William Shatner | The Complete "Pioneers of Television" Interview

William Shatner | The Complete "Pioneers of Television" Interview | Steven J Boettcher

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Күн бұрын

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William Shatner talks about his early career, appearing on "Howdy Doody," acting in Canada, live television, playing James T. Kirk, his time on "Star Trek," Gene Roddenberry, TV's first interracial kiss with Nichelle Nichols, "Rescue 911," "T.J. Hooker," guest starring on Gunsmoke, and acting technique.
Director: Steven J Boettcher
Star: William Shatner
► About Pioneers of Television
Television’s beloved stars bring their stories to life, offering insider tales and surprising revelations you won’t hear anywhere else. The Emmy-nominated producers of Pioneers of Television open the vault to give you exclusive access.
#PioneersofTelevision #CelebrityInterviews #WilliamShatner

Пікірлер: 164

@flashbazbo3932 3 ай бұрын

Shatner is the real deal. He is as genuine and honest in interviews as he is in person. A friend was driving home one night a couple decades back and he came across a car on the side of the road with the hood up. Turns out it was Bill, asking for a ride home. The 20 minute ride was an absolute pleasure and Shatner was so thankful and happy to get a lift home. My friend said it was like he had known Shatner all his life, which he kinda did, because the real Bill comes through his parts. He was totally down to earth and a pleasure to be around.

@susanmarie2231 Жыл бұрын

Shatner is a complete original. No one else speaks with his cadence.

@allcatz Жыл бұрын

Would be funny to see William Shatner and Christopher Walken have a conversation.

@aarondyer.pianist Жыл бұрын

Star Trek is a great concept but the TV franchise even today stands squarely on Shatner's shoulders. I'm convinced no iteration, STNG or anything else, could survive were it not for TOS with Shatner as the lead. His cadence, spontaneity, and charisma are still, despite his fame, underrated. In my opinion.

@megavolt67 Жыл бұрын

@@aarondyer.pianist Star Trek wouldn't even exist without TOS, so in that sense, of course the franchise stands on it and perhaps even moreso on the successful films that came later on. I do think that DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise owe more to TNG's great success as a TV series, however. Just like Discovery and these other more recent Star Trek series (Picard did also hope to capitalize on TNG nostalgia) owe more to the success of the Star Trek reboot movie (and I didn't particularly like the reboot movie, but it revitalized interest in Star Trek). No question about Shatner's charisma. The show needed him to balance out the seriousness of Nimoy and the others. He has expressed some insecurity in the past about not being as respected as an actor the way that Nimoy and Patrick Stewart have been, but TOS would've been a more dreary and less entertaining series with Pike instead of Kirk in the captain's chair. I grew up with TNG and it will always be my favorite Trek series, but I also grew up with the Shatner Trek movies and I think they're better than the TNG movies (First Contact is the only TNG movie I liked, sadly), so I'll always be appreciative.

@paulpolpiboon9535 Жыл бұрын

He needs to some more STAR TREK, and like NOW!

@katiehall3313 2 жыл бұрын

Star Trek with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy is My Favorite.I grew up with it.😄

@nickycotton6137 Жыл бұрын

Aye, great combo/Top notch stuff from them *LEGENDS* 👏

@halhitchcock740 Жыл бұрын

No Bill. It was you. 👍

@paulyricca3881 Жыл бұрын

@@nickycotton6137 👴🏻U NEED A GIRL AND A JOB

@nickycotton6137 Жыл бұрын

@@paulyricca3881 = You need muting. Sweetheart....😅

@nickycotton6137 Жыл бұрын

@@paulyricca3881 = Turn Caps lock off you sly minx.😈. I'm off to Work anyway soon luv'. XXX. KEEP ON TROLLING you judgeMENTAL evil 1 & get a life eh.😈

@adrianvanleeuwen Жыл бұрын

Shatner is an absolute legend and a charming warm personality and thoughtful in interviews.

@cathleanjohnson675 Жыл бұрын

He was handsome during his Star Trek run, we are losing so many of our 1960s-70s stars, glad he us still with us...

@BELCAN57 Жыл бұрын

What an interesting guy, I could listen to him all day.

