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[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/William_Shatner_3617.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:[[SayMyName Remember my name; you'll be screaming it later...]]]]

->''"'Has been' implies failure. Not so. 'Has been' is history. 'Has been' ''was.'' 'Has been'... ''might again''."''
-->-- '''William Shatner''', "Has Been"

TheKirk.

William Shatner [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OC]] (born March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian[[note]]although he has lived and worked in the US since TheFifties -- moving to New York City in 1954 -- he has never sought American citizenship[[/note]] actor and one of the [[NarmCharm most charming]] and [[LargeHam largest hams]] of all time. Most well-known for his portrayal of [[Characters/StarTrekTheOriginalSeriesJamesTiberiusKirk Captain James T. Kirk]] in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'', he has offered an assortment of [[ChewingTheScenery impossibly intense, emotive performances]], [[PunctuatedForEmphasis often...including! oddly-placed...emphasis and...pauses!]] His recitation of the Preamble to the US Constitution in the episode [[Recap/StarTrekS2E23TheOmegaGlory "The Omega Glory"]] is legendary: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ "WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!"]]

As if his broad over-acting weren't enough, Shatner also saw fit to record an album of spoken-word readings of poetry and pop-song lyrics called ''The Transformed Man'' that has to be heard to be believed. His renditions of [[Music/BobDylan "Mr. Tambourine Man"]] and [[Music/TheBeatles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"]] are particularly legendary and inspired the ''Golden Throats'' compilations of bad celebrity music recordings. An equally [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wI4jMxveyI jaw-dropping video rendition]] of [[Music/EltonJohn "Rocket Man"]] became a favorite bit of nonsense that was re-created years later by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ1JmKW08vI Chris Elliott]] on ''[[Series/LateNight Late Night With David Letterman]]'' and Stewie on ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. Lesser-known is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWOmHUvKBw his cover of Harry Chapin's "Taxi"]] on ''[[Creator/DinahShore The Dinah Shore Show]]'' circa 1973 (and yes, that's a timecode).

In the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise, a mask of Captain Kirk was used for Michael Myers' mask. Shatner was not asked permission or given royalties for using his likeness. Fortunately, when he found out about it, he did not sue them because he was flattered.

In the late [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000s]], Creator/ConanOBrien [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pH5DGmDYY picked up the gag]]: "To read the speeches of UsefulNotes/SarahPalin in the style they were meant to be performed, beat poetry, please welcome UsefulNotes/EmmyAward winner and master thespian William Shatner." Shatner also read some of Levi Johnston's writings... and once, Palin went on ''Series/TheTonightShow'' to strike back, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-mgBvCJmo reading from Shatner's autobiography]].

An ego the size of Shatner's native UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} also did not help [[ThePrimaDonna his reputation]] among his co-stars. Details vary, but he has said that he was unaware of how arrogant he was on set. Creator/LeonardNimoy helped him understand that just being nice to his co-stars personally doesn't mean that they respected him trying to take away what little screen time they had, and most of the other cast have in the past expressed dissatisfaction with what Creator/WalterKoenig referred to as "them and us," "them" being Shatner, Nimoy, and Creator/DeForestKelley, "us" being Koenig, Creator/GeorgeTakei, Creator/NichelleNichols, and Creator/JamesDoohan. Shatner's most famous spat was with Doohan, who was one of the most distinguished character actors before his role on ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}''; Doohan once famously said "I like Captain Kirk, but I sure don't like Bill." He outright refused an interview with Shatner during the writing of ''Star Trek Memories'', but showing genuine regret for alienating the cast allowed the two to reconcile before Doohan was incapacitated by Alzheimer's Disease. ''Memories'' also allowed Shatner to settle affairs with Nichols, with Nichols shocking him by telling him "[[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech how much I despise you]]," though after his willingness to listen to her critiques and offering his apologies, they reconciled and remained friends. He similarly mended fences with Takei, but apparently their relationship soured again when Shatner [[SnubByOmission did not receive an invitation]] to Takei's wedding (Takei [[PoorCommunicationKills insists that he sent an invitation]] to Shatner).

