Tribute to Leonard Nimoy by Adam Schiff
Tribute to Leonard Nimoy by Adam Schiff
Adam B. Schiff
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2015
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of
Leonard Nimoy of Los Angeles, California, who passed away on the
morning of February 27, 2015, at the age of 83.
Leonard Nimoy, best known for his iconic role as Mr. Spock in the popular science fiction television series and motion picture franchise Star Trek, was born on March 26, 1931 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Dora and Max Nimoy, Orthodox Jews and Ukrainian immigrants.
Leonard began his acting career at 8 years old performing in local plays and continued acting through his high school years. After coming to Hollywood, he landed small parts in the movies Zombies of the Stratosphere, Queen for a Day and Rhubarb and in 1952, had his first starring movie role with Kid Monk Baroni. During the early 1950's, Mr. Nimoy enlisted in the United States Army Reserves where he spent nearly two years, writing, narrating, and emceeing shows for the Army Special Services branch.
After leaving the military, he returned to California, and achieved wide visibility appearing on television shows such as Rawhide, Perry Mason and Wagon Train, until he landed the role in 1966 of the half- Vulcan Mr. Spock in Star Trek, for which he garnered three Emmy nominations. It was in this role that he became a folk hero, helping create Vulcan culture such as the Vulcan salute and Vulcan neck pinch. The incredibly popular original series spawned an animated television show, various new television series, movies and sparked a devoted following of Star Trek that exists to this day. After the original Star Trek series ended in 1969, Leonard continued acting in movies and television, performed voice-over work and acted in stage plays. In 1979, he returned as Mr. Spock in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture and in 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, directed the movies Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and appeared in the 2009 and 2013 Star Trek movies.
In addition to being an actor, producer and director, Mr. Nimoy was also a prolific poet, writer, photographer and singer, who often lent his talents to charitable organizations. He and his wife, Susan Bay- Nimoy were generous supporters of the arts, educational programs and public astronomy. They provided substantial assistance to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles through their Leonard and Susan Bay-Nimoy Family Foundation, the esteemed The Thalia Theater in New York was renamed the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, and they were major supporters of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles' historic 2002-2006 expansion, where the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater shows the Leonard Nimoy- narrated documentary film The Once and Future Griffith Observatory about the history, recent renovation, and future of the Observatory.
Leonard is survived by his wife, actress and director Susan Bay- Nimoy, his children, Adam and Julie Nimoy, stepson Aaron Bay Schuck, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and his brother Melvin.
I would like to convey my deepest sympathies to Leonard's family and friends, as well as extend my heartfelt thanks for his many contributions to the arts and science. The entire global community will greatly miss Mr. Spock, who indeed lived long and prospered.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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