkies would like the movie, “To make them not like the movie, that would make them dick heads,” referring to the SNL team. Shatner shot back, “Ya dick heads!” It was all said in jest.

They touched on Kirks death scene one more time when Nimoy corrected him that he died when the bridge fell on him (a metaphor for the bridge of the Enterprise). Shatner reveled, “When it collapsed on me, I said ‘Bridge on the Captain!’ we didn’t use that line.”

Nimoy replied, “There was nothing heroic about your death.” This bought applause of recognition from fans.

Nimoy also told Shatner that Chris Pine, who played the young just starting out Kirk, did “a great honor” to him (Shatner and Kirk) in his portrayal of the iconic character that Bill has fostered for over 40 years.

Nimoy: “There’s a rumor going around that you tried to drown me in Star Trek four.” Shatner took his lead and described how he grabbed on to his robes which lead him to the top of Nimoys head and that it was only an instinctive move of self preservation.

Before Shatner left the stage Nimoy offered to show Shatner the movie at a private screening.

Shatner replied, “With two caveats, you buy the popcorn and hold my hand.”
William Shatner left the stage to a parting comment from Leonard Nimoy, “You are my dearest friend, always have been.”

It was time for Leonard Nimoy, actor, portraying the other Iconic Star Trek character Spock, director of Trek films and Three Men and a Baby, and renowned photographer who has an upcoming exhibit called The Identity Project to spend some alone time with Trek fans. You can get all the info on that at leonardnimoyphotography.com.

Nimoy first spoke on his work with Zachary Quinto in preparation for the new Star Trek movies Spock character, saying they spent a lot of time going over the “philosophy of the Spock, so he could get some idea of the thought process I went through.”

Nimoy continued, “He was giving us a Spock that was not quite the Spock that I played, he book ended the character.” This was an intriguing insight for audience members understanding that Quinto was playing an earlier version of Spock, before the Spock character that fans had known for 40 years.

A question from a fan asked whether Nimoy had anything on his bucket list. Nimoy referred to the question as “some days.” He said, “I don’t have any some days. I feel extremely fulfilled in my life.” He continued with, “I have had both bonuses and dividends. I’m just so happy,” which brought warm applause from fans. He then tossed out for fun, “Someday, I wanna be young.”

On acting Nimoy said, “I had a passion to act at 17 or 18.”

On directing he said, “I have no plans to go back to directing,” explaining the amount of time and dedication it takes to do it and that his time has now become limited, suggesting his advanced years.

On his favorite acting moment Nimoy spoke about “the one man show Vincent which I wrote, directed, and acted in.” In more detail it was about “Theo who supported his brother the artist Van Gogh.” He told how Van Gogh’s brother believed in his artists’ brothers talents and supported his art work, providing him with life’s essentials.

It was at this point that the audience went galactic with applause and screams at the entrance of Zachary Quinto and Jason Kogan.

It was history in the making on the Gene and Majel Roddenberry Theater stage, the three Spocks live! The fans went crazy and the digital camera flashes lit the theater up like a warp coil breech. It was a moment that everyone attending will remember for the rest of their lives and become part of the fan legends that will be told forever in the Star Trek universe.

Source: Digital Journal

After a music video tribute, all were seated for Mr. Nimoy, who seems to look younger every year. The actor revealed that he has already filmed his new bits as William Bell for Fringe. As for the Star Trek: Something Something, sequel, Spock Prime said he had not been contacted by the Abrams team, but went on to say that he didn’t think he needed believes the torch has been passed to the new cast. His praise for the latest film is unwavering, and his answer to “What is your favorite episode” was always “Have you seen the new film?”

Questions were typical, and Nimoy has a way of making even the silliest of them valid, and providing great answers. One high-point was a young man dressed in a Trek uniform surrounded by a cape, and carrying a lightsaber. As a “Starfleet Jedi,” he believed in the compatibility of Vulcan and Jedi philosophies, and did Mr. Nimoy agree. Nimoy answered: “Why would a Vulcan want to be a Jedi?” to thunderous applause. You had to be there. He also (again) answered a question about his infamous ‘Bilbo Baggins music video.

Another great story was the time he was in Tokyo around the time of STIV on his way to a bookstore to promote the Trek books, big in Japan at the time. In the car with him was the translator for all the books who told him Shatner was “getting too fat” to play the Captain amongst other things wrong with series. Nimoy then praised his old friend, and how he has transformed his career in recent years. Nimoy also mentioned that he is planning to exhibit new photographs from his “Identity Project” next July in North Adams, MA, and after a question, discussed his ‘other career’ as a photographer in some detail for the audience. And when asked what he would do if Star Trek never happened, Nimoy said he would want to be a therapist.

