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.
In 1905, Ann Garmaise (William Shatner's mother) was born.
In 1928, Joy Rutenberg, William Shatner's older sister, was 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.
In 1940, Farla Cohen, William Shatner's younger sister, was born.
In 1952, William Shatner graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the McGill University Faculty of Management in Montreal.
On August 12, 1956, William Shatner married Canadian actress Gloria Rand (née Rabinowitz).
In 1958, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their first daughter, Leslie.
In 1961, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their second daughter, Lisabeth.
In 1964, William Shatner and Gloria Rand had their third daughter, Melanie.
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.
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.
In March 1969, William Shatner divorced his first wife, Gloria Rand, after leaving her while acting in Star Trek: The Original Series.
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.
In 1973, William Shatner married Marcy Lafferty, the daughter of television producer Perry Lafferty.
In 1987, William Shatner was the king of the Mardi Gras Bacchus parade.
Since 1990, William Shatner has been a key supporter of the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, raising money for organizations serving children.
In his 1993 book, Star Trek Memories, William Shatner expressed his disappointment at the premiere of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
In 1994, Shatner became the chief executive officer of the Toronto, Ontario-based C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures.
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.
In 1996, William Shatner and Marcy Lafferty divorced after being married since 1973.
In 1997, William Shatner married Nerine Kidd, despite warnings from others. Leonard Nimoy tried to help Kidd with her alcoholism.
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.
In 1999, after Nerine Shatner's death, Heather Locklear comforted William Shatner during his bereavement.
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.
In 2001, William Shatner married Elizabeth Anderson Martin.
In 2004, Elizabeth Anderson Martin co-wrote the song "Together" on William Shatner's album Has Been.
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.
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.
In 2010, C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, where Shatner was CEO, ceased operations.
On Feb. 28, 2010, William Shatner was one of the speakers at the closing ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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.
In September 2016, William Shatner was invited as a special guest to the Salt Lake Comic Con.
In 2016, William Shatner revealed that he and Leonard Nimoy had not spoken in the five years prior to Nimoy's death in 2015.
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.
In 2019, William Shatner filed for divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin.
In January 2020, William Shatner's divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin was finalized.
In 2020, William Shatner revealed that he suffers from swollen joints and age-related aches and pains, treating the discomfort with cannabidiol oil.
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.
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.
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.
On February 24, 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, William Shatner issued a statement expressing his support for the Ukrainian resistance.
On December 4, 2022, William Shatner made a star guest appearance at the L.A. Comic Con.
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.