@gaetanovindigni8824 Жыл бұрын

Honest and lucid representation of his contribution to the TV series 'Star Trek', its contributions to society at large and to his importance to the fans of the show. Always fun to hear Mr Shatner think out loud.

@dr.robertmackenzie8498 Жыл бұрын

Such a marvelous actor, and a true professional. In everything he has ever done, which has been significant, he has always given everything to the role. One of the last great Hollywood stars.

@pamhicks6180 Жыл бұрын

William Shatner is gifted in acting , directing and writing.

@custodianken435 Жыл бұрын

Mr. Shatner truly is a pioneer of television. Fantastic!

@bowtieguy377 8 ай бұрын

He truly is. People think of Star Trek and perhaps the famous Twilight Zone episode he did but he has amassed a huge list of credits in both TV and film in his very long career and sorry folks, you cannot stick around as long as he has without some real talent for the craft. He always gives it everything he has whatever the role.

@edzielinski Жыл бұрын

I've always had some reservations in my liking of Shatner, but this really illumunated his attitude. He was more of a regular guy who happened to be caught up in a phenomenon, and didn't really understand it. It explains a lot about his attitude toward others who perhaps approached the series and movies more seriously. Nevertheless I think his acting was a perfect foil against which the others could respond, and the original series would never have caught on otherwise.

@naughtiusmaximus830 Жыл бұрын

Shatner was on The Twilight Zone before and I think another show.

@terrioestreich4007 Жыл бұрын

Agreed

@MaryPinkHair Жыл бұрын

I just love to hear him talk.... his confidence is genuinely inspiring.

@miss-asketches5284 11 ай бұрын

90 years old and still has all or nearly all his faculties. ❤

@jessfrankel5212 Жыл бұрын

Shatner is one of those actors who's taken a lot of heat for his attitude and behavior (at times) over the years, along with his overacting (or what is perceived as broad acting or overacting, along with his cadence in speech) and yet, he's always had the uncanny ability to re-invent himself AND make his characters likeable. Did The Twilight Zone and other shows of the late 1950's--and acted in The Brother's Karamazov as well, plus Judgment At Nuremburg--played a bigot in The Intruder, became Captain Kirk, Denny Crane, and The Great Giant Head. Very good voice actor as well. (Two-Face). People seem to like or hate him, but he's one of those people you cannot ignore or sideline.

@TheShootist Жыл бұрын

Denny Crane!

@mckessa17 Жыл бұрын

He is great, the pride of Montreal

@tonyarc9455 Жыл бұрын

He has the best sense on humor!

@rabbitgirl42 Жыл бұрын

You know that liquor commercial featuring "the most interesting man in the world?" Well, you're looking at him, right here.

@thomasthomas2418 Жыл бұрын

'Gotta LOOOOVE The Shat!

@zekelucente9702 Жыл бұрын

I saw Shatner’s Twilight episode in probably it’s first rerun and there was absolute suspension of disbelief. Serling wrote it and Shatner acted it and like every other episode of the Twilight Zone it was totally believable.

@electronwave4551 Жыл бұрын

Was a great episode.

@legendarydave333 Жыл бұрын

Favorite line...I first saw him in a couple twilight zones...there’s someone/something on the wing.

@glendadavid1374 Жыл бұрын

I started watching Star Trek in the 70s sitting on my Father's lap. He was a trekkie no doubt about that and I became a bigger trekkie. William Shatner #1 and #2 Leonard Nimoy BEST ACTOR OF OUR TIME. KEEP ROCKING CAPTAIN KIRK and you still look sexy baby doll💖⭐⭐⭐⭐💫🤗🤗🤗🥰🥰🥰♥️

@davidpowle7117 Жыл бұрын

William Shatner YOU ARE THE BEST!

@michel5355 Жыл бұрын

I grew up watching Star Trek in the '60s and I believe in the near-damned fame, as he referred to, being Captain Kirk, but in my opinion, another iconic and unforgettable character was Danny Crane in Boston Legal.

@TheShootist Жыл бұрын

Denny.

@michel5355 Жыл бұрын

@@TheShootist whatever...