In more recent years, Shatner has developed a sense of humor, [[AdamWesting mostly about himself]], and become a new model of SelfDeprecation. This has included playing a ludicrous version of himself in the film ''Film/FreeEnterprise'' and parodying his "musical" stylings in a series of commercials and a new, well-received recording with Music/BenFolds (''Has Been''). He also appears in the videos for the Brad Paisley songs "Online" ("What? I can't sing?") and "Celebrity" ("I liked the end of the song. No, the end, [[BackhandedCompliment when you stopped singing]]. I liked that part").

Also worth mentioning is his famed "Get a Life" sketch on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', wherein he berated ''Trek'' fans for [[BasementDweller living in their parents' basement]]; this later became the title of his 1999 autobiography, in which he self-deprecatingly admits he didn't give ''Trek'' fans enough credit. He has since been known to show up at conventions in Klingon guise, confirming that, decades later, he is finally JustForFun/OneOfUs. Since then, he's joined {{Website/Reddit}} (username "williamshatner"), where he refuses to be treated as a celebrity.

Shatner has developed a moderately successful reputation as a writer, starting with two autobiographies about his time with ''Star Trek'' that may have started his redemption; in the books, he faithfully recounts the brutal interviews he held with his former co-stars who, one after another, lambasted him for being such an overbearing jerk, and admits to being humbled by the experience. He also got first billing on several ''Star Trek'' novels (known as the "[[Literature/StarTrekShatnerverse Shatnerverse]]" as it apparently has its own continuity separate from that of other ''Trek'' novels) that were actually largely authored by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, though the later books of the series have more of Shatner's influence--and it shows. In these books, [[TheKirk Kirk]] comes BackFromTheDead and becomes even more of a MartyStu. Kirk was also a MartyStu in the Shatner-directed ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'', which opens with an obvious stunt double climbing El Capitan and ends with him fighting {{God}} (or at least an alien impostor with nifty powers). The success of the Shatnerverse novels inspired him to create the non-''Trek'' series, ''Series/TekWar'', with co-author Ron Goulart, and finally strike out on his own with the ''Quest For Tomorrow'' series. His latest book is an autobiography titled ''Up Till Now'', which is ActuallyPrettyFunny, partly because he spends a great deal of it mischievously poking fun at himself, but mostly because Shatner is actually an extremely good (and funny) non-fiction writer. His 1979 autobiography '' Shatner: Where No Man ... by William Shatner, Sondra Marshak, Myrna Culbreath '' was less well received.

Before ''Star Trek'', Shatner appeared in a supporting role in the widely acclaimed film ''Film/JudgmentAtNuremberg'', played Alyosha in the film version of ''Literature/TheBrothersKaramazov,'' and was also [[Series/TheTwilightZone1959 that guy that saw something on the wing]]. Shatner also starred as a cop in ''Series/TJHooker'', appeared as Commander Buck Murdock in ''Film/AirplaneIITheSequel'', and was one of the core cast of ''Series/BostonLegal'', winning an Emmy for his role as the [[LargeHam bombastic]], [[CrazyIsCool possibly insane]] Denny Crane. He has also dabbled in RealityTV, hosting ''Series/{{Rescue 911}}'' and the UPN version of ''Series/IronChef''. His popular ''[=TekWar=]'' novels were adapted into a short-lived series and a video game, in both of which he played a supporting role. On the A&E Channel in 2008, he began ''Shatner's Raw Nerve'', an intimate interview show (no studio audience) where he talks with guest much like a news interview but done in a much more casual and friendly setting. In fall 2010, he starred as the title father in the CBS DomCom ''Series/ShitMyDadSays'', which only lasted one season.

Shatner also happens to be an expert equestrian, and has been breeding and showing horses for years; namely, American Quarter Horses in reining competitions and Saddlebreds in their breed classes. Incidentally, the horse he [[TheCastShowoff rode]] in ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' was his own Saddlebred mare, Great Belles of Fire. He also breeds Dobermans.

For a quick primer on how do a passable William Shatner impersonation, simply emphasize the first noun, then say the rest of the sentence as rapidly as possible:
* "YOOOOUUUU . . . can'tjustletthemalldie!"
(Bonus points for doing the hand and arm motions)

Alternately, insert pauses at all conceivable (and a few inconceivable) opportunities:
* "Must... draw... on... old... drama club... training!"

