Schnakenberg Robert - The encyclopedia shatnerica: an a to z guide to the man and his universe

Copyright 2008 by Robert Schnakenberg

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

This is an unauthorized biography. The Encyclopedia Shatnerica was created without the participation or cooperation of William Shatner and his representatives. Sources for all of the information in this book can be found on .

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Number: 2007939721

eBook ISBN: 978-1-59474-776-2

Designed by Doogie Horner

Photography courtesy of the Everett Collection.

First edition published in 1998 by Renaissance Books.

Quirk Books

215 Church Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

www.quirkbooks.com

v3.1

W elcome to the final frontier of Shatnerology. When I first wrote those words, in 1998, I believed them to be true. Little did I know that there would one day be a second edition of this bookstill the worlds only comprehensive guide to the complex, multidimensional universe of William Shatner. A lot has happened in the ten years since the publication of the first edition. Shatner has undergone yet another amazing career renaissance. Hes back in prime-time and bigger than ever. His mantelpiece is now crowded with Emmy Awards. Priceline.com has hired him, fired him, and brought him back. Hes built an online presence, married a fourth time, even auctioned off his kidney stone. Not bad for a man who titled his own comeback CD Has Been.

With so much tachyon activity in the Shatnerverse, the time seemed right for a new edition. This edition represents a comprehensive revision of the original contents. Other books may cover Shatners life and career, or the fictional universe of Star Trek, his most celebrated professional achievement, but in no one place can you find A-to-Z coverage of the whole wide world of William Shatner. This Millennium Edition provides expanded, enhanced coverage of all of Shatners major television series and feature films, along with selected stage productions and notable TV guest appearances. Special emphasis is given to trends, recurring themes in his life and work, and revealing personal anecdotes. What Shatner says about himself and what others say about him are given a full and fair airing.

The world of William Shatner is an unfolding text. No one bookno one authorcan contain it all. But over time we gain focus, and the meaning becomes clearer. If youre reading this, you, like me, have struggled with the riddle that is Shatner, squeezed your hands around this unruly Rubiks Cube of a man, and failed to put the colored sides together. I am here to tell you there is a solution. It starts with the magical book you now hold in your hand. So come with me into the Shatner chamber. Sit down on the toilet seat shaped like a captains chair and discover what I have uncovered. Without a guide to shed light on the shadowy places, this dark forest of a man will swallow you whole. Our mission here is a simple one: to boldly go where no book has gone before. To unlock the secrets of Shatnerica

Items in boldface are cross-references to other entries in The Encyclopedia Shatnerica.

For Shatner films and television appearances, a handy Six Degrees of Star Trek guide has been included to alert fans of that TV show to Star Trek regulars and notable guests who appear in the entry under discussion.

A rating system has been provided to help you prioritize your Shatner consumption. Each Shatner film, series, book, album, TV appearance, and Web-accessible video clip has been rated as follows:

	Essential viewing/reading/listening for all Shatnerphiles.
	Worth a look. Rent, borrow, or download only.
	Minor Shatner. Feel free to skip it.
	Car wreck territory. For masochists/obsessives only.

ACTING

I dont have a technique for acting, Shatner told the New York Daily News in 1982. That revelation will come as a surprise to someespecially those, such as comedian Kevin Pollak, who have made a living imitating Shatners unmistakable mannered acting style. But its true: Shatner has never had any formal performance training. Rather, he approaches his craft as a visceral endeavor in which learned responses have no place. An actors emotions are just below the magma of his sophistication, he has said. Despite this idiosyncratic approach, he has influenced several other talents, including Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame. When Jim Carrey is asked what other actor makes him laugh, he replies, unhesitatingly: William Shatner.

What do Jason and Jim see that others dont? Lets break down the celebrated Shatner Approach. Often imitated but never duplicated, it is marked by his use of urgent, hurried phrasing, placing the emphasis on unexpected words and syllables; a tendency to linger on words midsentence; and a curious habit of overrunning logical voice stops and careening into the next sentence in defiance of English syntax. Another characteristic is his trademark shrug, usually accompanied by open arms that are bent at the elbows; upturned palms; and wide, beseeching eyes. This pose works especially well when, as Captain Kirk, he confronts an adversary appearing on the viewscreen of the starship Enterprise.

The origin of this performance style can be traced to one of Shatners earliest professional experiences. While serving as an understudy at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada, Shatner had to play the title role in Shakespeares Henry V on only a few hours notice and without the benefit of rehearsal. His hastily cobbled performancefull of abrupt stops and inappropriate pauses when he forgot the dialoguewas hailed by critics as remarkably intuitive and full of passion. Always quick to respond to positive feedback, Shatner began to incorporate these techniques into subsequent performances.