Trivia

His final Tweet, posted four days before his death, was "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" (Live Long and Prosper).

The "Vulcan nerve pinch" concept on Star Trek (1966) was invented by Nimoy when he and the series' writers were trying to figure out how an unarmed Spock could overpower an adversary without resorting to violence.

Spoke Hebrew and Yiddish fluently. According to William Shatner's memoir of Nimoy, Leonard later in his life was concerned about losing his fluency in Yiddish because of a lack of practice. So Nimoy found a Yiddish speaking psychiatrist and made an regular appointment with her so he could spend an hour each week speaking the language.

Was the only actor to appear in every episode and both pilots of Star Trek (1966).

Suffered from tinnitus (ringing in the ears), along with Star Trek (1966) co-star William Shatner. Nimoy's right ear and Shatner's left ear were affected. Their hearing was apparently damaged during the filming of the episode Arena (1967), when they were both close to a special effects explosion.

Announced his decision to both retire from acting and stop appearing at conventions, expressing his desire for private life with his family (2011).

The sign that Spock makes with his hand is half of what is commonly done by the Cohanim, the Jewish Priests, when they bless the congregation.

When Mark Lenard and Jane Wyatt were cast as his parents on Star Trek (1966), they asked him if he had any advice on the Vulcan characters and culture, seeing as how he was the series' main Vulcan character. He replied that he felt the Vulcans were very much a "hand-oriented people", and so Lenard and Wyatt came up with a hand gesture in which they touched and held their fingers together to indicate a sense of intimacy.

He was born only four days after his Star Trek (1966) co-star William Shatner.

His father had a barber shop in Boston, where one of the more popular haircuts given was the "Spock cut".

The mineral Yominium Sulfide in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), is named after him. If you notice the first five letters spells "Nimoy" backward.

In many interviews since the beginning of Star Trek (1966), Nimoy has recounted the origin of the Vulcan salute, which he introduced into the series. In one such interview (with The A.V. Club in July 2010), he explained, "The gesture that I introduced into Star Trek, the split-fingered Vulcan salute, we will call it... that came from an experience -- I'm going all the way back to my childhood again -- when I was about 8 years old, sitting in the synagogue at high holiday services with my family. There comes a moment in the ceremony when the congregation is blessed by a group of gentlemen known as Kohanim, members of the priestly tribe of the Hebrews. And the blessing is one that we see in the Old and New Testament: 'May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord cause His countenance to shine upon you', and so forth. When they give this blessing, you're told not to look! You're supposed to avert your eyes. I peeked, and I saw these guys with their hands stretched out - there were five or six of them, all with their hands stretched out toward the congregation - in that gesture, that split-fingered gesture. Some time later, I learned that the shape that hand creates is a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, the letter shin, which is the first letter in the word Shaddai, which is the name of the Almighty. So the suggestion is that they're using a symbol of God's name with their hands as they bless the congregation.".

Had appeared in episodes of six different series with William Shatner: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964), Mission: Impossible (1966), Star Trek (1966), Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973), T.J. Hooker (1982) and Futurama (1999).

Along with Majel Barrett, he is one of only two actors to appear in both the first and last episodes of Star Trek (1966).

Best friends with his Star Trek (1966) co-star William Shatner.

His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, is a cousin of Michael Bay. Nimoy voiced the reemerged Megatron, known as Galvatron, in The Transformers: The Movie (1986). Bay altogether reinvented Megatron for Transformers (2007).

As a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, Nimoy was in charge of a platoon that included Ken Berry. Berry later said in an interview that he confided to Nimoy his ambitions to be a dancer and performer and Nimoy encouraged him to go to California at the end of his enlistment.

Served in the United States Army, under the service number ER-11-229-770, from December 3, 1953 - November 23, 1955. Received an honorable discharge with the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG).

In books over the years, the "unpronouncable" full name of his Star Trek character is S'chn-T' Gaii Spock, son of S'chn-T' Gaii Sarek (of Skon and Solkar) of Vulcan.