Star Trek - Las Vegas
by Philip Chien

The highlight of the convention was Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock from the original series, appearing with Zachary Quinto who plays Spock in the 2009 movie. While they were under confidentiality agreements and could not reveal plot details about the movie they kept the fans entertained. Quinto verified that his contract has an option for two additional movies so if the decision is made for additional movies he's committed to play Spock again if the studio wishes. He promised a fanatical fan of the original series that the new movie would be true to the original series while also expanding the concepts to bring in new fans. When the fan said he was worried about the second part of that phrase Quinto made the flat statement, "I can promise you that you will like the new movie." The movie, titled just "Star Trek", opens in May 2009.

Quinto is best known for playing the villain Sylar in the television series "Heroes" and many fans said that they were really creeped out by his role. Quinto ran off the stage toward one fan which really frightened her.

Source: neatinformation.com

VegasCon 08: Two Spocks Talk Trek – Reveal New Details August 10, 2008
by Anthony Pascale

the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, really brought the house down. Appearing both individually and together, they entertained the crowd with stories as well as providing insights (and some spoilers) about the new Star Trek movie. Full details and pictures below.

Nimoy jazzed about Star Trek
Nimoy started off by briefing fans on the movie, and how "genuinely excited" he was about it. Regarding the move of the release to next year, he called it disappointing, but also a "vote of confidence" from Paramount that the film can compete in the summer. . Nimoy said that both he and Quinto "had seen some" of the new film and that it was "looking quite wonderful."

Regarding the director JJ Abrams, the actor was quite complimentary, noting

He can do the very very big stuff–ships, planets, and so forth–and and he can also very well do the personal stuff between people, and that is why I think this movie will do well. And that is why I think this movie is so special. A lot of directors can do one or the other, the big stuff or the personal stuff, he has done both in this movie.

Regarding the script written by Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Nimoy said:

The writing on this film is so human, so rich, and fun! A lot of humor in the movie.

Nimoy also mentioned the cast, naming many of the actors and noting that it was a "great cast" and noting specifically that the new Spock, Zachary Quinto, was a "very good actor" and that Winona Ryder was "wonderful" as Amanda, Spock’s mother.

The actor also took various questions ranging from his photography, to the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, and he looked great and was full of energy and enthusiasm and the capacity crowd of over 3,000 fans cheered and laughed throughout. After half an hour he introduced Zachary Quinto.

Quinto humbled to be Spock
The new Spock started off his solo segment by playing to the crowd decrying the closing of Star Trek The Experience, and telling the crowd that he just finished lunch at Quark’s. Quinto then went right into Q&A which focused mostly his past work, including So Notorious and Heroes. A lot of fan comments was about him transitioning from a villain and at one point a fan said she thought he was the "scariest villain ever" at which point he leapt off the stage and mocked going for her throat, which made her scream (loudly). Regarding the upcoming third season of Heroes, Quinto said he thought the show would have the energy that "got people on board for in the first place."

Regarding the Star Trek movie, Quinto took a question on the computer voice and would it be Majel Roddenberry. He said he didn’t know and that there would be "different voices" and that work was likely not done yet on it as it is something done in post production. He did speculate that JJ Abrams best friend Greg Grunberg might end up doing some voice. Grunberg appears in almost all of Abrams projects, but wasn’t available to shoot his cameo during principal photography.

Quinto was also asked about how Leonard Nimoy has worked with his Spock, to which he replied:

Leonard is an incredible man. I think it one of the greatest honors about being part of this is getting to know him. From the very beginning he has been available and very encouraging and we have spent a fair amount of time just talking and getting to know each other personally and through that process it has helped me to understand this character even more. I think that characters are firmly rooted in the actors that create them, and I think that no matter how many times I play Spock, I didn’t create that character.

Quinto was asked if he had a favorite moment in the new Star Trek movie, and he joked back that it was a tricky way to "get some secrets," but he did say seriously:

There are so many moments in this movie that I think hard-core fans are just going to love. If it is done the way I think it will be done, I think hearts will be in stomachs–it is this idea of seeing these characters in a different light. I have seen some of the movie. I have seen very rough sequences that JJ showed me. The one where you first sort of see Enterprise and you first sort of see the convergence of the crew of the Enterprise is a pretty profound moment for me.

Quinto really had the crowd behind him, but at one moment a fan came to the mic who said he was a TOS "purist" and asked Quinto what he could tell him that would ‘reduce his concerns.’ Although the question got laughs from the audience, Quinto took it seriously and said the movie was "made with an awareness that we wouldn’t be here without The Original Series and the people that created it." He also said the film would honor the original but also infuse "a new sensibility and a new aesthetic" to help bring in new fans. Of course the purist wasn’t too happy with that second part, but Zach was determined saying "as a purist and some one who has been a fan for a long time, I guarantee you, you won’t be disappointed." Later Quinto was asked about learning to do the Vulcan salute and he noted that "as a leftie" it took him a while to get it down with his right hand, but he then noted:

That is an example of the way in which I am different–my Spock is a little bit different because he is a leftie and that is where his Vulcan salute is, but I pulled it off on the other side as well. Those are the things that our purist friend in the audience may have something to say about–don’t be mad at me–I just bring what I have to the table.

