William Shatner Through The Years: Photos Of The ‘Star Trek’ Icon’s Life & Career

By:

Elissa Anderson

March 22, 2023 11:36AM EDT

William Shatner is a legend who has been entertaining for over six decades. Celebrate his March 22 birthday with a look at his career over time.

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William Shatner Through The Years

William Shatner Through The Years — Today is William Shatner’s birthday & we’re honoring him with his best photos from his younger years to today!

William Shatner, born March 22, 1931, is an actor, singer, and pop culture icon who has had a six-decade-plus career. Best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk on the original ‘Star Trek’. The Canadian talent also played veteran police sergeant in T. J. Hooker on TV from 1982 to 1986. From 2004 until 2008, he starred as attorney Denny Crane in the legal drama The ‘Practice’ and in its spinoff series Boston Legal, winning two Emmys for the role.

In addition to his acting accolades, he is a celebrated recording artist, lauded for his unique, spoken word renditions of pop songs. He’s covered of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, and famously, Elton John’s “Rocketman”.

In 2021, Shatner flew to space aboard a Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule. At age 90, he became the oldest person to fly to space and one of the first 600 to do so

Here, William Shatner is center-stage during his Spotlight panel at New York Comic-Con on Oct. 7, 2021.

Want to see how Mr. Shatner has evolved over the years? Click through the gallery for more.

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‘Star Trek’

‘Star Trek’ — William Shatner is seen on ‘Star Trek’. He played Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise from 1965 to 1969 in the original. He would reprise that character several times, up until his final appearance as Kirk in ‘Star Trek Generations’ (1994).

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William Shatner In 1979

William Shatner In 1979 — Making a splash! William Shatner is seen on Celebrity Sport Day in 1979. So fit!

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‘Airplane II’

‘Airplane II’ — William Shatner appears in 1982’s ‘Airplane II’. The star has never been afraid to poke fun at himself.

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William Shatner In 1987

William Shatner In 1987 — Sunny days. William Shatner is seen in 1987.

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William Shatner With His Book

William Shatner With His Book — An author too! William Shatner is seen with his book ‘TekWar’, which came out in 1989.

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William Shatner At A Book Signing

William Shatner At A Book Signing — William Shatner at a book signing for his novel ‘Startrek: Preserver’. The event took place in New York.

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William Shatner In 2002

William Shatner In 2002 — Back in space. William Shatner sits on the bridge of a mock-up Enterprise made for the exhibit ‘Star Trek The Adventure – An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years Of The Tv Show And Feature Films’ in London on Dec. 11, 2002.

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‘Boston Legal’

‘Boston Legal’ — Law and order. William Shatner appeared on Boston Legal as attorney Denny Crane.

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William Shatner Through The Years

William Shatner Through The Years — Pageant gone awry! Heather Burns, Abraham Benrubi, and William Shatner (left to right) appear in the 2005 film ‘Miss Congeniality 2 – Armed and Fabulous’.

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William Shatner & Wife At The 2007 Emmys

William Shatner & Wife At The 2007 Emmys — William Shatner and wife Elizabeth Martin appear at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sep. 16, 2007. The couple married in 2001 but divorced in 2020. Elizabeth was his fourth wife.

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William Shatner Rides His Harley

William Shatner Rides His Harley — Vroom, vroom. William Shatner shows off his 2005 Harley Davidson FXDC Dyna Super Glide Custom motorcycle in Apr. 2010. The bike was worth an estimated $12,000 to $14,000 at the time.

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William Shatner In 2012

William Shatner In 2012 — William Shatner laughs during the Official Star Trek Convention at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 12, 2012. He’s become a fixture on the sci-fi convention circuit.

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William Shatner In 2013

William Shatner In 2013 — William Shatner arrives at the 82nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, on Sunday, December, 1, 2013. He waved at the crowd, who was so happy to see him.

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William Shatner In 2015

William Shatner In 2015 — Looking good! William Shatner dons all black for NBC Universal Summer Press Tour in Los Angeles on Apr. 2, 2015.

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William Shatner In 2017

William Shatner In 2017 — William Shatner poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. It was May 22, 2017.

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William Shatner In 2019

William Shatner In 2019 — An icon. William Shatner at AlienCon LA in LA on Jun. 23, 2019.

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William Shatner Goes To Space

William Shatner Goes To Space — William Shatner with Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s Vice President of Mission & Flight Operations, and crewmates Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries. In 2021, Shatner flew to space aboard a Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule. At age 90, he became the oldest person to fly to space and one of the first 600 to do so.

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