William Shatner
William Shatner, OC (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, from his 1966 debut as the captain of the starship Enterprise in the second pilot of the first Star Trek television series to his final appearance as Captain Kirk in the seventh Star Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations (1994). Shatner began his screen acting career in Canadian films and television productions before moving into guest-starring roles in various American television shows. He appeared as James Kirk in all the episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, 21 of the 22 episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series, and the first seven Star Trek movies. He has written a series of books chronicling his experiences before, during and after his time in a Starfleet uniform. He has also co-written several novels set in the Star Trek universe and a series of science fiction novels, the TekWar sequence, that were adapted for television. Outside Star Trek, Shatner played the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker (1982–1986), hosted the reality-based television series Rescue 911 (1989–1996), guest starred on the detective series Columbo, and acted in the comedy film Miss Congeniality (2000). After his last appearance as Captain Kirk, Shatner's television career has embraced comedy, drama and reality shows. In seasons 4 and 5 of the NBC series 3rd Rock from the Sun, he played the alien "Big Giant Head", to which the main characters reported. From 2004 until 2008, he starred as attorney Denny Crane in the final season of the legal show The Practice and in its spinoff Boston Legal, a role that earned him two Emmy Awards, one for his contribution to each series. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, he starred in both seasons of NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series in which a band of elderly celebrities toured East Asia and Europe. Aside from acting, Shatner has had a career as a recording artist, beginning in 1968 with his album The Transformed Man. His cover versions of songs are dramatic recitations of their lyrics rather than musical performances: the most notable are his versions of the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man", and Elton John's "Rocket Man". His most successful album was his third, Seeking Major Tom (2011), which includes covers of Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly", David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". In 2021, Shatner flew into space aboard Blue Origin NS-18, a Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule. At age 90, he became the oldest person to fly in space and one of the first 600 to do so. Minutes after the flight, he described experiencing the overview effect.
Born: 22 March 1931
Played In
The Eagle Obsession
Self
765874: Unification
Kirk
Aliens Among Us with William Shatner
The D-Con Chamber
Self
The UnXplained: Mysteries of the Universe
Self - Presenter
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill
Self
Masters of the Universe: Revolution
Keldor (voice)
Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
Self
The UnXplained Special Presentation
Self - Presenter
Full Moon's Roadshow Revisited
Self (archive footage)
Stars on Mars
Self - Host
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Self
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Self - (archive footage)
A Tear in the Sky
Piers Morgan Uncensored
Self
Fireheart
Mayor of New York (voice)
2021 and Done with Snoop Dogg & Kevin Hart
Self
Shatner in Space
Self
Expedition Unknown: Shark Trek
Self
WWE Hall Of Fame 2020
Himself
Senior Moment
Victor Martin
Creators: The Past
Lord Oghma
To Your Last Death
The Overseer (voice)
WWE Backstage
William Shatner
Devil's Revenge
Hayes
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
The UnXplained
Self - Host
My Life Is Murder
Barton Wallwork
The Masked Singer
Knight
The Masked Singer
Knight (archive footage)
Star Trek: Short Treks
Capt. James T. Kirk (voice) (archive footage)
The Steam Engines of Oz
Oscar 'Oz' Diggs (voice)
Aliens Ate My Homework
Phillogenus esk Piemondum (Phil) (voice)
The Indian Detective
David Marlowe
Batman vs. Two-Face
Harvey Dent / Two-Face (voice)
Not a War Story
The Truth Is in the Stars
Self
Heroes Manufactured
Self (archive footage)
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
Self
Star Trek: The Original Series – The Roddenberry Vault
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
Self
For the Love of Spock
Self
Better Late Than Never
Self
When Elephants Were Young
Narrator
Range 15
Richard Chindler
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
Self (archive footage)
Private Eyes
Norm Glinski
They Came from the Swamp: The Films of William Grefé
Himself (voice only)
A Sunday Horse
Kenneth Roubidoux
The Colorful Montreal Expos
Narrator (voice)
The Shannara Chronicles
Captain Kirk (archive footage)
Just in Time for Christmas
Coachman Nick
Baby, Baby, Baby
Actor
WWE Breaking Ground
Himself (narrator)
Being Canadian
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
A Christmas Horror Story
Dangerous Dan
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Self
Tom Felton Meets the Superfans
Self
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
Self
Chaos on the Bridge
Self
To Be Takei
Self
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Self - Guest
The Real History of Science Fiction
Self
Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale
Self
The Captains Close Up
Self
Return to the Forest
Narrator
Escape from Planet Earth
General Shanker (voice)
The Captains: Still Kicking
Self
Gotham Comedy Live
Self - Host
Horrorween
Self
Get a Life!
Self
Comic Book Men
Self
Corman's World
Self - Actor
Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen
Self - Roaster
William Shatner Sings O Canada
Himself
The Captains
Self
The Space Shuttle
Narrator
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
Captain James T. Kirk (archive footage)
Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner
Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
The Fran Drescher Show
The Talk
The Talk
Self
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Grand Pear (voice)
$#*! My Dad Says
Ed Goodson
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey
Core (voice)
Aftermath with William Shatner
Self - Host
Haven
Croatoan
Rookie Blue
Henry McLeod
Hot in Cleveland
Sally
William Shatner's Weird or What?
Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone's Magic Man
Self
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Closing Ceremony
Himself
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet
Himself
Star Trek: The Captain's Summit
Self
Fanboys
Himself
Gotta Catch Santa Claus
Santa Claus (voice)
Shatner's Raw Nerve
Self - Host
Everest
Norman Kelly
Million Dollar Password
Murdoch Mysteries
Mark Twain
Extraordinary Animals
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
Himself
Mars Rising
Narrator (voice)
The Big Bang Theory
William Shatner
The Pixar Story
James T. Kirk (archive footage)
Show Me the Money
Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner
Self
Psych
Frank O'Hara
Over the Hedge
Ozzie (voice)
The Wild
Kazar (voice)
The Henry Rollins Show
Stalking Santa
Narrator
William Shatner in Concert
Self
40 Years of Star Trek
Self
Last Laugh '05
Lucifer
Merry F#%$in' Christmas
Self
How William Shatner Changed the World
Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
The Reichen Show
Self - Guest
The Colbert Report
Self - Guest
Hell's Kitchen
Self
Invasion Iowa
Col. Shane Yeager
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Stan Fields
The Annie Awards
Self - Host
Lil' Pimp
Tony Gold (voice)
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
Last Laugh '04
Self
Boston Legal
Denny Crane
Atomic Betty
Jim
The Tony Danza Show
Self - Guest
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Dodgeball Chancellor
The Rose Parade: A Pageant for the Ages
Self
Best Week Ever
Sci-Fi Visionaries
Kiss 'N' Tell: Romance in the 23rd Century
Birth of a Timeless Legacy
A Carol Christmas
Dr. Bob / Ghost of Christmas Present
Christmas in Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
Chilly Beach
The President (voice)
Comedy Central Roasts
Self
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
William Shatner's Spplat Attack II
Wild Bill
Spplat Attack
Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages
Self
Groom Lake
John Gossner
American Psycho II: All American Girl
Starkman
One-Hit Wonders
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
Self
After They Were Famous
Self
Showtime
William Shatner
Cosmic Odyssey
Shoot or Be Shot!
Harvey Wilkes
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: The Rivalry Continues
Self
Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime
Self
Festival in Cannes
Self
Gahan Wilson's The Kid
Professor
Whale Shark Hunters of the Philippines
Self
Bob Patterson
Warren Wellman
Good Day Live
Self
Osmosis Jones
Mayor Phlegmming (voice)
Falcon Down
Major Robert Carson
Remembering 'The Intruder'
Self
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 1
Narrator
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 2
Narrator
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 3
Narrator
Miss Congeniality
Stan Fields
Atomic Journeys: Welcome to Ground Zero
Narrator (Voice)
Click
Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Self - Guest
Futurama
William Shatner (voice)
A Twist in the Tale
Nukes in Space
Narrator
Land of the Free
Aidan Carvell
Hollywood Ghost Stories
Self
Hercules
Jason of the Argonauts (voice)
Free Enterprise
Bill
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
James T. Kirk
Trekkies
Self
Jefftowne
Self
The View
Self
The View
Self - Guest
Space Cadets
Self
TV Guide Looks at Science Fiction
Self
Perversions of Science
Admiral Kornfeld
The Practice
Denny Crane
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
The Prisoner of Zenda, Inc.
