Childhood and Education Journey of William Shatner in Timeline
An overview of the childhood and early education of William Shatner, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
William Shatner is a Canadian actor renowned for his iconic 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 culminating with his appearance in the film *Star Trek Generations* (1994). Shatner's role as Captain Kirk has cemented his place in popular culture.
1905: Birth of Ann Garmaise
In 1905, Ann Garmaise (William Shatner's mother) was born.
1928: Birth of Joy Rutenberg
In 1928, Joy Rutenberg, William Shatner's older sister, was born.
March 22, 1931: William Shatner Born
On March 22, 1931, William Shatner was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This marks the beginning of his life and eventual career as an actor.
1940: Birth of Farla Cohen
In 1940, Farla Cohen, William Shatner's younger sister, was born.
1952: Graduated from McGill University
In 1952, William Shatner graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the McGill University Faculty of Management in Montreal.
August 12, 1956: Marriage to Gloria Rand
On August 12, 1956, William Shatner married Canadian actress Gloria Rand (née Rabinowitz).
1958: Birth of Daughter Leslie
In 1958, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their first daughter, Leslie.
1961: Birth of Daughter Lisabeth
In 1961, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their second daughter, Lisabeth.
1964: Birth of Daughter Melanie
In 1964, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their third daughter, Melanie.
1967: Possible Tinnitus Trigger
In 1967, during the shooting of the Star Trek episode "Arena", a pyrotechnical accident may have contributed to William Shatner's development of tinnitus later in life.
April 1968: Fan Incident at Rockefeller Plaza
In April 1968, a group of fans attempted to tear Shatner's clothes as he left 30 Rockefeller Plaza, highlighting the intensity of fan adoration.
March 1969: Divorce from Gloria Rand
In March 1969, William Shatner divorced his first wife, Gloria Rand, after leaving her while acting in Star Trek: The Original Series.
1969: Difficulty Finding Employment After Star Trek Cancellation
Following the cancellation of Star Trek in 1969, William Shatner experienced difficulty finding employment and faced financial hardships, including losing his home and living in a truck-bed camper.
1973: Marriage to Marcy Lafferty
In 1973, William Shatner married Marcy Lafferty, the daughter of television producer Perry Lafferty.
1987: King of Mardi Gras Bacchus Parade
In 1987, William Shatner was the king of the Mardi Gras Bacchus parade.
1990: Supporting the Hollywood Charity Horse Show
Since 1990, William Shatner has been a key supporter of the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, raising money for organizations serving children.
1993: Star Trek Memories Publication
In his 1993 book, Star Trek Memories, William Shatner expressed his disappointment at the premiere of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
1994: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
In 1994, Shatner became the chief executive officer of the Toronto, Ontario-based C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures.
1994: Grand Marshal of Tournament of Roses Parade
On New Year's Day in 1994, William Shatner served as the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, riding on horseback.
1996: Divorce from Marcy Lafferty
In 1996, William Shatner and Marcy Lafferty divorced after being married since 1973.
1997: Marriage to Nerine Kidd
In 1997, William Shatner married Nerine Kidd, despite warnings from others. Leonard Nimoy tried to help Kidd with her alcoholism.
August 9, 1999: Death of Nerine Kidd
On August 9, 1999, William Shatner found his third wife, Nerine Kidd, dead at the bottom of their backyard swimming pool. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning due to alcohol and diazepam.
1999: Locklear Comforts Shatner After Wife's Death
In 1999, after Nerine Shatner's death, Heather Locklear comforted William Shatner during his bereavement.
2000: Planned Shiva Club Movie
In 2000, Reuters reported that William Shatner was planning to write and direct The Shiva Club, a dark comedy about grieving inspired by his wife Nerine's death.
2001: Marriage to Elizabeth Anderson Martin
In 2001, William Shatner married Elizabeth Anderson Martin.
2004: Co-wrote "Together" on Shatner's Album
In 2004, Elizabeth Anderson Martin co-wrote the song "Together" on William Shatner's album Has Been.
2004: Release of Has Been Album
In 2004, William Shatner's album Has Been included "What Have You Done," a spoken word piece describing his anguish at finding Nerine's body.
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 selling his kidney stone, along with additional funds, were donated to Habitat for Humanity.
2010: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures Shutdown
In 2010, C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, where Shatner was CEO, ceased operations.
2010: Closing Ceremony Speaker
On Feb. 28, 2010, William Shatner was one of the speakers at the closing ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
2015: Death of Leonard Nimoy
In 2015, Leonard Nimoy died. William Shatner expressed his love for Nimoy and his sadness at the loss, though he could not attend the funeral due to other commitments.
September 2016: Special Guest at Salt Lake Comic Con
In September 2016, William Shatner was invited as a special guest to the Salt Lake Comic Con.
2016: Revelation of Estrangement from Leonard Nimoy
In 2016, William Shatner revealed that he and Leonard Nimoy had not spoken in the five years prior to Nimoy's death in 2015.
2018: Petition against Dolphin Program on Cruise
In 2018, William Shatner petitioned the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, through PETA, against including a program that allowed customers to swim with dolphins on their cruise.
2019: Filed for Divorce from Elizabeth Martin
In 2019, William Shatner filed for divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin.
January 2020: Divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin Finalized
In January 2020, William Shatner's divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin was finalized.
2020: Shatner reveals health issues
In 2020, William Shatner revealed that he suffers from swollen joints and age-related aches and pains, treating the discomfort with cannabidiol oil.
July 2021: Wally Funk's Spaceflight
In July 2021, Wally Funk flew on Blue Origin's first crewed spaceflight, becoming the oldest person in space before William Shatner broke the record later in October 2021.
October 13, 2021: Blue Origin Spaceflight
On October 13, 2021, William Shatner flew on Blue Origin's NS-18 sub-orbital flight, becoming the oldest person to fly into space at age 90. He traveled with Chris Boshuizen, Glen de Vries, and Audrey Powers.
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 and experiencing the overview effect.
February 24, 2022: Statement on Ukraine Invasion
On February 24, 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, William Shatner issued a statement expressing his support for the Ukrainian resistance.
December 4, 2022: Star Guest Beam-Down to L.A. Comic Con
On December 4, 2022, William Shatner made a star guest appearance at the L.A. Comic Con.
May 19, 2024: Ed Dwight Surpasses Shatner's Space Record
On May 19, 2024, Ed Dwight, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot, became the oldest person to fly into space at the age of 90 years, 253 days, surpassing William Shatner's previous record.
