Leonard Nimoy

Actor, director, poet, singer, and photographer; our beloved Spock from the original "Star Trek" TV series -- via the New York Times. He enacted one of the most memorable and enduring characters in American culture -- as the Vulcan science officer of the starship Enterprise, he played a brilliant but tormented outsider who struggled to keep his all-too-human side at bay. Nimoy was a versatile actor who later figured prominently in shows such as "Mission: Impossible"; he directed two "Star Trek" films successfully, and the comedy hit "3 Men and a Baby" as well. Lest we forget, he served as the host of the syndicated series "In Search of . . . ", and did a nice turn as a therapist in the remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Famous for what some might consider a silly role, he took it all with good humor.