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 portrayal of James T. Kirk, the captain of the starship Enterprise, in the Star Trek franchise. His career spans seven decades, beginning with the original Star Trek television series in 1966 and concluding with his final appearance as Kirk in the film Star Trek Generations (1994). Shatner's role as Captain Kirk has cemented his place as a cultural icon.
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, credited as Bill Shatner.
1954: First American television appearance
In 1954, William Shatner made his first appearance on American television in The Howdy Doody Show as Ranger Bob.
1956: Broadway Debut in Tamburlaine
In 1956, William Shatner made his Broadway debut in Marlowe's Tamburlaine, marking an early milestone in his acting career.
1957: Starred in Alfred Hitchcock Presents
In the 1957-58 season, William Shatner had a leading role in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "The Glass Eye", enhancing his American television profile.
December 1958: Appeared in The Christmas Tree
In December 1958, William Shatner appeared in The Christmas Tree, a Hallmark Hall of Fame live television production, as a Roman tax collector.
1959: Starred in The World of Suzie Wong and Nero Wolfe pilot
In 1959, William Shatner received good reviews for his role in The World of Suzie Wong on Broadway, and he played detective Archie Goodwin in the pilot for a Nero Wolfe series.
1960: Appeared in The Twilight Zone and Outlaws
In 1960, William Shatner appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "Nick of Time" and in two episodes of the Western series Outlaws as Wayne Gorham.
1961: Starred in A Shot in the Dark and other TV series and films
In 1961, William Shatner co-starred in A Shot in the Dark on Broadway and featured in two episodes of Thriller and the film The Explosive Generation, marking a busy year in his career.
1962: Lead role in The Intruder
In 1962, William Shatner took the lead role in Roger Corman's movie The Intruder, earning praise for his performance.
1963: Appeared in The Twilight Zone
In 1963, William Shatner appeared in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", an episode of The Twilight Zone.
1963: Starred in Family Theater production The Soldier
In 1963, William Shatner starred in The Soldier and received credits in other programs of The Psalms series, and guest-starred in Route 66.
1964: First On-Screen Appearance with Leonard Nimoy
In 1964, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy first appeared on screen together in an episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., titled "The Project Strigas Affair".
1964: Guest-starred in The Outer Limits and The Reporter
In 1964, William Shatner guest-starred in "Cold Hands, Warm Heart", an episode of The Outer Limits, and in an episode of The Reporter, "He Stuck in His Thumb".
1965: Guest-starred in 12 O'Clock High and starred in For the People
In 1965, William Shatner guest-starred in 12 O'Clock High and had the lead role in For the People, a legal drama.
1966: Debut as Captain Kirk
In 1966, William Shatner debuted as Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise in the second pilot of the first Star Trek television series, marking a significant milestone in his career.
1966: Starred in Incubus and Gunsmoke
In 1966, William Shatner starred in the gothic horror film Incubus and in an episode of Gunsmoke, expanding his range of roles.
1966: Cast as Captain James T. Kirk
In 1966, William Shatner was cast as Captain James T. Kirk for the second pilot of Star Trek, beginning his iconic role.
November 22, 1968: Interracial kiss in Star Trek
On November 22, 1968, the Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren" aired, featuring a kiss between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), considered the first instance of a white man kissing a black woman on scripted television in the United States.
1968: The Transformed Man Release
In 1968, William Shatner released his debut album, "The Transformed Man", featuring readings from classic plays and renditions of popular songs.
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' Album
In 1968, William Shatner started his career as a recording artist with the release of his album, The Transformed Man.
1968: Alexander the Great pilot aired as a TV movie
In 1968, the unaired pilot for Alexander the Great, in which William Shatner played the titular role, was repackaged as a TV movie, capitalizing on his and Adam West's fame.
1969: Reunion in Star Trek: The Animated Series
After the cancellation of Star Trek in 1969, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy reunited in Star Trek: The Animated Series.
1969: Star Trek cancelled
In 1969, after achieving modest ratings, Star Trek was cancelled after three seasons and seventy-nine episodes, ending Shatner's initial run as Captain Kirk.
1969: Career struggles after Star Trek cancellation
In 1969, following the cancellation of Star Trek, William Shatner experienced career difficulties and financial hardship, including a period of living in a truck-bed camper.
1971: Lemli Records
William Shatner gave a performance during a tour in 1971 that was released on a Lemli Records double album in 1977.
1973: Returned to Star Trek with animated series
In 1973, William Shatner returned to the role of Captain Kirk in the animated Star Trek series, providing the voice for the character.
1977: William Shatner Live Release
In 1977, William Shatner's 1971 performance was released on a Lemli Records double album, "William Shatner Live".
1978: Saturn Awards Performance
In 1978, while hosting the fifth Saturn Awards, William Shatner performed a version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" that became a comedic parody staple.
1982: Heather Locklear Co-stars with Shatner on T.J. Hooker
In 1982, Heather Locklear began co-starring with William Shatner on T.J. Hooker. She balanced this role with Dynasty. She expressed that working with Shatner and her Dynasty colleagues was daunting but motivated her to be well-prepared.
1982: Starred in T.J. Hooker
In 1982, William Shatner began starring as the eponymous veteran police sergeant in the television series T. J. Hooker.
1986: End of T.J. Hooker
In 1986, William Shatner concluded his role as the eponymous veteran police sergeant in the television series T. J. Hooker.
1989: Hosted Rescue 911
In 1989, William Shatner began hosting the reality-based television series Rescue 911.
1992: MTV Movie Awards Performance
In 1992, William Shatner delivered comedic performances of the five nominees in the Best Song from a Movie category at the MTV Movie Awards.
1993: Star Trek Memories Memoir
In 1993, James Doohan declined to be interviewed by Shatner for his first memoir, Star Trek Memories.
1993: Recollection of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' Premiere Disappointment
In his 1993 book 'Star Trek Memories', William Shatner recalls feeling disappointed when he attended the premiere of the first Star Trek movie, Robert Wise's 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'.
1994: Filming Star Trek Generations
In 1994, While filming Star Trek Generations, Shatner recalled having to work with George Takei, and James Doohan again, acknowledging the resentment that they felt towards him.
1994: Final Appearance as Captain Kirk
In 1994, William Shatner made his final appearance as Captain Kirk in the seventh Star Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations, concluding his portrayal of the iconic character.
1996: End of Rescue 911
In 1996, William Shatner concluded his role as the host of the reality-based television series Rescue 911.
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.
1999: Book about Trekkies
In 1999, William Shatner wrote in the aftermath of his Saturday Night Live rebuke to them.
2000: Acted in Miss Congeniality
In 2000, William Shatner acted in the comedy film Miss Congeniality.
2000: Voice work in 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'
In 2000, William Shatner contributed the voice of Buzz Lightyear to the Star Command anthem "To Infinity And Beyond" in the film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins.
2000: Plans for 'The Shiva Club'
In 2000, it was reported that William Shatner planned to write and direct 'The Shiva Club', a dark comedy inspired by the grieving process after his wife's death.
June 28, 2002: Performance with Brian Evans
On June 28, 2002, William Shatner performed with Brian Evans at the San Carlos Institute Theatre in Key West, Florida, duetting on the songs "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "The Lady Is a Tramp." The concert was later released as an album.
October 2004: Has Been Album Release
In October 2004, William Shatner released his second studio album, "Has Been", produced by Ben Folds.
2004: Co-wrote song
In 2004, Elizabeth Anderson Martin co-wrote the song "Together" on William Shatner's album Has Been.
2004: Starred as Denny Crane in The Practice and Boston Legal
In 2004, William Shatner began starring as attorney Denny Crane in the final season of the legal show The Practice and its spin-off, Boston Legal.
2004: Release of 'What Have You Done'
In 2004, William Shatner's album 'Has Been' included a spoken word piece, "What Have You Done", expressing his anguish upon discovering his wife Nerine's body.
