# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/21 "2007-06-20T19:44:16Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Were some of those not ghost written? [/QUOTE] Most if not all of them have co-authors credited. Does anybody know how much Shatner himself contributed to them? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/22 "2007-06-20T19:51:42Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] 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). [/QUOTE] _Has Been_ has some pretty good reviews at Amazon. Apparently the material that uses his speaking/singing style–he’s given up on really singing. (Hey, Rex Harrison did it.) There’s a duet with Henry Rollins. And he was on the Rollins show recently. Yes, William Shatner versatile. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/23 "2007-06-20T20:04:29Z")
Shatner has had a long and varied career. (In addition to the TZ episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” He also did “Nick of Time”, and the Alfred Hitchcock episode “The Glass Eye”. Not to mention a pre-Star Trek episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with Leonard Nimoy) He was in “The Outrage”, a Western remake of “Rashomon” that seems to have disappeared. He made a pretty decent TZ-like TV movie “Sole Survivor”. He had the (justly) forgotten TV series “Barbary Coast”. To read his memoirs (which I think he had a lot more to do with writing than the Tekwar stuff) he has really in tough shape even after Star Trek , living out of his car. ---
**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, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/24 "2007-06-20T20:13:38Z")
If you’re gonna list memorable guest star appearances - In the Linda Day George days of **Mission: Impossible** , he was the bad guy in an episode where they made an aging rum runner think it was again the 1930’s so he would reveal where he hid the money And an ABC Movie Of The Week about an airline carting a piece of an old English church believed to be haunted - in the end he was sucked out of the plane taking the evil spirit with him thus saving the remaining passengers and crew from certain death (I had nightmares about flying for months after that aired) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/25 "2007-06-20T20:13:55Z")
Oh, and the less we say about his 1960s singing career, the better. What WAS he thinking? ---
**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, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/26 "2007-06-20T20:48:36Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Oh, and the less we say about his 1960s singing career, the better. [/QUOTE] Hey, I only mentioned the stuff from this century. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/27 "2007-06-20T21:20:56Z")
Rocket. Man. I can’t remember when that was, but I think it was after Star Trek and before the movies. Seems like he was parodying himself in that. ---
**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, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/28 "2007-06-20T21:50:35Z")
The rest of the movie was hit and miss, but to me Shatner’s parts of [Free Enterprise [link to trailer/clips]](http://youtube.com/watch?v=rqUj-vMUkyI) was the best moment of his career, especially the “Kick the little &\*@#$ers ass!” line at the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/29 "2007-06-20T22:42:01Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] _Has Been_ has some pretty good reviews at Amazon. Apparently the material that uses his speaking/singing style–he’s given up on really singing. (Hey, Rex Harrison did it.) [/QUOTE] It’s really wierd, how good that album is. Seriously, check it out if you haven’t already. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/30 "2007-06-20T23:18:44Z")
I’m such a big fan that I visited his birthplace in Riverside, Iowa. ---
**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, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/31 "2007-06-20T23:37:37Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] I’m such a big fan that I visited his birthplace in Riverside, Iowa. [/QUOTE] reminds me of the best line in “The Voyage Home”: Marine Biologist: “Let me guess. You’re from outer space” Kirk: “No, I’m from Iowa. I just work in outer space” ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/32 "2007-06-20T23:44:05Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] 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) [/QUOTE] _Bat Trek!_ ---
**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, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/33 "2007-06-20T23:45:07Z")
[QUOTE=Ponder Stibbons] _Bat Trek!_ [/QUOTE] it’d have to be - there already is a _Star Man_ … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/34 "2007-06-20T23:55:27Z")
[QUOTE=outlierrn] 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? [/QUOTE] I read a book a long time ago, and Bill talked about being poor as hell and eating nothing but tuna sandwiches for weeks at a time or somesuch, and never wanting to eat another one. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/35 "2007-06-21T00:10:52Z")
[QUOTE=outlierrn] 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. [/QUOTE] I think you are referring to _The Tenth Level_ (also starring John Travolta) a TV dramatization of [The Milgram Experiment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment). This was a series of experiments performed by Stanley Milgram of Yale University in 1961. It measured the willingness of participants to obey authority figures, even if it conflicted with their own conscience. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y5eBRWQerY) is a YouTube video of Bill performing the Pulp song _Common People_ with…Joe Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/36 "2007-06-21T00:33:32Z")
Here is the closest thing to a Star Trek/Star Wars crossover we’ probably will ever see. Shatner talk/sings to George Lucas! [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p55YD8QhQ3o) ---
**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 21, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/37 "2007-06-21T00:34:33Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] I’m such a big fan that I visited his birthplace in Riverside, Iowa. [/QUOTE] Am I being whoosed? Kirk was from Iowa, but I thought Shatner was Canadian. ^ :dubious: ^ ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/38 "2007-06-21T00:35:48Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Am I being whoosed? Kirk was from Iowa, but I thought Shatner was Canadian. ^ :dubious: ^ [/QUOTE] Shatner is Canadian - **blondebear** visited _Kirk’s_ birthplace eta: [Link!](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/IARIV.html) ---
**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 21, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/39 "2007-06-21T00:53:17Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] Shatner is Canadian - **blondebear** visited _Kirk’s_ birthplace eta: [Link!](http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/IARIV.html) [/QUOTE] I knew Iowa from _The Voyage Home,_ but where do we get Riverside? ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734/40 "2007-06-21T00:56:52Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] I knew Iowa from _The Voyage Home,_ but where do we get Riverside? [/QUOTE] [2nd paragraph [del]first sentance[/del]](http://trekfest.com/) - [del]and so far, no one has disputed the claim[/del] Riverside claimed it and Roddenberry approved [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-appreciation-of-william-shatners-total-career/408734.md?page=3)