Mr. Spock's popularity may give Leonard Nimoy immense pleasure, but the Vulcan's pointed ears very often give Leonard immense pain.
The ears are created from carefully molded, delicate pieces of rubber that fit tightly over Nimoy's own ears. But no matter how carefully they are fitted and adjusted, there is some small amount of movement when he talks and moves his head. The result is the same exquisite agony every woman has encountered from a pair of too-tight earrings.
The pain notwithstanding, Leonard was more than a little concerned in the beginning about viewer acceptance of the series. The closer the show came to its premier date, the more concerned he became that the show should be taken seriously by the viewers. Above all, he did not want to see STAR TREK classified as just another "kiddie science-fiction" serial. His concern is mirrored by the following comments:
"Shortly before the show went on the air, Bill (Shatner) and I had been interviewed by a group of TV writers flown in from newspapers around the country to look over the season's new shows. And they were asking, attitude . . . some were indifferent and others openly hostile to a space show. They simply assumed that STAR TREK was going to be only a slightly more elaborate example of space hokum. Some comments were: "What's the idea of the pointed ears . . . what kind of gimmick is that?"
Bill and I had gone to great pains to explain how scientifically oriented the show was going to be, how dimensional the scripts were going to be, and how the level of writing was really going to be superior, with a minimum of dependence on action or violence and maximum of thoughtful material. I don't know how well it went down, because a lot of them were openly skeptical.
Anyway, that was on a weekend. During the following week the group was brought out to the studio as guests. They were brought on the set, to watch us shoot the last scene of the day, after which we were supposed to break, and attend a cocktail party planned for them.
So here we are, shooting the scene, with about thirty or forty of the nation's top TV and newspaper writers watching. The scene takes place in the sick bay. I'm lying on one of the diagnostic beds, and Dr. McCoy is treating a wound in my head. The wound is oozing green blood. In rushes Captain Kirk, who says, "What happened?"
"My line is, "Captain, the monster attacked me!"
"We were all quite embarrassed about the situation, because, taken out of context, it would indicate the lowest level of gimmickry, space adventure, and violence. It was ridiculous, you know . . . a guy with pointed ears, bleeding green blood, and attacked by a monster! It was embarrassing and nobody found it particularly funny, but looking back on it, it was pretty hilarious."
"What is the secret of Mr. Spock's success?"
"One of the theories advanced to explain Mr. Spock's popularity is that he's so "cool." "Cool" seems to be "in" today. Others, noting Spock's large female following, attribute his attraction to the "great animal magnetism" he seems to exude."
"In discussing his strong appeal to the younger viewers, Leonard says, "I don't quite understand it all, but I suspect that the character's remote quality--a sort of loneliness because he is different from the rest of the Earthling crew--makers the kids react. I think they see some of their own feelings in his loneliness and inability to be one of the group."
"How has the scientific community reacted to Mr. Spock?"
"In March, 1967, the National Space Club invited Leonard Nimoy to to be their honored guest on an extensive tour of the Goddard Space Flight Center, followed by a dinner, attended by 1,500 club members, at which the principal speaker was Vice-President Humphrey."
Perhaps the following letter, written by Leonard upon his return from Washington, will serve as an indication:
March 28, 1967
Mr. Gene Roddenberry
Desilu Studios
780 N. Gower Street
Hollywood, California 90038
Dear Gene:
I would like to outline some of the thoughts that are still fresh in my mind resulting from a very exciting trip to Washington, where, as you know, I represented STAR TREK as a guest of honor for the National Space Club.
The trip broke down into two major areas: One was a very extensive tour through the Goddard Space Flight Center; second was the Goddard memorial dinner, which was attended by 1,500 members of the National Space Club, and at which the principal speaker was Vice-President Humphrey.
I must start by telling you that I felt somewhat ill at ease. As an actor in a TV drama, dealing with people who are involved in the reality of the space program, I had no way of knowing what the scientific community attitude toward our show would be. I was met at the airport by Mrs. Alberta Moran, who is the Executive secretary to Dr. Clark, head of the Center, and was driven to the Sheraton Plaza Hotel where, even while checking in, I was besieged by fans with questions about the show, and specifically its future life on NBC.
