Live long and prosper: Last tweet from Star Trek star legend Leonard Nimoy before he dies aged 83. Millions of sci-fi fans mourn the original Mr Spock
- Actor who played Mr Spock was rushed to UCLA Medical Center with severe chest pains on February 19
- His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed he passed away on Friday morning
- The star suffered from COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- He announced his diagnosis on Twitter last year, blaming smoking
- Nimoy's final tweet from hospital urged fans to 'live long and prosper'
- Zachary Quinto, who took over as Spock in the sequel, said his heart had been broken and described Nimoy as a 'dear friend'
- NASA led tributes to the actor, saying he 'inspired' many at the agency
- William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, said: 'I love him like a brother'
PUBLISHED: 20:11, 23 February 2015 | UPDATED: 19:01, 27 February 2015
Leonard Nimoy, the legendary actor who played Mr Spock in Star Trek, has died at the age of 83.
The star, who was first cast in the science-fiction series in 1965, suffered from COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - and was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center after a 911 call on February 19.
His wife Susan Bay Nimoy and son Adam confirmed he passed away at his Bel Air, Los Angeles, home on Friday morning.
Nimoy's final tweet sent from his hospital bed urged fans to 'live long and prosper'.
The actor, who played the role for 16 years, had previously spoken about his struggle with the illness, which makes it increasingly difficult to breathe, and blamed the diagnosis on years of smoking.
William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk and became a close friend of Nimoy during the filming of the series, led the tributes to the actor. He said in a statement released on Friday: 'I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love.'
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Leonard Nimoy was taken to UCLA Medical Center on February 19 after suffering severe chest pains. His wife Susan Bay confirmed he passed away at his home on Friday morning
Health issues: The 83-year-old, who suffered from COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, frequently spoke of having difficulty breathing and blames his diagnosis on years of smoking
Leonard had been in and out of hospitals multiple times throughout the last few months, following his announcement that he suffered from the potentially fatal lung disease.
He took to Twitter in 2014 to share his diagnosis, and gave his followers some advice, saying: 'I quit smoking 30 years ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP [Live Long and Prosper]'.
The former science fiction's star's last tweet, sent from his hospital bed, read: 'A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP'
He also took to social media in the last days of his life to say that his hometown, Boston, is 'taking more snow than it needs.'
Message: Nimoy, pictured with his wife Susan in October told fans to 'live long and prosper' in his final tweet
Past: In January he expressed his regret at smoking earlier on in life. He has blamed his illness on the habit
Dedicated: Despite his struggle, the actor maintained his connected to his fans right up until his death, urging them to support the franchise
Influence: NASA led the tributes to the iconic actor, saying he 'inspired' many employees at the agency
Although Leonard Nimoy followed his 1966-69 Star Trek run with a notable career as both an actor and director, in the public's mind he would always be Spock. He earned three Emmy Awards for the role, meaning he could land almost any television or movie role he wanted.
However Nimoy's ambivalence to the role was reflected in the titles of his two autobiographies, 'I Am Not Spock' (1975) and 'I Am Spock' (1995).
His half-human, half-Vulcan character was the calm counterpoint to William Shatner's often-emotional Captain Kirk on one of television and film's most revered cult series.
Despite his struggle with COPD, the actor has kept himself busy with numerous work projects, and stays involved with the Star Trek fandom.
He retired from Star Trek conventions in 2011, but continued to urge fans to support the science-fiction franchise.
And in 2012, Leonard finished a successful stint playing the character Dr. William Bell on the hit science fiction thriller Fringe.
He continued to reach out to his fans right up until his death whenever, and made a cameo as the steadfastly logical Vulcan in the 2013 reboot sequel, Into Darkness.
NASA paid their respects to the late star, saying many staff at the space agency had been 'inspired' by Spock.
George Takei, who played the helmsman of the USS Enterprise, wrote on Facebook: 'Today, the world lost a great man, and I lost a great friend. We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to "Live Long And Prosper," and you indeed did, friend. I shall miss you in so many, many ways.'
Actor Zachary Quinto, who took over as Mr. Spock in the reboot and its sequel, told NPR in 2013 that Nimoy 'was very supportive from the beginning, and we became incredibly good friends.'
Support: Actor Zachary Quinto, who took over as Mr. Spock in the reboot and its sequel, said on Instagram: My heart is broken. I love you profoundly my dear friend'
Unmatched: Larry King said Nimoy created a role that 'nobody else could play'
'Thank you': Will Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in Star Trek, said there wouldn't have been a galaxy to explore with Nimoy being there
Iconic: Kat Dennings, who stars in the sitcom Broke Girls, said Nimoy will always be a 'beloved legend'
'Part of us all': Actress Alyssa Milano told Nimoy to 'rest with the angels' after hearing news of his death
'Beam me up': Boy George was one of the celebrities who took to social media to pay tribute to the actor
He posted a photo of the actor on Instagram on Friday alongside the message: 'My heart is broken. i love you profoundly my dear friend. and i will miss you everyday. may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'
After serving in the Army in 1953 he made an appearance in the rejected Star Trek pilot 'The Cage' in 1965. He played Spock until 1969 then appeared in eight feature films and a number of spin-offs.
In 1967, the Vulcan salute appeared - consisting of a raised hand, palm forward with the fingers parted between the middle and ring finger - which stood for 'live long and prosper'.
