Introduction for Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock in Star Trek.

Q: What is the role of Mr. Spock?
LN: Basically Mr. Spock is a product of an Earth woman and a Vulcan male, a planet outside our solar system. He is physically very similar to our human anatomy. He is psychologically and emotionally very different. He has got his emotions under control, is very scientifically orientated and he is very logical. The point is that Vulcan was very war-like and very fierce people who almost did themselves in. They were always in conflict with each other for their emotions were so strong. They finally decided that emotions were to be done with and it became a wise choice to control emotions and gradually breed them out of the race so that they become more logically and survive.

Q: You very seldom show emotions then. is this difficult?
LN: Yeah. You mean from an acting point of view?
Q: Yes
LN: Yes, but it is my job. Showing emotion or not showing emotion is the actor's craft. I am often surprised if a man comes in and perhaps fixes a leaking faucet while I was working on it only to make it worse, you see? That's his craft. Mine is to play interesting and unusual characters.
Q: Why is your part so successful?
LN: There are a lot of reasons. It starts with the physical appearance. He is such a wise individual. I think that people are fascinated by the idea that a man in the future may know more than we do today. He is a very dignified man, he commences respect. He is obviously very intelligent. I think that he controls emotions is cool, that fact that he's sophisticated. He doesn't get wild in a situation, he's got control over himself. All of these things.

Q: Your make up is very unusual. does it take a long time to apply it?
LN: Well, it takes an hour and a half. After you have done it it seems like a very long time.
Q: Who's idea was it with the ears?
LN: It started with Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the series, the executive producer. He saw the character with pointed ears and various other physical idea which we experiment with. Just before we started shooting the show we experimented with four or five other types of the ears and we were not happy with them. And I got a little nervous because it might look awfully funny if these ears don't look right. And I went to Gene and asked him to give up the idea with the pointed ears. And he said he wouldn't and we got it right eventually. And he said: We'll do the first 13 episodes and if you are still not happy with the ears I'll write you a script where you'll get an ear job.

Q: What are they made off?
LN: They are made of foam rubber. It is a tip which is made specifically for my ear.
Q: And it takes an hour and a half.
LN: Not just for the ears, the eyebrows and the entire make up.
Q: Are the uncomfortable to wear?
LN: Sometimes. I have gotten used to them. My ears have got accustomed to the point. (laughing)
Q: People recognize you sometimes?
LN: The haircut makes it easy. Once while I was shopping someone said: That man has a haircut just like Spock.
Q: And they did not recognize you?
LN: Like a second: "Could it be?"

Q: But it is your own hair?
LN: Yes, it is.
Q: It is beautiful, nice and thick. You are definitely typed now. Do you have difficulties accepting other parts?
LN: I don't worry about this because if I was concerned about this while I was playing Spock, playing Spock would cease to be the pleasure it is. If it is time to play other characters, then I will.
Q: If it is so successful it could go on for years, couldn't it?
LN: I would hope so. I would like to have a steady job for a while.

Q: The ship – how fast does it go?
LN: Warp 8, this is 8 times the speed of light. We have done faster than that, but we try to avoid it, only in rare emergencies, it will be rough on the system.
Q: Beaming down, is that painful?
LN: You mean the process when we leave the ship to go onto a planet? No. Very shortly: We convert the human body into energy and we move it as you bring a picture into people's homes. And when we reach the place we want it to be, we reconvert it to matter.
Q: How long does this take?
LN: A few seconds. It doesn't take very long for a picture to get into somebody's home for example... usually there are no complications, but it is if there is a mountain in-between the place we start and the place where we want to go...
Q: What do you do in a case like that?
LN: Suffer a lot. (laughing)

Q: All of these things you do, could they actually take place scientifically?
LN: Well, scientists tell me that they could. People in the various NASA installations that I visited, and they are certainly people whose opinions I respect, tell me that we work constantly with a thread of scientific possibility in our show, that we are not doing fantasy but that we are doing potential science fiction, science – fiction, potential science.

Q: What do your children think about this part you are doing?
LN: My children? They are very excited about it and proud of it I think, particularly because Spock is a character you can take pride in. And it is nice for me for a change to play a character my children can be pleased to identify with. For a long time I played some nasty character. I don't think they were too excited about that.
Q: Do they always watch your show?
LN: Always, yuh.
Q: You have been a delightful guest, thank you.
LN: It was a pleasure to be here. Thank you very much.