Leonard Nimoy, who found fame in the 1960s as the cult character Spock in Star Trek, passed away on Friday. His death was confirmed by his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, following admittance to hospital on Wednesday. The 83-year-old actor died of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, after revealing her was suffering from lung cancer.
© Photo: RexLeonard Nimoy as Spok in Star Trek
Leonard starred in the sci-fi TV show Star Trek between 1966 and 1969 with William Shatner and George Takei.
His character of Spock, half-human and half-vulvcan, was known for the line: Live Long and Prosper, and he also starred in subsequent films throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
In 2009 and 2013 he had cameo roles in the updated film series, and also took on supporting work in the TV show Fringe.
Leonard Nimoy and his wife
An outpouring of grief and support for the actor's wife came from social media on Friday, where the hashtag #LiveLongAndProsper began trending.
The star's final tweet: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP", also gained a number of retweets.
Celebrities from around the world were quick to react to his death, with fellow Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, tweeting: "We stood on your shoulders, and wouldn’t have had a galaxy to explore if you hadn’t been there, first. Thank you, Leonard, Rest in peace."
William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk alongside Leonard during the original TV series, tweeted: "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."
President Barack Obama added: "Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy." — President Obama #LLAP", while comedy actor Seth McFarlane tweeted: "Leonard Nimoy brought us one of the greatest, noblest characters in the history of American storytelling. Someone find the Genesis planet."
On YouTube, fans began commenting under one of the most popular Star Trek videos, from the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as Spock tells Captain Kirk: "I have been - and always shall be - your friend."
