If you think Shatner can't act, watch his performance in The Intruder (1962) as a smooth-talking, rabble-rousing racist.
Of course, OTOH, there's White Comanche . . .
Why Bill Shatner speaks the way he does
- Thread starter Trekfan12
- Start date
Of course, OTOH, there's White Comanche . . .
I always compare Shatner to Koenig.....which one carried the show and which one carried a horrible accent? 
He can act. When he gets good direction or takes good direction.
His fame of being Kirk has kept him employed for 50 years since Trek -- not anybody looking at his Trek work and saying that he's a really good actor.
Had he choose to just be a good solid actor and not always "act like a star" he would have gotten far more work from 1969 till T.J.Hooker. He got that job because of his returning fame a Captain Kirk in the movies.
He played it really well if he wanted fame and fortune -- he got those things in spades.
Had he wanted to be remembered as a quality actor he would have had to forget his star act.
I like they guy and I like a lot of his Kirk work, but like Gerald Ford who is remembered for his handful of falls -- not the million steps he took without falling -- Shatner will be remembered for the 20% of the time he hammed it up -- not the rest of the time he acted well.
His fame of being Kirk has kept him employed for 50 years since Trek -- not anybody looking at his Trek work and saying that he's a really good actor.
Had he choose to just be a good solid actor and not always "act like a star" he would have gotten far more work from 1969 till T.J.Hooker. He got that job because of his returning fame a Captain Kirk in the movies.
He played it really well if he wanted fame and fortune -- he got those things in spades.
Had he wanted to be remembered as a quality actor he would have had to forget his star act.
I like they guy and I like a lot of his Kirk work, but like Gerald Ford who is remembered for his handful of falls -- not the million steps he took without falling -- Shatner will be remembered for the 20% of the time he hammed it up -- not the rest of the time he acted well.
People seem way more interested in indulging their nostalgia than an honest assessment of the acting on Star Trek.
You're definitely onto something there.
Weird. I've seen a ton of defense over the years of his ability to act well when he wanted to or was forced to -- but I don't think I've ever seen such a strong defense that the most egregious examples of his acting was actually "good", "natural", "common in that era".
I've seen all 156 episodes of the original Twilight Zone and that ran 1959-1964 and had tons of television actors on their way up or on their way down and movie actors that were on their way up and on their way down. And a only handful of actors really hammed it up (Larry Blyden pops into my mind.)
So really -- Shatner's (occasional) acting style was common in the 1960s? I don't think so.
I've seen all 156 episodes of the original Twilight Zone and that ran 1959-1964 and had tons of television actors on their way up or on their way down and movie actors that were on their way up and on their way down. And a only handful of actors really hammed it up (Larry Blyden pops into my mind.)
So really -- Shatner's (occasional) acting style was common in the 1960s? I don't think so.
The Shat was solidly built, which made him believable as a leader, just on that, alone. But because The Shat can't act worth a shit, and is kind of a goof, to begin with AND because Kirk's meant to be likeable, casting Shatner worked. TOS Shatner could smile in a warm way that made him seem like he was friendly and liked you. He had plenty of stuntmen on STAR TREK, but he always did what he was allowed to, in fights, or climbing or jumping, or whatever. He was always good for that. In The Undiscovered Country, he even rolled over a live fire, in that film.If you think Shatner can't act, watch his performance in The Intruder (1962) as a smooth-talking, rabble-rousing racist.
Of course, OTOH, there's White Comanche . . .
And when Kirk was kissing up on the hottest women of the Sixties, you could kind of believe they would, because The Shat was an actorish-looking dude. And the Shat just loves going over the top, as we all know. All of which not only compensates for Shatner's lack of acting talents, it actually throws it into sharp relief. Making him amusing and memorable. And when he, finally, cashes it in, it will not go unnoticed. William Shatner made the world love him. 2takesfrakes should be so lucky ...
Say what you will, but Trek would have never made it past the second pilot if it weren't for Shatner. If he couldn't act, he wouldn't have gotten the job in the first place. At the time he was cast, he'd been working on television pretty much non-stop for years. If he couldn't act, he wouldn't have been working.