Michael Gatewick
Star Trek Story
Self (archive footage)
E! True Hollywood Story
Self
The Daily Show
Narrator
Corwin
Self
Muppets Tonight
Self
Dead Man's Island
Chase Prescott
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
Host
3rd Rock from the Sun
Big Giant Head
Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
Narrator
Virtuosity
Captain James T. Kirk (archive footage) (uncredited)
TekWar
Walter H. Bascom
Janek: The Silent Betrayal
Bodosh
Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Self - Host
William Shatner: Captain's Log
Self
Star Trek: Generations
Captain James T. Kirk
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
Adam Harland (uncredited)
TekWar: TekJustice
Walter H. Bascom
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
TekWar: TekLab
Walter H. Bascom
TekWar: TekLords
Walter H. Bascom
TekWar
Walter H. Bascom
UFO Cover-Up Live with Larry King
Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Musical Guest
seaQuest DSV
Milos Tezlof
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
Family of Strangers
Earl
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
General Mortars
Raw
Self
Raw
William Shatner
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Captain James T. Kirk
Your Guide to Star Trek: Generations
Self
Gottschalk Late Night
Self
Eek! The Cat
Santa Claus (voice)
Eek! The Cat
Commander Berzerk (voice)
The Larry Sanders Show
William Shatner
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Twenty-Five Year Mission Tour
Self
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Captain James T. Kirk
The Horror Hall of Fame II
Self - Presenter
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Self - Host
Voices That Care
Self - Choir Member
Have I Got News for You
Self - Host
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
William Shatner
Dream On
Happy Birthday, Bugs! 50 Looney Years
Self
Amazon: Land of the Flooded Forest
Narrator
Rescue 911
Self - Host
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Captain James T. Kirk
Hollywood on Horses
Self
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self
Broken Angel
Chuck Coburn
Seasons
Narrator (voice)
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Admiral James T. Kirk
William Shatner's Mysteries of the Way We Feel
Host
The Canadian Conspiracy
Self
T.J. Hooker: Blood Sport
Sgt. T.J. Hooker
Super Duper Bloopers
Self
North Beach and Rawhide
Rawhide MacGregor
The Ray Bradbury Theater
Charles Underhill
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
Television
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
Secrets of a Married Man
Chris Jordan
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Admiral James T. Kirk
Prime Times
Self
Airplane II: The Sequel
Cdr. Buck Murdock
Madame's Place
Self
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Admiral James T. Kirk
Visiting Hours
Gary Baylor
T. J. Hooker
Sgt TJ Hooker
Night of 100 Stars
Self
Police Squad!
