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William Shatner as police officer T.J. Hooker in the '80s. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0715494/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Yet, he also made a triumphant return as Captain Kirk. This time it was to packed houses in movie theatres, not beaming in to the living rooms of viewers across the world.
The 1980s was a busy time for William Shatner who is still busy to this day.
I saw he was giving an interview to “The Morning Show” a few days ago, and it just reminded me how prolific he really is.
Rebirth
William Shatner began the 1980s kind of where it all started – in “Star Trek”.
William Shatner began the 1980s kind of where it all started – in “Star Trek”.
The much anticipated “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” had come out in 1979 and fans flocked to the theatres. However, the movie was heavy on special effects, and light on plot and character development. There were even uncomfortable similarities to the plots of old episodes of “Star Trek”.
Compliments turned to condemnation. A sequel was inevitable, but it seemed if it was more of the same as “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, the very survival of the franchise could be in peril.
In response, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”, which came out in 1982, is still considered by many to be the best of all the “Star TreK” theatrical movies with the cast from the Original Series. William Shatner was brilliant as a Kirk. At times he was faced with his own mortality and fallibility, and at other times he was his razor sharp best improvising in battle.
Shatner gets a lot of static about over acting and not being able to act at all. I think the over-acting is precisely why he is so effective in “The Wrath of Khan”.
The movie had an open ending, and there was not only talk of a sequel, but when it would come out.
Fans only had to wait until 1984 when “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” appeared at a theatre near you. It answered the questions left by “The Wrath of Khan” and, after finding and rescuing a reborn Spock, left the door open to another sequel.
Again it was two years later when “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” debuted in 1986. The crew of the Enterprise must travel back in time to present-day San Francisco to save humanity. This time round, Shatner plays Kirk with a lighter touch, making for some pretty funny scenes.
It always takes me a minute after this amazing “Star Trek” trilogy, to remember there was a fourth “Star Trek” movie in the ‘80s, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” from 1989. Maybe because I was so disappointed, it is the lone original series “Star Trek” movie I have seen only once. It just didn’t have the feel of a “Star Trek” movie, the plot wasn’t that good, and it just seemed too disconnected from the franchise.
Sadly, William Shatner directed it.
Sadly, William Shatner directed it.
Yet, whether that was the reason “Star Trek V” was so bad or not, Shatner had helped save the franchise. He would go on to redeem himself with another incredible performance in 1991 in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”. Watching that movie, it was like “Star Trek V” had never happened.
Amid all of this, William Shatner was busy with something he was very familiar with – a weekly television series.
Hooked on Shatner
One thing that took getting used to was Shatner’s hair. In “Star Trek” he was essentially blonde, but by the time “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” hit the theatres, he was more a brunette and his hair just looked different.
One thing that took getting used to was Shatner’s hair. In “Star Trek” he was essentially blonde, but by the time “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” hit the theatres, he was more a brunette and his hair just looked different.
I sill had a bit of trouble adjusting in 1982, when he starred in a new weekly show on Saturday nights at 9 p.m. on Channel 7 of the peasant vision dial
It was called “T.J. Hooker”, airing as a mid-season replacement when I was in Grade 7 in mid-March of 1982.
Shatner plays the title character, a police detective whose partner is killed in the line of duty. He returns to duty as a patrol officer to rid the streets of crime. In the pilot, he also returns to the police academy as an instructor.
Shatner plays the title character, a police detective whose partner is killed in the line of duty. He returns to duty as a patrol officer to rid the streets of crime. In the pilot, he also returns to the police academy as an instructor.
He is teamed with a younger officer, Vince Romano, played by Adrian Zmed. Much is made about their age gap, but they become an effective pair. Of course, Hooker has a commanding officer Dennis Sheridan, played by Richard Herd, who he comes into conflict with. In the second season, Heather Locklear joined the cast for the remainder of the show’s run as Stacey Sheridan, another rookie police officer.
One of the episodes I remember is when Leonard Nimoy guest starred as another detective and old friend of Hooker’s.
As I got older, I stopped watching “T.J. Hooker”, partly because it was cnancelled by ABC, and brought back for another season by CBS. However, CBS brought it back to late-night TV, which we didn’t get on peasant vision.
“T.J. Hooker” ran for five seasons, from 1982 to 1986, for a total of 91 episodes.
What’s that?
Something I found interesting when “T.J. Hooker” appeared on the airwaves as a mid-season replacement, was the reference to a show called “The Barbary Coast.” In more than one place, I am pretty sure in “TV Guide” and maybe even “Entertainment Tonight”, there were references about “T.J. Hooker” being the first network TV show for Shatner since “The Barbary Coast”.
Something I found interesting when “T.J. Hooker” appeared on the airwaves as a mid-season replacement, was the reference to a show called “The Barbary Coast.” In more than one place, I am pretty sure in “TV Guide” and maybe even “Entertainment Tonight”, there were references about “T.J. Hooker” being the first network TV show for Shatner since “The Barbary Coast”.
