You have been, and always shall be, our friend. Star Trek‘s Leonard Nimoy, who endeared himself to millions of fans as the character Spock, died on Friday, Feb. 27, at his home in L.A.’s Bel Air neighborhood, his wife confirmed to the New York Times. He was 83.
According to Susan Bay Nimoy, the cause of death was “end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” or COPD, which he revealed he had in February 2014. He was reportedly hospitalized earlier this week.
Nimoy was 82 when he announced he’d been diagnosed with COPD three decades after he quit smoking. “I’m doing OK,” he tweeted at the time. “Just can’t walk distances. Love my life, family, friends, and followers.”
In a separate tweet, he urged fans to stop smoking, signing it the way he signed every tweet: “LLAP,” an abbreviation for his signature phrase on Star Trek, “Live long and prosper.”
Born in Boston, Mass., in 1931, Nimoy started acting in the 1950s. He had parts in various shows and movies before landing a gig as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek TV series, which ran from 1966 to 1986.
During that time, he also played the role in the live-action movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture and its many sequels, including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. More recently, he played Spock Prime in the Star Trek reboots starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto.
Offscreen, he was an accomplished writer who published several books of poetry and photography, as well as the autobiographies I Am Not Spock (in 1975) and I Am Spock (in 1995). He also directed the 1987 movie Three Men and a Baby.
According to the NY Times, Nimoy is survived by his wife, his two children Adam and Julie Nimoy, stepson Aaron Bay Schuck, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and an older brother.
