History of William Shatner in Timeline

Share: FB Share X Share Reddit Share Reddit Share
William Shatner

William Shatner is a Canadian actor whose career spans seven decades. He is most famous for his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. He began portraying Kirk in 1966, as the captain of the USS Enterprise, and continued in the role until his last appearance in the film *Star Trek Generations* in 1994. Shatner's portrayal of Captain Kirk has made him a cultural icon.

2 days ago : William Shatner's 'Big Bang Theory' Condition & Sexy Sci-Fi Series Revealed.

William Shatner, the 'Star Trek' icon, stipulated a condition for appearing in 'The Big Bang Theory.' His 'Sexy Sci-Fi' series aimed to surpass 'The Matrix.' Shatner's influence expands beyond 'Star Trek'.

1905: Birth of Ann Garmaise

In 1905, William Shatner's mother, Ann (née Garmaise), was born.

1928: Birth of Joy Rutenberg

In 1928, William Shatner's older sister, Joy Rutenberg, was born.

March 22, 1931: William Shatner's Birth

On March 22, 1931, William Shatner was born in Montreal, Canada. He is best known for portraying Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise.

1940: Birth of Farla Cohen

In 1940, William Shatner's younger sister, Farla Cohen, was born.

1951: Small Role in The Butler's Night Off

In 1951, while 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.

1952: Graduation from McGill University

In 1952, William Shatner graduated from the McGill University Faculty of Management in Montreal with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

1954: First American Television Appearance

In 1954, William Shatner made his first appearance on American television in The Howdy Doody Show as Ranger Bob.

Loading Video...

August 12, 1956: Marriage to Gloria Rand

On August 12, 1956, William Shatner married Gloria Rand, a Canadian actress.

1956: Broadway Debut in Tamburlaine

In 1956, William Shatner made his Broadway debut in Marlowe's Tamburlaine as part of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

1957: Alfred Hitchcock Presents

In 1957, William Shatner had a leading role in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "The Glass Eye".

Loading Video...

December 1958: Appearance 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.

1958: Birth of Daughter Leslie Shatner

In 1958, William Shatner and Gloria Rand's first daughter, Leslie, was born.

1959: Role in The World of Suzie Wong and Nero Wolfe Pilot

In 1959, William Shatner received good reviews for his role as Lomax in The World of Suzie Wong on Broadway and played detective Archie Goodwin in a Nero Wolfe series pilot.

1960: Twilight Zone Episode and Outlaws

In 1960, William Shatner appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "Nick of Time" and in two episodes of the Western series Outlaws.

Loading Video...

1961: Birth of Daughter Lisabeth Shatner

In 1961, William Shatner and Gloria Rand's daughter, Lisabeth, was born.

1961: Broadway role in A Shot in the Dark

In 1961, William Shatner appeared on Broadway in A Shot in the Dark, also starred in Thriller TV series and the film The Explosive Generation.

Loading Video...

1962: Lead Role in The Intruder

In 1962, William Shatner took the lead role in Roger Corman's movie The Intruder.

Loading Video...

1963: Twilight Zone Episode

In 1963, William Shatner appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet".

Loading Video...

1963: Guest Starring roles

In 1963, William Shatner appeared in an episode of Channing and in Route 66.

1964: Birth of Daughter Melanie Shatner

In 1964, William Shatner and Gloria Rand's daughter, Melanie, was born.

1964: First on-screen 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. titled "The Project Strigas Affair."

Loading Video...

1964: Guest Starring roles

In 1964, William Shatner guest-starred in The Outer Limits, The Reporter and played a supporting role in The Outrage. He was also cast in a pilot for a series called Alexander the Great alongside Leonard Nimoy.

Loading Video...

1965: Guest Starring roles

In 1965, William Shatner guest-starred in 12 O'Clock High and had the lead role in a legal drama, For the People.

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, beginning his iconic role in the franchise.

Loading Video...

1966: Starring in Incubus

In 1966, William Shatner starred in Incubus (Esperanto: Inkubo) the second feature-length movie ever made with all dialogue spoken in Esperanto, starred in an episode of Gunsmoke and in an episode of The Big Valley.

1967: Possible Tinnitus Trigger

In 1967, William Shatner believes a pyrotechnical accident during the shooting of the Star Trek episode "Arena" may have triggered his tinnitus, a hearing disorder.

Loading Video...

