ShatWatch: Birthday Edition March 22, 2009
by John Tenuto , Filed under: Shatner , trackback
"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Message, Spock?"
"None that I am conscious of. Except of course, happy birthday."
See below for our birthday tribute for William Shatner.
Happy Birthday to an icon of decades
William Shatner is 78 years old today, March 22nd. In those years, he has brought to audiences iconic characters (Captain James T. Kirk, TJ Hooker, Denny Crane), unforgettable music (from the maligned Transformed Man to the acclaimed Has Been), some of the first cyberpunk television (Tek War), and advertising gems (Priceline is a good example). Yet, perhaps his greatest contribution is that as he ages, Shatner has done so as a role model of how to live a life of enthusiasm and adventure.
For all these gifts, we at TrekMovie send our appreciation to William Shatner. We wish him a happy birthday with this celebration of some of the more unique moments of his life, eight total, one for each of his decades.
1) Bill’s Weirdest Advertisement
Loblaws commercial
2) Nicest Moment with Leonard Nimoy
from ‘Mind Meld’
3) Best Game Show Moment
Plays against himself (and loses) on Pyramid
4) Best Shatner / Sinatra Moment
From the Mike Douglas show
5) Best Shatner doing a dance mix
From Conan O’Brien show
6) Best Shatner parody of himself
From ‘Airplane II’
7) Best patriotic moment
Shatner declares he is a Canadian
8) Best Shatner Rap
from ‘Free Enterprise’
From all of us at TrekMovie…a big happy birthday to William Shatner.
Celebrate International Talk Like William Shatner Day
Renowned voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain, Harvey Birdman, Futurama, etc) is a big Shatner fan and has done his voice for a number of shows. And Maurice thinks the best way to celebrate today is to make it ‘International Talk Like William Shatner Day’, and in the video below he teaches you how to do it.
UPDATE: Pollak tribute
Maurice mentioned that the ultimate Shatner impersonator is Kevin Pollak. It just show happens that Pollak chose today to launch his new live Internet chat show. He announced on Twitter that the show will include a tribute to Shatner. You can watch the show at 5PM Pacific. The show will also include LeVar Burton as a guest, taking questions in the chatroom.
Watch the show and participate at kevinpollakschatshow.com
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Comments»
The rap is classic!
the part from mind meld is really great. makes me a little emotional, I have to admit. happy birthday mr.shatner!
Happy Birthday, Bill!
Happy Birthday!
FROM ONE MONTREAL’ER TO ANOTHER. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.SHATNER
#2
- makes me a little emotional, I have to admit. -
You’re not alone…:)
Happy, Happy Birthday, Bill, and many more to come!
Have a wonderful day with your family and friends – may the year ahead be full of health, energy, joy, fun, and hopefully new projects!
Thank you so much for giving us the greatest hero of the universe, and thanks for your witty, entertaining ways.
Way to go Bill!
PS: Love.theidea..of…The.International.Talk.like…WILLIAMSHATNERDAY! :)
Happy b-day to the Shat.
He should be in the new movie.
.
Contratulations…!!!
I really love the man, the icon, the idol, the myth, whatever…!! Shatner is “with me”, for, now, about 30 years…!
I feel like he is a distant member of my own family. One that I love and miss…!
I wish I could meet him somtime, one day… But he’s never been here, to Brazil… Maybe one day…!! ;o)
All in all, my best wishes and may Shatner live long and go on prospering and having this wonderful and entertaining life he has…!
All my best!
Marcelo Carvalho
Porto Alegre, RS
Brasil
.
From one Lousy Canadian to another; Happy Birthday, Bill! You’re my hero!
Happy Birthday William Shatner. The Mind Meld bit almost brought a tear to my eye, and the I AM Canadian bit was hilarious. Thanks for all the great moments.
Love this article! And love all the videos.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shatner, and thank you for all that you’ve given us, the little people. ;)
Happy birthday, Mr. Shatner! To the rest of us, happy “Talk like William Shatner” day!
Good Job John, Mind Meld is a great moment.
All the best, Bill!
It was a very good year
Eeb pebnista, Bill baby. Live long and prosper.
Sincerely,
C.S. Lewis
Happy Birthday Shat Man!
That last scene in the mind meld clip will always be one of my favorites.
Oh my…
Happy Shatday Bill!
Happy Birthday Bill !
A toast to The Man The Legend The Shat
Happy Birthday my friend, 78 and still going strong.
Happy Birthday Dad!!!!
Happy Birthday, we hope you rejoin the Trek universe real soon!
Looking forward to seeing you in the new film Bill!
