Let’s start in the present, go back to the past, and then look to the future. So, first, you gave some people a scare a few months ago. What happened and how are you feeling?

Nimoy: Yeah, I had a surprise. (Laughs). That’s the best way to put it. I was in Massachusetts, North Adams, Massachusetts, to do a presentation at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. They had an exhibition of my photography that was up for several months and I was there to give a talk. I was at a hotel across the street from the museum. I was set to go over in an hour or two and I suddenly started having severe stomach pains. And instead of going to the museum I went to the hospital and I had some colon surgery. Fortunately, the hospital and the surgeon were excellent and did a very good job for me. The rest was just a story of recovery. I’m fine now. It took a few weeks because it was rather severe surgery, with a lengthy incision from down the middle of my chest into my stomach. But I’m fine and I’m fully recovered.

You’ve retired, but we keep hearing – including from you with your recent tweet – that more Fringe may be on the horizon. What’s happening with that?

Nimoy: I did it. One episode. I can't say if William Bell will ever be back or if this is the finale of the season. I thought the character was finished, but they came up with a wonderful idea.

Wait, wait. Did you mean to say finale of the season or finale of the series?

Nimoy: I don't have either answer, season or series. I have been through many resurrections in my time!

You still attend the occasional convention. Why? Is it kind of a thank you to the fans at this point?

Nimoy: That’s exactly what it is, a thank you. I still feel an obligation to be out there for them, to tell them the Star Trek stories and to bring them up to date on what I’m doing. There’s still a lot of interest. I don’t know when I will stop doing this. I think there is an end in sight. I will not going on doing it indefinitely, but I am scheduled for three or four events for this year.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture actually rose from the ashes of Star Trek: Phase II, the series that Paramount aborted when it became clear from Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind that sci-fi movies could be huge moneymakers. Phase II has been in the news again recently with stories about how involved you might or might not have been…

Nimoy: It's being reported that Mr. Roddenberry offered me a contract to appear as Spock in two out of every 11 episodes of Star Trek in the '70's when there was a new series contemplated. This is true and (it’s) also true that I turned down the offer. I didn't feel comfortable being hired on as a part-time player.

That's interesting. Was that Roddenberry's choice or was that Paramount trying either to keep costs down or hoping they'd entice you with a less exhausting schedule?

Nimoy: Since Mr. Roddenberry is gone, we'll never know. He was also hired to develop a series for me at Universal in 1971. It was called Questor (The Questor Tapes). When it was time to cast it, he chose Robert Foxworth instead.

(...)

Star Trek V was, for all intents and purposes, William Shatner’s movie, so let’s move on to Star Trek VI. Was it time to say goodbye? And were you satisfied with the justice the story did to the franchise and cast?

Nimoy: I had some other wishes for Star Trek VI. I had some other hopes that weren’t realized. I thought the film served its purpose, again. It didn’t create any problems for us, but it didn’t quite accomplish what I’d hoped.

Which was?

Nimoy: I had a very interesting conversation with Gene Roddenberry in which we’d been discussing the idea of this movie being about going into the Klingon territory, into the Klingon Empire. I came up with the idea that since Nixon, who was a known conservative, was the person who could go to China to make a deal, who were obviously not conservative – they were a very deeply red Communist country – that Captain Kirk would be the ideal choice to go to the Klingon Empire to deal with them to create a détente between the Kingon Empire and our side, the Federation. That idea intrigued Nick Meyer and he wrote a very workable screenplay, but what I was hoping for was that once inside the Klingon Empire we would find out something about the Klingons that would surprise us all. Why are they so angry? Why are they so hostile? Why are so warring? Why are they so bent on conflict and paranoia and suspicion? What’s going on in their minds? What’s inside that Empire that we don’t know that would surprise us? We never quite got to that. We never quite did. We did do an interesting story about the political faction within the Klingon’s structure, but we didn’t quite get to that amazing revelation about what the Klingons were really all about.

Some fans loved the alternate universe concept, as it will free the writers and actors to go in any direction, while others disliked the breaking of Star Trek canon that resulted, particularly the destruction of Vulcan. What are your thoughts on the debate?

Nimoy: I think the alternate universe was necessary. I think it was a very solid idea and necessary because, although it broke canon in a certain kind of way, if they didn’t do the alternate universe, they would have broken canon in other ways. It was constricting. There was so much history to be dealt with that if they did not do the alternate universe it would have been so constricting and it would have been very, very difficult to tell an exciting story without stepping on some toes somewhere. So, by doing it this way, I think they gave themselves a new canvass to work with. I think it was a very wise idea.

(...)

You’re about to turn 80. Does that excite you? Frighten you? Both at once?

Nimoy: You know, the alternative isn’t very attractive. (Laughs) Not turning 80 is not a very nice event in your life. So… But I’m very comfortable with who I am and what I am and how I am. I feel strong. I feel good. I feel happy and healthy. I have a wonderful personal life. I will get out this year and see people and tell the stories. I love telling the stories that audiences want to hear. I’m really excited about this year. I’m doing a few conventions and appearances. I’m going to be in Dallas and Vegas and Atlanta. I’m giving a speech in Long Beach, at the Carpenter Center, at the end of April. I’m doing a reading in L.A. I’ve got some really exciting and fun things to do this year, and I’m looking forward to it.

Let’s assume you’ll live to 100. What do you hope to do with the next 20 years of your life?

Nimoy: I hope to stay creative, but to keep my personal life at the forefront. I have three kids and six grandchildren and a great-grandson. I’m thrilled with the way their lives are developing and it’s great fun to see them grow into themselves. I’m looking forward to enjoying that, and I want to keep some of my life available for creative possibilities. You’re talking to a very, very happy, thankful, grateful guy.