 

The Spocks Talk Trek [with some spoilers]
After Quinto’s half hour, Leonard returned to the stage and both actors sat and just began chatting with each other, asking each other questions like it was their own little chat show. Nimoy started off asking about Heroes, and the character Sylar which eventually led to what was similar about Sylar and Spock, that they are both ‘conflicted’, with Quinto noting that in the film "Spock is really not in control of the line between his emotional life and his intellectual life." Quinto then asked if it was easy for Nimoy to return to the role of Spock, to which he replied:

The thing that was difficult for me was my very first day on the movie, we have this complicated and very interesting scene together. And I didn’t feel totally on my ground yet, particularly with this kind of scene. I had never played with another Spock before, it was weird.

Quinto then noted that sometimes when you shoot a film you may start off by shooting the last scene in the film, however it wasn’t clear if he was speaking generally or about the specific scene from Nimoy’s first day. They also both agreed that in the end the scene worked and feedback has been good. Regardless this is the first time they have both spoken openly about having a scene together. Later when Quinto was talking about Simon Pegg (Scotty) he noted that Nimoy actually worked with Pegg more than he did, implying that we are going to see a good amount of Scotty and the elder Spock together. The exchange with Quinto and Nimoy confirms previous reports regarding time travel (see here and here), but also confirms that while back in time, the elder Spock is interacting with his younger self and younger versions of his former ship mates.

Regarding Pegg’s Scotty, Quinto noted

He is a pure comic genius, and to have someone so funny play such a beloved character as Scotty is really something else. I think he is going to bring a lot of life to it.

Nimoy noted that he had recently seen some footage with Pegg that he wasn’t in and said it was "hilarious." At Comic Con, Star Trek producer Damon Lindelof also spoke to TrekMovie about how funny Pegg is in Star Trek, so it appears, that like JJ Abrams did in Mission: Impossible: III, Simon Pegg picks up much of the comic relief for the film (as James Doohan, the original Scotty, often did during the TV series and feature films).

Things then moved on to Q&A and the first question was about how the movie will expand the audience for Trek and Quinto said the film will be more than just a tentpole with "explosions and spaceships" because "the heart of this movie is universal and accessible across the board" with Nimoy following up noting "it is a very human movie." Nimoy was also asked if there was anything about Zachary’s performance as Spock that he wished he had seen himself. Quinto quickly said "the answer is no," but Nimoy contradicted him saying there was a scene that he watched that "startled" him:

I saw him do something and I thought ‘whoa’ that was interesting

As they wrapped up Nimoy thanked the audience and gave a "live long and prosper" while they both offered the Vulcan salute, with Zach’s, as noted before, coming from his left hand.

Source: Trek Movie

08.12.2007
Vegas Report: Nimoy & Shatner Talk Movie

LAS VEGAS, Sunday, August 12 — We're still compiling our Saturday and Sunday blog reports from the Las Vegas official Star Trek convention, but we thought we'd bring you straight away all the comments made by Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on the J.J. Abrams "Star Trek" movie that Nimoy will be starring in, but currently Shatner will not.

Some new information that came out was that Nimoy will be shooting his part starting in December — a month after principal photography begins — and is scheduled for more work in February and March of 2008. Nimoy's role as the older Spock is "not gigantic," but, "it's more than a cameo." Nimoy also talked about the challenge of trying to recapture the character and trying to examine where Spock has been and how he's evolved in the intervening years since we last saw him (which was in TNG's "Unification").

Sunday afternoon the schedule had Nimoy come on stage by himself for 30 minutes, then Shatner would go on solo for 30 minutes, and then they'd spend another half hour sharing the stage together.

Nimoy came out at 2:30 p.m., and on top of drawing huge ovations just for himself, he made the crowd doubly erupt when he took off his jacket and showed off his "#1 Vulcan" T-shirt (which he's worn before at conventions). "You human beings are so emotional," he began.

After commenting on the introductory video, and making barbs about Shatner trying to drown him during "Star Trek IV," Nimoy opened, "I can not imagine what you want to hear about today. I can't imagine what you want to talk about today."

The crowd started chanting: "Mo-vie! Mo-vie! Mo-vie!"

"Is that what you want to talk about?" So Nimoy started in on what he wanted to say: "I've been on the Internet for the last few days, and it's amazing to me how people are spending their time on these blogs and websites, voicing their opinions about what should be done about Star Trek next. People who have never directed a Star Trek episode, people who have never directed a film, people who have never directed traffic, are voicing their opinions about what to do with the next Star Trek movie. It's fascinating, fascinating."

"Well, y'know, the Vulcan IDIC philosophy is Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, and we're getting it, I'll tell ya, we're getting diversity. I've copied off just a few of the milder ones — really, some of them I just can't read out loud in public..." He dramatically recited several of the blogs he printed out, some infused with anger and cynicism, such as one suggesting that bringing Nimoy and Shatner into the movie shows a lack of originality "just to satisfy a bunch of old Trekkies!" Another offbeat one suggested that the movie will reveal Spock's first name to be "Timmy."