June 9, 2005: AFI Life Achievement Award Performance
On June 9, 2005, William Shatner performed his version of "My Way" at George Lucas's AFI Life Achievement Award presentation, backed by dancers in Imperial Stormtrooper costumes.
December 11, 2005: Comedy Central's Last Laugh Appearance
On December 11, 2005, William Shatner launched Comedy Central's Last Laugh 2005 with a skit portraying Lucifer celebrating the year's events from Hell's perspective.
2005: Locklear appears in Boston Legal with Shatner
In 2005, Heather Locklear appeared in two episodes of Boston Legal as Kelly Nolan, with William Shatner's character becoming attracted to her and involved in her defense. Locklear expressed her love for the show and jokingly suggested she should play Shatner's illegitimate daughter or love interest.
2005: Featured on Lemon Jelly Album
In 2005, William Shatner was heard in the track "'64 - Go" on the Lemon Jelly album '64 - '95.
March 29, 2006: TV Land Episode "William Shatner in Concert" Aired
On March 29, 2006, TV Land aired an episode of their Living in TV Land series titled "William Shatner in Concert", which showcased William Shatner working with Ben Folds and featured a performance with Ben Folds's band and Joe Jackson, culminating in a rendition of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
May 16, 2006: Shatner Donates Kidney Stone Proceeds to Charity
On May 16, 2006, William Shatner appeared on The View and announced that the proceeds from the sale of his kidney stone to GoldenPalace.com, along with an additional $20,000 raised from the cast and crew of Boston Legal, had been donated to Habitat for Humanity.
2006: Animated Movies Release
In 2006, William Shatner voiced Ozzie in DreamWorks' "Over the Hedge" and Kazar in Walt Disney's "The Wild".
January 2007: ShatnerVision Launch
In January 2007, William Shatner started posting daily autobiographical vlogs on LiveVideo platform, calling the project ShatnerVision.
July 2007: Abrams on Shatner's Star Trek Role
In July 2007, J.J. Abrams stated that they were trying to find a way to include William Shatner in the 2009 "Star Trek" film, but forcing him in would be a disaster.
2007: 'Has Been' album used for ballet project
In 2007, William Shatner's album 'Has Been' was adapted into a dance project called 'Common People' by choreographer Margo Sappington for the Milwaukee Ballet.
December 2008: Shatner's Raw Nerve Debut
In December 2008, William Shatner started experimenting with the chat show genre in "Shatner's Raw Nerve".
2008: End of Boston Legal
In 2008, William Shatner concluded his role as attorney Denny Crane in the legal show Boston Legal.
2008: Up Till Now Publication
In 2008, William Shatner's memoir, "Up Till Now", co-written with David Fisher, was published.
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, receiving favorable reviews. The film documents the creation of a dance project based on Shatner's album Has Been.
July 27, 2009: Poetry Slam on The Tonight Show
On July 27, 2009, William Shatner recited a poetry slam inspired by Sarah Palin's resignation speech on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.
December 11, 2009: Shatner Reads Palin's Autobiography
On December 11, 2009, William Shatner read excerpts from Sarah Palin's autobiography, "Going Rogue: An American Life" on The Tonight Show. Palin responded by reciting extracts from his memoir, "Up Till Now".
2009: The Captains
In 2009, Shatner was directing Star Trek V. The Captains, which he also wrote and presented, was a feature-length documentary.
February 1, 2010: Guest Hosting WWE Raw
On February 1, 2010, William Shatner guest-hosted WWE Raw to promote his Biography Channel talk show 'Shatner's Raw Nerve', where he performed wrestlers' entrance theme songs.
April 2010: Weird or What? Host
In April 2010, William Shatner began hosting the Discovery Channel show "Weird or What?".
2010: Shatner's views on Star Trek
At a convention in 2010, William Shatner described the 2009 Star Trek film as "wonderful".
March 2011: Shatner's Raw Nerve End
In March 2011, William Shatner's humorous chat show, "Shatner's Raw Nerve", aired its last episode.
