Spock’s Movie Theater

Leonard Nimoy, you’ve probably heard, now has a movie theater named for him on the Upper West Side. It used to be the Thalia-that grungy yet beloved cave at 95th and Broadway. Now the Thalia is the Leonard Nimoy Thalia. True, the new name is a little weird, but it could have been something like the Frito-Lay Thalia. So the Leonard Nimoy Thalia sounds pretty great.

We went to talk to Mr. Nimoy the other day at his new theater. He took a seat in the back row. He is tall and thin, and he wore a light brown V-neck sweater, khakis and white New Balance sneakers. He had a snazzy crew cut, and his hair was dark gray. Mr. Nimoy’s 71 now. He looked great. We checked the ears. The ears looked great, too.

The weird thing is, Mr. Nimoy had never seen a single film at the Thalia before he and his wife, Susan, decided to invest $1.5 million in it. He wasn’t one of those West Siders who could tell you about the time he held his wife-to-be’s hand for the first time during Children of Paradise , or watched a pair of rats in flagrante delicto during Jules and Jim . He wasn’t the guy at work who can’t stop telling you about the time there was a flood in the Thalia during the climax of Wages of Fear and, instead of leaving, everyone simply propped their feet on the edges of their chairs.

Mr. Nimoy just liked movies. He’d been in a couple, of course, and directed some, too ( Three Men and a Baby , don’t forget). But he also spent a lot of time in Los Angeles going to screenings at the Coronet Theater on La Cienega Boulevard. It was thousands of miles away, but the Coronet had the same “sensibility” as the Thalia, Mr. Nimoy said.

“You could see the silents, you could see the Truffauts and the Bergmans and the Fellinis and what have you, and you could see a film that you have always heard about but nobody ever played,” Mr. Nimoy said in a low, gravelly voice. “It would be coming up in about six weeks, and you’d mark the date and say you had to go there that night. It was that kind of place.”

The Thalia renovation is part of a greater renovation of Symphony Space, the performance hall upstairs from the movie theater. Mr. Nimoy had a relationship with Symphony Space from reading short stories in its “Selected Shorts” program, so the Symphony Space people asked if he’d be interested in helping with their overhaul of the Thalia. He came one day to witness the construction, wore a hard hat-”This place was a dug-out concrete hole,” he said-and signed on. That was about all he did, he said. For a guy with a theater named after him, Mr. Nimoy was pretty low-key about it.

The new Thalia is a souped-up version of its woebegone predecessor. There’s new paint, new seats, new acoustic paneling and fancy lighting that can be used for live performances. The old reverse-parabolic floor-the one you could drop a Raisinet on and have it roll away and then back to you like a boomerang-is gone. But it’s still small-176 seats, or about a third of the size of a multiplex coliseum.

Mr. Nimoy was joined in the theater by Isaiah Sheffer, Symphony Space’s artistic director. Mr. Sheffer was excited about a movie that was coming to the Thalia on April 20.

“We have this new print that Martin Scorsese has paid for us to have struck of Rossellini’s The Rise of Louis XIV ,” he said. “Fabiano”-Fabiano Canosa, the Thalia’s film curator-”is now in Paris picking it up. Scorsese gave some money to have it subtitled. Fabiano will bring it back in his hand.”

Alas, Mr. Sheffer said, not every classic is in such fine form. Time and mistreatment have done great damage to classic films.

“If you want to show Jules and Jim ,” Mr. Sheffer said, “the best print available is not so wonderful.”

“I have a good print of Satan’s Satellites if you want to run that,” Mr. Nimoy said. He added, dryly: “known as Zombies of the Stratosphere .”

Mr. Nimoy laughed and propped a sneaker on the back of the chair in front of him. Get a theater named after you, and you can do that whenever you want.

-Jason Gay

Source: New York Observer

The Untouchables Takeover

The Untouchables Takeover: The demand for real beer goes unabated and Charlie Zenko tries to consolidate his control of the North side of Chicago. He arranges for brew master Franz Koenig to get a visit from Eliot Ness. At his trial however, Koenig is saved when a stranger, Leo Mencken, provides him with the alibi he needs. Soon Koenig and Mencken are partners and are using Mencken's unique way of temporarily masking the re-alcoholization of the beer they produce. Charlie Zenko is none too pleased that his competition is back on the street but has the good sense to check with New York mobster Joe Kulak who confirms that Mencken is working for him. When they finally meet, Charlie Zenko is shocked to see just who Leo Mencken really is.

