LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Leonard Nimoy, beloved
cultural figure, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his commu-
nity

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor
individuals whose commitment and creative talents have contributed
immensely to the entertainment and the enrichment of the lives of the
people of the State of New York and this Nation; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy, a beloved actor, director, and writer, most
famous for his role as Spock on the television show Star Trek, died on
Friday, February 27, 2015, at the age of 83; and
WHEREAS, Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 26, 1931, Leonard
Simon Nimoy was the second son of Ukrainian immigrants, Max and Dora
Nimoy; and
WHEREAS, From the young age of eight, Leonard Nimoy acted in local
productions and won parts at a community college, where he performed
throughout his high school years; following a summer course at Boston
College, he traveled to Hollywood, and later landed small movie roles in
"Queen for a Day" and "Rhubarb"; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy's first starring movie role came in the 1952
film, "Kid Monk Baroni," in which he portrayed a disfigured Italian
street-gang leader who becomes a boxer; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy proudly served his country as a member of the
United States Army for two years, rising to the rank of sergeant and
spending 18 months at Fort McPherson, Georgia, where he presided over
shows for the Army's Special Services branch; and
WHEREAS, Following the completion of his military service, Leonard
Nimoy achieved wide visibility in the late 1950s and early 1960s on
television shows such as "Wagon Train," "Rawhide" and "Perry Mason"; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, Leonard Nimoy was cast in the original "Star Trek"
television series as Mr. Spock, a Vulcan alien serving as first officer
on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise; and
WHEREAS, Despite lasting only three seasons, the popularity of "Star
Trek" and that of the character Mr. Spock would endure across gener-
ations, becoming a cultural phenomenon and inspiring numerous movies,
books, and television shows; and
WHEREAS, An integral part of the success of the Star Trek franchise,
Leonard Nimoy starred in many of the subsequent films, and also directed
the movies, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The
Voyage Home," which he co-wrote; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Leonard Nimoy was the executive producer and a
writer of the movie "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," and
starred in two episodes of the television show "Star Trek: The Next
Generation"; and
WHEREAS, From 1977 to 1982, Leonard Nimoy hosted the syndicated series
"In Search Of..." which explored mysteries like the Loch Ness monster
and U.F.O.s; he also narrated the show, "Ancient Mysteries," appeared in
television commercials, and provided his vocal talents to animated
features; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy also directed the hugely successful 1987 comedy
"Three Men and a Baby," and received an Emmy nomination for the 1982
movie "A Woman Called Golda," in which he portrayed the husband of
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir; and
WHEREAS, A passionate writer, Leonard Nimoy is the author of two auto-
biographies, I AM NOT SPOCK and I AM SPOCK, as well as A LIFETIME OF
LOVE: POEMS ON THE PASSAGES OF LIFE, published in 2002; and

WHEREAS, In his later years, Leonard Nimoy rediscovered his Jewish
heritage and produced and starred in "Never Forget," a television movie
based on the story of a Holocaust survivor; he also published SHEKHINA,
a book devoted to photography with a Jewish theme; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy's commitment to excellence and his spirit of
humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of Nimoy's support of the arts, the Thalia
Theatre, a venerable movie theater on the Upper West Side of Manhattan,
was renamed the Leonard Nimoy Thalia in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Leonard Nimoy is survived by his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy; two
children, Adam and Julie; one stepson, Aaron Bay; six grandchildren; and
one great-grandchild; as well as his brother, Melvin; and
WHEREAS, Individuals, such as Leonard Nimoy, who distinguish them-
selves in their chosen field of endeavor and who, through their creative
talents, contribute significantly to its strength, vigor and diversity
merit the highest commendation of this Legislative Body; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Leonard Nimoy, beloved cultural figure, distinguished
citizen and devoted member of his community; and to offer sincerest
condolences to his fans, friends, and family members; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Leonard Nimoy.