William Shatner (b. 1931) is a Canadian actor, author, and film director, known for his irreverent charm and his star turn as Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, as well as many other roles. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Shatner was cast in Star Trek as the courageous, unpredictable Captain James T. Kirk in 1966. The show became a cult hit in syndication, leading to a number of spin-offs and movies. Shatner starred in seven Star Trek films beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He later played leading roles on the television series T.J. Hooker (1982–86) and Boston Legal (2004–08). Shatner has also published a number of novels, most notably TekWar (1989), a science-fiction thriller that inspired eight sequels as well as video games and a television series. When he isn’t working, Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth, divide their time between Southern California and Kentucky.