1967: Death of Joseph Shatner

In 1967, William Shatner's father, Joseph Shatner, a clothing manufacturer, passed away.

November 22, 1968: First Interracial Kiss on TV

On November 22, 1968, in the Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren", a kiss that Captain Kirk (William Shatner) planted on the lips of Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) is cited as the first example of a white man kissing a black woman on scripted television in the United States.

Loading Video...

1968: Recording Debut

In 1968, William Shatner made his recording debut with the release of the album The Transformed Man, featuring readings from classic plays and covers of popular songs.

1968: Starring in White Comanche

In 1968, William Shatner starred in the Spaghetti Western White Comanche, playing both Johnny Moon and Notah.

1968: Release of The Transformed Man

In 1968, William Shatner started his career as a recording artist with his album, The Transformed Man, featuring dramatic recitations of song lyrics.

1968: Alexander the Great Pilot Airs as TV Movie

In 1968, the unaired pilot for Alexander the Great, in which William Shatner played the titular role, was repackaged and aired as a TV movie.

March 1969: Divorce from Gloria Rand

In March 1969, William Shatner divorced his first wife, Gloria Rand, after leaving her during his time acting in Star Trek: The Original Series.

Loading Video...

1969: End of Star Trek's Original Run

In 1969, Star Trek was cancelled after three seasons and seventy-nine episodes.

Loading Video...

1969: Star Trek cancellation

In 1969, after the cancellation of Star Trek, William Shatner reunited with Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek: The Animated Series, marking a continuation of their professional relationship after the original show's end.

Loading Video...

1969: Post-Star Trek Difficulties

In 1969, following the cancellation of Star Trek, William Shatner experienced difficulty in finding employment and faced financial struggles, including living in a truck-bed camper.

Loading Video...

1971: William Shatner Live Performance

In 1971, William Shatner gave a performance during a tour which was later released in 1977 as the live album, William Shatner Live.

1973: Marriage to Marcy Lafferty

In 1973, William Shatner married Marcy Lafferty, the daughter of television producer Perry Lafferty.

1973: Return to the Role of Kirk in Animated Series

In 1973, William Shatner returned to the role of Captain Kirk, in voice only, in the animated Star Trek series.

Loading Video...

1977: William Shatner Live Album Release

In 1977, William Shatner Live, a performance from a 1971 tour, was released as a Lemli Records double album, including reminiscences about Star Trek and excerpts from various works.

1978: Performance of "Rocket Man" at Saturn Awards

In 1978, while hosting the fifth presentation of Saturn Awards, William Shatner performed a version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" that became a comedic parody staple.

Loading Video...

1982: Co-starring with Heather Locklear on T. J. Hooker

In 1982, Heather Locklear began co-starring with William Shatner on T. J. Hooker. She also had a semi-regular role in Dynasty. Locklear spoke about working with Shatner and her experienced colleagues on Dynasty could be daunting.

Loading Video...

1982: T. J. Hooker

In 1982, William Shatner began playing the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker.

Loading Video...

1986: End of T. J. Hooker

In 1986, William Shatner finished his role as the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker.

Loading Video...

1987: King of Mardi Gras Bacchus parade

In 1987, William Shatner was the king of the Mardi Gras Bacchus parade, a ceremonial role in the festivities.

1989: Hosting Rescue 911

In 1989, William Shatner began hosting the reality-based television series Rescue 911.

Loading Video...

1990: Support for Hollywood Charity Horse Show

Since 1990, William Shatner has been one of the most important supporters of the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which raises money for organizations serving children.

1992: Performances at the MTV Movie Awards

In 1992, William Shatner offered self-mockery performances of the five nominees in the Best Song from a Movie category at the MTV Movie Awards.

1992: Death of Ann Shatner

In 1992, William Shatner's mother, Ann Shatner (née Garmaise), passed away.

1993: Doohan declines Shatner interview

In 1993, James Doohan declined to be interviewed by William Shatner for his first memoir, Star Trek Memories, highlighting the strained relationship between the two actors.

Star Trek Memories
Star Trek Memories

1993: Publication of "Star Trek Memories"

In his 1993 book "Star Trek Memories", William Shatner recalls his disappointment at the premiere of the first Star Trek movie, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture".

Loading Video...
Star Trek Memories
Star Trek Memories

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.

Loading Video...

