Rise to Success: Career Highlights of William Shatner
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how William Shatner made an impact.
William Shatner is a Canadian actor renowned for his iconic portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. Beginning with the original Star Trek television series in 1966, Shatner embodied the character of Captain Kirk, captaining the starship Enterprise and leading its crew on numerous adventures. He continued in the role through seven Star Trek feature films, concluding with Star Trek Generations in 1994. His performance as Kirk solidified his place in pop culture history, making him a widely recognized and celebrated figure in the entertainment industry.
1951: Small Role in The Butler's Night Off
In 1951, while still attending college, William Shatner had a small role as "a crook" in the Canadian comedy drama, The Butler's Night Off.
1954: First American Television Appearance
In 1954, William Shatner made his first appearance on American television, playing Ranger Bob on The Howdy Doody Show.
1956: Broadway Debut in Tamburlaine
In 1956, William Shatner made his Broadway debut in Marlowe's Tamburlaine.
1957: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Appearance
In the 1957-58 season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, William Shatner had a leading role in the episode "The Glass Eye", heightening his American television profile.
December 1958: Hallmark Hall of Fame Appearance
In December 1958, William Shatner appeared in a Hallmark Hall of Fame live television production, The Christmas Tree, as a Roman tax collector.
1959: Broadway Role in The World of Suzie Wong
In 1959, William Shatner received good reviews for his role as Lomax in The World of Suzie Wong on Broadway.
1960: Twilight Zone Appearance
In 1960, William Shatner appeared in the Twilight Zone episode "Nick of Time".
1961: Broadway Appearance in A Shot in the Dark
In 1961, William Shatner appeared on Broadway in A Shot in the Dark, alongside Julie Harris.
1962: Lead Role in The Intruder
In 1962, William Shatner took the lead role in Roger Corman's movie The Intruder.
1963: Twilight Zone Appearance
In 1963, William Shatner appeared in the Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet".
1963: Starred in Family Theater Production
In 1963, William Shatner starred in the Family Theater production called "The Soldier" and received credits in other programs of The Psalms series.
1964: First appearance with Leonard Nimoy
In 1964, William Shatner first appeared on screen with Leonard Nimoy in an episode of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', "The Project Strigas Affair".
1964: Starred in The Outer Limits
In 1964, William Shatner guest-starred in the second episode of the second season of The Outer Limits, "Cold Hands, Warm Heart".
1965: Guest-Starred in 12 O'Clock High
In 1965, William Shatner guest-starred in 12 O'Clock High as Major Curt Brown in the episode "I Am the Enemy".
1966: Star Trek Debut
In 1966, William Shatner debuted as Captain James T. Kirk in the second pilot of the first Star Trek television series.
1966: Cast as Captain Kirk
In 1966, William Shatner was cast as Captain James T. Kirk for the second pilot of Star Trek.
November 22, 1968: Kiss on Star Trek
On November 22, 1968, the Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren" aired, featuring a kiss between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura, considered a historic moment in American race relations.
1968: Recording Debut
In 1968, William Shatner made his recording debut with the release of the album The Transformed Man, which featured readings from classic plays followed by recitations of popular songs. This album showcased his unique talk-singing style.
1968: Starred in White Comanche
In 1968, William Shatner starred in the Spaghetti Western White Comanche, playing both a white-hat character and his black-hat evil twin.
1968: Released The Transformed Man
In 1968, William Shatner started his career as a recording artist with the release of his album, The Transformed Man.
1968: Alexander the Great Aired as TV Movie
In 1968, the unaired pilot for the proposed series Alexander the Great was repackaged and aired as a TV movie to capitalize on the fame of William Shatner and Adam West.
1969: Reunion after Star Trek cancellation
After Star Trek's cancellation in 1969, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy reunited in Star Trek: The Animated Series.
1969: Cancellation of Star Trek
In 1969, the cancellation of Star Trek led to William Shatner experiencing difficulty finding employment and facing financial hardship.
1971: The Andersonville Trial
In 1971, Shatner made a critically praised appearance as a prosecutor in a PBS adaptation of Saul Levitt's play The Andersonville Trial.
1971: William Shatner Live Performance
In 1971, William Shatner gave a performance that was later released in 1977 as a double album titled William Shatner Live. The album included reminiscences about Star Trek and readings from various literary works.
1972: The People
In 1972, Shatner was seen in a major part in the movie The People.
1973: The Horror at 37,000 Feet
In 1973, Shatner was seen in a major part in the movie The Horror at 37,000 Feet.
1973: Returned to Star Trek
In 1973, William Shatner returned to the role of Captain Kirk, voicing him in the animated Star Trek series.
1974: Big Bad Mama
In 1974, William Shatner's film work included B-movies such as Roger Corman's Big Bad Mama.
1975: The Devil's Rain and Barbary Coast
In 1975, Shatner appeared in the horror film The Devil's Rain and had a starring role in the western-themed secret agent series Barbary Coast.
1976: Barbary Coast
During 1975 and 1976, Shatner had a starring role in the western-themed secret agent series Barbary Coast.
1976: Family Feud Hosting Consideration
In 1976, Mark Goodson considered Shatner for the host of the pilot of Family Feud, but Richard Dawson's agent intimidated him into choosing Dawson instead.
1977: Kingdom of the Spiders
In 1977, William Shatner's film work included B-movies such as Kingdom of the Spiders.
1977: William Shatner Live Album Release
In 1977, a performance from William Shatner's 1971 tour was released as a double album titled William Shatner Live. The album included reminiscences about Star Trek and readings from various literary works. The performance was from 1971.
1978: Saturn Awards performance
In 1978, William Shatner hosted the fifth presentation of Saturn Awards and performed a comedic version of Elton John's "Rocket Man".
1979: Star Trek: The Motion Picture
In 1979, Shatner and the original Star Trek cast returned for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
1982: Co-starring on T.J. Hooker
In 1982, Heather Locklear began co-starring with William Shatner on T.J. Hooker. Locklear mentioned that working with both Shatner and her colleagues on Dynasty was daunting, but it motivated her to be well-prepared.
1982: Airplane II: The Sequel
In 1982, Shatner mocked the persona of Captain Kirk in the film Airplane II: The Sequel.
1982: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
In 1982, Shatner reprised his role as Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
1982: T. J. Hooker
In 1982, Shatner was cast as a veteran Los Angeles police sergeant in T. J. Hooker.
1984: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
In 1984, Shatner played Kirk in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
1986: Saturday Night Live "Get a Life" Sketch
In 1986, Shatner advised Trekkies to "get a life" in a much-discussed Saturday Night Live sketch about a Star Trek convention.
1986: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
In 1986, Shatner starred as Kirk in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
1986: T. J. Hooker Ended
In 1986, T. J. Hooker ended after five seasons and ninety-one episodes.
1989: Rescue 911
From 1989 to 1996, Shatner hosted the dramatic re-enactment series Rescue 911.
1989: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
In 1989, Shatner played Kirk in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
1989: TekWar Novel Publication
In 1989, Shatner's first novel, TekWar, co-written with Ron Goulart, was published, launching a successful book series.
1990: Supporter of the Hollywood Charity Horse Show
Since 1990, Shatner has been a supporter of the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which raises money for organizations serving children.
1991: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
In 1991, Shatner played Kirk in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
1992: Performances at the MTV Movie Awards
In 1992, William Shatner performed versions of the five nominees in the Best Song from a Movie category at the MTV Movie Awards.
1993: Doohan Declines Interview
In 1993, James Doohan declined to be interviewed by Shatner for his first memoir, Star Trek Memories.
1993: National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
In 1993, Shatner mocked the persona of Captain Kirk in the film National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1.
1993: Star Trek Memories
In 1993, William Shatner recalls in his book, Star Trek Memories, how disappointed he felt when he attended the premiere of the first Star Trek movie, Robert Wise's Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
1994: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
In 1994, Shatner became the chief executive officer of C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, a special effects studio based in Toronto, Ontario.
1994: Star Trek Generations
In 1994, Shatner played Kirk in Star Trek Generations, which culminated in the captain's self-sacrificial death.
1994: Columbo Appearance
In 1994, Shatner revisited Columbo to play the murderer-of-the-week in the episode "Butterfly in Shades of Grey".
1994: Final Appearance as Captain Kirk
In 1994, William Shatner made his final appearance as Captain James T. Kirk in the seventh Star Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations.
1995: Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
In 1995, Shatner narrated Peter Kuran's documentary film Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie, and his TekWar franchise expanded into the world of computer games with a first-person shooter release, William Shatner's TekWar.
1996: End of Rescue 911
From 1989 to 1996, Shatner hosted the popular dramatic re-enactment series Rescue 911.
1996: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Guest Appearance
In 1996, Shatner guest-starred in Will Smith's television show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in an episode entitled Eye, Tooth.