@markwalker3829 Жыл бұрын

Timothy Carey was the insane actor that Shatner worked with on Gunsmoke. He made Bruce and Crispin Glover appear almost normal. If Carey hadn't found acting, he would have been locked up somewhere for sure.

@dandyvickery9280 Жыл бұрын

William Shatner is the greatest

@starclone4 Жыл бұрын

Thank you.. That was an excellent interview. Always a pleasure, to hear from Mr. Shatner !!!!

@MarkHenstridge Жыл бұрын

Ya just gotta tip your hat to Shatner, he is a living treasure America, look after the old buggar or will have here in Australia

@RC-sz4ub Жыл бұрын

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Mr. Shatner....and touring the Star Trek TOS Original set with him and 19 other people ,in Ticonderoga, NY...about 3 years ago. Mr. Shatner was very nice, very funny. It was a BLAST walking the corridors of the Enterprise with Captain Kirk, himself. We took a TON of photos. It was fantastic.

@piesusan17 Жыл бұрын

I have always loved him since I was a child watching him with my family.

@maltedmilk6888 2 жыл бұрын

My favorite actor person! Bill is the best!

@michaelparks6120 Жыл бұрын

Shatner is Always an interesting interview. I like him.

@ChipsAplentyBand Жыл бұрын

Why was STAR TREK so popular? Kids, who were watching NASA make very gradual progress toward the Moon with the Apollo program, got to BE TAKEN ALONG on a weekly voyage abord a believable-enough spaceship filled with wondrous technologies of the future to EXPLORE SPACE THEMSELVES. There was adventure, mystery, pathos, humor, danger, risk, problem-solving, last-minute saves, and endless possibilities of worlds to be explored and stories to be told. Bill and all the other cast WERE crucial parts of the ever-present storytelling thread because it was always the story of the ENTERPRISE and her crew through which the story came, but the success of the collective effort of ST was always a function of the storytelling and the audience's sense of adventure-by-proxy. The stories were never run-of-the-mill humdrum, but were always IMAGINATIVE if not always well-calculated.

@RichardDCook 3 ай бұрын

You've hit the nail on the head. I was 9 years old when Star Trek debuted and I don't know if the generations which have come along afterwards can appreciate how space-focused the country was. The 1960s were kicked off with Fireball XL5 and then came Lost In Space and Star Trek and all the while we were watching people REALLY going into space regularly! We all believed that by the end of the century we would have bases on the Moon just like 2001 A Space Odyssey and be travelling to Mars.

@questfortruth665 Жыл бұрын

I have had trouble with the other cast members of Star Trek constantly dissing Shatner over one thing or another for basically having personality differences. He certainly seems to be a nice guy and very educated, and of course loves horses as well!

@electronwave4551 Жыл бұрын

Haven't watched the series for decades. But I remember one scene, where a Klingon (I think) back-slaps Shatner far harder that was scripted, and one of the female Klingon's giggling in the background. Seemed to say they had had enough of the wise guy. Just saying.

@sheilatruax6172 Жыл бұрын

Loved his character in Brothers Karamazov! Caught one of his 12 O'clock High episodes. His character was seriously PTSD!

@laetitialepape7028 2 жыл бұрын

Hello ! I used to play at star trek when I was a kid , I loved that and I could imagine whatever I liked , nobody to telling me what to say or what to do , free style ! And i was playing captain Kirk but what is funny is that I'm a girl ! Sometimes I was Spock too and doctor McCoy or whatever we need for our stories . I played with my cousin in my grandmother garden , I remember we enjoyed it a lot . Thank you for developing our imagination . 👏🙂☄️

@markallen2984 Жыл бұрын

A friend reminded me that one time he came over to my house as a child and apparently I said to him: "We can read Star Trek, watch Star Trek or play Star Trek". (I guess I was a tad obsessed)

@VolkXue Жыл бұрын

the mention of Judo training.. With Bruce Lee working at the time i wonder what Shatner would have looked like onscreen with Lee consulting..