Happy Birthday!
And best Shatner shlock, as sleaze in “Impulse”!
Happy Birthday to an icon! Live long and…. you know.
Happy Birthday from Ireland Mr. Shatner!
Happy… Birthday… BILL!!!
Live Long and Prosper!!!
Happy Birthday Bill !!! You keep on finding roles so we can bring the goodness into our homes week after week!
Happy birthday, Mr. Shatner.
Here’s hoping we get to celebrate many more.
Regards.
Since Shatner is God, here are these:
http://www.rabittooth.com/needsmoreshatner2.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/awncar
Happy B day Big Guy!!
I love Shatner. He’s my man. Always have. Always will be.
Happy Birthday, Bill. Have a great one this year, and for many years to come. You are an inspiration.
I don’t care what anyone says or whatever excuse they have to offer. The bottom line is the new “Star Trek” film would be better with Shatner in it.
Hey Maurice LaMarche,
I’ve done a list of Shatner pronunciations in the past. Here’s some like:
He says tele-KIN-esis. As opposed to the usually heard, tele-ki-NE-sis. Just another in a long line of Shatner pronunciation. or re-pronunciation. I’ve made a list of all the Shatner re-pronunciations.
A few more.
there was the opening credits, where for years (until I was 9 0r 10) thought that Boldlego was all one word. Don’t ask me what I thought that meant. I always heard Bold-LEE-go. One day I figured out he was saying To Boldly Go.
That aside…”Patterns of Force” has two great examples of Shatner-isms.
‘Natzis’ and ‘Gestapo’ using the flat ‘A’ sound in both words as opposed to the ‘ahh” sound that I always heard in Hogans Heroes or other movies.
a BONUS Shatner-ism *
….is one not found in the show but found on book on tape of Star Trek Memories, read by the author himself in which he describes a period of renaissance in his life. Shatner pronounces it re-NAY-ssance as opposed to the usually heard REN-aissance.
Then there are the sped up sentences that become one word. ‘Gotothedevil’. Go to the Devil. “Day of the Dove”.
I like how he just throws words off like someone flicking a frisbee with two fingers and smooth wrist action.
But again this week’s is a doozy. Telekinises. It’s while she’s demonstrating her powers to them. He just knocks me out when he finds a new way to say a word.
And so there you go Maurice.
hahaha I used to work at Loblaw’s!
Best of Birthday Wishes, Mr. Shatner!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shatner. May God continue to bless you throughout this year, and every year.
and oh yeah happy birthday Bill!
Happy Birthday Mr. William Shatner, my personal favorite captain and actor. Hope you have a good one ;)
HAPPY, HAPPY!
Happy Birthday Mr. Shatner! May it be a great one! Of course, I don’t see how it could be otherwise.
William have a nice lunch at Cafe Firenze, and tell Fabio to surprise you! :)
No loblaw loblaw lo–
Happy Birthday, Bill!
Whatever you’ve got planned for the second half of your life, I only hope there’s a camera around.
Happy Birthday Mr. Shatner…
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Shat man!!
That Loblaw’s commercial is downright insane. It should come with a Surgeon General’s warnng- MAY CAUSE BRAIN EXPLOSION WHEN VIEWED. Wowzers…
Happy birthday, Bill!!
Butm you forgot the most insane Shatner moment, his guest appearance on The Fresh Prince in the episode “Eye Tooth.”
Here’s the YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgftw4nN8Oc
Best clip ever is when he sings “Your way” to George Lucas.
Happyyy…………….BIRTHday………. Mister! ;)
Holy crap, how could anyone forget TWILIGHT ZONE and “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet!? That autumn night of October 11, 1963 in front of an old RCA black and white tube was my first encounter with the amazing Shat! Long may he wave!
You’re doing it Your way.
Happy Birthday!
There’s only one James Tiberius Kirk!!!! Happy birthday and thanks for the memories!
It was the best of times, and it continues to be the best of times.
Happy Birthday, Bill!
Buckle up!
It’s Bill Shatner’s birthday!
78 years young, and there’s no stopping him. And that’s the way we like it. Happy Birthday, Captain!
Happy Birthday fellow Montrealer, and many more!
Happy Birthday Mr. Shatner and many, many more. One year older, every ageless.
AD
qoSraj botIvjaj (Happy Birthday) Bill.
I will see you in Las Vegas this August.
Qapla’
Happy birthday shat, and those red light tubes seriously have to be the most used Star Trek prop ever, I dont think there’s a series they havent been in.
What, no “Rock-it-man?” Anyway happy…78th birthday. And…many more.