1994: Filming Star Trek Generations

In 1994, while filming Star Trek Generations, William Shatner had to work with George Takei, Walter Koenig and James Doohan, with whom he had a difficult relationship.

Loading Video...

1994: Grand Marshal of Tournament of Roses Parade

On New Year's Day 1994, William Shatner served as the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, leading the event on horseback and participating in the coin toss for the Rose Bowl game.

1996: End of Hosting Rescue 911

In 1996, William Shatner ended his role as host of the reality-based television series Rescue 911.

Loading Video...

1996: Divorce from Marcy Lafferty

In 1996, William Shatner's marriage to Marcy Lafferty ended in divorce.

1997: Marriage to Nerine Kidd Against Advice

In 1997, William Shatner married Nerine Kidd against the advice of many and his own better judgement, with Leonard Nimoy serving as his best man.

1997: Marriage to Nerine Kidd

In 1997, William Shatner married Nerine Kidd.

1998: Appearance 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".

Loading Video...

August 9, 1999: Death of Nerine Kidd

On August 9, 1999, William Shatner found his third wife, Nerine Kidd, lifeless at the bottom of their swimming pool. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning due to alcohol and diazepam.

1999: Book About Trekkies

In 1999, William Shatner wrote a book about Trekkies after his Saturday Night Live rebuke to them. That book would become the basis for the 2012 documentary film Get a Life!.

1999: Nerine Shatner's death and Heather Locklear's support

In 1999, after the death of Nerine Shatner, Heather Locklear provided comfort and support to William Shatner during his bereavement, showcasing their close friendship.

2000: Plans for "The Shiva Club" Dark Comedy

In 2000, Reuters reported that William Shatner was planning to write and direct "The Shiva Club", a dark comedy inspired by his wife's death.

2000: Acting in Miss Congeniality

In 2000, William Shatner acted in the comedy film Miss Congeniality.

Loading Video...

2000: Voice of Buzz Lightyear 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".

Loading Video...

2001: Marriage to Elizabeth Anderson Martin

In 2001, William Shatner married Elizabeth Anderson Martin.

June 28, 2002: Performance with Brian Evans

On June 28, 2002, William Shatner appeared with Brian Evans at the San Carlos Institute Theatre in Key West, Florida, and duetted in the songs "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "The Lady Is a Tramp". The concert was later released as an album.

Loading Video...

November 2003: Reconciliation with Doohan at convention

In November 2003, at 'The Great Bird of the Galaxy' convention in El Paso, Texas, William Shatner and James Doohan reconciled, hugging each other and expressing love and admiration, with Shatner initiating the amends.

August 2004: Doohan's final convention appearance and reconciliation

In August 2004, at the time of James Doohan's final convention appearance, it was reported that he had forgiven William Shatner, and they had achieved a friendship as senior citizens that had eluded them when they were younger.

October 2004: Release of Has Been

In October 2004, William Shatner's second studio album, Has Been, produced by Ben Folds, was released, featuring collaborations and a cover of Pulp's "Common People".

Loading Video...

2004: Collaboration on "Together" Song

In 2004, Elizabeth Anderson Martin co-wrote the song "Together" on William Shatner's album "Has Been".

Loading Video...

2004: Takei's memoir on issues with Shatner

In 2004, George Takei wrote about his issues with William Shatner in his memoir, To the Stars, highlighting the ongoing tensions between them.

2004: Starring as Denny Crane

In 2004, William Shatner began starring as attorney Denny Crane in the final season of the legal show The Practice and the entire run of its spinoff, Boston Legal.

Loading Video...

2004: "What Have You Done" on "Has Been" Album

William Shatner's 2004 album "Has Been" included a spoken word piece titled "What Have You Done", which describes his anguish upon discovering Nerine Kidd's body.

Loading Video...

June 9, 2005: Performance at George Lucas's AFI Life Achievement Award

On June 9, 2005, William Shatner contributed his version of "My Way" to the presentation of George Lucas's AFI Life Achievement Award, backed by a chorus line of dancers in Imperial Stormtrooper costumes.

Loading Video...

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 where he played Lucifer.

Loading Video...

2005: Reunion with Heather Locklear on Boston Legal

In 2005, William Shatner and Heather Locklear worked together again on Boston Legal, where Locklear played Kelly Nolan, a woman on trial for killing her wealthy husband, and Shatner's character became attracted to her.

Loading Video...