1996: Rescue 911 Ended
In 1996, William Shatner concluded his hosting role on Rescue 911.
1997: Starfleet Academy
In 1997, Shatner's final appearances as James Tiberius Kirk were in the movie sequences of the video game Starfleet Academy.
1998: Free Enterprise
In 1998, Shatner contributed a caricature of himself to the romantic comedy movie Free Enterprise, which satirized some Trekkies' Kirk idolatry.
1998: A Twist in the Tale
In 1998, Shatner narrated a television miniseries shot in New Zealand called A Twist in the Tale.
1998: Featured on Ben Folds's Album
In 1998, William Shatner was featured on two tracks, "In Love" and "Still in Love", on Ben Folds's album 'Fear of Pop: Volume 1'.
May 1999: Get a Life! Book Publication
In May 1999, Simon & Schuster published Shatner's book Get a Life!, a memoir of his experiences with Trekkies.
1999: 3rd Rock from the Sun
From 1999 to 2000, Shatner appeared in several episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun as the "Big Giant Head", earning an Emmy Award nomination.
1999: Book about Trekkies
In 1999, William Shatner wrote a book about Trekkies in the aftermath of his Saturday Night Live rebuke to them. The book was later developed into a documentary film called Get a Life!
2000: 3rd Rock from the Sun
From 1999 to 2000, Shatner appeared in several episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun as the "Big Giant Head", earning an Emmy Award nomination.
2000: Miss Congeniality
In 2000, Shatner played Stan Fields in the Sandra Bullock comedy movie Miss Congeniality.
2000: Voice acting in 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'
In 2000, William Shatner voiced Buzz Lightyear in the Star Command anthem "To Infinity And Beyond" in the film 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins'.
2000: Planning 'The Shiva Club'
In 2000, it was reported that William Shatner was planning to write and direct 'The Shiva Club', a dark comedy inspired by his wife's death.
2001: Osmosis Jones and Miss USA Pageant Hosting
In 2001, Shatner voiced Mayor Phlegmming in Osmosis Jones. He also hosted the Miss USA Pageant in Gary, Indiana.
June 28, 2002: Performance at San Carlos Institute Theatre
On June 28, 2002, William Shatner performed with Brian Evans at the San Carlos Institute Theatre in Key West, Florida, and they duetted on the songs "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "The Lady Is a Tramp". The concert was later released as the album Brian Evans Live with Special Guest: William Shatner.
2003: Brad Paisley Music Videos
In 2003, Shatner appeared in Brad Paisley's Celebrity and Online music videos along with Little Jimmy Dickens, Jason Alexander and Trista Rehn.
October 2004: Release of Has Been
In October 2004, William Shatner released his second studio album, Has Been, produced by Ben Folds. The album featured songs co-written and arranged by Folds, as well as a cover of Pulp's "Common People".
October 2004: Star Trek: Enterprise
In October 2004, plans for Shatner to guest-star in a three-episode story arc on Star Trek: Enterprise were revealed, but the series was cancelled, preventing his participation.
2004: Co-writing of "Together"
In 2004, Elizabeth Anderson Martin co-wrote the song "Together" on William Shatner's album Has Been.
2004: Starred as Denny Crane
Starting in 2004, William Shatner starred as attorney Denny Crane in the final season of The Practice and the entire run of its spinoff, Boston Legal.
2004: Release of 'What Have You Done'
William Shatner's 2004 album 'Has Been' included a spoken word piece, "What Have You Done", that described his anguish upon discovering Nerine's body.
June 9, 2005: Performance at George Lucas's AFI Life Achievement Award
On June 9, 2005, William Shatner performed his version of "My Way" at the presentation of George Lucas's AFI Life Achievement Award.
December 11, 2005: Appearance on Comedy Central's Last Laugh 2005
On December 11, 2005, William Shatner launched Comedy Central's Last Laugh 2005 with a skit.
2005: Reunion on Boston Legal
In 2005, Heather Locklear appeared in two episodes of Boston Legal as Kelly Nolan, with Shatner's character becoming attracted to her and involving himself in her defense.
2005: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
In 2005, Shatner appeared in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, reprising his role as Stan Fields.
2005: Emmy and Golden Globe Awards
In 2005, Shatner won a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for his role as Denny Crane in Boston Legal. With his 2005 Emmy accolade, he became one of the few actors (along with co-star James Spader as Alan Shore) to win an Emmy Award while playing the same character in two different shows.
