Leonard Nimoy
Known for: Acting
Leonard Simon Nimoy (March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series 1966–1969, multiple films, television and video game sequels. Nimoy began his career in his early twenties, teaching acting classes in Hollywood and making minor film and television appearances through the 1950s, as well as playing the title role in Kid Monk Baroni. In 1953, he served in the United States Army. In 1965, he made his first appearance in the rejected Star Trek pilot, "The Cage", and would go on to play the character of Mr. Spock until 1969, followed by seven further films and a number of guest slots in various sequels. His character of Spock generated a significant cultural impact and three Emmy Award nominations; TV Guide named Spock one of the 50 greatest TV characters. Nimoy also had a recurring role in Mission: Impossible and a narrating role in Civilization IV, as well as several well-received stage appearances. Nimoy's fame as Spock is such that both his autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1977) and I Am Spock (1995) detail his existence as being shared between the character and himself. Nimoy was born to Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Iziaslav, Ukraine. His father, Max Nimoy, owned a barbershop in the Mattapan section of the city. His mother, Dora Nimoy (née Spinner), was a homemaker. Nimoy began acting at the age of eight in children's and neighborhood theater. His parents wanted him to attend college and pursue a stable career, or even learn to play the accordion—which, his father advised, Nimoy could always make a living with—but his grandfather encouraged him to become an actor. His first major role was at 17, as Ralphie in an amateur production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing!. Nimoy took Drama classes at Boston College in 1953 but failed to complete his studies, and in the 1970s studied photography at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has an MA in Education and an honorary doctorate from Antioch University in Ohio. Nimoy served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1953 through 1955, alongside fellow actor Ken Berry and architect Frank Gehry.
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
The Simpsons
Leonard Nimoy (voice)
1989
Series
The Daily Show
Self - Guest
1996
Series
The Daily Show
Self - Narrator
1996
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Top Ten List Presenter
1993
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
1975
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited)
1975
Series
The Colbert Report
Self - Guest
2005
Series
Columbo
Barry Mayfield
1971
Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Spock
1987
Series
Perry Mason
Pete Chennery
1957
Series
The Merv Griffin Show
Self - Guest
1962
Series
Futurama
Leonard Nimoy's Head (Voice)
1999
Series
Fringe
Dr. William Bell
2008
Series
Star Trek
Spock
1966
Series
Bonanza
Freddy
1959
Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Mr. Spock
1993
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
1944
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Star Trek: Discovery
Spock (archive footage)
2017
Series
The Big Bang Theory
Mr. Spock (voice)
2007
Series
Wagon Train
Bernabe Zamora
1957
Series
Wagon Train
Cherokee Ned
1957
Series
Wagon Train
Joaquin Delgado
1957
Series
Wagon Train
Emeterio Vasquez
1957
Series
Get Smart
Stryker
1965
Series
The Virginian
Wismer
1962
Series
The Virginian
Benjamin Frome
1962
Series
The Virginian
Keith Bentley
1962
Series
Mission: Impossible
Paris
1966
Series
The Twilight Zone
Hansen
1959
Series
Wogan
Self
1982
Series
Dragnet
Julius Carver
1951
Series
Dragnet
Leonard Nimoy
1951
Series
Dr. Kildare
Harry
1961
Series
T. J. Hooker
Lt. Paul McGuire
1982
Series
Daniel Boone
Oontah
1964
Series
The Outer Limits
Thurman Cutler
1995
Series
Four Star Playhouse
Bulloti's Henchman (uncredited)
1952
Series
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest / Various Characters
1967
Series
The Untouchables
Packy
1959
Series
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Self
2009
Series
Combat!
Neumann
1962
Series
Combat!
