What an icon. Known primarily for Spock on Star Trek, I enjoyed him greatly as Dr. William Bell on the series ‘Fringe’ more recently.
From a 1968 New York Times interview on playing Spock:
I knew that we were not playing a man with no emotions, but a man who had great pride, who had learned to control his emotions and who would deny that he knew what emotions were. In a way, he was more human than anyone else on the ship.
In spite of being an outcast, being mixed up, looking different, he maintains his point of view. He can’t be bullied or put on. He’s freaky with dignity. There are very few characters who have that kind of pride, cool and ability to lay it out and walk away. Humphrey Bogart played most of them.
Update: President Obama’s comments on hearing of Nimoy’s passing:
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Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy. Leonard was a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time. And of course, Leonard was Spock. Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future.
I loved Spock.
In 2007, I had the chance to meet Leonard in person. It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for “Live long and prosper.” And after 83 years on this planet – and on his visits to many others – it’s clear Leonard Nimoy did just that. Michelle and I join his family, friends, and countless fans who miss him so dearly today.
(Great, now the nutjobs will say Obama was born on Vulcan)
Here’s Nimoy in one of his last recurring roles, as Dr. William Bell, in the Fringe episode “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide”