By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BOSTON – Famously known for his role as Mr. Spock in the sci-fi TV and movie franchise “Star Trek,” the world’s favorite half-human, half-Vulcan, Leonard Nimoy was destined for the stars.
Tenement origins and military service
Born in Boston in 1931, Nimoy grew up in a tenement in the city’s West End neighborhood. Bitten by the acting bug when he was a child, he enrolled in acting lessons when he was eight years old and supplemented his Ukrainian Jewish immigrant family’s income with odd jobs such as selling newspapers and shining shoes. As an adult, he hawked vacuum cleaners and freezers, scooped ice cream, serviced vending machines, and managed apartment buildings. The actor’s humble beginnings would also involve some interesting chance encounters before reaching stardom. After graduating from English High School, he attended Boston College for a short time, taking some drama classes.
In 1953, Nimoy enlisted in the United States Army Reserve at the now-defunct Fort McPherson, Georgia. While there, he crossed paths with fellow soldier Ken Berry whom he encouraged to try out acting and helped contact agents. Berry eventually found success starring in sitcoms “F-Troop,” “Mayberry RFD,” and “Mama’s Family.”
Meeting JFK and beginning of acting career
Upon being discharged from the military, Nimoy and his pregnant wife Sandi moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a cab driver to support his growing family between small acting gigs. On August 13, 1956, 24-year-old Nimoy received a call right before the Democratic National Convention was to start.
Nimoy told the Tampa Tribune, “It was a highly political time—right before the convention—and Stevenson and Kefauver were running strong.” Nimoy was referring to Democratic nominee for president Adlai Stevenson, who was also the cousin of “M*A*S*H” star McLean Stevenson.
Nimoy continued, “When I got to the Bel Air, I asked the doorman if I was waiting for the Senator from Massachusetts. He said he didn’t know. When Kennedy came down, the doorman whispered to me, ‘Is this guy a senator?'”
“As Kennedy got in the cab, I said, ‘How are things up in Massachusetts, Senator?’ He perked up. He said, ‘Are you from Massachusetts?’ He asked me so many questions—he was so socially oriented — he asked me why I was in California, where my folks came from, why they came to America, and what they thought of [me] being an actor.”
“I asked him about Stevenson’s chances, and he said, ‘You meet a lot of people, what do you think?’ I asked him what would happen if Stevenson won the nomination but lost the election. He said, ‘He’d be finished politically.’ That was the one flat statement he made about politics.”
“We chatted about careers … politics and show business, and we agreed that both had a lot in common. Maybe too much in common. He said, ‘Lots of competition in your business, just like in mine.’ And then he gave me this: “Just remember there’s always room for one more good one.”
Since the Senator was not carrying any cash, Nimoy had to follow him into the Beverly Hilton lobby to collect his $1.25 from someone Kennedy knew, but he also received a $1.75 tip.
Nimoy began working steadily as an actor, appearing in over 50 roles in B-movies and television series, including several episodes on both “Gunsmoke,” and “Wagon Train,” highly rated Western TV shows of the era.
“Star Trek” and fame
“Star Trek” made its television debut in 1966 and by 1968, fandom had reached a feverish pitch with the character of Mr. Spock smack-dab in the center of it. So much so that NBC knew the prospect of ever replacing the actor was out of the question since it would likely alienate his followers. Nimoy even released a couple of record albums. “Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy,” which debuted shortly after his first album “Music From Outer Space.”
During a 1968 autograph signing event in the housewares department at Lechmere in Cambridge to promote record sales, Nimoy’s mother Dora told the Tampa Bay Tribune that she thought her son looked tired, adding that she stood in line to see her son because she only saw him for 10 minutes when he was at her house.
Leonard Nimoy died in 2015 at the age of 83 in his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles.
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