The style he learned and developed and used to support a 60 year career may have fallen out of favor in this day and age, but that doesn't diminish its value.
And I'll say this: It amazes me that supposed fans can hate on a guy who, among others, made the last 50 years of their fandom possible. It's like a bratty kid breaking his new Christmas bicycle because he didn't like the color.
The style he learned and developed and used to support a 60 year career may have fallen out of favor in this day and age, but that doesn't diminish its value.
And I'll say this: It amazes me that supposed fans can hate on a guy who, among others, made the last 50 years of their fandom possible. It's like a bratty kid breaking his new Christmas bicycle because he didn't like the color.
Exactly, the man is a fine actor who was extremely well regarded in the 60's. Getting Shatner for Star Trek was considered a coup at the time. I can absolutely separate nostalgia from honest assessment. Yup, he could and did chew the scenery pretty vigorously in a number of episodes. Mostly in the latter half of the series. But he also did some amazingly subtle things that you have to look for, after you shove your prejudice and instinct to pick at him into your pocket. He had amazing vocal and muscle control, would convey emotion without making a sound, had perfect comic timing, and could make me laugh, cry, cheer and get angry as much as any actor. Was he at his best in And the Children Shall Lead, Day of the Dove or The Paradise Syndrome? Absolutely not. But Where No Man Has Gone Before, This Side of Paradise, The City on the Edge of Forever, The Doomsday Machine, Balance of Terror and dozens of others show him totally on his game. Hell, I'll put his performance in Star Trek III (when David is killed) up there with the best of his work.
William Shatner's popularity, Kirk's popularity, don't exist because a shitty actor is in the role. That's just ridiculous. So is the idea that he pauses every other word. Please. Nobody would get away with that. And you don't think people don't stop and consider their next word? I do. Always have. I've even caught myself thinking, "that was Shatnarian." Yeah he's best known for it, and actors don't generally do it like he did (why should they, even if it's natural it's too well associated with him), but people do pause. They gesticulate. I'm an actor and I wish I had half of his skill.
And sorry, in Generations, Shatner's own natural charisma blew Patrick Stewart off the screen.
#ShatnerRules
William Shatner's popularity, Kirk's popularity, don't exist because a shitty actor is in the role. That's just ridiculous. So is the idea that he pauses every other word. Please. Nobody would get away with that. And you don't think people don't stop and consider their next word? I do. Always have. I've even caught myself thinking, "that was Shatnarian." Yeah he's best known for it, and actors don't generally do it like he did (why should they, even if it's natural it's too well associated with him), but people do pause. They gesticulate. I'm an actor and I wish I had half of his skill.
And sorry, in Generations, Shatner's own natural charisma blew Patrick Stewart off the screen.
#ShatnerRules
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Nobody (I don't think)-- questions that pre Star Trek Shatner could act. That is in fact how he got the role. But as he became the star and settled into the role he leaned more and more toward the odd affectations that critics mock.
He didn't, in my memory, use that style in the 7 Trek movies. Although his performance in TFF was kind of poor for other reasons.
I guess if you say Shatner can't act OR
if you say that his (sometimes) odd acting style was natural or real...
....then I disagree with both camps.
He didn't, in my memory, use that style in the 7 Trek movies. Although his performance in TFF was kind of poor for other reasons.
I guess if you say Shatner can't act OR
if you say that his (sometimes) odd acting style was natural or real...
....then I disagree with both camps.
I agree. It may have been his intention to sound natural, but I think he failed to pull it off. But in doing so gave us something awesome which I think adds some extra enjoyment to TOS and is much better than a natural/believable performance. Those are boring. Kirk is larger than life and so was Shatner's performance.
Shatner's acting ability is head and shoulders above Jeffrey Hunter.
"The Paradise Syndrome"--It was the best of times, it was the worst of times?
^^ Yup. Too much Paradise. I'm guessing he meant to put 'This Side of Paradise' in the 3rd sentence.
There are a lot of bad actors in Hollywood who've enjoyed great careers. Megan Fox, for example. William Shatner is not special, in this regard.
Nope, no nostalgia. You're just assuming that. Sort of a wild punch in the dark.
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