"So many experts, so many opinions," Nimoy commented. "Thousands of Star Trek fans, millions of Star Trek fans, millions of opinions. I wanna tell you something. When I finished making 'Star Trek III,' about a week before it opened I got a call from the administration at the studio, Paramount, and they said, 'We'd like you make another one — make 'Star Trek IV.' And I said, 'I'm really interested in doing that, however—'

"'Star Trek III' was my first movie. I had directed some television but it was my first feature film. And they had a tight hold on me. Every day I had to explain why I was doing this shot this way and how it was going to cut with that other shot, and what was I going to do tomorrow — they were on me all day long every day. And I said, 'I can't do that again. I need to be let loose.' And they said to me, 'The training wheels are off — we want you to make your Star Trek.' I said, 'Okay.' So I went to work and spent two years from the day they said that to the day the movie opened, I spent two years making 'Star Trek IV' — the movie opened and it became, still, the highest grossing Star Trek movie of all of them ever made, okay?

"I tell you that for a reason. I tell you that for a very serious reason, and the reason I tell you that is because they turned me loose and they let me have my vision and they let me make a movie. And I say that they have hired a very talented director and very talented writers, and you have to turn them loose and let them make their movie. Okay? I have faith in these people. I understand that everybody wants to be a director and everybody wants to have an opinion — everybody is saying 'If they don't do it this way, I'm not gonna see it! If they don't that way, I'm only gonna see it once!' But I do believe you have to give these talented people a chance to make the movie, okay? And let's rejoice in the fact that they are good, talented people and there's a Star Trek movie coming and I think they're going to invigorate the franchise. I really do, I believe that." And the applause for his observations was enthusiastic.

"Not long ago in San Diego, I guess eight or nine days ago, we were in San Diego for Comic-Con ... a hundred thousand people at Comic-Con, a hundred thousand people! And the room where we held our panel announcing 'Star Trek,' the room was like this, packed, wonderful reaction, people very excited — I was on the panel with J.J. Abrams and the two writers, and a young gentleman named Zachary Quinto. And he does resemble me, I think he's believable as me, younger — but equally important if not even more so, he's a very talented actor, and I'm honored to have him take over the role of Spock after I'm done. So please give him a welcome when he comes on the screen, okay? He's a talented actor and he's a gentleman — he was at my house for dinner a couple of nights ago, we've spent some good time together and we will spend more good time together, and I'm really grateful that they have found this very talented young man to play the young Spock. I'm looking forward to that.

"And as far as Bill Shatner goes ... I told J.J. Abrams, when he asked my opinion, I told him that I think obviously 'Star Trek' would be better with Bill Shatner as Captain Kirk in it. Now that's up to him, I'm not making the movie, but that's what I told him. I don't know if Bill wants to be in the movie — do you think Bill wants to be in the movie?" Saying that tongue-in-cheek, the audience laughed and cheered. "Yeaaaah," Nimoy responded.

James Trowbridge and his positive vision of the future

James Trowbridge received a special gift for his tenth birthday: his father John surprised him with a trip to The Las Vegas Hilton and tickets to a Star Trek convention. The highlight of the trip was asking a question of Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy was so taken with James’ interest, that the actor invited the MPI Elementary School student up to the stage. James made such a positive impression on the Star Trek icon, that he was invited to contribute to a special Star Trek blog (www.trekmovie.com) as a youth correspondent.

Nimoy later invited the Trowbridge family to the premiere of the new film. James was introduced to Star Trek by his father. “I like it because it shows a positive vision of the future,” James said.

Source: Mid Pacific Institue

SacTown Con Report: Nimoy To Play Sarek?

Nimoy and Shatner Look Back, Express Hope for the Future
Two legends, Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, shared the stage on Sunday to celebrate Star Trek’s 40th Anniversary at Creation Entertainment’s Official Star Trek Convention in Sacramento, California. As usual, they didn’t disappoint the sold out audience gathered to hear them share their memories of the franchise. Nimoy appeared first, looking fit and happy. He shared with the audience that he had “been contacted” by JJ Abrams, director of Star Trek XI. He did not go into anymore detail, except to express positive impressions of Abrams and hope for the film. One audience member asked him if the movie was supposed to be about a young Spock, would Nimoy consider an offer to play Sarek? After a brief pause, Nimoy said “Someone get Abrams on the phone right away!” Nimoy went on to say in all seriousness, that he was retired from the movie business, preferring to focus on his photography and spending time with his family. When it came time for Shatner’s appearance, he began with the statement that, although there was no Star Trek right now, “Something is in the wind. Something exciting.” He was referring obviously to the new movie, and also had praise for Abrams. “He seems to be a bright and talented young man.” Shatner said he did not know whether or not he would be asked to appear in the film, but did not rule out an appearance.