At 6' 1", he was the tallest cast member of Star Trek (1966).

Often nicknamed "the other Dr. Spock" for his degrees in Biology and Photography.

During an interview with Al Roker on Today (1952), to promote Star Trek (2009), it was revealed that the news anchor Ann Curry had a major crush on him. They showed several clips of her stating that she was in love with Spock. Roker then called her out on stage. She came on stage, and immediately hugged and kissed Leonard Nimoy, and told him how great she thinks he is. Leonard was very flattered and told her she had great taste.

Got his famous role of Spock on Star Trek (1966) in part because discussions among writers and producers of the series about the character of Spock led them to put out the word that they were looking for a tall, thin guy to play the role of an alien crew member. Gene Roddenberry and casting director Joseph D'Agosta remembered Nimoy from his work in Roddenberry's first TV series, the WWII drama The Lieutenant (1963). After being invited to come look at the sets and props, Nimoy was offered the role...and so was born his most famous role and start as a popular culture icon.

Along with Majel Barrett, he is one of only two actors to have appeared on Star Trek in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s.

Was William Shatner's best man at his third wedding to Nerine Kidd.

Managed an online shop with his granddaughter called shopllap.com.

Was approached to direct Star Trek: Generations (1994), as well as appear as Spock in the film. He declined because Spock's role in the movie would have been a cameo (additionally, having very bland lines). Nimoy stated that due to his concerns with the screenplay and not having enough time to 'fix' them --he did not want to play Spock, nor direct any Star Trek movie in which Spock was not an integral part of the plot. Spock's character was consequently replaced with James Doohan's Scotty.

Was an accomplished photographer (specializing in black and white images) and had given exhibitions of his works.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6651 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 16, 1985.

Has come out of retirement to reprise his iconic role of Mr. Spock for the Star Trek (2009) remake. (January 2008)

Lent his famous voice to the introduction at the Mugar Omni Theater (The Museum of Science, Boston).

Opened an exotic pet shop in 1970 after the cancellation of Star Trek (1966).

Announced that he is suffering from chronic obstruction pulmonary disease, one month after he was seen in a wheelchair in New York. (February 2014)

Was an avid writer of poetry and had written many books.

Following his death, he was interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. An asteroid discovered on September 2, 1988 has been renamed 4864 Nimoy in his honor.

Received his Master's degree in Education from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio (1977). He later received an honorary doctorate from the university in fall 2000.

Attended and graduated from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts (1953). He later received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the university in May 2012.

Stated at a 1993 convention in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that he has contracted out his signature, and can only sign items the company he has a contract with authorizes, and therefore does not sign for fans, otherwise he could be sued for breach of contract.

Had one brother: Melvin Nimoy, five years older.

Leonard Nimoy passed away on February 27, 2015, one month away from what would have been his 84th birthday on March 26.

Father of Adam Nimoy and Julie Nimoy. Had one stepson: Aaron Bay Schuck.

Because of his schedule, part two of the Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) two-part episode "Unification" was filmed before part one.

Along with David McCallum, Cliff Robertson, Barbara Rush and Peter Breck, he is one of only five actors to appear in both The Outer Limits (1963) and The Outer Limits (1995). He played Konig in Production and Decay of Strange Particles (1964), Judson Ellis in I, Robot (1964), and Thurman Cutler in I, Robot (1995).

Had appeared in episodes of three different series with George Takei and Nichelle Nichols: Star Trek (1966), Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) and Futurama (1999).

Born in Boston, Massachusetts to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants.

Had a pet store in Canoga Park, California during the 1960s.

On April 21, 2010, he retired from acting after 60 years in the motion picture industry.

On February 19, 2015, he was rushed to UCLA Medical Center for severe chest pains after a 911 call and had previously been in and out of hospitals for the "past several months".

Had played the same character (Spock) on three different series: Star Trek (1966), Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).

Whilst working as a taxi driver in leaner times, one of a pre-fame Nimoy's fares was a pre-fame John F. Kennedy, with whom he chatted during the journey.