The next morning my wife and I were driven to Goddard Center and, upon arriving, discovered that a major part of the population, secretaries and scientists alike, having learned that we were coming, were waiting to greet us at the front door. This was the first real taste that I had of the NASA attitude toward STAR TREK.
I do not overstate the fact when I tell you that the interest in the show is so intense that it would almost seem they feel we are a dramatization of the future of their space program, and they have completely taken us to heart--particularly since you and the rest of the production staff of STAR TREK have taken such great pains in the area of scientific detail on our show. They are, in fact, proud of the show as though in some way it represents them.
The trip through Goddard was very exciting, and I found them constantly pointing out equipment and procedural activities as they are specifically related to equipment and procedures activities as they are specifically related to equipment and procedures on our show. In the communications room, for example, comments were made, such as, "This is the equivalent of the communications panel on the bridge on your ship." The lunch period was spent in the executive dining room with the top scientists and executives working at Goddard, all of whom were extremely responsive and friendly, and the two major subjects of conversation were, one, U. F. O.'s and , two, the possibility of life on other planets. On the first subject, the attitude most generally expressed was that U. F. O.'s are most probably scientifically explainable phenomena; and on the second subject, the attitude seemed to be that it would be surprising if there were no life on other planets, since there are so many solar systems and therefore, mathematically, so many possibilities.
At the reception prior to the dinner, I was introduced to John Glenn and the other men who were to sit on the dais at the dinner. They were all most cordial, many of them wanting autographs and pictures for themselves and their children.
During this time I encountered representatives of various important engineering, scientific, and electronic firms, who were in Washington specifically for this dinner, and who are providing in some way materials or information for the space program. They were most interested in the show as a vehicle through which they might promote their theories in order to popularize them and thereby gain acceptance at the real scientific level. Ion propulsion for the Enterprise, for example, was one of the theories most strongly put forth.
In general, there is a very strong interest in the scientific possibility as expressed by science fiction writers and STAR TREK, since these ideas stimulate the thinking of the more pragmatic scientists whose job it them becomes to implement these theories. They readily accept the need for such thinking and are, in fact, excited by it. I am very pleased to report that we have had several other invitations to other scientific installations, and these contacts should prove extremely valuable for research and promotion in the future.
In short, it was an exciting privilege to be able to represent the show in that environment.
Sincerely,
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy finds Spock an intriguing role as well as an interesting personality. "Spock is fun to portray, because, underneath, he really does have emotions. If Spock didn't have any emotions, he wouldn't be interesting. Actually, Spock has a considerable amount of compassion, though he won't allow himself to believe that."
The emotion-curtailed behavior that Nimoy must display as Mr. Spock has been achieved the hard way, over a considerable period of time.
"When i first started as an actor, my work was over-emotional. I considered acting an opportunity to express emotions, and I took advantage of every opportunity I got. It took me a long time to discover that restraint can be admirable.
The thing that irks me is the lack of emotion trying to pass for restraint. Lack of emotion is pathological: restraint is civilized. Actors, for instance, try to be so cool that they become emotionless. Cool is an admirable trait under certain conditions, but there comes a point where you have to become human and make a choice and say, "No, I feel this is right--or wrong." Feelings and emotions can never and must never be replaced. We must never do away with man's humanity."
Leonard is quick to point out that he values and respects the power of the mind, and says, "We are heading into an era are almost computer-like, in the good sense of the word. That's necessary because science is so complex."
In preparing for his TV role, Leonard's reading habits underwent a decided change, as he normally leans toward Salinger, Steinbeck, and Shakespeare.
"I started reading science fiction to get the feel of the concept and found that science fiction can be intelligent and entertaining. I also read current events about space flights, astronauts, flying saucers, and so forth. I must have looked at hundreds of pictures of these same things. As I became tuned in to these things in my daily life, they began to affect the character of Spock. He started to evolve, unconsciously.
Another thing was his speech. We had decided that his manner would be suggestive of an educated speech. Spock probably learned English through formal instruction. To achieve this kind of speech pattern I listened to recordings of Somerset Maugham reading his own short stories."