Happy Birthday Bill
May all your wishes come true!
You are the smartest actor I’ve ever seen and I love your books.
I hope you have a nice day with famalie and your children.
Wishing you a good time…….
Netgic from Germany
I wish Abrams hadn’t gotten my hopes up in 2006 when he said the involvement of Shatner in this movie was very important to him (yup, he said it!). But he ended up leaving Big Bill out because he (JJ) was such a fan of his…or…something like that. Beacuse you can destroy Romulus and Vulcan and change the Big E into something less than what it was (inside and out) and make Chekov outrank Kirk and have ‘em all be in the same class and hop around all over the timeline and go into different universes and all that … but you can’t bring back the franchise’s most beloved dead character. Wouldn’t wanna tick people off, now would we?
;-)
Hell, if team JJ hadn’t dropped the Shat ball, we could all be looking forward to our biggest, fattest, Shat sandwich in years just a few short weeks from now!!! And I’d be so bloated and happy. :-)
Pine may be fine, but THE SHAT is where it’s at!!!!!! “James T. Kirk was a great man.”
SHATNER!!!
SHATNER!!!
SHATNER!!!
p.s. If JJ doesn’t accept Bill’s generous invitation to the charity horse show, then he is a bad robot.
I don’t think Abrams would be able to make the horse show as it falls during the Star Trek publicity tour Abrams is on, and he can’t be in two places at once
#63 … Thank you for keeping us abreast of JJ’s schedule, sir. Now the question becomes: will JJ send The Shat an invitation to the American premiere? I’m sure he will. JJ always does the right thing.
;-)
To me JJ Abrams committed the ultimate crime by recasting the TOS crew and changing the entire timeline to appeal to the non fans.
It would have been so cool if JJ Abrams had honoured Shatner. Pine might be ok as Kirk but he will not be as good as Shatner.
tune in tonight to
http://kevinpollakschatshow.com at 5PM pacific to see Shatner Tribute and guest Levar Burton
Neill
do you really need to throw around words like ‘ultimate crime’ especially in an article about Shatner’s BDay….jeez
66:
Thanks, Anthony. That’s 6 minutes from now. WooHoo!
Happy Birthday Bill from us all here in Great Britain. Your still the greatest captain of them all.
That scene where Bill and Leonard are chatting at Nimoys house is just beautiful. Lovely to see them such good friends. these guys are legends.
Greg
UK
Was there ever better chemistry than Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley?
I don’t think so IMHO.
Happy birthday wishes to the best spokesman for Loblaws ever! (Didn’t he also star in some space show or something?)
His willingness to make an ass of himself, and not appear embarrassed about it, is perhaps his greatest asset (no pun intended).
But, paradoxically, by being willing to make an ass of himself, and not appearing embarrassed about it, he ends up looking cool and not like an ass.
It’s a valuable life lesson.
Gotta love the Shat.
Happy Birthday Mr. Shatner! Here’s wishing that the next year is full of continued happiness and success for you. I hope that you treated yourself to some Schwartz’s today….
Happy birthday Bill!
The #4 video brought tears to my eyes. Does anyone know what year it is from? The Conan O’Brien rap was hilarious.
Happy Birthday Mr. Shatner, and as others have said: “Live Long and Prosper”.
78 years old, and still in there swinging. Happy Birthday, and I hope I am right about you being in the new movie. I still think they have Shat in there as JJ’s ultimate easter egg secret.
If not, I hope Shat lives long enough to be in the sequel, and undo his assisted suicide at the hands of the TNG Kevorkians.
That recording session Maurice was talking about is hysterical. If you haven’t heard it try to find it online. He belittles that poor director. When Shatner tells him, “Don’t tell me how to say it…” he follows that up with “It sickens me.”
Ben Stiller is a notorious Shatner fan and paid homage to that incident in that bomb Mystery Men. He was trying to say Pandora’s Box but came out with something else. Someone points that out and he replies, “Please don’t correct me… It sickens me.” One of the only laughs I got out of that picture.
Keep on Shattin’.
Happy Birthday to the One and Only Shat!!
Best,
Chris
When he was seventy-eight
It was a very good year
It was a very good year for a Canadian guy
Who has travelled so far…
Yet he will not star!
So, it won’t be as great,
When he is seventy-eight
A good Labatt’s raised to the Bill without whom, there would be no Kirk to recreate…
Shatner is a legend. At 78 i’m expecting that some of his best work is still ahead of him.
Happy Birthday William Shatner.
Surely, the best of times.
Happy Birthday, Mister Shatner.