Source: IMDB

Untouchables: Season 3, Vol. 2

The Untouchables: Takeover Three weeks prior to the repeal of Prohibition, Woody O'Mara (Mort Mills) prepares to eliminate brewery operator Franz Koenig (played by Hogan's Heroes' future "Sgt. Schultz" John Banner) so that he and Charlie Zenko (Luther Adler) can take over all illegal liquor activities on the North Side before it's too late. Zenko shows his "gratitude" by planting a bomb in O'Mara's car and assuming command of the entire operation himself. Ironically, Zenko himself ends up being betrayed by his own son Larry (Robert Loggia)--leaving Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) to solemnly pick up the pieces. Watch for Leonard Nimoy as a squirrelly trigger man named Packy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Source: Hitfix

The Untouchables: Season 3, Volume 2 – DVD Review

Eliot Ness put a lethal bullet in Mr. Spock. That’s right. He took down the half-Vulcan that the Klingons, Romulans and Khan couldn't touch. Eliot Ness (Robert Stack) busted Al Capone and ventilated Mr. Spock to prove he’s the toughest cop in the universe. He didn’t care about your home planet. You were a target for Ness’ service revolver when you brought vice into Chicago. The Untouchables: Season 3, Volume 2 gives another 12 riveting crime tales with familiar faces being shot down before the prime of their career.

“Takeover” shocks with Mr. Spock’s death. Although since Nimoy’s role of Packy isn’t more than an elaborate cameo so I’m not spoiling the episodes. John Banner (Hogan’s Heroes’ Sgt Schultz) is a Chicago brewer who is forced to barrel up non-alcoholic beer. It hurts his soul to remove the love from the lager. He gets busted by Ness for making the real stuff. He’s bailed out by Robert Loggia (The Sopranos). He’s get a great new scam for putting the alcohol back in the near beer. Things get messy when there’s a battle for control of the speakeasy scene. This is when Nimoy arrives with his hired gun. However he gets beamed into a cold grave by Ness.

Source: InsidePulse

Leonard Nimoy, AKA Spock from Star Trek, and Pharrell discuss the creation of the Spock character, how the Vulcan salute came to be, and the controversy behind some of Nimoy's photography projects. He also clarifies that his memoir, "I Am Not Spock", was not meant to be negative and fills us in on the advice he gave Zachary Quinto before Quinto reprised the role of Spock in the latest Star Trek movies. 

A quote by Leonard Nimoy, from the book Instant Connections: Essays and Interviews on Photography by Jason Landry

United Friends of the Children had its first Stone Canyon Crawl, a high-end “pub crawl” through Bel Air, on December 6, 2013. The evening began at the Bel Air Hotel for a cocktail hour, after which guests enjoyed dinner at the home of Sela Ward and Howard Sherman. From there, they were treated to an exclusive screening of Her at Nadine and Fred Rosen’s home. Funds raised from the Stone Canyon Crawl will benefit foster youth in Los Angeles during the holidays; they will also help young adults without families graduate from high school and college, and later support them with their search for employment and housing.

Source: Los Angeles Confidential

BAM! POW! ZAP! Zachary Quinto Talks New Projects, Ralph Fiennes Preps to Boss Around James Bond ( December 19, 2013)

Having cultivated a warm personal and working relationship with Leonard Nimoy as he assumed the Spock mantle, Quinto’s garnered insight from the veteran actor, who parlayed his own creative investment in Star Trek as the director/producer of the third and fourth films features the original TV cast into a more diverse directorial career with movies like Three Men and a Baby and The Good Mother.

"We’ve spoken a lot about his experience and his career and the diversity of it," says Quinto. "And I know that it’s allowed him to feel like he’s had an incredible journey in his work and his life, and hopefully, I’ll look back on my experience with the same realization. It was interesting to have those conversations with him, for sure."

Source: Fandango

The blurb next to the picture says "When viewing a movie actor playing a "good guy" or a "bad guy" role, we find it difficult to escape the illusion that the scripted behavior reflects an inner disposition. Perhaps that is why Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock in the original 'Star Trek' titled one of his books I Am Not Spock."

Source: fluffylaces.tumblr.com

The other cast members weren’t slouches either. One day, during a particularly intense confrontation between McCoy and Spock, DeForest Kelley leaned forward and kissed Leonard Nimoy on the nose. Leonard just stared at him, shocked, then realized what he had done and broke up. 

