Leonard Nimoy has died.
The actor who brought life to Mr. Spock railed for years at the role he couldn't leave behind, to the point of titling his 1975 autobiography I am not Spock. Nimoy appeared in a variety of roles and vehicles including Gunsmoke, Mission Impossible, and Fringe. He also was an accomplished photographer whose work was exhibited in galleries and museums.
Spock was Nimoy's most indelible legacy, a legacy he ultimately embraced. 1995's second volume of his autobiograhy was titled I am Spock.
A grand legacy it was, wrought from a mere 3 years of 1960's era television with cheesy effects and aliens who looked like human beings in alien suits and make-up.
But Star Trek was more than the sum of its effects and Spock, as played by Mr. Nimoy, was more than the emotionless automaton that some actors might have given us. So right was he for the role that Nimoy was the only major actor and character in the Star Trek pilot to continue on into the original series. He was also the only original series character to appear in the 2009 Star Trek reboot.
An emotionless alien who could be more human than the people around him, Nimoy's spock inspired millions of fans, real and fictional. Who could fail to get the joke in the Super Bowl Audi commercial in which he raced the rebooted movie Spock, to the country club?
Fascinating.
We are so glad that you lived long and prospered among us, Mr. Nimoy.
Wish it could have been a little longer.