Leonard Nimoy Is Receiving A Huge Honor
Leonard Nimoy is being honored with a 20-foot statue in his hometown of Boston.
There is little argument that Star Trek changed the world of science fiction entertainment with the three-season run in the mid-1960s and dozens of movies and tv series. One of the reasons the series was so successful is primarily due to the compelling cast of characters that made up the crew of the Starship Enterprise, a cast that included Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForrest Kelly). According to Collider, Leonard Nimoy will receive a twenty-foot statue in honor of his contributions to the series and the character.
The project is largely attributed to the actor’s origins in a Jewish neighborhood in Boston, where the statue’s largest donator also grew up and got his education. When the project was announced in 2021, there was a project financial goal of $500,000, which the Boston Museum of Science at Science Park had only raised a fraction of. The goal was fulfilled by Richard Miner, who made a significant donation to make the Leonard Nimoy statue a reality due to their connection in Boston.
Richard Miner, like the Spock actor, is a native of the Boston area and cites Nimoy as an inspiration for his interest in science, which culminated in him earning his Ph.D., Master, and Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. When talking about the project, he called the Leonard Nimoy-Live Long and Prosper Memorial Sculpture a symbol of unity for millions. Miner took his love of science and founded Android, the most popular and widely used operating system, with three million users.
Leonard Nimoy has a filmography going back to the 1950s when he starred in numerous properties before landing the role of Spock in Star Trek in 1966. His character is known for his emotionless grip on logic and often clashes with both Captain Kirk and Dr. Bones for being heartless and dedicated to the rules. He appeared in 80 episodes as the Vulcan before the series ended after three seasons.
The Leonard Nimoy statue designed by artist David Phillips will depict the Spock actor giving the spread finger salute of his people and bearing the slogan, “Live long and prosper.” A slogan he continued after the series ended to star in all five of the films that followed, with one of the films, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, focusing on him heavily. Finally, Nimoy was the only original actor to appear in the 2009 J.J. Abrams reboot, Star Trek, showing the different timeline created by the villain of the film.
The next phase in the project will be announced soon, but the donation from Miner only got the project started; more is needed to ensure the Leonard Nimoy statue is completed. When the figure is finally up, generations will be inspired by his legacy as the Vulcan, following Miner’s example. Of course, there is already evidence that his legacy is as solid as it ever could be, referenced in films and tv series like The Big Bang Theory as one of the most significant sci-fi characters of all time.