2005: Featured on Lemon Jelly's Album

In 2005, William Shatner was heard in the track "'64 - Go" on the Lemon Jelly album "'64 - '95".

Loading Video...

March 29, 2006: TV Land's "William Shatner in Concert" Episode

On March 29, 2006, TV Land aired a Shatner-centred episode of their "Living in TV Land" series subtitled "William Shatner in Concert," featuring footage of him working with Ben Folds and performing with Folds's band and Joe Jackson.

Loading Video...

May 16, 2006: Sale of kidney stone for charity

On May 16, 2006, William Shatner appeared on The View and announced that he had sold his kidney stone to GoldenPalace.com for $25,000 and donated the proceeds, along with an additional $20,000 raised from the cast and crew of Boston Legal, to Habitat for Humanity.

2006: Animated Pictures Released

In 2006, William Shatner voiced Ozzie in DreamWorks' Over the Hedge and played the villain Kazar in Walt Disney's The Wild.

Loading Video...

January 2007: ShatnerVision Vlog

In January 2007, William Shatner began posting daily autobiographical vlogs on the LiveVideo platform in a project that he named ShatnerVision.

July 2007: No Role in Star Trek Film

In July 2007, J.J. Abrams stated that they were "desperately trying to figure out a way to put him in" the 2009 film Star Trek, but that to "shove him in ... would be a disaster".

Loading Video...

2007: Dance Project "Common People" Based on "Has Been" Album

In 2007, Margo Sappington created "Common People", a dance project for the Milwaukee Ballet based on William Shatner's album "Has Been".

December 2008: Shatner's Raw Nerve Chat Show

In December 2008, William Shatner experimented with the chat show genre in the humorous Shatner's Raw Nerve, which aired until March 2011.

Loading Video...

2008: End of Denny Crane Role

In 2008, William Shatner ended his role as attorney Denny Crane in Boston Legal.

Loading Video...

2008: Publication of Up Till Now

In 2008, William Shatner's memoir, Up Till Now, co-written with David Fisher, was published.

Up Till Now: The Autobiography
Up Till Now: The Autobiography

2008: Publication of Autobiography "Up Till Now"

In his 2008 book "Up Till Now: The Autobiography", William Shatner disclosed Leonard Nimoy's attempts to help Nerine Kidd with her alcoholism.

Up Till Now: The Autobiography
Up Till Now: The Autobiography

April 17, 2009: Premiere of "William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet"

On April 17, 2009, the feature documentary "William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet" was unveiled at the Nashville Film Festival, receiving favorable reviews.

Loading Video...

July 27, 2009: Poetry Slam Inspired Speech

On July 27, 2009, William Shatner opened mock-hostilities with a poetry slam inspired recitation of the speech in which Sarah Palin had resigned the governorship of Alaska on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

Loading Video...

December 11, 2009: Excerpt from Palin's Autobiography

On December 11, 2009, William Shatner returned to Palin once more to read excerpts from her autobiography, Going Rogue: An American Life, and she, taking his teasing in good part, responded by reciting extracts from his own memoir, Up Till Now on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

Loading Video...
Going Rogue: An American Life
Going Rogue: An American Life

2009: J.J. Abrams's Star Trek Movie

In 2009, J. J. Abrams's Star Trek movie premiered.

Loading Video...

2009: Voice of Don Salmonella

In 2009, William Shatner supplied the voice of Don Salmonella to the animated series The Gavones on YouTube.

2009: No Role in Star Trek Film

In 2009, William Shatner was not offered a role in the Star Trek film.

Loading Video...

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 to promote his Biography Channel talk show "Shatner's Raw Nerve".

Loading Video...

February 28, 2010: Speaker at Vancouver Winter Olympics closing ceremony

On February 28, 2010, William Shatner was one of the speakers at the closing ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

April 2010: Hosting Weird or What?

In April 2010, William Shatner began hosting the Discovery Channel show Weird or What?, which aired until August 2012.

Loading Video...

2010: Convention Describing the Film

At a convention held in 2010, William Shatner described the 2009 Star Trek film as "wonderful".

Loading Video...

March 7, 2011: Shatner's Words Aboard Space Shuttle Discovery

On March 7, 2011, NASA used William Shatner reciting an adapted version of the Star Trek introduction to wake up the crew of STS-133 on the Space Shuttle Discovery.