@ady1gilb Жыл бұрын

Don't care if you're 100 and 91!!!! You're STILL the SEXIEST man in our Milky Way Galaxy/Universe!!! I've been in love with you since 1966!! 🥰😍🤩 Best of everything (Happiness, Peace, Love) to you!!!

@cherylresnick-cortes8022 Жыл бұрын

Me too!!!

@jsharp3165 Жыл бұрын

Um, Gene Roddenberry was a writer who was both ex-military and an ex-cop. In fact, most of the male writers in the '60s were probably ex-military since nearly every able-bodied man in America was drafted in WW2 and many were for Korea. So Coon wasn't that odd. But Bill is right that Coon was an unsung hero of the show. Thankfully, that has been gradually rectified in recent years.

@craighoover1495 Жыл бұрын

Thank you. His mention of Silent Spring in context with the Star Trek series impact resonated with me as in my career I was able to witness some of the efforts made to protect the environment and human life from pesticides.

@joanmurphy2166 2 ай бұрын

Enjoyed this. Thanks.👀

@Lovethemusic385 2 жыл бұрын

450 views?! Should be so much more

@suk6323 2 жыл бұрын

he's been busy in space and there aren't enough clips for young folk

@andrewmanzi7512 Жыл бұрын

An interesting interview with the Shat, its interesting hearing his thoughts on fame and TV in general.

@gmail4218 Жыл бұрын

If you did not know how old this 91-year-old man is, you would guess 60.

@billhosko7723 Жыл бұрын

He's an 'original', true to himself and appreciative of what he's been given...

@jackpayne5101 Жыл бұрын

He has to be one of the most gorgeous looking men I have ever seen or ever will may you live forever you beautiful creature 💗

@cherylresnick-cortes8022 Жыл бұрын

Yeah......wasn't he? What a face........and body!

@ericelander9936 Жыл бұрын

THE Captain

@donaldallen9804 Жыл бұрын

TJ Hooker was the role he played that I liked best

@Delilah.Elizabeth Жыл бұрын

I watched that show when I was a kid.

@waltonsfan7257 Жыл бұрын

Me too

@ChrisC-vj5dr 12 күн бұрын

Thanks for this good interview. I was really interested (and appreciated) Bill's take on the interacial kiss in Star Trek as I too was disappointed that it was against the characters' will. I imagine that was the only way to get it past a lot of sesnors at that time so I understand why, but still such a shame. (I also note that it was the first interacial kiss on American tv. In the UK there had been an interacial couple on a popular show over many episodes.)

@MovieJon 2 жыл бұрын

6:00 - Timothy Carey! A notably unusual (and some felt rather crazed) character actor.

@ianfryer8386 Жыл бұрын

Yes, as soon as I heard Shatner's description I thought of Timothy Carey and they did a Gunsmoke together.

@franknberry6397 Жыл бұрын

I knewwwwwww itttttt!!!!

@johnboyd6943 Жыл бұрын

Was enjoying this right up to 22:50

@davidsmith5523 Жыл бұрын

What about his concerns for our race bothered you? The warning or the warning being ignored?

@kevinkingmaker7395 Жыл бұрын

Canada's greatest gift to Western Civilization.

@tomato1040 2 жыл бұрын

It's the unprejudiced philosophy & clear technology that we use today from the imagination of future sane possibilities of a Level 1 Civilization that make Star Trek the stuff of Sci-Fi legends!

@rickmo970 Жыл бұрын

Mr. Shatner has always struck me as an honest and reality filled person! Sometimes, y'all, reality sucks & smart people who remind us of that, we usually take them as totally negative! THX, Captain Kirk, for bringing folk back down to the reality of our EARTH - NOT SPACE - so take a lesson, get into reality and don't live in a void, people!! ;-]

@lauras7352 4 ай бұрын

I enjoy hearing him talk. He's smart.

@alcoholic2412 Жыл бұрын

I wanted to hear him talk about Boston Legal and Denny Crane

@lloydcountess2744 Жыл бұрын

My girlfriend loved his voice,and so do I. If I had it, I would be a hell of a voice actor!

@halhitchcock740 Жыл бұрын

Inspiring a generation.

@palerider964 2 жыл бұрын

I liked Cpt. Kirk & Jonathan Archer.👍

@bartman898 Жыл бұрын

Looking to get some green.. Classic.

@lazyhazeldaisy9596 7 ай бұрын

I so adore this man!

@VancouverCanada-bk8fi Жыл бұрын

Shatner great actor legend 😊😊

@2OldGeeksTalking Жыл бұрын

I would love to end each day talking with Shatner, smoking a fine cigar and sipping bourbon.

@ttintagel Жыл бұрын

We didn't have 911 service in my area when Rescue 911 came on the air, but we had it by the time it went off. I think it certainly was influential, like Emergency! was in the 1970s.

@davedee4382 Жыл бұрын

He was on the Canadian howdy doody show.

@daveo532 Жыл бұрын

Denny Crane!

@califcamper Жыл бұрын

Love his sense of humor through his thoughts, and could just imagine his end of life views, I could hear him saying "it's all bullshit" in his captain voice...Lol but eat the cake and drink the wine when you can. "Lucy in the sky with diamonds,.

@gmail4218 Жыл бұрын

George Takei (Zulu on Star Trek) is on a one man mission top destroy Shatner's reputation. The former is insanely jealous about the latter's success to this day. Shut up, George.

@Tiber234 Жыл бұрын

Treasure this man

@katiehall3313 2 жыл бұрын

2006 is When this Interview came out.40 years after Star Trek Aired.

@zingerzat Жыл бұрын

Excellent interview, but please give a date as to when it occurred.

@jsharp3165 Жыл бұрын

It's from around 2008. He frequently mentions "Raw Nerve", his talk show that started that year. He also references the upcoming Chris Pine version of Kirk, which was released in 2009.

@oakroyal Жыл бұрын

The actor in the first Star Trek pilot was Jeffery Hunter. Leonard Nimoy was in the first pilot.

@rhark25 Жыл бұрын

Capt. Christopher Pike

@nunyabizness6595 Жыл бұрын

Liked Hunter as Captain but he was a little stiff. Shatner brought fun to the part but could be commanding when needed. He carried that balancing act well. Fun fact: he once said his favorite series was Barbary Coast which lasted only one season.

@nunyabizness6595 Жыл бұрын

Another great Shatner performance was The Andersonville Trail tv film on PBS in the early 70s. Richard Basehart was in thst as well.

@tracybosworth1033 Жыл бұрын

@@nunyabizness6595 I loved those show!!!

@tracybosworth1033 Жыл бұрын

He was also the dad in the movie Go Ask Alice.

@hawlikd Жыл бұрын

He also hot his start in Canada's Stratford Festival performing in Shakespeare plays.

@VoxVeritas1776 Жыл бұрын

And it shows in his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk

@ttintagel Жыл бұрын

I read somewhere he understudies Christopher Plummer in Henry V, and the time Plummer was sidelined with an injury was when Shatner first started getting really noticed.

@tracybosworth1033 Жыл бұрын

@@ttintagel Yes.

@bliastreb6466 Жыл бұрын

I've got two words: Denny Crane!

@preachintime-odbc-pcola5376 Жыл бұрын

I am fan. But has any one considered remaking "Sunset Boulevard" with William playing "Norman Desmond"?

@rexlex1736 2 жыл бұрын

Regardless which planet Capt. Kirk visited, all the inhabitants spoke English.

@markallen2984 Жыл бұрын

There was a device that the federation used called the universal translator.... They established the fact that such a device existed, and then they never had to spend time with explaining communication / language differences on different worlds

@Biofeedback1975 Жыл бұрын

Lindsay Wagner needs to be interviewed for Her iconic Emmy award winning series “ The Bionic Woman.” Please do one with her very soon!

@maryvalentine9090 Жыл бұрын

I am always amazed at people who like a $6 million man and bionic woman. I’m old enough to have watched them premiere. My husband liked them... I never could get into either one of them. I thought they were ridiculous at the time and now even more so. But everybody’s got their own ideas of what’s good entertainment. Whatever floats your boat.😆

@hawlikd Жыл бұрын

It looks like this interview was filmed in 2008?

@tomrichardson7800 2 жыл бұрын

How old is this interview?