Poisoned Man
Late Night with David Letterman
Self - Guest
The Babysitter
Dr. Jeff Benedict
The Kidnapping of the President
Jerry O'Connor
Fridays
Self - Guest Host
Hypnosis and Beyond
Self
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Admiral James T. Kirk
Disaster on the Coastliner
Stuart Peters
Riel
The Barker
The Crash of Flight 401
Carl Tobias
Little Women
Friedrich Bhaer
Land of No Return
Curt Benell
The Bastard
Paul Revere
The Third Walker
Munro Maclean
The Oregon Trail
Kingdom of the Spiders
Dr. Robert 'Rack' Hansen
Testimony of Two Men
Adrian Ferrier
How the West Was Won
Captain Harrison
Battle of the Network Stars
A Whale of a Tale
Jack Fredericks
The Tenth Level
Prof. Stephen Turner
Perilous Voyage
Steve Monroe
Mysteries of the Gods
Host
Universe
Narrator
Microworld
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
The Star Trek Dream
Self
Barbary Coast
Jeff Cable
The Devil’s Rain
Mark Preston
Mitzi & 100 Guys
Self
Amy Prentiss
Impulse
Matt Stone
Big Bad Mama
William J. Baxter
Police Woman
Kodiak
Buzz Howard
Police Woman
Mark Ciprio
Petrocelli
Adam North
Pray for the Wildcats
Warren Summerfield
The Six Million Dollar Man
Josh Lang
Flick Flack
Host
Indict and Convict
Sam Belden
Pioneer Woman
John Sergeant
The Magician
Ed Cassidy
Star Trek
James T. Kirk (voice)
Police Story
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Paul Kovalik
Barnaby Jones
Phil Carlyle / Fred Williams
Go Ask Alice
Sam
Incident on a Dark Street
Deaver G. Wallace
Kung Fu
Capt. Brandywine Gage
The Rookies
The Hound of the Baskervilles
George Stapleton
The People
Dr. Curtis
The Sixth Sense
Columbo
Ward Fowler
Columbo
Fielding Chase
Vanished
Dave Paulick
The Andersonville Trial
Col. Chipman
Sole Survivor
Lt. Col. Josef Gronke
Swing Out, Sweet Land
John Adams
Shadow Game
Peter Hoyt
Hawaii Five-O
Sam Tolliver
The Name of the Game
Peter
The Name of the Game
Ronald Payden
White Comanche
Johnny Moon / Notah
Alexander The Great
Alexander
Mannix
Adam Langer
Off to See the Wizard
Alexander the Great
Ironside
Ironside
Bill Parkins
Ironside
Marty Jessup
CBS Playhouse
Peter Hoyt
Incubus
Marc
Mission: Impossible
Joseph Conrad
Mission: Impossible
Thomas 'Tommy' Kroll
Star Trek
James T. Kirk
The F.B.I.
Arthur Majors
The Big Valley
Brett
For the People
David Koster
The Outrage
Preacher
Reporter
Horner
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Michael Donfield
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Burke's Law
Arthur Reynolds
Channing
Tom Ericson
The Fugitive
Tony Burrell
The Outer Limits
Gen. Jeff Barton
Arrest and Trial
Larry Tavener
Miss USA
Self - Host
Operation Bikini
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
The Virginian
Luke Milford
The Intruder
Adam Cramer
Judgment at Nuremberg
Harrison Byers
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Explosive Generation
Peter Gifford
Alcoa Premiere
Dr William Grant
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Toby Cunningham
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Carl Noyes
The Dick Powell Show
Eric Tegman
The Defenders
Jim McCleery
The Defenders
Charles Terranova
The Defenders
Cliff Sellers
The Defenders
Gil Rawson
The Defenders
Assistant District Attorney Earl Rhodes
The Grim Reaper
Paul Graves
Festival
Mark Antony
Route 66
Outlaws
Thriller
Gil Thrasher
Thriller
Paul Graves
Police Surgeon
Joe Flatt
The Twilight Zone
Bob Wilson
The Twilight Zone
Don Carter
City Out of Time
Narrator (voice)
One Step Beyond
Carl Bremer
The Christmas Tree
Philo
77 Sunset Strip
Paul DeVinger
Naked City
Roger Barmer
Naked City
Maung Tun
A Town Has Turned to Dust
Jerry Paul
The Brothers Karamazov
Alexi Karamazov
Suspicion
Eli
The Defender (Studio One)
Kenneth Preston
Oedipus Rex
Chorus
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Jim Whitely
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
John Crane
Gunsmoke
Fred Bateman
Climax!
Ben Tate
On Camera
The Oscars
Self
Space Command
Omnibus
Omnibus
Palace Messenger
General Motors Theatre
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Philo
The Butler's Night Off
Lamp Unto My Feet
Studio One
Dr. David Coleman
Studio One
Kenneth Preston
Studio One
Dr. Franck
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
Kraft Television Theatre
Kraft Television Theatre
Charles Best
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Host
The Atomic Bomb Collection
Narrator
Keeper of the Cup
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Self - Presenter
Inner Space
Narrator
Science Fiction Film Awards
Himself