March 2011: End of Shatner's Raw Nerve

In March 2011, Shatner's humorous chat show Shatner's Raw Nerve ended its run.

Loading Video...

May 2011: $#*! My Dad Says Cancelled

In May 2011, the CBS sitcom $#*! My Dad Says, starring William Shatner, was cancelled three months after the first broadcast of its final episode.

Loading Video...

October 2011: Release of Seeking Major Tom

In October 2011, William Shatner released his album Seeking Major Tom, featuring collaborations with notable musicians and covers of space-themed songs.

2011: Honorary Doctorate from McGill University

In 2011, McGill University awarded William Shatner an honorary Doctorate of Letters.

2011: Koenig appears on Shatner's Raw Nerve

In 2011, Walter Koenig accepted William Shatner's invitation to appear on his interview series Shatner's Raw Nerve, indicating that the animosity he once felt had dissipated.

Loading Video...

2011: Release of Seeking Major Tom

In 2011, William Shatner released his most successful album, Seeking Major Tom, which included covers of songs like "Learning to Fly" by Pink Floyd and "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.

August 2012: End of Weird or What?

In August 2012, the Discovery Channel show Weird or What?, hosted by William Shatner, concluded its run.

Loading Video...

2012: Return to Theatre

In 2012, William Shatner returned to his roots in theatre, appearing on Broadway in a one-man show called Shatner's World: We Just Live in It, which then toured throughout 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 collaborations with several 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 subsequent screening in more than 700 theatres across Australia, Canada and the United States with a large portion of the revenue of the project going to charity.

2014: Grand Marshal of Calgary Stampede parade

In 2014, William Shatner served as the Grand Marshal at the 102nd Calgary Stampede parade in his native Canada.

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 Croatoan in the last episodes of SyFy channel's fantasy series Haven.

Loading Video...

2015: Leonard Nimoy's death

In 2015, following the death of Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner expressed his grief, stating that he loved Nimoy like a brother and would miss his humor and talent. Although unable to attend the funeral, Shatner's daughters attended, and he organized an online memorial.

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".

Loading Video...

August 23, 2016: Premiere of Better Late Than Never

On August 23, 2016, the NBC reality miniseries Better Late Than Never, starring William Shatner, premiered, following celebrities on a tour around Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.

Loading Video...

September 2016: Special Guest at Salt Lake Comic Con

In September 2016, William Shatner attended the Salt Lake Comic Con as their special guest, highlighting his connection to the science fiction community.

2016: Starring in Better Late Than Never

In 2016, William Shatner began starring in Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series on NBC.

Loading Video...

2016: Shatner reveals estrangement from Nimoy

In 2016, William Shatner revealed that he and Leonard Nimoy had not spoken in the five years prior to Nimoy's death the previous year, despite their long-standing friendship and professional relationship.

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.

Loading Video...

2017: Independent Publisher Book Award

In 2017, Stan Lee's "God Woke", a graphic novel published by William Shatner's comic-book publisher, Shatner Singularity, won the Independent Publisher Book Awards' Outstanding Books of the Year Independent Voice Award.

2017: Honorary Captain of Star Trek: The Cruise

In 2017, William Shatner acted as the honorary captain of "Star Trek: The Cruise", celebrating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek's original pilot episode.

2017: Starring in Better Late Than Never Season 2

In 2017, William Shatner starred in the second season of Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series on NBC.

Loading Video...

2017: Support and Controversy with Autism Speaks

In 2017, William Shatner tweeted support for Autism Speaks, leading to arguments with autistic people and allies and citing anti-vaccination website NaturalNews. Days later, Shatner called the episode a misunderstanding.

May 2018: Honorary Doctorate from New England Institute of Technology

In May 2018, William Shatner was granted an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the New England Institute of Technology.

August 2018: Release of "Why Not Me" Album

In August 2018, William Shatner released "Why Not Me", his first venture into country music, in partnership with Jeff Cook.

October 2018: Release of "Shatner Claus" Album

In October 2018, William Shatner released "Shatner Claus", a holiday collection, featuring collaborations with several artists.

2018: Starring in Better Late Than Never Season 2

In 2018, William Shatner starred in both seasons of Better Late Than Never, a comical travel series on NBC.

Loading Video...

2018: NRHA Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2018, William Shatner was awarded the National Reining Horse Association Lifetime Achievement Award in the National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to the sport.

