Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Simon Nimoy, whose career spanned decades and genres, emerged from the Mattapan barbershop of his Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrant parents to become an American icon as Spock in the original Star Trek series. Initially a minor player in 1950s Hollywood, Nimoy's breakthrough came with the role that would define him, earning three Emmy nominations and a place in TV Guide's top 50 characters. Beyond Star Trek, he graced stages, narrated Civilization IV, and directed films, including the acclaimed "Three O'Clock High." His autobiographies, "I Am Not Spock" and "I Am Spock," reflect the complex relationship between the man and the character he immortalized.