William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor, musician, singer, author, film director, spokesman and comedian. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of Captain James Tiberius Kirk, commander of the Federation starship USS Enterprise, in the science fiction television series Star Trek, from 1966 to 1969; Star Trek: The Animated Series from 1973 to 1974, and in seven of the subsequent Star Trek feature films from 1979 to 1994. He has written a series of books chronicling his experiences playing Captain Kirk and being a part of Star Trek, and has co-written several novels set in the Star Trek universe. He has also authored a series of science fiction novels called TekWar that were adapted for television.
Shatner also played the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker from 1982 to 1986. Afterwards, he hosted the reality-based television series Rescue 911 from 1989 to 1996, which won a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Dramatic Series. He has since worked as a musician, author, director and celebrity pitchman. From 2004 to 2008, he starred as attorney Denny Crane in the television dramas The Practice and its spin-off Boston Legal, for which he won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
Golden Raspberry Awards
Worst Actor
Worst Director
Known For
To Your Last Death
(2019)
The Overseer (voice)
Star Trek: Generations
(1994)
Captain James T. Kirk
Miss Congeniality
(2000)
Stan Fields
Over the Hedge
(2006)
Ozzie (voice)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
(2004)
Dodgeball Chancellor
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
(2005)
Stan Fields
The Wild
(2006)
Kazar (voice)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
(1979)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
(1989)
Captain James T. Kirk
Fireheart
(2022)
Mayor of New York (voice)
Fanboys
(2009)
Himself
Showtime
(2002)
William Shatner
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
(1986)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
(1982)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Boomerang
(1992)
Captain James Tiberius Kirk (archive footage)
Osmosis Jones
(2001)
Mayor Phlegmming (voice)
Full Filmography
Acting
The Butler's Night Off
(1951)
Oedipus Rex
(1957)
Chorus
The Defender (Studio One)
(1957)
Kenneth Preston
The Brothers Karamazov
(1958)
Alexi Karamazov
The Christmas Tree
(1958)
Philo
A Town Has Turned to Dust
(1958)
Jerry Paul
City Out of Time
(1959)
Narrator (voice)
Judgment at Nuremberg
(1961)
Harrison Byers
The Explosive Generation
(1961)
Peter Gifford
The Intruder
(1962)
Adam Cramer
Operation Bikini
(1963)
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The Outrage
(1964)
Preacher
Incubus
(1966)
Marc
White Comanche
(1968)
Johnny Moon / Notah
Alexander The Great
(1968)
Alexander
Shadow Game
(1969)
Sole Survivor
(1970)
Lt. Col. Josef Gronke
The Andersonville Trial
(1970)
Col. Chipman
Swing Out, Sweet Land
(1970)
John Adams
The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1972)
George Stapleton
The People
(1972)
Dr. Curtis
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
(1973)
Paul Kovalik
Go Ask Alice
(1973)
Sam
Pioneer Woman
(1973)
John Sergeant
Incident on a Dark Street
(1973)
Deaver G. Wallace
Impulse
(1974)
Matt Stone
Big Bad Mama
(1974)
William J. Baxter
Pray for the Wildcats
(1974)
Warren Summerfield
Indict and Convict
(1974)
Sam Belden
Amy Prentiss
(1974)
Bill Parkins
The Devil's Rain
(1975)
Mark Preston
Mitzi & 100 Guys
(1975)
Self
Mysteries of the Gods
(1976)
Host
Universe
(1976)
Narrator
The Tenth Level
(1976)
Prof. Stephen Turner
Microworld
(1976)
A Whale of a Tale
(1976)
Jack Fredericks
Perilous Voyage
(1976)
Steve Monroe
Kingdom of the Spiders