2005: Featured on Lemon Jelly's Album
In 2005, William Shatner was featured in the track "'64 – Go" on the Lemon Jelly album '64–'95.
March 29, 2006: TV Land's "William Shatner in Concert" episode
On March 29, 2006, TV Land aired a William Shatner-centered episode of their Living in TV Land series, subtitled "William Shatner in Concert".
May 16, 2006: Sale of Kidney Stone
On May 16, 2006, William Shatner mentioned on The View that he sold a kidney stone to GoldenPalace.com for $25,000, donating the proceeds and an additional $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity.
2006: DirecTV advertisement
In 2006, Shatner appeared in a DirecTV advertisement that used footage from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
2006: Animated Movie Roles
In 2006, William Shatner was featured in two high-profile animated movies. He voiced Ozzie in DreamWorks' Over the Hedge and played the villain Kazar in Walt Disney's The Wild. These roles showcased his voice acting talents in the animation genre.
January 2007: Launch of ShatnerVision
In January 2007, William Shatner began posting daily autobiographical vlogs on the LiveVideo platform, a project he named ShatnerVision. This marked his entry into the world of vlogging and online content creation. The project later rebranded to 'The Shatner Project' and migrated to YouTube the following year.
July 2007: No Role in Star Trek Film
In July 2007, J.J. Abrams stated that the production of the 2009 Star Trek film was trying to find a way to include William Shatner but felt forcing him in "would be a disaster". Shatner echoed this sentiment in interviews.
2007: Margo Sappington's dance project
In 2007, Margo Sappington used William Shatner's album 'Has Been' as the basis for a dance project called 'Common People' for the Milwaukee Ballet.
December 2008: Debut of Shatner's Raw Nerve
In December 2008, William Shatner debuted 'Shatner's Raw Nerve', a humorous chat show that aired until March 2011. The show represented Shatner's foray into the chat show genre and allowed him to explore his comedic talents.
2008: End of Boston Legal
In 2008, Boston Legal ended after five seasons and one hundred and one episodes, marking the end of Shatner's run as Denny Crane on the show.
2008: Publication of Memoir
In 2008, William Shatner released his memoir, Up Till Now, co-written with David Fisher. This book offers insights into Shatner's life and career up to that point.
April 17, 2009: Premiere of 'William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet'
On April 17, 2009, the documentary 'William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet' was unveiled at the Nashville Film Festival and was well-received.
2009: JJ Abrams Star Trek film
In 2009, J.J. Abrams Star Trek film was released. William Shatner said that he had not been offered or suggested a role in the film, but that the production was trying to figure out a way to put him in.
2009: Voice of Don Salmonella
In 2009, William Shatner expanded his work on YouTube by providing the voice of Don Salmonella for the animated series The Gavones. This role allowed Shatner to further explore voice acting in the realm of online animated content.
2009: Star Trek Film Release
In 2009, the Star Trek film was released. While Director J.J. Abrams considered including William Shatner, he was ultimately not included in the final cast due to concerns about forcing him into the plot.
February 1, 2010: Guest Hosting WWE Raw
On February 1, 2010, William Shatner guest-hosted World Wrestling Entertainment's flagship show WWE Raw and performed several wrestlers' entrance theme songs.
April 2010: Hosting Weird or What?
In April 2010, William Shatner began hosting the Discovery Channel show Weird or What?, which explored left-field topics such as UFOs and cryptozoology. He hosted the show until August 2012.
2010: Shatner's Opinion of Star Trek Film
At a convention held in 2010, William Shatner described the 2009 Star Trek film as "wonderful." Despite not being included in the film, Shatner expressed a positive view of the movie.
2010: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures Closed
Shatner was the CEO of C.O.R.E Digital Pictures, which operated from 1994 to 2010.
March 2011: End of Shatner's Raw Nerve
In March 2011, William Shatner's humorous chat show 'Shatner's Raw Nerve', which began in December 2008, ended its run. The show had provided Shatner with an opportunity to explore the chat show genre.
May 2011: $#*! My Dad Says Cancelled
In May 2011, three months after the first broadcast of its final episode, the CBS sitcom based on Justin Halpern's Twitter feed Shit My Dad Says, $#*! My Dad Says, in which William Shatner played the lead role, was cancelled.
October 2011: Release of Seeking Major Tom
In October 2011, William Shatner released his album Seeking Major Tom, which featured astronautically themed covers of songs like Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly", David Bowie's "Space Oddity", and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". The album also included collaborations with notable musicians.
