Origins & Early Life

William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. From 1966 to 1994, he starred as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, from his debut as the captain of the starship Enterprise in the second pilot of the first Star Trek television series to his final appearance as Captain Kirk in the seventh Star Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations. Shatner began his screen acting career in Canadian films and television productions before moving into guest-starring roles in various American television shows.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He appeared as Captain Kirk in all the episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, 21 of the 22 episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series, and the first seven Star Trek movies. He has written a series of books chronicling his experiences before, during and after his time in a Starfleet uniform. He has also co-written several novels set in the Star Trek universe and a series of science fiction novels, the TekWar sequence, that were adapted for television. Outside Star Trek, Shatner played the eponymous veteran police sergeant in T. J.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Hooker (1982–1986), hosted the reality-based television series Rescue 911 (1989–1996), guest starred on the detective series Columbo, and...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Pioneering Finnish painter, celebrated for national romanticism and the Kalevala.
• Albert A. Michelson — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Pioneering American experimental physicist known for light speed measurements.
• 7th Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (03-22 · Died) (1757): Spiritual leader of Tibet, recognized as the 7th Dalai Lama from 1720 to 1757.
• Andrew Lloyd Webber — Shared historical date (03-22 · Born) (1948): Iconic English composer and impresario of globally successful musical theatre.
• Alfred Brendel — Historical peer (Born in 1931) (1931): Czech-born Austrian pianist, composer, and scholar renowned for Beethoven.
• Alice Munro — Historical peer (Born in 1931) (1931): Master of the short story, exploring human complexity in rural Ontario.
• A. R. Rahman — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• Abe Saperstein — Historical peer (Died in 1966) (1966): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Alexia Putellas — Historical peer (Born in 1994) (1994): One of the greatest female footballers, known for her midfield brilliance and success with Barcelona and Spain.
• 1931 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1931
• March 22 (03-22) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 22