# Leonard Nimoy has died. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778 "2015-02-27T17:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/141 "2015-02-28T13:32:12Z")
He built that extension to the Planetarium in Chicago, out of his pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/142 "2015-02-28T15:05:27Z")
He lived long and prospered. What more could you ask of a [del]Vulcan[/del] _mensch_? ETA: I once watched the Big Bang episode with the Spock dream sequence with a person who had never seen the show, but he was a huge Trek fan. The guy damn near fell on the floor laughing. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/143 "2015-02-28T16:09:49Z")
I really hope that when Shatner heard the news, he yelled out, “KHAAAAAAAAAAAN!” ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/144 "2015-02-28T16:52:14Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > MeTV will be paying tribute to Leonard Nimoy all weekend. [Here’s the schedule](http://metvnetwork.com/leonard-nimoy). > > I guess I know what I’ll be doing all weekend. Its not on Comcast/Xfinity. SYFY is showing some moves where he had walk-ons Monday morning, but none of TOS. HULU seems to have some episodes, but they pushing for premium membership (aka- cough up money). I’m not sure how many episodes they’ll let you watch for free before they cut you off. If I find a better site for TOS, I’ll try to post a broken link to it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/145 "2015-02-28T17:06:36Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I wonder what the reaction to Shatner’s death will be. He was certainly just as influential in sparking the minds of space enthusiasts. He has become a sort of parody of himself in later years, which I enjoy by the way. > > But dammit, at one point he was James T. Kirk: the best captain in the starfleet. And man, was he ever great in that role. Clerihew: Captain James Tiberius Kirk Is a piece of work When no hot green-skinned alien babes are in range of the transporter He’ll do a Horta ---
**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:** [February 28, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/146 "2015-02-28T17:37:54Z")
I watched _The Voyage Home_ last night with commentary by Nimoy and Shatner. It was nice to hear the two old friends reminisce–they clearly enjoyed the experience of getting together to re-visit the film. At one point they spoke of missing DeForest Kelley and Shatner remarked that his absence in life was tempered by the legacy of the characters that he played. He went on to say to Nimoy that it wouldn’t be too long before they would be remembered in the same fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/147 "2015-02-28T18:25:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Don’t forget Mark Lenard, Jane Wyatt, Arlene Martel, Celia Lovsky, and Barry Atwater. ☹ It mar be time to start talking about _the Star Trek Curse_. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/148 "2015-02-28T18:32:01Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > It mar be time to start talking about _the Star Trek Curse_. > > RIP You mean the natural aging process? ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/149 "2015-02-28T18:44:19Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I plan on rereading his autobiographies. They’re pretty good reading, if you can find them. I pulled out my copy of his book, “I Am Not Spock” yesterday which I bought when it was first published for $4.95. Checking Amazon, I see it is still in print, though not at that $4.95 price. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/150 "2015-02-28T19:03:07Z")
From his circa 1975 presentation at [Brockport State](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_University_of_New_York_at_Brockport): (Keep in mind that Nimoy was happy to answer Spock-character questions, unlike Doohan ans re Scotty.) Why is Spock a vegetarian? - It’s logical! * * * What is Mr. Spock’s first name? (Aw, c’mon, guess! And it isn’t any variation of you-can’t-pronounce-it.) MISTER! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/151 "2015-02-28T19:08:06Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > He built that extension to the Planetarium in Chicago, out of his pocket. Do the walls have “Me transmitte sursum, Caledoni!” printed on them? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/152 "2015-02-28T20:07:53Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Well, what do you know, the sutures were in MY pocket after all. > > RIP. I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/153 "2015-02-28T20:20:32Z")