I had no idea what that was until I was going through some old issues of “TV Guide”. I came upon a fall TV preview where they had a little profile. Shatner co-starred with Doug McClure in a western, but that was all I really knew. I later learned Shatner played a government agent in 1870s San Francisco. “The Barbary Coast” appeared on the TV schedule for the 1975-1976 season, lasting a total of 14 episodes.
The rest
William Shatner also did a bit of other work in he 1980s, primarily on television. He appeared in the TV movies “The Babysitter”; ”Secrets of a Married Man”, opposite Cybill Shepherd; and “Broken Angel”; had guest spots on “Police Squad!” and “The Ray Bradbury Theatre”; and hosted “Rescue 911” from 1989 to 1996.
William Shatner also did a bit of other work in he 1980s, primarily on television. He appeared in the TV movies “The Babysitter”; ”Secrets of a Married Man”, opposite Cybill Shepherd; and “Broken Angel”; had guest spots on “Police Squad!” and “The Ray Bradbury Theatre”; and hosted “Rescue 911” from 1989 to 1996.
He also appeared in the theatrical releases “The Kidnapping of the President” in 1980. In 1982, he was in the Canadian slasher film “Visiting Hours” and “Airplane II: The Sequel”, both in the same year as “Wrath of Khan”.
The years after
There was so much more to William Shatner than Captain James T. Kirk since the 1980s, although “Star Trek” has continued to play a major role in his career.
There was so much more to William Shatner than Captain James T. Kirk since the 1980s, although “Star Trek” has continued to play a major role in his career.
His big screen movie work has included “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” and “Star Trek Generations”, as well as “Loaded Weapon 1”; “Miss Congeniality”; “American Psycho 2”; “DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story”; “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous”; and much more.
On television, he had guest spots in “Seaquesr DSV”; and “3rd Rock from the Sun”, as the “Big Giant Head” for five episodes, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He was in “Psych”; Rookie Blue”; “Hot in Cleveland”; “Murdoch Mysteries”; “Haven”; “Private Eyes”; “The Indian Detective”; “The Big Bang Theory”; “The Masked Singer”; and much more.. He was also in the Canadian movie “Everest ‘82”.
Shatner also created and co-starred with Greg Evigan in the Canadian science fiction series “TekWar”, for 18 episodes; and was in “$#*! My Dad Says” for 18 episodes;
His signature role may have been lawyer Denny Crane for the last season of “The Practice” then the entire five-season run of “Boston Legal”, from 2004 to 2008 and 101 episodes. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for “The Practice” in 2004 for the role of Denny Crane. He won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the same role in 2005, this time in “Boston Legal”, and was nominated again in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Shatner also won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor on Television in 2005 and was nominated again in 2008 for his role as Denny Crane on “Boston Legal”.
Life story
One of the neatest shows I saw on William Shatner was a profile on CBC’s “Life and Times”. It took him all the way back to his beginnings in Montreal, and he actually went back to the house he grew up in. Anyone who says he is nominally Canadian, just had to see him speaking fluent French with the woman at the door, to see he is still Canadian. That profile also talked about his work on the stage in Canada and with the CBC before he ventured to the States. It was really cool.
One of the neatest shows I saw on William Shatner was a profile on CBC’s “Life and Times”. It took him all the way back to his beginnings in Montreal, and he actually went back to the house he grew up in. Anyone who says he is nominally Canadian, just had to see him speaking fluent French with the woman at the door, to see he is still Canadian. That profile also talked about his work on the stage in Canada and with the CBC before he ventured to the States. It was really cool.
Live in person
I also was able to meet William Shatner in person a few years ago at Calgary Expo or Comic Con, where I had my picture taken with him and got his autograph. I heard he could be moody, or aloof. He was also 90 when I met him.
I also was able to meet William Shatner in person a few years ago at Calgary Expo or Comic Con, where I had my picture taken with him and got his autograph. I heard he could be moody, or aloof. He was also 90 when I met him.
Of all the things I could say to him, what I ended up saying was his signature line from “Boston Legal” – “Denny Crane!”
He looked at me with a combination of shock, confusion and maybe a bit of horror.
I also heard a talk he gave at Comic Con. It was really good, as he described actually going into space and just the nature of life, celebrity and more.
It was really good.
Parting thoughts
Initially, one of the things that attracted me to William Shatner was that he was a Canadian who made it big in the States. Knowing and celebrating all those Canadians has been a real passion for me.
Initially, one of the things that attracted me to William Shatner was that he was a Canadian who made it big in the States. Knowing and celebrating all those Canadians has been a real passion for me.
However, our shared citizenship is only part of the equation. I always enjoyed his work as Captain Kirk, but particularly in the movies. After all, I saw the first two movies before I saw any episodes of the TV series.
His talent as an actor, often mocked by some, is truly evident in his role as Denny Crane on “Boston Legal”. He received not one, but two Emmy awards and a Golden Globe for his efforts. Overall, he was nominated for a total of six Emmys and two Golden Globes for the role. Beyond his comic touch, he also brought attention and awareness to the challenges of aging and the onset of Alzheimer Disease. That can never be lost in all the jokes about his over acting.
I think the transition from “Star Trek” to “T.J. Hooker” in the ‘80s, set him on the road to becoming that well-rounded actor.
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