Pvt. Baum
1962
Series
Rawhide
Anko
1959
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Spock (archive footage)
1992
Series
Becker
Professor Emmett Fowler
1998
Series
Night Gallery
Henry Auden
1970
Series
Duckman
Leonard Nimoy
1994
Series
Star Trek: Prodigy
Spock (voice)
2021
Series
The Outer Limits
Konig
1963
Series
The Outer Limits
Judson Ellis
1963
Series
Gunsmoke
Grice
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Arnie
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Holt
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
John Walking Fox
1955
Series
Highway Patrol
Harry Wells
1955
Series
Highway Patrol
Ray
1955
Series
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Lawrence Brody
1963
Series
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Cowell
1963
Series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self (uncredited)
1968
Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Vladeck
1964
Series
Faerie Tale Theatre
The Evil Moroccan Magician
1982
Series
The Rebel
Jim Colburn
1959
Series
Sea Hunt
Vince
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Tyler
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Johnny Brand /Johnny Bronson
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Jerry Wiley
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Revolutionary Student (uncredited)
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Liquid Explosives Thief (uncredited)
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Hoya - Saboteur
1958
Series
Sea Hunt
Indio Ramirez
1958
Film
Star Trek
Ambassador Spock
2009
Series
Lock-Up
Nino Baselicce
1959
Series
The Tall Man
Deputy Sheriff Johnny Swift
1960
Series
Navy Log
1955
Film
The Transformers: The Movie
Galvatron (voice)
1986
Film
Star Trek Beyond
Ambassador Spock (archive footage)
2016
Series
Tombstone Territory
Little Hawk
1957
Series
The Shannara Chronicles
Spock (archive footage)
2016
Series
Muppets Tonight
Self
1996
Series
Sam Benedict
Insp. Joe Shatley
1962
Series
Auf los geht's los
Self
1977
Film
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantean King (voice)
2001
Broken Arrow
Winnoa
1956
Broken Arrow
Nahilzay
1956
Broken Arrow
Apache
1956
Series
The Lieutenant
Gregg Sanders
1963
Series
87th Precinct
Barrow
1961
Film
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Spock
1979
Series
Cain's Hundred
Ralph Tomek
1961
Series
Comedy Central Roasts
Self
2003
Series
Star Trek
Spock (voice)
1973
Series
Ancient Mysteries
1994
Series
Ancient Mysteries
Narrator
1994
Film
Star Trek Into Darkness
Ambassador Spock
2013
Series
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer
1964
Film
Land of the Lost
The Zarn (voice)
2009
Please Turn the Page
Self
1977
Profiles in Courage
Burr Jones
1964
Film
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Captain Spock
1986
Series
West Point
Cadet Tom Kennedy
1956
Series
26 Men
1957
Film
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Dr. David Kibner
1978
Series
Steve Canyon
Control Tower Sgt.
1958
Series
Shatner's Raw Nerve
Self
2008
Series
Marco Polo
Achmet
1982
Series
The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
The Pagemaster
Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde (voice)
1994
Film
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Captain Spock
1991
Series
The Captain and Tennille
Self - Guest
1976
Series
The Man Called X
1956
Film
The Pixar Story
Spock (archive footage)
2007
Film
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Captain Spock
1989
Film
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Captain Spock
1982
Series
Harbor Command
Fred Garrison
1957
Film
Piece by Piece
Spock (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)
2024
Series
The Barbara McNair Show
Self
1969
Film
Them!
Army Sergeant
1954
Series
Invasion America
General Konrad (voice)
1998
Series
Bring Back...
Self
2005
Series
Tate
1960
Film
Zambezia
Sekhuru (voice)
2012
Film
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Sentinel Prime (voice)
2011
Film
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Captain Spock / Elevator Voice
1984
Series
The Rough Riders
1958
The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show
Self
1968
Film
Virtuosity
Spock (archive footage) (uncredited)
1995
HypaSpace
Self
2002
Film
David
Samuel
1997
Series
After They Were Famous
Self
2002
Film
For the Love of Spock
Self (archive footage)
2016
Series
The Sun Also Rises
Count Mippipopolous
1984
Malibu U
Self
1967
Film
The Halloween Tree
Mr. Moundshroud (voice)
1993
Series
David
Samuel
1997
Series
A Woman Called Golda
Morris Meyerson
1982
Film
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Series
In Search of...
1977
Series
In Search of...
Narrator
1977
Series
The Real Story
Himself
2008
You Don't Say!
1963
Film
Brave New World
Mustapha Mond
1998
Film
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Self - (archive footage)
2022
Film
50 Years of Star Trek
Self
2016
Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories
Host
1991
Film
A Woman Called Golda
Morris Meyerson
1982
Film
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Self
2005
Film
Star Trek: The Captain's Summit
Self
2009
Film
Star Trek: The Cage
Spock
1965
Film
Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime
Self
2001
Film
Rhubarb
Young Baseball Player (uncredited)
1951
Film
Queen for a Day
Chief
1951
Film
The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
Self
1995
Film
Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists
Akron/ Baraba/ King Chandra
2000
Film
Sally
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
Self
1988
Film
Francis Goes to West Point
Football Player (uncredited)
1952
Film
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
(archive footage)
2016
Film
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
Spock (archive footage)
2011
Film
The Alpha Caper
Mitch
1973
Film
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Self
1994
Film
Space Seed
Mr. Spock
1967
Film
Catlow
Miller
1971
Film
Assault on the Wayne
Comdr. Phil Kettenring
1971
Series
765874: Unification
Spock
2022
Film
Trekkies
Self
1997
Film
The Perils Of Peacemaking
Self
2003
Film
40 Years of Star Trek
Self
2006
Film
Hava Nagila: The Movie
Self
2012
Film
Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown
1994
Film
Old Overland Trail
Chief Black Hawk
1953
Film
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Self - Host
1991
Film
Bonanza: Under Attack
Frank James
1995
Film
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification
Spock
2013
Film
Valley of Mystery
Spence Atherton
1967
Film
Birth of a Timeless Legacy
2004
Film
The Story of Computer Graphics
Narrator
1999
Film
Star Trek Story
Self
1996
Film
To Be Takei
Self
2014
Film
Armageddon: Target Earth
Host
1998
William Shatner: Captain's Log
Self
1994
Film
Baffled!