Nimoy devised the gesture and made it popular around the world.
After Star Trek ended, the actor immediately joined the hit adventure series 'Mission Impossible' as Paris, the mission team's master of disguises. From 1976 to 1982 he hosted the syndicated TV series 'In Search of ... ' which attempted to probe such mysteries as the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and the disappearance of aviator Amelia Earhart.
Original cast: He was first cast in the role in 1965 and starred in the series until 1969. He then appeared in eight subsequent feature films and a number of spin-offs
Esteemed: After he finished his stint as the iconic pointy-eared character, he went on to pursue a succssful career as an actor and director
Nimoy played Israeli leader Golda Meir's husband opposite Ingrid Bergman in the TV drama 'A Woman Called Golda' and Vincent van Gogh in 'Vincent,' a one-man stage show on the life of the troubled painter. He continued to work well into his 70s, playing gazillionaire genius William Bell in the Fox series 'Fringe.'
He also directed several films, including the hit comedy 'Three Men and a Baby' and appeared in such plays as 'A Streetcar Named Desire,' ''Cat on a Hot Tim Roof,' ''Fiddler on the Roof,' ''The King and I,' ''My Fair Lady' and 'Equus.' He also published books of poems, children's stories and his own photographs.
But he could never really escape the role that took him overnight from bit-part actor status to TV star, and in a 1995 interview he sought to analyze the popularity of Spock, the green-blooded space traveler who aspired to live a life based on pure logic.
People identified with Spock because they 'recognize in themselves this wish that they could be logical and avoid the pain of anger and confrontation,' Nimoy concluded.
'How many times have we come away from an argument wishing we had said and done something different?' he asked.
In the years immediately after 'Star Trek' left television, Nimoy tried to shun the role, but he eventually came to embrace it, lampooning himself on such TV shows as 'Futurama,' ''Duckman' and 'The Simpsons' and in commercials.
Message: Nimoy, pictured with his wife Susan in October, had been in and out of hospital for months receiving treatment for the illness
He became Spock after 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry was impressed by his work in guest appearances on the TV shows 'The Lieutenant' and 'Dr. Kildare.'
The space adventure set in the 23rd century had an unimpressive debut on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966, and it struggled during its three seasons to find an audience other than teenage boys. It seemed headed for oblivion after it was canceled in 1969, but its dedicated legion of fans, who called themselves Trekkies, kept its memory alive with conventions and fan clubs and constant demands that the cast be reassembled for a movie or another TV show.
Trekkies were particularly fond of Spock, often greeting one another with the Vulcan salute and the Vulcan motto, 'Live Long and Prosper,' both of which Nimoy was credited with bringing to the character. He pointed out, however, that the hand gesture was actually derived from one used by rabbis during Hebraic benedictions.
When the cast finally was reassembled for 'Star Trek — The Motion Picture,' in 1979, the film was a huge hit and five sequels followed. Nimoy appeared in all of them and directed two. He also guest starred as an older version of himself in some of the episodes of the show's spinoff TV series, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.'
'Of course the role changed my career— or rather, gave me one,' he once said. 'It made me wealthy by most standards and opened up vast opportunities. It also affected me personally, socially, psychologically, emotionally. ... What started out as a welcome job to a hungry actor has become a constant and ongoing influence in my thinking and lifestyle.'
In 2001, he revealed that he had become an alcoholic while working on the series and ended up in rehab.
Reprising his role: Leonard - pictured here with wife Susan Bay at the 2013 premiere of Star Trek into Darkness - even made a cameo in the 2013 Star Trek reboot. She announced his death on Friday morning
In 2009, he was back in a new big-screen version of 'Star Trek,' this time playing an older Spock who meets his younger self, played by Zachary Quinto. Critic Roger Ebert called the older Spock 'the most human character in the film.'
Among those seeing the film was President Barack Obama, whose even manner was often likened to Spock's.
'Everybody was saying I was Spock, so I figured I should check it out,' Obama said at the time.
Upon the movie's debut, Nimoy told The Associated Press that in his late 70s he was probably closer than ever to being as comfortable with himself as the logical Spock always appeared to be.
'I know where I'm going, and I know where I've been,' he said. He reprised the role in the 2013 sequel 'Star Trek Into Darkness.'
Born in Boston to Jewish immigrants from Russia, Nimoy was raised in an Italian section of the city where, although he counted many Italian-Americans as his friends, he said he also felt the sting of anti-Semitism growing up.
At age 17 he was cast in a local production of Clifford Odets' 'Awake and Sing' as the son in a Jewish family.
'This role, the young man surrounded by a hostile and repressive environment, so touched a responsive chord that I decided to make a career of acting,' he said later.
He won a drama scholarship to Boston College but eventually dropped out, moved to California and took acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Soon he had lost his 'Boston dead-end' accent, hired an agent and began getting small roles in TV series and movies. He played a baseball player in 'Rhubarb' and an Indian in 'Old Overland Trail.'
After service in the Army, he returned to Hollywood, working as taxi driver, vacuum cleaner salesman, movie theater usher and other jobs while looking for acting roles.
In 1954 he married Sandra Zober, a fellow student at the Pasadena Playhouse, and they had two children, Julie and Adam. The couple divorced, and in 1988 he married Susan Bay, a film production executive.
Commitment: The pair got married in 1987 after Nimoy divorced from his first wife Sandra Zober after 32 years together
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