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CBS 2007
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Introduction: Leonard Nimoy - his New Project
I was about 13 when a neighborhood kid showed me that I could develop a roll of film in the bathroom. That's how I learned to do it and I came about photography and I do it ever since. DC: What was your first camera?
LN: I have it upstairs here. It was an old Cod Kodak.
In the early 1940ies Leonard took his first photograph of his grandfather. LN: He was the first one to come over, sending the money back to Russia to bring the rest of the family to the United States, so he was the pioneer.
LN on the black & white series: It took 4 hours to get the paint on her. It is a wonderful patient young Lady. His Los Angeles home is a photography and art museum.
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LN in his darkroom: It takes fierce attention from me, a lot of concentration,
a lot of attention to what you are doing. To get it right. )
This two-face person here is not just the actor who wears a mask when he works.
So, one of me, that is me and the other is the performer.
His heroes are people like photographers, like the late Helmut Newton.
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LN: This is the famous pair of images that he (Newton) did (the photos showing a pair of nudes and Newton's seconding.)
Leonard's version is showed as it is in the book "The Full Body Project".
LN: Beauty is culture-driven.
it shouldn't be limited to just skinny. Look at it on
Video Library (under "Nemoy")
Commending the photo of his parents: This picture is really about their personality: My mother was curious and my
father just kept right on walking. (laughing)
LN on "The Full Body Project": One of the critics said: This is not a coffee-table-book, but it should be. It shows
beauty of a different kind.
Both are talking about Spock, Star Trek and the origin of the Vulcan Greeting. A tour around the house shows that it is
filled with priceless pieces, like a gift from the crew when Leonard directed Star Trek III.
Westhills rocks (just about 45 miles north-east of Los Angeles) will be the location of one of the sets for Star Trek XI because classic Star Trek happened there. LN: There is a total of three Spocks in the movie. At Vasques Rocks also Zombies Of The Startosphere was filmed.
LN on Spock: I was able to identify with the character, and I think that's the most important thing I could bring along.
Concentrates on "The Full Body Project". LN says that this is a direct slab against the modeling and entertainment
industries that glamorizes the skinny size zero. Nimoy photos are exhibited around the country.
LN: The average women weighs 25% more than the models who are showing the clothes. And the cruelest part of it is:
These women are told: "You don't look right."
In 2003 you said you retire from acting.
LN: Well, ja, I was involved in making the first six Star Trek movies.
I directed two of them, I produced one of them, I wrote the story for a couple of them.
I acted in all of them. And then a new regime took over.
They created a script and asked me to direct it. And I decided to put it all behind me. There was no Spock at all in that movie.
DC: But you're back! Somehow they brought you back in.
LN (laughing):
. Something like that.
I am Spock. And there is another Spock and another Spock.
There is a total of three Spocks in the movie - that's all I'm going to say about it.
Leonard names various films he's played in there: Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Bonanza,
I was in all of them, mostly playing Indians.
DC: Vasquez Rocks , what makes it such a great place to play there?
LN: It is a location which could look like another planet.
DC: How many ears have been used?
LN: A couple of hundreds for the series and a couple of hundreds for the movies.
talking about various Star Trek topics.
LN: The main thing for the character was that I felt alienated as a kid.
I was able to identify with the character.
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Going to the darkroom.
LN: This is the most private place in the house. This is my enlarger. My paper
DC: Is this a different art form, printing..
LN: Yes. Printing is a thing people do, shooting is a thing people do, some do both.
DC: Are you a different person in here?
LN: Very quiet. It is very quiet in here. .. You are asking: is it under-exposed? Is it over-exposed? How is the contrast? What about a different size? A different shape? A print is an object of art. And in some case it works better small, in some case it works better big.
In some case it works better dark, in some case it works better light.
All these decisions are involved in the process.
My wife jokes about it. She says: If he says he's going to
the darkroom for an hour, he's going in for five.
LN about his grandfather: He was the pioneer; we have a lot to thank him for.
A very generous guy. When I was trying something new he was the one who said: Do it.
Showing pictures in the house.
DC: What's the difference about the stage for you?
LN: Well, it's more immediate. I'm looking for instant communication with the audience.
Right now, this is it tonight. There's not going to be any editing or post- production or adding of
music, this is it, what you are doing right now. And you are doing it eight times a week. So, it is
an immediate challenge every night. And it is exciting.
DC: You get nervous?
LN: I don't know. Not nervous, but the adrenalin gets going.
You get up for it. You spend the whole day for it. Then you go to work at night to do it.
DC: Thank you for showing us around.
LN: You are welcome.