Make sure you ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis emphasize]]''. '''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis every]]'''. '''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis WORD]]''', or the pauses without emphasis will sound more like UsefulNotes/BarackObama. Also make sure you include dramatic hand gestures, otherwise you'll just look silly (as opposed to [[NarmCharm the correct way you'll look silly while doing it right]]). Shatner himself has given various origins behind this unique vocal patterns:
* The first, more accurate example of a Shatner impression was a result of how scripts tended to be delivered on the show... revised, often, and late. He basically said that the pauses sometimes came from struggling to remember a line he might have been given ten minutes ago and certainly hadn't rehearsed, and the rush came from making sure it would still fit into the allotted camera time. He also claims that the overall hamminess was because he really wanted the show to succeed, and so he "put everything! I! had! ... intotherole."
* Back in his theater days, he was tapped at the last second to play a major role in ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''. He spent most of the time trying desperately to remember his lines and not screw up... and woke up to critical praise for his "[[AchievementsInIgnorance brilliant reinvention of Shakespeare]]." Hey, if it ain't broke....
* Again in theater, he would be playing to a small audience and when some of the few people remaining got up to leave, he so desperately wanted them to stay he would play up the lines in a unique way to catch their attention. And it worked, people were so caught off-guard by it they would sit back down expecting something big to happen.

Note that the more people try this, the better chance they're bad at it.

There is also a book called ''Literature/{{Shatnerquake}}'', in which all of Shatner's characters come into our world to destroy the original.

In 2010, there was a movement about to have him appointed the next Governor-General of Canada. For those who don't know, the Governor-General is the Queen's representative in Ottawa, and one of his/her most important jobs is to deliver the "Throne Speech," which is a speech outlining the government's intended plans for the next year. It'd be worth it just to hear him read it. Alas, the government chose a far more appropriate candidate, but no doubt someone may bring this up again in the future, when it comes time to select a new viceroy.

In May 2010, [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/7683943/William-Shatner-earns-600m-from-Priceline-adverts.html The Daily Telegraph reported]] that, when Shatner began doing ads for travel website Priceline.com in 1997, he took payment partially in stock. Since the company was young and unproven (having been founded earlier that year), the stock wasn't worth much, and it bottomed out at $1.80/share during the dot-com bust in 2000. It recovered, however, and was eventually worth about US $600,000,000. However, in an April 2012 appearance on ''[[{{Series/Conan}} Conan]]'', Shatner revealed he never made any money from the stock. Basically, everyone who took a stock payment had to sign a waiver agreeing not to sell the stock for 18 months, which was when its value soared. By the time the waiver expired, the stock was back down to almost nothing, and Shatner (along with most of the other shareholders) sold it. ''Then'' it went back up.

As of June 2, 2011, he is now ''Doctor'' William Shatner, having received an honorary doctorate from [=McGill=] University, his ''alma mater''. In other words, [[ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder he's a doctor, not a starship captain]]!

In 2014, saw the release of ''Film/ChaosOnTheBridge'', a documentary about the difficult first years of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''[='s=] production, which Shatner had written, directed, and hosted.

Was also the host and narrator of a SpeculativeDocumentary series on Creator/{{Syfy}} called ''Series/WeirdOrWhat''. From 2016-2018, he appeared in a reality series on NBC called ''Better Late Than Never'' in which he traveled first Asia and then Europe with celebrities Creator/HenryWinkler, Terry Bradshaw and George Foreman, as well as relative unknown Jeff Dye.

On October 13, 2021, Captain Kirk took off for real as Shatner became the oldest person to be launched into space at age 90, on a short sub-orbital flight of [[Creator/{{Amazon}} Blue Origin]].
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!!His work (outside of Kirk) includes:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''Film/JudgmentAtNuremberg'' (1961) as Captain Harrison Byers
* ''Film/TheOutrage'' (1964) as The Preacher
* ''Film/KingdomOfTheSpiders'' (1977) as Rack Hansen
* ''Film/TheDevilsRain'' (1975) Mark Preston
* ''Film/VisitingHours'' (1982) as Gary Baylor
* ''Film/AirplaneIITheSequel'' (1982) as Commander Buck Murdock
* ''Film/MissCongeniality'' (2000) as Stan Fields
** ''Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous'' (2004) as Stan Fields
* ''Film/OsmosisJones'' (2001) as Mayor Phlemming (voice)
* ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory'' (2004) as the Dodgeball Chancellor
* ''WesternAnimation/TheWild'' (2006) as Kazar (voice)
* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' (2006) as Ozzie (voice)
* ''Film/{{Fanboys}}'' (2008) [[AsHimself as himself]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanVsTwoFace'' (2017) as [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two-Face]] (voice)
* ''[[Literature/RodAllbrightAlienAdventures Aliens Ate My Homework]]'' (2018) as Phil the Plant (voice)

