STAR TREK’s beloved icon Mr. SPOCK LEONARD NIMOY has died at 83.
His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed the sad sad news to The New York Times.
As The ENQUIRER first reported this week Leonard had been hospitalized when he was unable to breathe. He had earlier confirmer via Twitter he was suffering from COPD – a lung disease.
Neither his agent nor the hospital would comment to The ENQUIRER on his condition.
Leonard was a journeyman character appearing on TV shows like "Sea Hunt" and films like “Them” and serials like “Zombies of the Startosphere” where he dabbled in minor character roles until he broke out in NBC’s pioneering series "Star Trek "which debuted Sept. 1966 launching him into legend.
Leonard’s portrayal of the half-human half-Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock propelled him into a lifelong career as the logical master of the universe.
He played Spock on cartoons, video games, reprised the role in 6 original cast motion pictures and even appeared in the two recent JJ Abrams Trek reboots as the iconic human-all-too human alien.
Leonard garnered three supporting Emmy Award nominations for playing Spock, one for each season of the show. When he learned he was nominated the first time, in 1967, he wept.
“I thought, whoa. Wow. What a thrill. Particularly because the nominations are done by your fellow actors, and I thought, ‘They’re getting it; they can see WHAT I’m doing,’ ” he said in an interview.
“I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love," William Shatner mourned on Twitter.
Leonard, you lived long and we ALL prospered by knowing you.
Adios, amigo.