May 2011: $#*! My Dad Says Cancellation
In May 2011, the CBS sitcom "$#*! My Dad Says", starring William Shatner, was canceled.
October 2011: Seeking Major Tom Album Release
In October 2011, William Shatner released "Seeking Major Tom", an album with astronautically themed covers.
2011: Koenig Appears on Shatner's Raw Nerve
In 2011, Walter Koenig appeared on William Shatner's interview series Shatner's Raw Nerve, indicating that his previous animosity toward Shatner had diminished.
2011: Released 'Seeking Major Tom' Album
In 2011, William Shatner released his most successful album, Seeking Major Tom, which included covers of songs by Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Queen.
August 2012: Weird or What? End
In August 2012, the Discovery Channel show "Weird or What?", hosted by William Shatner, aired its last episode.
2012: Broadway and Television Appearances
In 2012, William Shatner appeared on Broadway in "Shatner's World: We Just Live in It", guest-presented "Have I Got News for You", and starred in the documentary film "Get a Life!".
October 2013: Release of 'Ponder the Mystery' Album
In October 2013, William Shatner's album 'Ponder the Mystery,' produced by Billy Sherwood, was released, featuring contributions from numerous musicians.
April 24, 2014: One-Man Show on Broadway
On April 24, 2014, William Shatner performed an autobiographical one-man show on Broadway, which was filmed for screening in theaters to raise money for charity.
2015: TV Roles and Documentary Release
In 2015, William Shatner played Mark Twain in "Murdoch Mysteries" and Croatoan in "Haven". He also produced, scripted, directed, and starred in "William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge".
March 2016: Featured on Ben Craven's Album
In March 2016, William Shatner provided lead vocals on Ben Craven's track "Spy In The Sky Part 3" for Craven's album Last Chance To Hear.
August 23, 2016: Better Late Than Never Premiere
On August 23, 2016, the NBC reality miniseries "Better Late Than Never", starring William Shatner, premiered.
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: Better Late Than Never Preview
On December 11, 2017, a preview episode of the second season of "Better Late Than Never", starring William Shatner, aired.
2017: Starred in Better Late Than Never
In 2017, William Shatner starred in the second season of NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series.
August 2018: Release of 'Why Not Me' Album
In August 2018, William Shatner released 'Why Not Me', his first venture into the country music genre, in partnership with Jeff Cook, and featuring guest vocals by various artists.
October 2018: Release of 'Shatner Claus' Album
In October 2018, William Shatner released 'Shatner Claus', a holiday collection featuring collaborations with various artists.
2018: Starred in Better Late Than Never
In 2018, William Shatner starred in NBC's Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series.
2018: Better Late Than Never Premiere
In 2018, the official season premiere of the second season of "Better Late Than Never", starring William Shatner, aired on New Year's Day.
2019: The UnXplained Host
From 2019 to 2023, William Shatner hosted and executive-produced "The UnXplained" on History.
October 2, 2020: Release of 'The Blues' Album
On October 2, 2020, William Shatner released his ninth album, 'The Blues'.
March 2021: Senior Moment Film Release
In March 2021, William Shatner starred in the film "Senior Moment", released on the week of his 90th birthday.
August 26, 2021: Announcement of 'Bill' Album
On August 26, 2021, William Shatner announced his tenth album, titled 'Bill'.
October 13, 2021: Spaceflight with Blue Origin
On October 13, 2021, William Shatner participated in Blue Origin's NS-18 sub-orbital human spaceflight, traveling on the RSS First Step. At 90 years old, he became the oldest person to fly into space, experiencing the overview effect.
2021: Controversy over RT show
In 2021, William Shatner became the center of political controversy for hosting "I Don't Understand with William Shatner" on RT, formerly Russia Today.
2022: The Masked Singer Appearance
In 2022, William Shatner competed in season eight of "The Masked Singer" as "Knight" and was eliminated in the first episode.
2023: The UnXplained
From 2019 to 2023, William Shatner hosted and executive-produced "The UnXplained" on History.
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