Shatner and Nimoy then appeared together, sharing their memories of the show and the films. One very interesting exchange came about when Shatner discussed shooting Star Trek V. He said that he learned a life long lesson about the difference between “going with the flow” and “compromising yourself”. He talked at some length about what he had wanted for the film (“Search for God, find the Devil”) but that the studio pushed him away from the concept, which he regrets. Nimoy responded “I’ve never heard you share that with anyone before.”The two stars shared a champagne toast with the audience, and stayed afterward to sign autographs and have photos taken with fans for several hours before leaving. Their appearance culminated a weekend long event, which included John De Lancie, Armin Shimerman, Dominic Keating, and Marc Alaimo. Additionally, Michael and Denise Okuda surprised the audience with an appearance on Saturday, in which they introduced the first clip reel of the remastered Star Trek episodes. The impressive clips were received very well by the fans in attendance.

Source: Trek Movie

Celebrating Star Trek’s 40th Anniversary
Posted on Sun 10 Sep 2006

We drove north to Sacramento today and we celebrated along many fans the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek, with Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner driving the show. Each actor had a monologue — I loved how sharp Nimoy is and how full of joy Shatner is at their 75+ years of age. The two actors later got together on stage (it was great to see how good friends they have been all these years) with Shatner toasting some champagne saying “here’s to another 40 years…“.

Source: Eugenia's Rant

A Tribute to Star Trek

40th Anniversary September 8, 2006

Shatner asked Leonard Nimoy, "Why won't you come on Boston Legal," and Nimoy answered, "I knew I was going to be asked that question, but I didn't think it would come from you!" Nimoy explained that he has retired from acting after he found that filming took up too much time and wasn't as enjoyable as it once was. He is concentrating on his photography career and has published several books, including "Shekhina," based on Jewish symbolism. The Vulcan hand sign was based on a blessing used in a Jewish religious ceremony. On Sunday 9/10/06, the convention auditorium was packed with fans during William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy's appearance. It was a fun experience to see the actors in person during their talks with the audience and meet them.

Source: Monika Lewis

STAR TREK LAS VEGAS 2006

The amazing 2006 Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas is now but a sweet memory, filled with glorious moments to treasure forever! 13,000 FANS from over 38 countries and every single American state journeyed to be with us to share Gene Roddenberry's enduring celebration of hope for the human race! What a way to share a week of fun, excitement and friendship.

With its positive hope for the future and acceptance and celebration of humankind's diversity, there is no doubt that Star Trek is the most important and meaningful genre show of all time and the 2006 convention and the outrageously positive worldwide media coverage showed that STAR TREK LIVES large: now and forever! Our special thanks to title sponsor Arovotech and presenting sponsors Google, Christies, Celestis and G-4 for making the 2006 convention a huge success. (...)

Shatner and Nimoy took the stage on Saturday and this was "the" moment we were all waiting for. True Hollywood giants and great talents as well. Wow!

Source: Creation Entertainment

 

William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy

"The two big boys" — as Creation's Adam Malin called them — each took the stage Saturday separately before appearing together. Nimoy came out first, and upon the thunderous ovation uttered, "So emotional."

"I've been asked time and time again, how does it feel after 40 years to come to one of these events? And I'd say, 'It's like taking a victory lap!'' Nimoy remarked. "Years ago, people used to say to me, 'My kids love your show.' And these days, kids say to me, 'My parents love your show.'"

"Some of us didn't really know what to expect when we went on the air in September '66. I kinda had a sense that we would last a long time. I believed in what we were doing."

Among his reminisces of the early days of Star Trek, Nimoy explained why Spock appears to be limping in scenes with Captain Pike in "The Cage" and "The Menagerie." "It was a mistake. But it wasn't my mistake. When making the first episode ... it was Gene Roddenberry who came on the stage and said to me, 'I want to build in the sense that this is an ongoing story and that there have been previous episodes, and maybe Spock had been injured in a previous adventure. So please add a limp as you're running. I said, 'Okay, boss! You tell me what to do, I do it!' He was signing my checks! So I said okay. And I limped. And I've been explaining it ever since."

After communing with the audience for about 20 minutes, Nimoy said, "I'm sorry, I have to bring this guy out here, I'm sorry. He insists on coming on stage to talk to you," and proceeded to introduce Shatner, who commented on the vast numbers of people in attendance (close to 5,000 in the room).

"This is quite wonderful. I guess it means that we're all interested and anticipating what's coming up with Star Trek," Shatner opened. "Amazing, absolutely amazing, this marvelous thing that Star Trek has become. The life that it shows, nobody can believe it."

"I mean, there's J.J. Abrams right now — you know he's in a room somewhere scribbling, he's fashioning a screenplay that will lift us on the wings of fantasy!" Shatner rhapsodized. "I'm anticipating it every bit as much as you are." Regarding rumors of a future Captain Kirk actor, he added, "We keep hearing about people being signed, but as far as I know, nobody has been signed to play anything."

