This Morning:
London, 2005 May, 11th
 

 

After ear jokes and when practicing the greeting "Live long and prosper!"

Leonard applies the Vulcan neck Pinch to Philip, one of the hosts.

 

Introduction:  For nearly 40 years Star Trek is one of the biggest TV series of all time.  A scene from ST V is shown.

Leonard is welcomed and the hosts emphasize that they are thrilled to have Leonard Nimoy in their show. "Was that you with the ears a moment ago?" Leonard asks. "No shame, no shame at all... " Leonard goes on. "Doing anything for a laugh.." 
"No dignity," Philip agrees. "None," Leonard confirms. "None, out the window." 
 

Being asked about his very first feelings about the character when he was approached to play Spock, Leonard answers that it was very interesting to play a character which was half Vulcan and half human. From an acting point of view there was a dynamic in that, an interior life, some dimension.

Leonard remembers a party where he had been touched on his neck and someone whispered into his ears: "I recognize you, you had your ears fixed!" - it was John Wayne. The other host gives credit to all Leonard added to the role and learns that "Live long and prosper" was written for him by T. Sturgeon (Amok Time). Spock had come into heat. Every seven years. An amazing event.  "When is it next due?"  "Oh, oh! You have no idea what goes on. .. [laughing by the hosts]  we shouldn't talk about it, we shouldn't really." 

After 3 years the series has been shout and only eleven years later they started making films. The network really never understood the show. They wanted a monster-show. We were not a show about monsters. We were more a show of ideas.

It's always the same story: If the script is good you are having a wonderful time.
For the eyebrows we used my own hair, we actually cut my own hair. "When you see the episodes now, do you remember them?" "A lot of them I do, some of them I don't. Jee, I don't remember being there. Some are very vivid in my memory, ja."

Leonard is asked whether it is a burden to experience that things keep coming back. "No, no, no, no. no. I am in London, I am here to talk to you. It's wonderful for I am having a great time. I'm here to be in ExCeL London this weekend, talking to hundreds maybe thousands of people and signing autographs all because I did this 40 years ago, it's great."  "You'll sign everything people have, memorabilia... " "Well,...  pretty much anything. [laughing]"
This takes you around the world." "Yes, I just came from Germany  ... after Star Trek was in the air I had never to look for work I had always work. It is a blessing."