# An Appreciation of William Shatner's Total Career **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734 "2007-06-20T16:38:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/1 "2007-06-20T16:38:47Z")
As I was doing yard work yesterday, for some odd reason my mind wandered to the career of William Shatner. I think his career is one of the more amazing accomplishments in Showbiz history. Sure, he will ALWAYS be known primarily as Kirk, but this guy has been a working actor for over half a century! Looking at his [filmography](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000638/), we see that he began his career in 1951, but really hit his stride in 1957 (50 years ago this year). And he’s worked pretty steadily ever since. TJ Hooker. The Practice. Various roles in recent films playing up his campy image (sometimes playing himself). Numerous guest roles on long running tv series. Commercials (priceline) Plus, after he’d been in showbiz for five decades, he finally got peer acceptance winning multiple emmys on a drama (The Practice) and a criticially acclaimed dramedy spinoff (Boston Legal). The guy has had about as rich and consistent a career as there is. Is there anyone else who has been a WORKING actor for as long a run? The man is living the dream. He has geek, cult worship that is good for millions of dollars a year in appearance fees, critical acclaim (awards), and steady work. It is amazing to consider just how well this man’s career has gone. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/2 "2007-06-20T16:54:14Z")
[QUOTE=middleman] It is amazing to consider just how well this man’s career has gone. [/QUOTE] Yes. It. Is. TRUE-ly. AmAZing. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/3 "2007-06-20T16:56:03Z")
The best part is he is able to laugh at himself. I respect that. (as an aside - so does Adam West - I’d love to see the two of them do something together) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/4 "2007-06-20T17:06:10Z")
It’s funny, because I always interpreted his career the opposite way. Obviously he has a level of fame, financial security and consistency that most other actors would envy. But basically, he’s a guy who got famous because of one show and I always got the impression he was resentful that he could never escape it. All teh work he gets these days is spoofing himself, and I felt like he always wanted to be taken seriously. (Maybe _too seriously_, which was what made him funny in the first place.) Maybe that’s changed in the last few years. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/5 "2007-06-20T17:11:04Z")
He’s willing to spoof his image, but he was a good actor before **Star Trek** , and the show didn’t really show him to be a bad actor. Certainly he had mannerisms, but they’re noticeable mostly because the show has been rerun and rerun and rerun so that the similarities have become a joke. If the show hadn’t had the cult status it does, no one would notice. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/6 "2007-06-20T17:22:30Z")
Another thing that strikes me as interesting is looking back at some of his pre-Star Trek photos, that dude was handsome. Before he started putting on weight, he was a good looking fella. But then, the same us true of many of us! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/7 "2007-06-20T17:27:10Z")
And let us not forget that as the star of [Incubus](http://imdb.com/title/tt0059311/) he helped make Esperanto the international language that it is today. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/8 "2007-06-20T17:44:51Z")
[QUOTE=middleman] The guy has had about as rich and consistent a career as there is. Is there anyone else who has been a WORKING actor for as long a run? [/QUOTE] I think you could also include [Ron Howard](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000165/) in this category. He started out in his first part at the age of 2 in 1956, and made the big time as Opie on the Andy Griffith Show. Since then he’s been not only acting, but directing and producing films as well. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/9 "2007-06-20T17:47:25Z")
Let us not forget [Nightmare at 20,000 feet](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734600/)! A great Twilight Zone episode! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/10 "2007-06-20T17:48:50Z")
How many other have had like 5 prime time shows. We are talking star or main character not bit parts. His funny cadence has existed forever. I recently saw a original Twilight Zone he was in and he did it then. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/11 "2007-06-20T17:49:25Z")
[QUOTE=FatBaldGuy] I think you could also include [Ron Howard](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000165/) in this category. He started out in his first part at the age of 2 in 1956, and made the big time as Opie on the Andy Griffith Show. Since then he’s been not only acting, but directing and producing films as well. [/QUOTE] technically, Ron Howard hasn’t done much acting since he caught the directing bbug - so it’s a little different. There are several directors who’ve been in the biz for decades who started their career in front of the camera eta: [QUOTE=gonzomax] How many other have had like 5 prime time shows. We are talking star or main character not bit parts. His funny cadence has existed forever. I recently saw a original Twilight Zone he was in and he did it then. [/QUOTE] 5? oh yeah! **Barbary Coast**! forgot about that one! ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/12 "2007-06-20T18:04:05Z")
Don’t forget Shatner is a best selling author and has written over twenty books, including his popular Tekwar series and four previous Quest for Tomorrow titles. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/13 "2007-06-20T18:07:03Z")
Yea, truly, you are all candidates for: [The First Church of Shatnerology.](http://shatnerology.com/) Seriously, though, no Oscars but about as fun a career as a person can hope for in Hollywood. Good job, Bill! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/14 "2007-06-20T18:19:24Z")
[QUOTE=Lanzy] his popular Tekwar series and four previous Quest for Tomorrow titles. [/QUOTE] Were some of those not ghost written? > [@Anyrose](#): > > so does Adam West - I’d love to see the two of them do something together Sure, if West were prepared. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/15 "2007-06-20T18:40:57Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] Yea, truly, you are all candidates for: [The First Church of Shatnerology.](http://shatnerology.com/) [/QUOTE] What does Shatner need with a cult? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/16 "2007-06-20T18:53:58Z")
Blasphemer! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/17 "2007-06-20T18:54:28Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] What does Shatner need with a cult? [/QUOTE] Because it is very cold in space. ETA: Oh, never mind. I thought you said coat. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/18 "2007-06-20T19:20:55Z")
I can’t belive that no one has brought up his musical work. His own album [_Has Been_](http://shatner-store.stores.yahoo.net/hasbeen.html), and his guest appearance on the strangely enjoyable [_Fear Of Pop_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_Pop:_Volume_1). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/19 "2007-06-20T19:33:47Z")
Yes, well done Bill. But am I the only one who remembers the lean times when he was shilling for a Canadian supermarket chain called Loblaws? How about the made for TV, I think, psycho-drama about a researcher conducting experiments using electric shock as a teaching tool, when in reality he was testing the willingess of subjects to deliver the shocks? I saw that when I was living in Canada too, so it may have been a CBC thing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/20 "2007-06-20T19:38:03Z")
I always got the feeling Shatner use to resent Captain Kirk, but then once the movies began, he got over it and enjoyed the easy money and the jokes at his expense. He has successfully played up those jokes to a very successful long term career where most of his peers have retired or faded away to minor roles. In this regard he reminds me of [Leslie Nielson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Nielson), another long term actor, minor leading man, that really hit his stride when turning to comedy. Watch Mr. Nielson’s early work and you realize that he would have wished he was as good an actor as Bill Shatner. Jim [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734.md?page=2)