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Television ]]

* ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' (2 episodes, 1957–60) as John Crane/Jim Whitely
* ''Series/{{The Twilight Zone|1959}}'' (2 episodes, 1960–63) as Bob Wilson/Don Carter
* ''Series/{{The Defenders|1961}}'' (5 episodes, 1961–65) as Jim [=McCleery=]/Charles Terranova/Cliff Sellers/Gil Rawson/ADA Earl Rhodes
* ''Series/BurkesLaw'' (1 episode, 1964) as Arthur Reynolds
* ''Series/{{The Outer Limits|1963}}'' (1 episode, 1964) as Brig. Gen. Jeff Barton
* ''Series/TheManFromUNCLE'' (1 episode, 1964) as Michael Donfield
* ''Series/TheFugitive'' (1 episode, 1965) as Tony Burrell
* ''Series/TheBigValley'' (1 episode, 1966) as Brent
* ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}'' (1 episode, 1966) as Fred Bateman
* ''Series/{{Ironside|1967}}'' (4 episodes, 1970–74) as Marty Jessup/Don Brand/Bill Parkins
* ''Series/TheFBI'' (1 episode, 1970) as Arthur Majors
* ''Series/CadesCounty'' (1 episode, 1971) as Jack Pilgrim
* ''Series/MissionImpossible'' (2 episodes, 1971–72) as Joe Conrad/Tommy Kroll
* ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' (1 episode, 1972) as Sam Tolliver
* ''Series/BarnabyJones'' 1 episode, (1973) as Philip Carlisle
* ''Series/{{Mannix}}'' (1 episode, 1973) as Adam Langer
* ''Series/TheSixMillionDollarMan'' (1 episode, 1974) as Josh Lang
* ''Series/{{Kung Fu|1972}}'' (1 episode, 1974) as Captain Brandywine Gage
* ''Series/{{Police Story|1973}}'' (1 episode, 1974) as Sgt. Bill Keitlinger
* ''Series/{{Petrocelli}}'' (1 episode, 1974) as Adam North
* ''Series/PoliceWoman'' (1 episode, 1974) as Mark Ciprio
* ''Series/TheRookies'' (1 episode, 1975) as Luke Harris
* ''Series/BarbaryCoast'' (1975–76) as Jeff Cable
* ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' (2 episodes, 1976–94) as Ward Fowler/Fielding Chase
* ''Literature/LittleWomen'' (1978) as Professor Friedrich Bhaer
* ''Series/HowTheWestWasWon'' (1978) as Captain Harrison
* ''Series/TJHooker'' (1982–86) as TJ Hooker
* ''Series/Rescue911'' (1989–96) as the host
* ''Series/TheLarrySandersShow'' (1 episode, 1992) [[AsHimself as himself]]
* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'' (1 episode, 1996) as himself
* ''Series/ATwistInTheTale'' (1999) as The Storyteller
* ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' (1999–2000) as The Big Giant Head
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' (1 episode, 2002) as himself (voice)
* ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhostCoastToCoast'' (1 episode, 2003) as himself (voice)
* ''Series/ThePractice'' (5 episodes, 2004) as Denny Crane
** ''Series/BostonLegal'' (2004–08) as Denny Crane
* ''Show Me The Money'' (2006) as the host
* ''Series/WeirdOrWhat'' (2010–12) as the host
* ''Series/ShitMyDadSays'' (2010–11) as Dr. Ed Milford-Goodsen
* ''Series/{{Psycho}} (2 episodes, 2011–12) as Frank O'Hara
* ''Series/RookieBlue'' (1 episode, 2013) as Henry [=McLeod=]
* ''Series/MurdochMysteries'' (1 episode, 2015) as Creator/MarkTwain
* ''Series/{{Haven}}'' (4 episodes, 2015) as Croatoan
* ''WesternAnimation/TheClangers'' (2015–present) as the Narrator (US English dub)
* ''Better Late Than Never'' (2016–18) as himself
* ''Series/TheIndianDetective'' (4 episodes, 2017) as David Marlowe
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' (1 episode, 2017) as Grand Pear
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' (1 episode, 2019) as himself
* ''The [=UnXplained=]'' (2019-) as the host
* ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' (2022) as [[spoiler: the Knight]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MastersOfTheUniverseRevolution'' (2024) as Keldor