#49
I concur.
Great tribute to a wodeful man. Thanks John.
62. Shatner_Fan_Prime – March 22, 2009″I wish Abrams hadn’t gotten my hopes up in 2006 when he said the involvement of Shatner in this movie was very important to him (yup, he said it!). But he ended up leaving Big Bill out because he (JJ) was such a fan of his…or…something like that. Beacuse you can destroy Romulus and Vulcan and change the Big E into something less than what it was (inside and out) and make Chekov outrank Kirk and have ‘em all be in the same class and hop around all over the timeline and go into different universes and all that … but you can’t bring back the franchise’s most beloved dead character. Wouldn’t wanna tick people off, now would we?”
Well said! I agree completely and that is why I can’t bring myself to support this movie.
Happy Birthday Bill and here’s to many, many more!
Sorry typo above. Should read ..Great tribute to a wonderful man. Thanks John.
Happy Birthday William Shatner!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shatner.
I’m glad I finally saw a clip from “Mind Meld.”
It’s so great that you and Mr. Nimoy have such a wonderful friendship from “Star Trek.”
Thanks for all the great entertainment and your wonderful portrayals of James T. Kirk!
Happy Birthday Shat! I fondly remember his recurring Emmy nominated role (win?) as the Giant Head from Third Rock from the Sun.
sorry but I just wish Shatner was in the new movie
Shatner is Kirk and will be the only Kirk.
I apologise for coming on so strong about Abrams commiting the ultimate crime.
Once again Happy Birthday
shatner Fan prime
I also agree with your post as well.
I remember his birthday ever year, within a week, he’s the age of my Dad,
Watching TOS in the 60’s sometimes I wondered, could “my” Dad do that?
such were the thoughts of a 10 year old :)
Happy Birthday Bill, Good luck with your new Project, We’ll be watching.
You will always be my favorite character.
sure the movie should be great. Just would have been great if Bill was in. This is the only thing that nags at me about this movie. Otherwise I’m totally with it.
#91 “This is the only thing that nags at me about this movie. Otherwise I’m totally with it.”
Right on, Tom. I’m excited about the movie, but for the life of me, I’ll never understand that choice.
91, 92 I would have nagged me more if the contrived some ridiculous way to put Shatner in it. They shouldn’t have killed Kirk in Generations but they did. Now, what would be interesting is if, since this movie is a new timeline, if Kirk wasn’t killed by Soren. Work him in that way in a sequel.
But ya know, I’m kinda tired of time travel Trek and bringing characters back from the dead. Let’s get on with it!
Long live Shat as Kirk! That will never change.
93
a flashback would have worked for me. no time travel, no bringing back from dead. just one nice scene with bill and leonard.
92 Shatner_Fan_Prime
You are right. The choice makes no sense. They contacted Bill. There was obviously an interest to include him. I really believe that during the meeting they had something gave them reservations. Everyone knows he can be difficult. Maybe they felt the role they had would not make him happy and then decided to move on. Some people are talking about using him for the sequel. That would be great but this really was a great oppurtunity. Who knows if there will be another opportunity. If the team hadn’t expressed their interest i don”t think iwould have been disappointed like this. They want him, he wants in and yet it does not happen. had to be more than what we know.
It looks like I’m a day late, but a belated Happy Birthday to you anyway, Mr. Shatner! :)
94 – Tom
I’d buy that.
Bill, thank you for helping me “get a life”.
Happy Birthday!
I remember seeing that pyramid show when it first aired, I’m pretty sure Leonard Nimoy was the other celebrity guest that week. It’s still hilarious after all these years. Wiliam Shatner is and always will be THE MAN.
Happiest of birthdays Mr. Shatner; here’s hoping we all celebrate many many more.
If I had some Romulan Ale. I would go to his apartment in San Fransisco, drink a toast with him and present is gift of 18th century reading glasses.
Oh wait, that has been done already, oh well, its the thought that counts. Happy birthday, Cpt Kirk!
Haha!!!! That was awesome. xDDD I loved 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. I’ve never seen “Airplane II” before; now I wanna go rent it. :D
And #2 was sooo sweet. “You’re my best friend…” HUGE “awwww” factor!!!! ♥
A toast… to absent friends
Love the Shat!
Happy Birthday to Mr Shatner!!!!!
Love the Airplane Ii scene! Hilariious!
Happy Birthday to a true original! God bless ya Shat old buddy.
78 years young. That dude looks no older than 60.
I love Shat pitching the frozen foods! “Frozen meat entrees…..”
mmmm……entrees
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!
Happy Birthday!