Many people have wondered how Gene Roddenberry chose the name "Spock." It has no connection with the famed baby-book Dr. Spock, and in fact at the time Gene had not heard of him. What he wanted was a one-syllable name that sounded strong, implied strength. Spock sounded strong, so that's what he decided to use. It was not until later that someone told him about Dr. Spock.
Like most serious actors, Leonard attempts to give the character he plays more depth than a pair of pointed ears and slanted eyebrows might indicate. "I don't want to play a creature or a computer. Spock gives me a chance to say some things about the human race. Plus the fact that I'm having a ball. This is the first steady job I've had in seventeen years!"
Those jobs, while waiting for the big acting break to open up, included jerking sodas, delivering newspapers, selling vacuum cleaners, servicing vending machines, working in a pet shop, ushering in movie theaters, and driving a cab.
With no show business experience in his Boston background, Leonard decided to become an actor when he was only eight years old. That was when he played Hansel in an Elizabeth Peabody Playhouse productions for the next twelve years.
Leonard attended the drama school of Boston College and then, in 1949, went to Hollywood, where he enrolled in the Pasadena Playhouse. He also met a young actress, Sandra Zober, whom he married in 1954. By that time he had been drafted, and with the new Mrs. Nimoy he spent the next eighteen months in Georgia. Stationed at fort McPherson, he was assigned to Special Services, writing, narrating, and emceeing GI shows. In his spare time he worked with the Atlanta Theater Guild. His first child, Julie, was born in Atlanta in 1955. When the second child, Adam, arrived a year later, the Nimoy's were back in Los Angeles.
There, while holding down a variety of "existence" jobs, he continued to study acting and after a while taught acting. He began to get better and better parts in such TV programs as "Rawhide," "The Virginian," "Dr. Kildare," "Outer Limits," and "Profiles in Courage." He also appeared in the movies Seven Days in May and Gent;s the Balcony.
For the past six years the Nimoy's and their two children have lived in a modest Mediterranean-style home in West Los Angeles. The walls are covered with modern paintings, most of them by their own friends. In the living room is a chess board which Leonard rarely uses ("I don't know enough people who are bad enough for me to play with"). He plays the guitar and sings folk songs to his own satisfaction ("If I'd kept studying, I'd now be playing bad classical guitar instead of hair folk").
Except for the Spock haircut, which he does not alter off screen, Nimoy does not look like an actor. He is a quiet, serious man, with a warm personality and a flashing smile. He wears shell-rimmed glasses, which not only correct his far-sightedness but also hide the half-shaved eyebrows necessary for the makeup process. On the set, where nicknames are commonplace, he is always addressed as Leonard, which may be something of a tribute to the dignity he brings to the character he plays.
His leisure hours are spent with his family, or in his workshop building cabinets and other furniture for his home. He enjoys reading a variety of literature and likes nearly all forms of music, from jazz to classical.
Leonard maintains that he has no trouble adjusting to the personality of Spock when the day's filming gets under way:
"No, I don't find it difficult at all. To me, that's part of my craft . . .in the same way that a plumber walks into my house and in no time at all can fix a leaky faucet that has been frustrating my attempts for weeks. But that's his craft, I pay him money to do that, and I expect him to be able to do that. And if he were a fumbler and it took him hours to do it, I would probably get myself another craftsman for the job.
I am a craftsman in that sense . . . this is what I am trained to do . . . and i trained at it for a long, long time. I am supposed to be good at my craft, and that includes adopting another person's mannerisms and personality traits.
Now, on the other hand, Spock does affect me--there is no question about that. He has affected me in various ways right from the start. Not so much emotionally as philosophically, because constantly thing for Spock ten, twelve hours a day, five days a week, and putting myself in his philosophical position all the time . . . I cannot help but become affected and eventually find myself identifying with and living through some of the philosophies that Spock speaks.
I must say, too, that before the show started my philosophies in general were pretty much what Spock talks about. i am essentially peaceful, I hate bombs and killing and war, and I am a curious guy, like Spock. But I think my philosophy has been sharpened condiserably as a result of thinking for Spock. And I think, more specifically, I have become a better and perhaps more sophisticated observer of human nature, because that is Spock's nature . . . to observe human mature almost as a hobby . . . almost like, as Spock would say, "Those creatures, those fascinating creatures. . . ."