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William Shatner
Oh Captain, USS Enterprise's Captain
Celebrate Star Trek day on September 8th by taking a look back at the career of the man behind Captain Kirk, William Shatner.
To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before
In 1966, William Shatner debuted the character Captain James T. Kirk and kicked off the beloved sci-fi franchise, Star Trek. As the charismatic and often impulsive commander of the USS Enterprise, Captain Kirk embodied a captain who demonstrated his leadership, bravery, and human fallibility. Shatner’s portrayal established the template for starship captains for future installments. Captain Kirk is one of the most well known in the Star Trek franchise and even if you have never watched the series or movies before, Captain Kirk and Spock are two characters you may recognize. Shatner's performance as Kirk not only defined his career but also helped launch a cultural phenomenon that continues to influence television, film, and popular culture close to six decades after the original series first aired.
Movies
Judgment at Nuremberg
Captain Harrison Byers
(1961)
Big Bad Mamma
William J. Baxter
(1974)
Airplane II: The Sequel
Commander Buck Murdock
(1982)
Free Enterprise
Bill
(1998)
Miss Congeniality
Stan Fields
(2000)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Dodgeball Chancellor
(2004)
TV SHOWS
The Twilight Zone
Bob Wilson / Don Carter
(1960–1963)
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
(1966)
T. J. Hooker
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson "T. J." Hooker
(1982–1986)
Rescue 911
Host
(1989–1996)
3rd Rock from the Sun
The Big Giant Head
(1999–2000)
Boston Legal
Denny Crane
(2004–2008)
$#*! My Dad Says
Dr. Edison "Ed" Milford Goodson
(2010–2011)
Psych
Frank O'Hara
(2011–2012)
Better Late Than Never
Himself
(2016–2018)
Voice Acting
Osmosis Jones
Mayor Phlegmming
(The Wild
The Wild
Kazar
(2006)
Over the Hedge
Ozzie
(2006)
Escape from Planet Earth
General Shanker
(2013)
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Grand Pear
(2017)
Masters of the Universe: Revolution
King Keldor / Skeletor
(2024)