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 ...
Beam me up, Scotty!
There is always a place for a guy that at least always knows his lines.
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”.
He was on early episodes of The Twilight Zone - '60 or '61? - fer cryin out loud.
Got to admire an aging actor who has managed to stay employed all these years.
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.
You don't even have to agree with me.
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?
Because it’s Shatner, that scene makes total sense.
William Shatner is a genius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muxt9uihdI
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!!
What a great piece. I like Shatner even more now.
Quite frankly I’m all Shatner’d out.
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.
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