History Creator / WilliamShatner

In more recent years, Shatner has redeemed himself somewhat by developing a sense of humor, [[AdamWesting mostly about himself]], and becoming a new model of SelfDeprecation. This has included playing a ludicrous version of himself in the 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, when you stopped singing. I liked that part.")

* 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'', ''TJHooker'', ''{{Rescue 911}}'' and ''BostonLegal''). And while people are quick to remember the "[[SayMyName KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!]]" moment[[hottip:*: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]], reviewers have often praised Shatner's performance in the second movie - particularly for the grief Kirk displays over [[spoiler: [[TheSpock 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 2'' writer-director Nicholas Meyer has said that he intentionally ran Shatner through repeated takes of each scene until he got tired and stopped overacting.

* 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'', ''TJHooker'', ''{{Rescue 911}}'' and ''BostonLegal''). And while people are quick to remember the "[[SayMyName KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!]]" moment[[hottip:*: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]], (so famous that {{this wiki}} used it as the image on this page) reviewers have often praised Shatner's performance in the second movie - particularly for the grief Kirk displays over [[spoiler: [[TheSpock 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 2'' writer-director Nicholas Meyer has said that he intentionally ran Shatner through repeated takes of each scene until he got tired and stopped overacting.

* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: At times.

* OfCorsetsFunny: His infamous girdle.
** Which he may or may not have worn.

* TheBrothersKaramazov: One of his earliest roles was Alyosha (the ''nice'' brother) in the movie.

An ego the size of his native UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} also did not help his reputation among his co-stars. Details vary, but he has said that he was unaware of how arrogant he was on set. LeonardNimoy helped him understand that just being nice to them 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 WalterKoenig referred to as "them and us", "them" being Shatner, Nimoy and DeforestKelley, "us" being Koenig, GeorgeTakei, NichelleNichols and JamesDoohan. His 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 the "Star Trek Memories" book, 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 sincere apologies, they reconciled and have 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.

Is currently the host and narrator of a SpeculativeDocumentary series on {{SyFy}} called WeirdOrWhat.

An ego the size of his native UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} also did not help his reputation among his co-stars. Details vary, but he has said that he was unaware of how arrogant he was on set. LeonardNimoy helped him understand that just being nice to them 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 WalterKoenig referred to as "them and us", "them" being Shatner, Nimoy and DeforestKelley, "us" being Koenig, GeorgeTakei, NichelleNichols and JamesDoohan. His 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 the "Star Trek Memories" book, but showing genuine regret for alienating the cast allowed the two to reconcile before Doohan was incapacitated by Alzeheimer'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 sincere apologies, they reconciled and have 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.

Is currently the host and narrator of a SpeculativeDocumentary series on {{SyFy}} called WierdOrWhat.

Shatner also starred as a cop in ''TJHooker'', and was one of the core cast of ''BostonLegal'', winning an Emmy for his role as the [[LargeHam bombastic]], [[CrazyAwesome possibly insane]] Denny Crane. He has also dabbled in RealityTV, hosting ''{{Rescue 911}}'' and the UPN version of ''IronChef''. His popular ''Tekwar'' novels were adapted into a short-lived series, in 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 ''[[ShitMyDadSays $#*! My Dad Says]]'', which only lasted one season.

(Still another story claims that Shatner, back in his theater days, was tapped at the last second to play a major role in "Julius Caesar". He spent most of the time trying desperately to remember his lines and not screw up... and woke up to critical praise for his "brilliant reinvention of Shakespeare".)

One of the [[NarmCharm most charming]] [[LargeHam largest hams]] of all time. Most well known for his portrayal of 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 "The Omega Glory" is legendary: "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!]]"

Not to mention his famed "Get A Life" sketch on ''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 [[OneOfUs one of us]].

-->--'''William Shatner''', "Has Been".

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

* 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'', ''TJHooker'', ''{{Rescue 911}}'' and ''BostonLegal''). And while people are quick to remember the "[[SayMyName KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!]]" moment, (so famous that {{this wiki}} used it as the image on this page) reviewers have often praised Shatner's performance in the second movie - particularly for the grief Kirk displays over [[spoiler: [[TheSpock 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 2'' writer-director Nicholas Meyer has said that he intentionally ran Shatner through repeated takes of each scene until he got tired and stopped overacting.

In the late [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000s]], Conan O'Brien picked up the gag: "To read the speeches of Sarah Palin in the style they were meant to be performed, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pH5DGmDYY beat poetry]], please welcome Emmy-award winner and master thespian William Shatner." Shatner also read some of Levi Johnston's writings...and once, Palin went on ''The Tonight Show'' to strike back, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-mgBvCJmo reading from Shatner's autobiography.]]

In the late 2000s, Conan O'Brien picked up the gag: "To read the speeches of Sarah Palin in the style they were meant to be performed, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pH5DGmDYY beat poetry]], please welcome Emmy-award winner and master thespian William Shatner." Shatner also read some of Levi Johnston's writings...and once, Palin went on ''The Tonight Show'' to strike back, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-mgBvCJmo reading from Shatner's autobiography.]]

* {{It Is Pronounced Tro-PAY}}: "I don't say sabotage. You say sabotage, I say sabba-tadge."[[hottip:*:Thus the inclusion of the Beastie Boys song "Sabotage" in the [[Film/StarTrek reboot]].

-->-- '''William Shatner''', "Has Been"

As if his broad over-acting weren't enough, he 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 "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" are particularly legendary and inspired the ''Golden Throats'' compilations of bad celebrity music recordings. An equally [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lul-Y8vSr0I jaw-dropping video rendition]] of "[[EltonJohn Rocket Man]]" became a favorite bit of nonsense that was re-created years later by [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ1JmKW08vI Chris Elliott]] on ''[[LateNight Late Night With David Letterman]]'' and Stewie on ''FamilyGuy''. Recently, Conan O'Brien picked up the gag: "to read the speeches of Sarah Palin in the style they were meant to be performed, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pH5DGmDYY beat poetry]], please welcome Emmy-award winner and master thespian William Shatner." Shatner also read some of Levi Johnston's writings... and once, Palin went on ''The Tonight Show'' to strike back, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-mgBvCJmo reading from Shatner's autobiography]].

* {{Montreal}}: His birthplace, and residence during his college years (he went to [=McGill=]).

An ego the size of his native {{Canada|Eh}} also did not help his reputation among his co-stars. Details vary, but he has said that he was unaware of how arrogant he was on set. LeonardNimoy helped him understand that just being nice to them 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 WalterKoenig referred to as "them and us", "them" being Shatner, Nimoy and DeforestKelley, "us" being Koenig, GeorgeTakei, NichelleNichols and JamesDoohan. His 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 the "Star Trek Memories" book, but showing genuine regret for alienating the cast allowed the two to reconcile before Doohan was incapacitated by Alzeheimer'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 sincere apologies, they reconciled and have 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.

* OfCorsetsFunny: His infamous girdle.