2011: Appearance on Shatner's Raw Nerve
In 2011, Walter Koenig appeared on Shatner's interview series Shatner's Raw Nerve, indicating that his previous animosity towards Shatner had dissipated.
2011: Released Seeking Major Tom
In 2011, William Shatner's most successful album, Seeking Major Tom, was released, including covers of songs by Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Queen.
August 2012: End of Weird or What?
In August 2012, William Shatner's run as host of the Discovery Channel show Weird or What? came to an end. He had been hosting the show since April 2010.
2012: Shatner's Return to Theatre
In 2012, William Shatner returned to his roots in theatre. In February, he appeared on Broadway in a one-man show called Shatner's World: We Just Live in It, which later toured the United States after a three-week run.
October 2013: Release of 'Ponder the Mystery' Album
In October 2013, William Shatner's fifteen-track album 'Ponder the Mystery', produced by Billy Sherwood, was released, featuring contributions from several musicians.
2013: Academy Awards Appearance
In 2013, Shatner reprised his role as James Tiberius Kirk for a comedic interlude with the show's host, Seth MacFarlane, at the Academy Awards.
April 24, 2014: Autobiographical Show on Broadway
On April 24, 2014, William Shatner performed an autobiographical one-man show on Broadway, which was filmed for screening in theaters across multiple countries, with a portion of the revenue going to charity.
2015: Role in Murdoch Mysteries
In 2015, William Shatner played Mark Twain in an episode of the Canadian historical crime drama series Murdoch Mysteries and also played Croatoan in the SyFy series Haven.
March 2016: Featured on Ben Craven's album
In March 2016, William Shatner provided the lead vocals on Ben Craven's track "Spy In The Sky Part 3" in Craven's album 'Last Chance To Hear'.
August 23, 2016: Premiere of Better Late Than Never
On August 23, 2016, the NBC reality miniseries Better Late Than Never premiered, featuring William Shatner and a group of other celebrities as they traveled through Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
2016: Starred in Better Late Than Never
In 2016, William Shatner starred in the first season of NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series.
December 11, 2017: Preview Episode of Better Late Than Never
On December 11, 2017, William Shatner appeared in a preview episode of the second season of Better Late Than Never.
2017: Starred in Better Late Than Never
In 2017, William Shatner starred in season two of NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series.
August 2018: Release of 'Why Not Me' Album
In August 2018, William Shatner's first country music album 'Why Not Me' was released, featuring Jeff Cook.
October 2018: Release of 'Shatner Claus' Album
In October 2018, William Shatner's holiday collection 'Shatner Claus' was released, featuring collaborations with Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, Todd Rundgren, and Billy Gibbons.
2018: Season premiere of Better Late Than Never
In 2018, William Shatner appeared in the season premiere of the second season of Better Late Than Never.
2018: Starred in Better Late Than Never
In 2018, William Shatner starred in both seasons of NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series.
2019: Hosting The UnXplained
In 2019, William Shatner began hosting and executive-producing The UnXplained on History, a show that explores unexplained phenomena. The show has received mostly negative reviews.
October 2, 2020: Release of 'The Blues' Album
On October 2, 2020, William Shatner's ninth album, 'The Blues', was released.
March 2021: Senior Moment Release
In March 2021, William Shatner's film Senior Moment, co-starring Jean Smart and Christopher Lloyd, was released. This release coincided with Shatner's 90th birthday, marking a significant milestone in his career.
August 26, 2021: Announcement of 'Bill' Album
On August 26, 2021, William Shatner announced his tenth album, 'Bill'.
October 13, 2021: Shatner's Spaceflight on Blue Origin NS-18
On October 13, 2021, William Shatner participated in Blue Origin's second sub-orbital human spaceflight, Blue Origin NS-18, traveling on the RSS First Step. At 90 years old, he became the oldest person to fly into space. He described experiencing the overview effect during his spaceflight.
2021: Political Controversy Over RT Show
In 2021, William Shatner faced political controversy when it was revealed that he would host a science documentary show, I Don't Understand with William Shatner, on RT (formerly Russia Today).
2021: Flew into Space
In 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner flew into space aboard Blue Origin NS-18, becoming the oldest person to do so at that time.
2022: The Masked Singer Appearance
In 2022, William Shatner competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Knight." He was eliminated in the first episode.
2023: The UnXplained
In 2023, William Shatner was hosting and executive-producing The UnXplained on History, a show that explores unexplained phenomena. The show has received mostly negative reviews.
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