For over 50 years, William Shatner has been a pop culture icon. Known for spicing up TV ads, starring on T.J. Hooker, and giving an Emmy-winning performance as Denny Crane on Boston Legal, Shatner is loved for his charisma and sense of humor.
Despite success in many projects, Shatner will forever be known as Captain James Tiberius Kirk. His role as this Starship USS Enterprise captain made Star Trek the most iconic sci-fi TV series of all time. In three seasons, an animated spin-off and seven Star Trek movies, Shatner gave performances that have often been mimicked...but never duplicated.
Shatner has enjoyed speaking of his experiences over the years, including his memories of the TV series. He credits Kirk for changing his life and making him a megastar. Yet Shatner has often felt “trapped” by how Kirk has become such a huge part of his public persona.
It’s fun to read about the many tales Shatner has told about his time as Kirk, from on-set frivolity to darker moments. While there are enough tales for multiple books, a few stand out from the pack.
17 He Regrets Directing Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Fans feel that The Final Frontier is the worst Star Trek movie...and Shatner agrees. In his memoirs, Shatner acknowledges he just wasn’t prepared to direct a big-screen film, and the constant script rewrites and budget cuts didn’t help.
Shatner feels he “compromised” himself by adjusting the story too much, and had he allowed someone else to direct, it would have made for a better movie. The Captain simply wasn’t the right choice to helm this film.
16 He Hated The Uniform
Kirk’s golden"Captain shirt' may be an iconic uniform for cosplayers, but don’t expect to see Shatner wearing it again. As it happened, the shirts were green on-set but appeared gold on camera. Shatner also disliked how tight they were. It's hard to move around freely in really snug clothes!
He loved episodes where Kirk could don a different costume. The later movie uniforms were a bit better, but Shatner never was a fan of dressing up.
15 Shatner Was Contractually Obligated To Have The Most Lines
One reason co-stars disliked Shatner was his insistence on being the biggest name on the show...literally. Shatner’s contract demanded that his name be displayed in larger lettering than the rest of the cast's, during the opening credits,.
Naturally, Kirk also had to have the most lines, which sometimes meant taking dialogue from other characters. It's little wonder that Shatner got a bad reputation - who would appreciate these selfish demands?
14 One Episode Was Literally Deafening For Shatner
“Arena” is a famous episode where Kirk does battle with a lizard alien. The filming of this episode was a real war for Shatner. In an early scene, the crew is under attack on a planet, with explosions erupting around them.
One blast went off too close and left Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley with deafened ears. Shatner developed tinnitus, a condition that bothered him for years. He isn’t very fond of speaking of this episode.
13 Things Could Be Tense Between Shatner And Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry may have been a visionary creator, but he could be a hassle as a TV producer. Roddenberry rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way, so it’s no surprise he and Shatner did clash a lot.
The two would argue over stories, Kirk’s behavior, and more. It continued with the movies, and while Shatner praises Roddenberry’s work, he also admits there were times he was ready to strangle the guy.
12 Kirk’s Combat Style Was Based On Pro Wrestling
Shatner loved doing many of his own stunts on set, including fighting scenes. Shatner would emulate pro wrestlers while performing some of Kirk’s moves, including a fun “jumping kick” that fans love to copy.
Nonetheless, one fight was too much for him. When he heard a live tiger was going to be in an episode, Shatner briefly suggested Kirk fight it...until one look at the beast made Shatner (wisely) back out.
11 Fans Nearly Got The Evil Kirk Back
Star Trek: Enterprise may be the less-loved series, but it could have had a fantastic Kirk appearance. A proposed Star Trek: Enterprise storyline would have the crew meeting what appears to be a 'time-lost' Kirk. In a huge twist, it’s really the evil Mirror Universe version who takes over the ship.
Shatner loved the idea of playing “Kirk as Khan.” Unfortunately, Shatner was just starting his role as Denny Crane, so they couldn’t fit it into his schedule. Too bad, as this would have been a great episode.
10 He Hated Having To Kill Kirk Off
Saying goodbye to a character is never easy. In the Generations movie, Kirk meets his end by stopping a madman trying to destroy a planet. The original version had Kirk taken out by a phaser blast, but it was changed to a more noble death.
