Thursday, March 5, 2015

Leonard Nimoy's lasting legacy: "Remember!"

American actor, film director, poet, singer-songwriter and photographer Leonard Nimoy was beloved by many for his role as Spock, the Vulcan and Starfleet science officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Many believe Spock was the moral compass that steered the starship, first under the command of Capt. Christopher Pike in the original Star Trek pilot The Cage in 1965 and then, of course, serving with Capt. James T. Kirk, portrayed by Nimoy's good friend William Shatner, from 1966 to 1969 on TV, followed by six feature films that featured the 1960s cast.

Last week, as we all know, the world lost perhaps the most influential "alien" in pop culture. Nimoy succumbed to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) at the age of 83.

To honour his legacy, we're looking back at two of the most humorous commercials we could find in which he parodied aspects of his character.

In the first clip, which coincided with J.J. Abrams franchise reboot in 2009, Nimoy prepares to take to the stage at a convention and can't seem to form his his famous Vulcan hand gesture, which accompanies his signature line, "Live long and prosper," so he's advised to take the pain medication Aleve.


In the second clip, Nimoy and actor Zachary Quinto, who assumed the mantle of the green-blooded Vulcan in the rebooted film franchise, get together in The Challenge, an Audi campaign commercial just two short years ago. The older, wiser Nimoy and the younger actor play a round of golf and go on a "friendly" lunch outing. Their chemistry together, both in and out of character, was truly outstanding.


While Shatner could not attend the funeral of his dear friend in person as Nimoy was laid to rest last Sunday, his dedication stands the test of time, from the end of Star Trek The Wrath of Khan to when he first learned the news of Nimoy's real-life passing, "Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most… human."

 Leonard Simon Nimoy – R.I.P.

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