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Music ]]

* ''Music/TheTransformedMan'' (1968)
* ''William Shatner Live'' (1977) (live double album)
* ''Has Been'' (2004)
* ''Exodus: An Oratorio in Three Parts'' (2008)
* ''Seeking Major Tom'' (2011)
* ''Ponder the Mystery'' (2013)
* ''Why Not Me'' (2018)
* ''Shatner Claus'' (2018)
* ''The Blues'' (2020)
* ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Bill]]'' (2021)

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other ]]

* ''Literature/TekWar'' (1989)
* Has appeared in commercials for travel website Priceline.com since 1997.
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!!{{Trope}}s Applying to William Shatner’s roles:

* AdamWesting: He's come to embrace the fact that people view him as an egotistical LargeHam with strange musical tastes so he plays to their expectations.
** From the music video for "Online":
--->'''Estelle Harris''': ...and he [Music/BradPaisley] can sing!
--->'''Shatner''': I can't sing?
--->'''Harris''': NO!
* BrokeTheRatingScale: A [[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/oct/01/popandrock.shopping1 review]] of Shatner's 2004 spoken-word album ''Has Been'' by Pascal Wyse of ''[[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers The Guardian]]'' landed in this trope's "Impossible to Rate" category. Instead of using the paper's normal 1- to 5-star scale, Wyse called it "beyond the star system".
-->This CD is beyond good or bad. It is from a world where concepts such as "unique" and "indispensible" [''sic''] live happily alongside "hilariously, brain-tearingly wrong".
* ChewingTheScenery: Shatner's acting is actually a very good barometer for judging the quality of an episode of ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}''. It's no coincidence that in all the ''really'' good episodes, Kirk is either remarkably calm ("The Corbomite Maneuver", "The City on the Edge of Forever") or he has a double through whom Shatner can channel his urge to overact (see "The Enemy Within", or that one scene in "Mirror, Mirror"). Or it's a comedy episode, in which case ''Kirk'' is deliberately overacting ("A Piece of the Action"). Gotta give the guy credit... how many other actors can claim four hit series? (''Franchise/StarTrek'', ''Series/TJHooker'', ''Series/{{Rescue 911}}'', and ''Series/BostonLegal''). And while people are quick to remember the "[[SayMyName KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!]]" moment,[[note]]and people are quick to forget that Kirk was quite probably hamming it up for Khan's benefit; Kirk knew that Spock would bring the ''Enterprise'' around to save them in short order, but Khan didn't[[/note]] reviewers have often praised Shatner's performance in the second movie, particularly for the grief Kirk displays over [[spoiler:Spock's death]]; a scene Shatner actually conceived himself. In fact, in ''all'' of Shatner's ''Franchise/StarTrek'' work, his best acting moments are those centering around [[TheNotLoveInterest Spock]] (but he also does very well opposite [[HeterosexualLifePartners [=McCoy=]]]). ''Star Trek II'' writer-director Nicholas Meyer said that he actually found how to make Bill give a good performance - he intentionally ran Shatner through repeated takes of the same scene until he got tired, stopped overacting, and started ''acting''.
* DramaticPause: He has...been accused of...overusing...this trope.
* ElevatorSnare: In ''Get a Life'', he mentions one time Creator/LeonardNimoy got recognized entering a hotel where a con was. He and the organizers barely made it to the elevator in time, but they heard their pursuers running up the stairs in the adjacent shaft. They made it most of the way to the stage before the fans arrived.
* EvilIsHammy: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bZKEhgieoc I'M CAPTAIN KIRK!!!]]
* FakeAmerican: He was born and raised in UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}, attending college at [=McGill=]. He's played mostly Amercians throughout his career and lived in the US since 1954, but hasn't become a US citizen.
* GoKartingWithBowser: He's [[http://movies.yahoo.com/video/star-trek-video-game-spot-213028647.html kept in touch with that Gorn captain.]]
* IAmNotSpock:
** He's done more than anyone else from the original ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' to escape this {{trope}}, mainly by AdamWesting to such a degree that '''The Shatner''' became an overriding identity, for which Kirk is but one small part. Still, we all know that when he dies, his obituary is going to read "Best known as [[TheCaptain the original Captain James T. Kirk]] from the classic ''Star Trek'' series..." Even Shatner himself is aware of this, and seems to be okay with it, though he also mentions that he's since become better known as [[Series/BostonLegal Denny Crane]].
** This was brought up in his documentary ''The Captains'', specifically in his scenes with Creator/PatrickStewart. He talks about how he originally wanted to distance himself from the role, but eventually he finally realized how important it was to people, and as a result, it became important to him too.
* IWasYoungAndNeededTheMoney: After his interview with Creator/PatrickStewart for ''Film/TheCaptains'' -- during which Stewart revealed that, at first, he (Stewart) had taken his work on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' a bit '''''too''''' seriously -- Shatner apparently had a [[CreatorBacklash personal revelation]], realizing that he (Shatner) hadn't bothered to take his role as Captain Kirk seriously at all back in the day, and had basically been phoning in his performances.
-->'''Shatner:''' While talking to Patrick about his dedication to the craft, it came to me suddenly that during the filming of the series, I'd basically been a lazy bum, turning in hack performances for an easy paycheck. I'd been doing them a complete disservice to the other actors. Unfortunately, it was too late to apologize to Creator/JamesDoohan or Creator/DeForestKelley, but I did get a chance to apologize to Leonard before he died. The magnanimous son-of-a-bitch forgave me.
* LargeHam: Some say he is, in fact, the most defining example in American television. He even adorns the page image.
* MoneyDearBoy:
** The decade between the end of the original ''Star Trek'' series and the beginning of the film franchise was a rough period for him[[note]]Unable to find decent work due to typecasting and reeling from a bad divorce, he was living out of the back of his car for a while during this time[[/note]] and saw him grabbing any work he could find. He did MadeForTVMovie roles, guest shots on TV shows, B-movies for the likes of Creator/RogerCorman, low-budget made-in-Canada features, and the notorious ''Impulse'', a cheesy [[Creator/AlfredHitchcock Hitchcock-wannabe]] tale with him as a [[TheBluebeard Bluebeard]], shot in 15 days in and around Tampa, Florida.
** His appearance on ''Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou'' came about because he was in Europe buying horses and he appreciated being offered a last-minute, quick-paying gig in the middle of such an expensive trip[[note]]His wife at the time was also partaking in the luxury shopping opportunities Europe provides, compounding the cost[[/note]].
* OutsiderMusic: His musical career is... well... eccentric. Most of it is talking rather than singing, with odd pauses, and therefore identified by Irwin Chusid as "OutsiderMusic."
* RageQuit: He did this on a celebrity episode of ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' in 1997. And let's not forget the infamous chair-throwing incident on ''[[Series/{{Pyramid}} The $20,000 Pyramid]]''....
* SayMyName: [[TheTropeFormerlyKnownAsX The trope formerly known as "The Khan."]]
* {{Shakespearian Actor|s}}: Seriously, he performed both on TV and in Canada's Stratford Shakespeare Festival, one of ''the'' classiest theater venues in the nation. Like with Avery Brooks, the years of reciting the Bard's lines in their specific cadences is thought to have played a large part in his ''Star Trek''-era acting style. He once claimed in ''Get a Life!'' that he developed the style when acting in some minor theater, to keep the audience awake.
* StarMakingRole: Who knows what would have happened if Jeffrey Hunter had chosen to stay with ''Star Trek''?
* YourCostumeNeedsWork: According to ''Get a Life!'', he was once told that his Captain Kirk was inferior to that of Creator/KevinPollak. By his daughter. The next time he saw Pollak, he got some tips from him.
* YouSayTomato: Every time Kirk says "Nazi" in "Patterns of Force."

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