2018: Opposition to Dolphin Program

In 2018, William Shatner, as honorary captain of "Star Trek: The Cruise", opposed the inclusion of a dolphin-swimming program, citing the Prime Directive.

2018: Official Season Premiere of Better Late Than Never

In 2018, the official season premiere of the second season of Better Late Than Never, starring William Shatner, was aired.

Loading Video...

2019: Hosting and Executive Producing The UnXplained

From 2019, William Shatner hosted and executive-produced The UnXplained on History.

Loading Video...

2019: Filing for Divorce from Elizabeth

In 2019, William Shatner filed for divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin.

2019: World championship at Kentucky State Fair

In 2019, William Shatner won a world championship with his Standardbred road horse Track Star at the Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show in Louisville.

January 2020: Finalization of Divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin

In January 2020, William Shatner's divorce from Elizabeth Anderson Martin was finalized.

October 2, 2020: Release of "The Blues" Album

On October 2, 2020, William Shatner's ninth album, "The Blues", was released.

2020: Twitter Argument About Identity

In 2020, William Shatner engaged in a month-long argument on Twitter with other users regarding being called a "straight white cis man."

2020: Shatner reveals joint problems and uses CBD oil

In 2020, William Shatner revealed that he suffers from swollen joints and age-related aches and pains, and he treats his discomfort with cannabidiol oil, a dietary supplement extracted from cannabis.

March 2021: Release of Senior Moment

In March 2021, William Shatner's film Senior Moment, co-starring Jean Smart and Christopher Lloyd, was released on the same week Shatner turned 90.

Loading Video...

July 2021: Wally Funk's Spaceflight

In July 2021, Wally Funk flew on Blue Origin's first crewed spaceflight at the age of 82, becoming the oldest person to fly into space, a record that William Shatner later surpassed in October 2021.

August 26, 2021: Announcement of "Bill" Album

On August 26, 2021, William Shatner announced his tenth album, "Bill".

October 13, 2021: 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, becoming the oldest person to fly into space at the age of 90 years, 205 days.

2021: Dismissive of Jewish Convert of Color

In 2021, The Forward noted that William Shatner was dismissive of a Jewish convert of color, drawing parallels to his arguments about the term "cis" and Autism Speaks.

2021: Political Controversy

In 2021, William Shatner faced political controversy when his show, I Don't Understand with William Shatner, was scheduled to air on RT, formerly known as Russia Today.

2021: Shatner's Space Flight

In 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner flew into space aboard Blue Origin NS-18, becoming the oldest person to fly in space at the time.

February 24, 2022: Shatner's Support for Ukraine

Four days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, William Shatner issued a statement via Twitter expressing unqualified support for the Ukrainians in the resistance.

February 28, 2022: Date Mention

February 28, 2022 is mentioned as a date.

December 4, 2022: Star Guest at L.A. Comic Con

On December 4, 2022, William Shatner was a star guest at the L.A. Comic Con, continuing his engagement with science fiction fans.

2022: The Masked Singer

In 2022, William Shatner competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Knight", and was eliminated in the first episode.

Loading Video...

2023: Spiner says Shatner's Twitter Managed by Employee

In 2023, Brent Spiner stated that William Shatner had informed him his Twitter (now X) account was managed by an employee, and that Shatner had minimal direct involvement in the account's content.

2023: Takei's continued hostility towards Shatner

In 2023, George Takei reiterated his long-standing animosity towards William Shatner, describing him as an "egocentric, self-involved prima donna" and dispelling the notion of a close friendship between Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.

2023: End of Hosting The UnXplained

In 2023, William Shatner concluded his role as host and executive producer of The UnXplained on History.

Loading Video...

2023: Death of Joy Rutenberg

In 2023, William Shatner's older sister, Joy Rutenberg, passed away.

May 19, 2024: Ed Dwight Surpasses Shatner's Space Record

On May 19, 2024, Ed Dwight, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot, surpassed William Shatner's record as the oldest person to fly into space at the age of 90 years, 253 days.

2025: Reconciliation with Elizabeth

As of 2025, William Shatner and Elizabeth Martin, although divorced, have reconciled, with Shatner again referring to her as his wife.

2025: Takei wishes Shatner a happy birthday

In 2025, George Takei wished William Shatner a happy 94th birthday, signaling a potential warming of their relationship.

2025: Saturn Award

In 2025, William Shatner will receive a Special Lifetime Achievement Saturn Award.