Tom Kovack
1973
Film
Tolkien: The True Story of the Rings
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2024
Film
Emily @ the Edge of Chaos
Sigmund Freud (voice)
2021
Film
Mitzi & 100 Guys
Self
1975
Film
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
Self - Host
2007
Film
The Making of 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'
Self
2002
Film
The Brain Eaters
Professor Cole
1958
Film
The Making of 'The Pagemaster'
Self (archive footage)
1994
Film
Titanica
Self - Narrator (voice)
1992
Film
Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris
Dr. Richard Connought
1980
William Shatner in Concert
Self
2006
Film
The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers
Levi Eshkol (voice)
2013
Film
The Harryhausen Chronicles
Self - Narrator (voice)
1997
Film
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Narab
1952
Series
Star Trek: Evolutions
2009
Film
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
1996
Film
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
The Evil Moroccan Magician
1986
Film
The Missing Are Deadly
1975
Film
Kid Monk Baroni
Paul 'Monk' Baroni
1952
Film
The Balcony
Roger
1963
Film
A Life Apart: Hasidism in America
Narrator
1998
Film
Mission: Impossible - The Falcon
Paris
1970
Film
Y2K Family Survival Guide
Self - Host / Narrator
1999
Film
Kiss 'N' Tell: Romance in the 23rd Century
2004
Film
Satan's Satellites
Narab
1958
Film
Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love
Mick
1974
Film
Lights
Greek Nobleman
1984
Film
Rambam - The Story of Maimonides
Rambam (voice)
2005
Film
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Film
Deathwatch
Jules LaFranc
1966
Leonard Nimoy's Boston
Self
2014
Film
Bring Back... Star Trek
Self
2009
Film
Vincent
Theo van Gogh
1981
Rashi: A Light After The Dark Ages
Rashi (voice)
1999
Film
Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
2011
Film
Mission: Impossible - The Controllers
Paris
1969
Film
Star Trek: The True Story
Self
2013
The Universe & I
Sherlock Holmes
Film
The Fly Papers: The Buzz on Hollywood's Scariest Insect
Narrator
2000
Film
My Brother Vincent
Self
2018
Film
Cinemaville
Self
2007
Film
Destiny in Space
Narrator (voice)
1994
Film
Never Forget
Mel Mermelstein
1991
Carpati: 50 Miles, 50 Years
1996
Film
Planets of the Sun
Narrator
1985
Film
Leonard Nimoy Demonstrates the Magnavision Videodisc Player
Self
Film
The Evolution of the Enterprise
Self
2009
Film
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
Self
1996
Film
The Twenty-Five Year Mission Tour
Self
1992
Film
The Star Trek Dream
Self
1975
Film
Leonard Nimoy: Star Trek Memories
Host
1983
Film
The Once and Future Griffith Observatory
Self
2006
Film
Everything You Wanted to Know About Sudden Birth (but were afraid to ask)
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
Symphony to the Planets: A Star to Call Home
Narrator
1993
Film
Super Duper Bloopers
Self
1986
Film
Jellies & Other Ocean Drifters
Narrator
1996
Film
Mysterious Spirits of the Mayans
Narrator (voice)
1995
Leonard Nimoy's Oral History
Self - Interviewee
2013
The Lost World
Angus McArdle
1998
Film
Star Trek: Evolutions
Narrator
2009
Film
Reflections on Spock
2004
Film
Symphony to the Planets: Mysteries Beyond Our Reach
Narrator
1995
Forging Greatness: Lincoln in Indiana
Narrator
2000
Ancient Mysteries: Bigfoot
Host
1994
Film
The Great Pyramids
Narrator (voice)
1997
Film
Mystical World of Ancient Greece
Narrator (voice)
1996