He told of his recent trip to Israel to set up an international therapeutic riding program, and described a recent motorcycle accident in California in which he took a nasty spill, skinning himself badly and ending up in an emergency room. "Then — I agreed to be roasted! Why, you may ask, did I agree to do that? I have no explanation. It may one of the stupidest things I've ever done. It seemed cool at the time."

The Comedy Central Roast he was referring to was taped the previous Sunday and set to air the following night. "It was horrible. It's funny, but it's horrible. And two people who took such glee in roasting me—" he pointed backstage where George Takei and Nichelle Nichols were currently signing autographs — "they were very evil towards me. But one of the things that they didn't realize, George and Nichelle, was if you come up on stage to roast, you're also gonna be roasted. George got roasted worse than I did!"

"So, enough about me, what about you? I'm only joking," he proceeded in his self-mocking manner.

Answering questions from the audience, Shatner talked about some of this Boston Legal castmates, including James Spader and Candice Bergen. "I'll tell you who I'm in love with, is Rene Auberjonois. Rene is the most darling of people. I sort of vaguely knew him [before] ... I had no idea what an artist and what a charmer and how funny and how loving Rene is," he gushed. "I've never been in a show that exudes so much goodwill towards everybody. There isn't a harsh moment on the set."

Getting back to the roast, Shatner said that during the show he saw his "Mr. Tambourine Man" video for the first time in 20 years, and realized, "It's AWFUL! What was I thinking when I did that? I don't blame the people who joke about it."

He then brought Nimoy back on stage and the two proceeded to trade barbs and laugh between themselves, particularly over a "letter" that Nimoy claimed he found buried under a tree in his backyard, one dated September 8, 1966: "We're going on the air tonight with the first episode of Star Trek. I predict the show will develop an intelligent, loyal following but will be cancelled at the end of the third season. I predict there will be tremendous success for the show in reruns." "Why are you pretending to read this, you know it all by heart!" Shatner interceded. Nimoy continued, "I predict William Shatner will do a lot of TV commercials! It says here: For anybody! I predict that in the fall of 2006 will we meet with thousands of fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show, probably in Las Vegas! Signed, Leonard Nimoy."

They proceeded to reminisce about the early episodes of Star Trek, starting with "Where No Man Has Gone Before." "Let's talk about the pilot," Shatner began. "The second pilot, the one that I did. Not the one that you did, the one that I did. Because the one you did didn't sell. The one you did didn't sell. The one you did didn't sell..." Nimoy came back, "I'm not sure they heard you, say it once more!" "The one you did didn't sell!"

After exchanging memories about Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman, they started talking about "the salmon story," as Shatner liked to call it ("Amok Time"). Nimoy pointed out, "There's a good reason to call it 'the salmon story,' because it was written by Theodore Sturgeon." "Ohhh! Pretty darn good after all these years!" Shatner responded to his groaner. Nimoy further pointed out that it was Sturgeon who wrote the words "Live long and prosper."

On a more serious note, Shatner used the occasion of the 40th anniversary to relay a message. "One of the reasons for the popularity of Star Trek is the fact that it exists two or three hundred years from now and offers a note of hope," he said. "We can hope, but hope doesn't do it. We need practical steps. And I'm really afraid that your grandchildren and mine will be in dire trouble with the planet if we don't exercise our rights, right now, today, tomorrow, and start cleaning things up — legislating for more miles per gallon in a car, recycling, and trying to repair the planet in the same way we're trying to repair the ozone hole."

Nimoy added, "The President has told us that we're addicted to oil but we're not doing anything about it! We should stop this addiction to oil, okay?"

Shatner concluded, "In this wonderful medium of people who are unified by Star Trek, there also can be a power that we take with us from this gathering. We must work hard and passionately and immediately for the good of the planet, otherwise we're going to terminate ourselves very rapidly."

Nimoy -- Spock on the original "Star Trek" series -- will present a one-man show of his photography, "See What I See," at 4:40 p.m. Saturday. Earlier that day, at 1 p.m., Nimoy will appear alone. Shatner will follow 20 minutes later, with the two appearing together at 1:40 p.m.

Nimoy will show 20 to 30 of his art photographs and give an overview of his work and a survey "of what I've done recently," he said in a recent phone interview from his home in Lake Tahoe.

(...)

The slide show will include some of his nude shots. Anyone offended by nudity "can always close their eyes," Nimoy said. "It's OK with me."

A Tribute to Star Trek

40th Anniversary September 8, 2006

Some of the plots on Boston Legal have references to the actors' roles on Star Trek, such as William Shatner's cell phone using the same ringtone as Captain Kirk's communicator or his falling in love with different women. When William Shatner was asked what it was like to kiss Jeri Ryan on Boston Legal, he replied, "It was magical... for her." Shatner asked Leonard Nimoy, "Why won't you come on Boston Legal," and Nimoy answered, "I knew I was going to be asked that question, but I didn't think it would come from you!" Nimoy explained that he has retired from acting after he found that filming took up too much time and wasn't as enjoyable as it once was. He is concentrating on his photography career and has published several books, including "Shekhina," based on Jewish symbolism. The Vulcan hand sign was based on a blessing used in a Jewish religious ceremony. On Sunday 9/10/06, the convention auditorium was packed with fans during William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy's appearance. It was a fun experience to see the actors in person during their talks with the audience and meet them.

