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The Many Iterations of William Shatner
NY Times ^ | 9/5/10 | Pat Jordan

Posted on 09/05/2010 10:29:32 AM PDT by Nachum

He’s late. He calls to explain. “A mix-up,” he says, and then, “I read all your stories.” Pause. “You. Are. A. Grrreat. Writer.” Another pause. “What’s your name?” I tell him. He says, “Of course it is.” I ask what his name is. “MY NAME? I. Am. William. Shatner!”

Well, yes, but which William Shatner? The child actor from Canada, descended from Eastern European rabbis? The 23-year-old Shakespearean whom Sir Tyrone Guthrie called the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s most promising actor? The young actor who made his debut on Broadway two years later, in 1956, in “Tamburlaine the Great,” then appeared in his first Hollywood film, “The Brothers Karamazov,” with Yul Brynner in 1958 and starred on Broadway in “The World of Suzie Wong” that same year and “A Shot in the Dark” in 1961? That actor was mentioned in the same breath as his contemporaries Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Robert Redford — until, without explanation, his career faded before it bloomed.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iterations; shatner; william
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Thar. Be. An. Actor.
1 posted on 09/05/2010 10:29:34 AM PDT by Nachum
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To: Nachum

Beam me up, Scotty!


2 posted on 09/05/2010 10:30:42 AM PDT by mort56
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To: Nachum
Q: Why does William Shatner have tungsten carbide teeth?
A: It's easier to chew the scenery.
3 posted on 09/05/2010 10:33:10 AM PDT by reg45
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To: Nachum
Shatner attacked Pictures, Images and Photos
4 posted on 09/05/2010 10:33:57 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Nachum
Truly a master thespian
5 posted on 09/05/2010 10:35:09 AM PDT by Errant
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To: Nachum

There is always a place for a guy that at least always knows his lines.


6 posted on 09/05/2010 10:38:23 AM PDT by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: Nachum

I hate the politics of the show, but I can’t help but laugh when I stop for a few minutes of a “Boston Legal” rerun on late nite TV. The character Shatner plays on that show, to me, epitomizes “vintage Shatner”.


7 posted on 09/05/2010 10:39:18 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: Nachum
Shatner must've set a record for relevancy in TV Land - he's been a fixture on television almost my entire life.

He was on early episodes of The Twilight Zone - '60 or '61? - fer cryin out loud.

8 posted on 09/05/2010 10:43:59 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: Nachum

Got to admire an aging actor who has managed to stay employed all these years.


9 posted on 09/05/2010 10:45:35 AM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: Nachum

Ya gotta respect the Shatner—he has spirit, guts, and (dare I say) talent. The guy is a living TV legend and still (arguably) in his prime. I’ll take him over a self-important flake like Robert Redford any day.


10 posted on 09/05/2010 10:47:48 AM PDT by rbg81 (When you see Obama, shout: "DO YOUR JOB!!")
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To: Huskrrrr
Shatner is one of those actors who simply cannot convince me to turn the channel. Now does that mean he's good, or does that mean he's a lot like FOX News ~ frankly, I prefer to be marginally entertained than to be insulted.

You don't even have to agree with me.

11 posted on 09/05/2010 10:50:04 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: MrEdd
There is always a place for a guy that at least always knows his lines.

Even in Esperanto?

Flashes of brilliance, followed by monumental idiocy. Remember Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, the winner of the title "Worse Remake of All Time"?

Typecast as Kirk, he couldn't work until he reprised his role in the Movie Series. This time he played Kirk as parody of himself, which allowed him to break out and find other roles. Brilliant and then idiotic again. Remember T.J. Hooker?

12 posted on 09/05/2010 10:50:25 AM PDT by ZOOKER ( Exploring the fine line between cynicism and outright depression)
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To: Snickering Hound

Because it’s Shatner, that scene makes total sense.


13 posted on 09/05/2010 10:52:51 AM PDT by Yardstick
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To: Nachum

14 posted on 09/05/2010 10:53:00 AM PDT by matt1234 (The only crisis 0bama can manage is one he intentionally created.)
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To: Nachum
Shatner on gun control:

Linky Thing: Shatner on Gun Control

15 posted on 09/05/2010 10:53:23 AM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
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To: Nachum

William Shatner is a genius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muxt9uihdI


16 posted on 09/05/2010 11:00:01 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Part of the Vast Catholic Conspiracy (hat tip to Kells))
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To: ZOOKER

quote—Flashes of brilliance, followed by monumental idiocy. Remember Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, the winner of the title “Worse Remake of All Time”?-—end quote

How could anyone ever forget The Shat’s version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”?? His cover of “Rocket Man” is truly amazing, also. Highly recommended!

I always felt The Shat is a true superstar. He is constantly re-inventing himself (I hate that phrase, but it does apply here, IMHO).

He tried to do his own versions of classic rock songs,which were laughed at mercilessly, but he made a whole new (and very lucrative) career out of parodying his own interpretations in the early “Priceline” commercials.

God Bless The Shat!!


17 posted on 09/05/2010 11:02:22 AM PDT by Radagast the Fool ("Mexico-Beirut with tacos!"--Dr. Zoidberg)
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To: Nachum

What a great piece. I like Shatner even more now.


18 posted on 09/05/2010 11:03:02 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Now can we forget about that old rum-runner Joe Kennedy and his progeny of philandering drunks?)
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To: Nachum

Quite frankly I’m all Shatner’d out.


19 posted on 09/05/2010 11:03:14 AM PDT by tflabo
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To: Nachum

I could barely get thru the first page of this interview. The reporter is a typical NY Times metro-tulip. I don’tknow why Shatner (who really is a great actor) would subject himself to the snipes he gets from this reporter.


20 posted on 09/05/2010 11:05:00 AM PDT by vbmoneyspender
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