(1977)
Dr. Robert 'Rack' Hansen
Land of No Return
(1978)
Curt Benell
The Third Walker
(1978)
Munro Maclean
The Bastard
(1978)
Paul Revere
The Crash of Flight 401
(1978)
Carl Tobias
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
(1979)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Disaster on the Coastliner
(1979)
Stuart Peters
The Kidnapping of the President
(1980)
Jerry O'Connor
The Babysitter
(1980)
Dr. Jeff Benedict
Hypnosis and Beyond
(1980)
Himself
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
(1982)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Airplane II: The Sequel
(1982)
Cdr. Buck Murdock
Visiting Hours
(1982)
Gary Baylor
Night of 100 Stars
(1982)
Self
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
(1984)
Admiral James T. Kirk
Secrets of a Married Man
(1984)
Chris Jordan
Night of 100 Stars II
(1985)
Self
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
(1985)
Self (archive footage)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
(1986)
Admiral James T. Kirk
The Canadian Conspiracy
(1986)
Super Duper Bloopers
(1986)
Himself
William Shatner's Mysteries of the Way We Feel
(1986)
Host
Seasons
(1987)
Narrator (voice)
Broken Angel
(1988)
Chuck Coburn
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
(1988)
Self
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
(1989)
Captain James T. Kirk
Hollywood on Horses
(1989)
Self
Amazon: Land of the Flooded Forest
(1990)
Narrator
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
(1991)
Captain James T. Kirk
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
(1991)
Self - Host
Voices That Care
(1991)
Self - Choir Member
Boomerang
(1992)
Captain James Tiberius Kirk (archive footage)
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
(1993)
General Mortars
Your Guide to Star Trek: Generations
(1993)
Self
Family of Strangers
(1993)
Earl
Star Trek: Generations
(1994)
Captain James T. Kirk
TekWar: TekJustice
(1994)
Walter H. Bascom
TekWar: TekLords
(1994)
Walter H. Bascom
TekWar: TekLab
(1994)
Walter H. Bascom
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
(1994)
Himself/Host
William Shatner: Captain's Log
(1994)
TekWar
(1994)
Walter H. Bascom
Janek: The Silent Betrayal
(1994)
Bodosh
UFO Cover-Up Live with Larry King
(1994)
Self
Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown
(1994)
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
(1994)
Adam Harland (uncredited)
Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
(1995)
Narrator
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
(1995)
Host
The Prisoner of Zenda, Inc.
(1996)
Michael Gatewick
Dead Man's Island
(1996)
Chase Prescott
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
(1996)
Self
Star Trek Story
(1996)
Self (archive footage)
Trekkies
(1997)
Self
Jefftowne
(1997)
Himself
Free Enterprise
(1998)
Bill
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
(1998)
James T. Kirk
Land of the Free
(1998)
Aidan Carvell
Hollywood Ghost Stories
(1998)
Himself
Nukes in Space
(1999)
Narrator
Miss Congeniality
(2000)
Stan Fields
Atomic Journeys: Welcome to Ground Zero
(2000)
Narrator (Voice)
Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime
(2001)
Himself
Falcon Down
(2001)
Major Robert Carson
Osmosis Jones
(2001)
Mayor Phlegmming (voice)
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 1
(2001)
Narrator
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 2
(2001)
Narrator
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 3
(2001)
Narrator
Gahan Wilson's The Kid
(2001)
Professor
Festival in Cannes
(2001)
Self
Whale Shark Hunters of the Philippines
(2001)
Self
American Psycho II: All American Girl
(2002)
Robert Starkman
Showtime
(2002)
William Shatner
Shoot or Be Shot!