Source: http://sites.google.com/site/monikalewis02/home

Convention Report: Doohan's Farewell
mirrored from StarTrek.com

"It's a goodbye but also a celebration"

Later that afternoon Shatner and Nimoy took the stage in the ballroom together, reminiscing about Doohan and engaging in their usual playful banter. Shatner recalled working with Doohan in Canada when they were both doing radio shows in Toronto. "Jimmy Doohan was a well-known radio personality. What he dealt with most of all was dialects and voices. He was famous for them. And when I came down here, and they were casting for Star Trek, if I remember correctly — which I'm not at all sure — I suggested Jimmy Doohan." Nimoy interjected, "Did you really? Good for you! You suggested him for the role of Scotty?" "That's my...recollection," Shatner said in a self-deprecating manner. "Does Jimmy know that?" Shatner replied, "I hadn't told him yet. I was waiting until now!"

It was impossible not to acknowledge the well-documented reports of animosity between Shatner and Doohan over the years, but the pair on stage did so with a great deal of humor. "There's always this legend that Jimmy didn't like you," Nimoy broached to a big "Whoa!" from the audience. "You know," Shatner conceded, "Jimmy went around and said nasty things about me, but I know he didn't mean it. I have no idea why he said those mean things. Do you?" "I don't know, you're a very nice guy. Never forget that," Nimoy replied with a little tongue in cheek. Reiterating some things he expressed in the pair's "Mind Meld" DVD, Shatner said, "I have no idea why those guys were angry." Nimoy added, "I don't think it's true. I think he loves you." "Yeah — now!" Shatner laughed.

Earlier in the day in the Photo Op room, in fact, Shatner and Doohan did have a cordial conversation. Nimoy visited with Doohan subsequently, and — as Nimoy recounted on stage — Jimmy said to him, "I'm doing all right. Bill is here, and he's behaving himself."

Taking a more serious tone, Shatner and Nimoy both had high praise for their colleague's work ethic. "He had enormous professionalism," Shatner said. "They trained us well in Canada — be there at 9:00, you're there at 9:00, and you know your lines. It's remarkable how few actors there are, even back then, that had Jimmy's professionalism." Nimoy added, "He always went right to the core of the scene, and delivered what was necessary from his character."

They each noted that the weekend was a "bittersweet" experience, especially after losing DeForest Kelley five years ago. "It's a goodbye but it's also a celebration of Jimmy and a very, very long and wonderful career," Nimoy said. Shatner remarked that Doohan has had a fabulous life — "Not that it's over." He can still see plenty of life in Jimmy, especially when he holds his little girl Sarah.

On other topics, Shatner talked a bit about Boston Legal, the new show he's starring in this fall. He revealed that Rene Auberjonois from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has been written into the show with a recurring role. Also, Shatner spoke about his discussions with Paramount regarding a possible appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise. "I came up with a story, and I met with everybody ... So I said, here's the story, and they said, 'Great story!' And I said, 'Here's how much money I want.' They said, 'Great story!' And that's where it's at now — I want too much money for it."

Nimoy closed the appearance by saying, "We truly have enjoyed being with you. And, we wish for Jimmy Doohan to live very long and be very prosperous. And the same to you."

The "Grand Finale" of the weekend was basically a chance for Jimmy to appear on stage one last time before the fans (but without speaking). With a ballroom packed beyond Fire Marshall standards (sadly, the room was locked down and many people had to be turned away), he was rolled in from backstage and helped to his feet by two of his sons, Montgomery and Thomas, and they helped him walk to the chair in center stage. Behind him, leading the applause were Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Grace Lee Whitney, Koenig, Takei and Nichols. Neil Armstrong also came on stage to honor the man of the hour. The ovation was thunderous, and Jimmy took it all in with a touching smile.

Source: Planet Xpo

Happy Memories At Doohan's Farewell

Although Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, forever known as Capt. Kirk and Spock, didn't appear on stage with him, they talked about Doohan earlier on Sunday. Appearing on stage with Shatner, Nimoy said he would never forget seeing Scotty standing in the turbolift on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, holding his nephew's bloodied body after an attack on the Enterprise. Other memories throught the weekend played out on giant video screens, as clips were shown of Scotty from the original series and the movies. Fans in the audience knew the lines well enough to say them loudly and in perfect unison with the clips, such as "Captain, there be whales here!" from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Nimoy emphasized the convention's point was to celebrate Doohan's life, and Shatner said he likes the fact that Doohan, a Canadian, had created a character so loved by Americans. Shatner also is a Canadian.

