William Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 50 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, and horseman. He is major Hollywood philanthropist and one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures. Born in Montreal, Shatner developed an early interest in acting and started working professionally at the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) before he reached his teens. He wrote plays for the CBC before moving to New York and was a part of television’s Golden Age, working on programs such as Playhouse 90 and Studio One. He made his film debut in 1957’s The Brothers Karamazov, followed by Judgment at Nuremburg and The Intruder. During the same period, he starred on Broadway in The World of Suzie Wong and A Shot in the Dark.
He has since guest starred in several hundred television programs including classics such as The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Mission: Impossible. He also recurred on other staples including 77 Sunset Strip and Dr. Kildare before garnering an Emmy nomination for his appearances in 3rd Rock from the Sun. In 1966, Shatner originated the role of “Captain James T. Kirk” in the television series Star Trek, which rocketed to fame — but only after the show was cancelled and then later re-launched in syndication. The series spawned a feature film franchise in which Shatner reprised the role of Captain Kirk in seven of the Star Trek motion pictures. He has since appeared in other movies such as Airplane II: The Sequel, Loaded Weapon 1, Showtime and both installments of the Miss Congeniality franchise. Shatner played the title role in the network series T.J. Hooker before hosting television’s first reality-based series, Rescue 911, for six seasons. In September 2004, Shatner won an Emmy for his recurring role as eccentric lawyer “Denny Crane” on The Practice, the David E. Kelley-created legal drama that finished its run in 2004. Shatner then reprised the role – this time as a series regular – on the hit program Boston Legal. As a result, he won his first Golden Globe in January 2005 and another Emmy that September. He has since earned four more Emmy nominations, a second Golden Globe nod as well as two SAG Award nominations.
Shatner's Raw Nerve, currently airing on BIO, is his own edgy, celebrity interview series. Each episode showcases Shatner getting to know his guest on an intensely personal level, touching upon subjects not normally visited on other talk shows. Guests including Rush Limbaugh, Valerie Bertinelli, Tim Allen, Gene Simmons, Jenna Jameson, Jimmy Kimmel, and Kelsey Grammer have discussed topics such as addiction, grief, childhood, marriage, combat and parenthood.
He made his feature film directorial debut in 1989 with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (in which he also starred and helped conceive the story). Since then, he has directed several other features, television movies, and series.
One of the first celebrities in Hollywood to recognize the importance of the Internet, Shatner has served as the spokesman for Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) for over 10 years. His enduring appeal has proven to be an integral part of the company’s ad campaigns and brand marketing program.
His love of music inspired him to record the critically acclaimed album Has Been. The Milwaukee Ballet performed “Common People,” a dance presentation set to several numbers fromthe record; the event and its preparations are featured the new documentary Gonzo Ballet, which has been playing to sold out houses at film festivals worldwide. It won Best Documentary at the Marbella Film Festival in October 2009.
Off the screen and broadcast waves, Shatner has authored nearly 30 best-sellers in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His newest book is his autobiography, Up Till Now, a New York Times best-seller. A new comic book series – William Shatner Presents – debuted in summer 2009. The series is based on three novels of Shatner’s: Tek War, Man O’ War, and Quest for Tomorrow, along with a brand new title: Chimera.
Shatner has been successful in another career — horse breeding. A longtime dedicated breeder of American Quarter horses, he has had smashing success with the American Saddlebred, developing and riding world champions and winning numerous world championships in several equine events. His passions for horses and philanthropy were united when he started the Hollywood Charity Horse Show. The annual event benefits Los Angeles-based children’s charities. On an international level, he and his wife have started the William & Elizabeth Shatner Therapeutic Riding Consortium Endowment for Israel, a special venture designed to benefit Bedouin, Palestinian, Jordanian, and Israeli children so that, in addition to healing, there will be an effort to bring war-torn children together and start the first steps towards a lasting peace. Shatner continues to act, write, produce and direct while still making time to work with charities and further his passion in equestrian sports. He and his wife and three married children live in Los Angeles.