(2002)
Harvey Wilkes
Groom Lake
(2002)
John Gossner
Spplat Attack
(2002)
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: The Rivalry Continues
(2002)
Self
Christopher Plummer: A Man For All Stages
(2002)
Self
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
(2002)
Self
A Carol Christmas
(2003)
Dr. Bob / Ghost of Christmas Present
Christmas in Hollywood
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
(2003)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
(2004)
Dodgeball Chancellor
Sci-Fi Visionaries
(2004)
Kiss 'N' Tell: Romance in the 23rd Century
(2004)
Birth of a Timeless Legacy
(2004)
Last Laugh '04
(2004)
Self
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
(2005)
Stan Fields
How William Shatner Changed The World
(2005)
Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
Lil' Pimp
(2005)
Tony Gold (voice)
Last Laugh '05
(2005)
Lucifer
Merry F#%$in' Christmas
(2005)
Self
Over the Hedge
(2006)
Ozzie (voice)
The Wild
(2006)
Kazar (voice)
Stalking Santa
(2006)
Narrator
Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner
(2006)
Self
William Shatner in Concert
(2006)
Self
40 Years of Star Trek
(2006)
Self
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
(2007)
Himself
The Pixar Story
(2007)
James T. Kirk (archive footage)
Everest
(2007)
Norman Kelly
Gotta Catch Santa Claus
(2008)
Santa Claus (voice)
Star Trek: The Captains' Summit
(2009)
Self
Fanboys
(2009)
Himself
William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet
(2009)
Himself
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey
(2010)
Core (voice)
Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone's Magic Man
(2010)
Self
The Captains
(2011)
Himself
Corman's World
(2011)
Self - Actor
The Space Shuttle
(2011)
Narrator
Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen
(2011)
Himself - Roaster
William Shatner Sings O Canada
(2011)
Himself
Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner
(2011)
Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
(2011)
Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored
(2011)
Himself
Get a Life!
(2012)
Himself
Horrorween
(2012)
Himself
Escape from Planet Earth
(2013)
General Shanker (voice)
Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale
(2013)
Self
Still Kicking
(2013)
Himself
To Be Takei
(2014)
Self
Chaos on the Bridge
(2014)
Self
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
(2014)
Self
A Christmas Horror Story
(2015)
Dangerous Dan
Tom Felton Meets the Superfans
(2015)
Self
Baby, Baby, Baby
(2015)
Actor
Being Canadian
(2015)
Self
Just in Time for Christmas
(2015)
Coachman Nick
The Colorful Montreal Expos
(2016)
Narrator (voice)
A Sunday Horse
(2016)
Kenneth Roubidoux
When Elephants Were Young
(2016)
Narrator
For the Love of Spock
(2016)
Himself
They Came from the Swamp: The Films of William Grefé
(2016)
Himself (voice only)
Range 15
(2016)
Richard Chindler
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
(2016)
Self
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
(2016)
Self
The Truth Is in the Stars
(2017)
Self
Batman vs. Two-Face
(2017)
Harvey Dent / Two-Face (voice)
Not a War Story
(2017)
Heroes Manufactured
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Aliens Ate My Homework
(2018)
Phillogenus esk Piemondum (Phil) (voice)
The Steam Engines of Oz
(2018)
Oscar "Oz" Diggs (voice)
To Your Last Death
(2019)
The Overseer (voice)
Devil's Revenge
(2019)
Hayes
Creators: The Past
(2020)
Lord Oghma
Senior Moment
(2021)
Victor Martin
WWE Hall Of Fame 2020
(2021)
Himself
Expedition Unknown: Shark Trek
(2021)
Self
Shatner in Space
(2021)
Self
2021 and Done with Snoop Dogg & Kevin Hart
(2021)
Self
Fireheart
(2022)
Mayor of New York (voice)
A Tear in the Sky
(2022)
Full Moon's Roadshow Revisited
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
(2023)
Self
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill
(2024)
Self
Directing
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
(1989)
Director
TekWar
(1994)
Director
Groom Lake
(2002)
Director
The Captains
(2011)
Director
Get a Life!
(2012)
Director
Still Kicking
(2013)
Director
Chaos on the Bridge
(2014)
Director
Writing
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
(1989)
Story
TekWar
(1994)
Novel
TekWar: TekLords
(1994)
Novel
TekWar: TekJustice
(1994)
Characters
Groom Lake
(2002)
Writer
The Captains
(2011)
Writer
Sound
Production
Groom Lake
(2002)
Producer
Fire Serpent
(2007)
Executive Producer
Get a Life!
(2012)
Executive Producer
God Woke
(2017)
Executive Producer
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill
(2024)
Executive Producer
Crew