Source: Trek Today

After the introduction for 'the Stars of Star Trek' both William Shatner (Kirk-'The Original Series') and Leonard Nimoy (Spock-The Original Series'/'Next Generation') strolled onto the stage. The format was conversation between the two. Shatner brought up (again!) the lack of funds for special effects in Star Trek V. One spooky occurrence was that the spotlights went out right after they mentioned DeForrest Kelley’s (McCoy-'The Original Series') name. (Maybe he was there after all.) At one point Shatner turned around to the screen which was calling ticket holders to Carrie Fisher’s autograph line. He called, 'Where’s Carrie?' She came out and went nose to nose with him. She then gave them both a kiss (although Nimoy hammed it up a bit) and went back to her signing. Then Nimoy presented Shatner with Creation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy Genres.

The Original Trek Captain and His First Officer

Even before his scheduled time on stage, William Shatner (James T. Kirk) rushed on stage to up the ante on a Star Trek V: The Final Frontier clapboard up for charity auction. "What's this, only a thousand dollars? You can do better than that." Like a carnival barker, Mr. Shatner pushed the money for the rare item up to $5,000, with all the proceeds going to the Hollywood Charity Horse Show.

When the time came for him to receive Creation Entertainment's 'Lifetime Achievement Award', Bill, joined by his loyal first officer, Leonard Nimoy (Spock), was still in fine spirits. The two, no novices to the popularity of their on screen personas, took in the applause like flowers soaking in a much needed spring rain. The louder the laughter and raucous screams from the audience, the more jokes and jibes the two shot at each other.

Finally down to business, Bill asked Leonard about his new book, Shekhina. Since Leonard has sworn off acting to devote the rest of his life to photography, this book marks a new start in his career. Though Mr. Shatner joked about the photographs of naked women throughout the book, Mr. Nimoy turned the screw on his friend. "The title comes from an ancient Jewish female spirit...you see when I went to the synagogue as a youth, my father would tell me to close my eyes when the priests blessed the congregation. It was said the Shekhina would take the souls of those who saw her. One time I looked up and noticed the bearded priest make the blessing sign (which ended up becoming the famous Vulcan greeting), but did not see Shekhina." The book touches on the definition of God, in the feminine sense, through his pictorials.

When Mr. Nimoy asked his partner in crime about his current career, Mr. Shatner mentioned his new play, which just had a live reading in Los Angeles last month. "It's a story about two men, Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, who discuss their beliefs about the hereafter and God." Leonard asked why he didn't receive a call. William responded casually, "I didn't know you were in town". After Mr. Nimoy's eighteen city book promoting tour, Bill's answer seemed appropriate. "You would have made a wonderful Doyle, but who knew you were the slightest bit interested?"

At this point, the stage lights went to black. Left in the dark, nothing more than a backlit screen told the audience that Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia from Star Wars) was signing autographs in the adjacent annex. Mr. Shatner mockingly complained about the lack of respect, and playfully 'ordered' Ms. Fisher to come on stage and personally apologise to Leonard and himself. Within a few minutes, she did. She hugged Bill, but soon fell into Leonard's arms for a passionate kiss. "That always happens to me," Bill said in response to Leonard's luck with the ladies.

Before presenting his friend with the evening's prestigious award, Mr. Nimoy read a poem he had composed on his plane ride into Los Angeles the night before. Dedicated to William Shatner and titled O Captain, My Captain, Mr. Nimoy read a sincere homage to his friend of thirty odd years. For fun, the author asked the audience to guess the last word of each line. With a simple rhythm scheme within a Star Trek context, the audience gleefully shouted out about 75% of the final line words. Afterwards, Mr. Shatner read a comical poem he wrote about his cohort in crime.

At the end of the Saturday show, Mr. Shatner auctioned off a tour of the Enterprise set for charity, which went for $3,500. Like most everyone else in the audience, I wished I had that type of money to blow on a two-hour tour of Paramount. The two Trek legends waved goodbye to the crowd before retiring for the evening.

Las Vegas Con Photo Report
By Christian
September 16, 2001 - 9:59 AM

Last weekend's Slanted Fedora convention in Las Vegas celebrated the 35th Anniversary in style, featuring guests from the first four Star Trek series. 50 new photos of the event are now available, giving fans not present a good look at what they missed.

The convention was held from the Thursday the 6th of September to Sunday the 9th of September, featuring guests from a different series every day. Present were such major stars as Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Brent Spiner (Data), but also actors with recurring roles such as Robin Curtis (Saavik) and Andrew Robinson (Garak). Frequent TrekToday contributor Michael J. Fijolek also attended the con, and was able to provide us with this report.

Below you will find 50 photos of many of the stars who attended the event. Most of the photos show the actors on-stage, but there are also a few showing them interacting with the fans. Please note that these photos are copyright © 2001 by Michael J. Fijolek, and may not be copied or reproduced elsewhere for any reason without the express permission of the photographer.

Source: Trek Today