While I had never had the experience of a close-up meeting with Mr. Nimoy, I did get to ask one of the questions while in the audience referenced above. This was 1975, long before the premiere of Next Generation, let alone the episode with Worf needing a new spine. But it had long occurred to me that the transporter technology could be tweaked to repair injuries, and cure diseases. In fact in the wake of the campy “Spock’s Brain” episode, fans had speculated that it would have been simpler just to beam Spock’s brain back into his body. (This seemed feasible, since the brain thieves were considerate enough to leave the remainder of him sealed up, as if they might have to reverse the “procedure” 😕 themselves.) Now, keep in mind that Mr. Nimoy was in full wise-ass mode when answering the questions, and not only willing to answer Spock questions, but to get fully into the role. Me: Say, don’t you think that transporter technology could be used to make Dr. McCoy obsolete? (Aw, come on! Really try to guess the response to this one. It’s actually very predictable. Think: Dr. McCoy!) I hope so! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/154 "2015-02-28T20:29:07Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > I really hope that when Shatner heard the news, he yelled out, “KHAAAAAAAAAAAN!” More like _“R. J. REYNOOOOOOOOOOOLDS!!!”_ > [@beowulff](#): > > I don’t get it. The “sutures in the pocket” is a reference to Nimoy’s villainous surgeon on the 1973 _Columbo_ ep “A Stitch in Crime.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/155 "2015-02-28T20:34:03Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I don’t get it. In his outing as a COLUMBO villain, Nimoy is a heart surgeon who – SPOILERS! – uses dissolving sutures dyed to look like permanent sutures; nobody in the operating room saw anything unusual, because they looked like permanent sutures. So while Columbo is figuring out what must have happened, Nimoy screws with the guy’s meds to get him _back_ in surgery for to remove the attempted-murder-weapon sutures before anybody finds that evidence. Columbo gets there too late; the operation is underway; and when Columbo enters the operating room, Nimoy has an un-Spock-like flare of temper like an angry innocent man and shoves him while trying to make an exit. He’s searched for the sutures he must’ve pocketed, but the cops find nothing. Columbo declares defeat – and then realizes the doctor never lost his Spock-like control. That shove was for show; he was putting those sutures in the one place no investigator would think to look… ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/156 "2015-02-28T20:37:38Z")
Maybe you want to put all that inside spoiler tags…? It would be a shame to discourage people from watching the episode (in which Nimoy does superior work). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/157 "2015-02-28T20:38:03Z")
Shatner tweeted that he’s in Florida for a charity event. I guess he’s in a really bad situation. He can’t bail out on a charity. I can’t imagine how tough it will be to compose himself and perform. > **[William Shatner pictured hours after the death of Leonard Nimoy](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2973592/Tearful-William-Shatner-pictured-hours-death-brother-Leonard-Nimoy-echoes-Spock-actor-s-final-tweet-telling-fans-Live-Long-Prosper.html)** > > The distraught star, 83, who played Captain Kirk in the original series, was seen arriving at a Florida airport with his wife Elizabeth on Friday evening to attend the Red Cross ball. > [@](#): > > On Saturday, the morning after he touched down, he posted a devastated message on Twitter saying he would not be able to attend the funeral tomorrow. > > He wrote: 'I am currently in FL [Florida] as I agreed to appear at the Red Cross Ball tonight. Leonard’s funeral is tomorrow. I can’t make it back in time. > > ‘I feel really awful. Here I am doing charity work and one of my dearest friends is being buried.’ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/158 "2015-02-28T20:47:57Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Maybe you want to put all that inside spoiler tags…? It would be a shame to discourage people from watching the episode (in which Nimoy does superior work). If the time weren’t up, I would. (Though, honestly, the prior two posts would’ve given me a sickening feeling of realization were I to now see the episode for the first time, and too soon realize, _oh, wait, he must have meant . . . yeah, I see it coming, now._) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/159 "2015-02-28T20:53:05Z")
\// ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778/160 "2015-02-28T20:53:19Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > In his outing as a COLUMBO villain, Nimoy is a heart surgeon who – SPOILERS! – uses dissolving sutures dyed to look like permanent sutures; nobody in the operating room saw anything unusual, because they looked like permanent sutures. > > So while Columbo is figuring out what must have happened, Nimoy screws with the guy’s meds to get him _back_ in surgery for to remove the attempted-murder-weapon sutures before anybody finds that evidence. Columbo gets there too late; the operation is underway; and when Columbo enters the operating room, Nimoy has an un-Spock-like flare of temper like an angry innocent man and shoves him while trying to make an exit. > > He’s searched for the sutures he must’ve pocketed, but the cops find nothing. > > Columbo declares defeat – and then realizes the doctor never lost his Spock-like control. That shove was for show; he was putting those sutures in the one place no investigator would think to look… I actually remember that episode, but didn’t remember that Nimoy was in it, or that it was a Columbo. I haven’t seen it since it was first aired… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-nimoy-has-died/713778.md?page=9)