@cdgates1 2 жыл бұрын

Late 90's early 2000's

@nashbridges120 Жыл бұрын

He references the “new Star Trek movie coming up” for which “they’re looking for a young guy.” That’s got to be JJ Abrams first movie, and that was 2009. So maybe this was ‘08’ish? So, he’s about 77 here. Lordy, I hope I’m that sharp and full of life at 77. And, he’s STILL that way!

@jsharp3165 Жыл бұрын

It's from around 2008. He frequently mentions "Raw Nerve", his talk show that started that year. He also references the upcoming Chris Pine version of Kirk, which was released in 2009.

@kurtolson6065 Жыл бұрын

I just realized how much like Jeff Goldblum the Shat is like. Watch from 1:50-2:45

@leet7489 13 күн бұрын

Shatner often gets a bad rep but he is fascinating to listen to

@evanescapades2513 Жыл бұрын

Star Trek TOS nuff sed

@jediknight73 Жыл бұрын

Just saw him in Columbus Ohio. 200$ for meet and greet was worth the cost

@RichardDCook 3 ай бұрын

I talked to somebody who had paid to attend a one-hour small-group get together with Shatner in a private room at a Comic Con. This person said he was blown away with how down-to-earth and funny Shatner was. I don't know how much the session cost but this person said it was totally worth it.

@Dewdaahman Жыл бұрын

William "Billy" Shatner has certain depth to him, which he has kept hidden up until now..

@jamesfarrington9030 Жыл бұрын

He gets slammed for his Kirk overacting, but watch him in T J Hooker and his acting is excellent.

@OCEANSIDEGANGBUSTER Жыл бұрын

When a Journeyman speaks....

@dannymarz2568 Жыл бұрын

Sorry folks, but really, REALLY........theres only ONE Star Trek TV show. And its because this man was so, totally FANTASTIC as an actor during the GOLDEN age of classic television! ( 1958- 1980 ) SHATNER was the BEST

@allenbilley3021 Жыл бұрын

SOMEONE PLEASE, ASK BILL SHATNER HOW HE FELT WHEN HE FIRST STEPPED ON THE BRIDGE OF THE ENTERPRISE?

@rmo5582 Жыл бұрын

Crud! He can make even an old camera story absolutely compelling.."cooing"...

@williamlarochelle3160 Жыл бұрын

The tech we need is something to send into the atmosphere to remove methane and convert CO2 into oxygen.

@pravariar8179 Жыл бұрын

91 anos de idade? Eu diria que ele tem uns 63

@RedVynil Жыл бұрын

Again, nothing about his Outer Limits episode OR his 3 Columbo's?

@joe-vz6hx 7 ай бұрын

All that and no talk about Boston Legal? Seriously?

@markfurman4386 Жыл бұрын

The phrase "Wagon train to the stars" was used during the original advertising for Star Trek. It was a prominent phrase.

@RichardDCook 3 ай бұрын

Rodenberry said he pitched Star Trek to the network as "Wagon Train to the stars" (Wagon Train was a top-rated show that ran from 1957 to 1965).

@al.g.7125 Жыл бұрын

I had heard he had hair transplants and that is actually his real hair.

@Yourdeadmeat69 Жыл бұрын

90 years old looks 58.

@grandslapper 19 күн бұрын

I think this interview is about 15-20 years old

@Yourdeadmeat69 19 күн бұрын

@@grandslapper Around 2010. OK 80 years old looks around 58.

@1980sPainTrain Жыл бұрын

How is he 91?

@esteban1487 Жыл бұрын

Shatner is dead wrong about the future but a likable guy.

@koneking2569 Жыл бұрын

How is this guy 90 ? I'm confused.

@melbea03 Жыл бұрын

Nothing about the brothers Karamozov

@delmar418 Жыл бұрын

Acting on TV in an ongoing series as a regular, is an extremely difficult business that you dream about doing, but regret it after it happens because it is EXTREMELY difficult and survival, is something very real for both the actor and the character. I am happy it never happened to me. For a producer out there reading this comment, if you are part of a conspiracy to make me successful, yet want to kill me- hire me. I'll do it! YES.