History Creator / WilliamShatner

* 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.")

Shatner has now created a new social networking site for arts patrons called [[http://www.myouterspace.com myouterspace.com,]] which draws much influence from ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and is laid out in a way not too different from a sci-fi RPG.

* 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 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.

* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like he's in his sixties despite being ''90'' as of 2021.

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, ''[=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.

* OutsiderMusic: His musical career is... well... eccentric. Must of it is talking rather than singing, with odd pauses, and therefore identified by Irwin Chusid as "outsider music."

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 TheSixties he has never sought American citizenship[[/note]] actor and 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: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ "WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!"]]

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. Creator/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 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 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 (Takei [[PoorCommunicationKills insists that he sent an invitation]] to Shatner).

* ItIsPronouncedTroPay: "I don't say sabotage. You say 'sabotage,' I say 'sabba-tadge.'"[[note]]Thus the inclusion of the Music/BeastieBoys song "Sabotage" in the [[Film/StarTrek2009 reboot]].[[/note]]

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. Creator/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 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 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 (Takei [[PoorCommunicationKills insists that he sent an invitation]] to Shatner).

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 ''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").

William Shatner [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OC]] (born March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian actor (has lived in the US most of his life but as recently as 2013 said he wasn't a US citizen.) and 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: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ "WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!"]]

William Shatner [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OC]] (born March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian actor (Has lived in the US most of his life but as recently as 2013 said he wasn't a US citizen.) and 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: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ "WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!"]]

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: On October 14th, 2021, he became the oldest person in space, flying on Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-16. Considering the scores of people who became involved in aerospace as a result of his performances over fifty years, this short flight was well-deserved.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: "I don't say sabotage. You say 'sabotage,' I say 'sabba-tadge.'"[[note]]Thus the inclusion of the Music/BeastieBoys song "Sabotage" in the [[Film/StarTrek2009 reboot]].[[/note]]

* YouSayTomato: The way he pronounces ''sabotage'' as "sabataage."
** This is not an uncommon speech pattern in Canada, where the short "a" (not to be confused with "eh") sound often appears where American accents use the broad "a" sound. For example, "pasta" may be pronounced "passed-a." Also, every time Kirk says "Nazi" in "Patterns of Force."

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]], [[CrazyAwesome 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.

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'', and was one of the core cast of ''Series/BostonLegal'', winning an Emmy for his role as the [[LargeHam bombastic]], [[CrazyAwesome 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.

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

* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like he's in his fifties despite being in his ''nineties''.

* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like he's in his fifties despite being in his ''eighties''.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
** Not that his fans would believe otherwise, but in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E13ThePerfectPear an episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', he gives such a beautifully understated and heartfelt performance that most viewers didn't realize he was playing the character until the end credits.
** His cover of "Common People", after years of his music being a joke, is seen as [[CoveredUp the definitive version in some circles]] - it's not as well-crafted, but it just sells the complete anger and disgust of the lyrics and subject matter.
** And of course, actually watching some of the greatest ''Star Trek'' episodes or movies will remind you just why he became ''the'' [[TheCaptain iconic captain]]. If he's taking the episode seriously, Shatner is quite capable of taking a scene or a monologue and absolutely knocking it out of the park.

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

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, hosted

** This is not an uncommon speech pattern in Canada, where the short "a" (not to be confused with "eh") sound often appears where the rest of the English-speaking world uses the broad "a" sound. For example, "pasta" may be pronounced "passed-a." Also, every time Kirk says "Nazi" in "Patterns of Force."

William Shatner [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OC]] (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor (Has lived in the US most of his life but as recently as 2013 said he wasn't a US citizen.) and 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: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b56e0u0EgQ "WEEEEE . . . the PEEEE-ple!"]]

* SelfDeprecation: He's well-aware of his status as SnarkBait and very good-natured about it.

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'' ''[=TekWar=]'' series as 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.

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'' ''Tek War'' series as 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.

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'', and was one of the core cast of ''Series/BostonLegal'', winning an Emmy for his role as the [[LargeHam bombastic]], [[CrazyAwesome possibly insane]] Denny Crane. He has also dabbled in RealityTV, hosting ''Series/{{Rescue 911}}'' and the UPN version of ''Series/IronChef''. His popular ''Tek War'' 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.