In his memoirs and a DVD extra, Shatner noted how he hated having to do do it and even pushed for Kirk to survive somehow. Shatner found a way to bring Kirk back in some books, as he couldn’t bear to leave this role behind.
9 He Never Wanted The Role In The First Place
It’s impossible to imagine anyone but William Shatner as Kirk, yet it almost didn’t happen. Jack Lord was the first choice but demanded too much money...and a producer credit.
Shatner was offered the part but was uneasy - he was uncertain if the series would work, and he was under the mistaken impression that he was playing a different character. He took a chance, and the rest is history. Shatner crafted Kirk into an icon.
8 Kirk’s Crew Loved Him But Not Shatner’s
When writing Star Trek Memories, Shatner was forced to acknowledge how his ego got out of control on the set. He often clashed with others. While he and Leonard Nimoy got along well, Shatner and George Takei have carried on a feud that lasts to this day.
Likewise, James Doohan refused to take part in the book, and Doohan and Shatner never mended fences before Doohan’s death. Shatner seems to regret how his behavior drove wedges between his co-stars that have lasted for decades.
7 Kirk Needed A Lift On The Set
Shatner has admitted his ego could be out of control on the set, but this is something else. Shatner felt he should stand tall over the rest of the cast, literally. The problem was that Shatner was 5’10”, while Leonard Nimoy was six feet tall.
Thus, Shatner wore lifts in his shoes - these lifts made him look taller. He also made sure there were scenes where Kirk stood while Spock sat, and Nimoy was even told to hunch over a bit so as not to overshadow Shatner. That’s pushing the ego a lot.
6 Shatner Insisted On A Historic Kiss
“Plato’s Stepchildren” was a historic moment, as Kirk and Uhura share one of the first interracial kisses on television. Yet, how it happened is more notable. In his memoir, Shatner says it was always the plan, and he went along with it.
Yet others claimed that the original idea was Uhura kissing Spock, and Shatner demanded that he be the one doing it. Regardless, it still was a groundbreaking moment in television that added to Shatner’s legacy.
5 Shatner Never Even Watched The Show
Everyone knows the famous Saturday Night Live skit, where Shatner is fed up with fans asking details about episodes and explodes, “Get a life!” Yet, there’s a kernel of truth there, as Shatner has never watched a single episode of Star Trek.
For a man known for his ego, Shatner is surprisingly uncomfortable with seeing his own performances. He's also never watched T.J. Hooker or Boston Legal. Yes, Captain Kirk knows less about Star Trek than almost any fan.
4 Kirk And Spock Had A Prank War Going
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy had their ups and downs but still had a friendship that lasted until Nimoy’s passing in 2015. On the set, the two would indulge in some pranks. For example, Shatner was annoyed at how Nimoy would use his bicycle to reach the studio commissary before everyone else.
So Shatner first put a padlock on Nimoy’s bike, then openly stole it and put it in his dressing room...with a Doberman. The two would also crack each other up on set. They had a real-life bond that made their on-screen camaraderie work.
3 He Loved Showing Off His Chest...Sometimes
“Kirk-watching” is a favorite game of Trekkies. At the beginning of each season, Shatner was in terrific shape and would encourage scenes where Kirk takes his shirt off to flaunt his torso.
As the season wore on, Shatner had less time to work out so his gut got bigger, and those shirtless scenes lessened. It’s always easy to tell when an episode was filmed by just how big Shatner looks.
2 The Show Helped Him Through A Tragedy
“Devil In the Dark” is Shatner’s favorite episode of the series, for a unique reason. On the second day of filming, Shatner received the devastating news that his father had died.
Naturally, the crew was ready to shut down production, but as his flight wasn’t leaving until later, Shatner insisted on staying to film as much as he could. Shatner has thanked the show for helping him focus in a tough time. He won the respect of cast and crew for soldiering on during a difficult moment.
1 He’ll Still Play The Role Today
Shatner appears to have hemmed and hawed about being Kirk again. In March of 2020, he made comments indicating he was done with the part completely. Just months later, Shatner amended his remarks to say that if the right story came along, he would love to be Kirk once more.
It seems he’s more likely to do it if Kirk has a considerable role rather than some cameo, but it’s evident that Shatner has never forgotten that Kirk is what made him a star. He would love to sit in that Captain’s chair one last time.