Biography: William Shatner

Although most people know William Shatner as the guy who hawks that name-your-own-price-for-a-plane-ticket outfit, he does have other claims to fame: From Sept. 8, 1966 to Sept. 2, 1969, he played a certain Captain Kirk in a critically drubbed series called Star Trek (79 episodes), which spawned an animated series (1973-1975) and eight feature films (seven with Shatner), and if my reference books are wrong on any of the foregoing, I will gladly give the citations to any hot-headed Trekkie who chooses to contest me. Combining interviews with Star Trek co-star Leonard Nimoy, as well as friends and family, this Biography entry traces Shatner's early stage career, Star Trek days on the little and big screen and his ongoing stint as the author of the TekWar novels. As is often the case in contemporary Biography episodes, nothing critical is said about Shatner (whose newlywed third wife appears, by these eyeballs, to be half Shatner's 66 years). A puff piece, but a sure to be very popular puff piece, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)