But it didn’t end there. They couldn’t do a retake. Every time Leonard got close to DeForest and looked him in the eye, he broke up laughing again. And the effect was contagious. Pretty soon no one on the set could keep a straight face. Leonard and De were too conscious of their nose-to-nose position, they couldn’t stay in character long enough to do the shot. Finally, Joe Pevney, the director, gave up. They had to move to another set and pick up some other shots”

Source:dekelleyfans.livejournal.com via grumpydoctor.tumblr.com

Lot 424: William Shatner "Captain Kirk" & Leonard Nimoy "Mr. Spock" vintage life masks for Star Trek: TOS

Hollywood Auction by Profiles in History December 21, 2013

Description:

424. Original William Shatner “Captain Kirk” and Leonard Nimoy “Mr. Spock” vintage life masks by Fred Phillips for Star Trek: The original Series. (Paramount, 1966-1969) Since the earliest days of the groundbreaking TV series Star Trek, Special FX masters were innovating new methods to change the shape of the actor’s features to represent a galaxy of otherworldly beings. In the art of prosthetic makeup then and still today, there is no more important a tool that the life cast. It is upon this positive image that all the imaginative creatures in the universe of Star Trek were built. And there are no two cast members more fundamentally linked to the iconic series than William Shatner as “Captain Kirk” and Leonard Nimoy as the stoic Vulcan “Spock”. Here are: (1) William Shatner 11.5 x 8 x 9 in. white plaster facial life cast. Extending from top of head to behind ears to neck with a hair line crack on the verso and (1) Leonard Nimoy 11.5 x 10 x 6.75 in white plaster facial life cast. Extending from top of head to behind ears to neck. Both casts have handwritten on the verso,“Property of Fred Phillips”. Both casts were taken in the early days of the fledgling Sci-Fi series and represent both men in the prime of their burgeoning careers. Both casts from the estate of Star Trekmakeup maven Fred Phillips. Note: Only the Nimoy cast comes with an LOA from the Phillips Estate. The Shatner cast - Provenance:Christie’s, Los Angeles November 15, 2000, lot 20.
$800 - $1,200

Source: invaluable.com

Lot 435: Leonard Nimoy "Spock" uniform from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Hollywood Auction by Profiles in History December 21, 2013

435. Leonard Nimoy “Spock” uniform from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. (Paramount, 1979) In the first entry in the Star Trek movie franchise, Leonard Nimoy as “Spock” wears this two-piece costume, consisting of a paneled, long-sleeve jacket with zipper closure in back. Orange and green Starfleet insignia patch sewn onto left chest. Gold ranking braids on sleeve cuffs. A “perscan” medical monitoring device is attached to an integral false belt in the front of the jacket. Such a device is mentioned in Gene Roddenberry’s novelization of The Motion Picture. Matching gray slacks have zipper fly closure and shoes built into the pant legs. The uniforms were redesigned because the bright colors of the 1960s original series would distract viewers watching the big screen. But the designs proved unpopular and when Harve Bennett took over as producer, he ordered the uniforms redesigned because he did not want “an all-gray crew on an all-gray ship.” Both garments exhibit Western Costumes labels typewritten with production numbers and “Lenord [sic] Nimoy”. In excellent condition. 
$15,000 - $20,000

Source: invaluable.com

Lot 425: Original Fred Phillips plaster molds for Leonard Nimoy's "Spock" ears from Star Trek: TOS.

Description:

425. Original Fred Phillips plaster molds for Leonard Nimoy’s “Spock” ears from Star Trek: The Original Series. (Paramount, 1966-1969) The process of arriving at the final molds for Spock’s ears was a complex one. Here are the original c. 1965 (2) Original 5.5 in. round by 3 in. tall, 3-piece negative plaster molds fabricated by makeup wizard Fred Phillips. In the early days of the now legendary Sci-Fi TV series, Star Trek, budget was negligible. So makeup effects pioneers like Phillips used his considerable talents to ensure that lack of money didn’t hamper the look of the groundbreaking show. And in keeping with economy, these intricate molds were not fabricated at a big studio makeup lab, but rather in Fred Phillip’s own kitchen in Van Nuys, California. Vulcan ears were sculpted in oil-based clay on the plaster positive of the ears. Once the final design was approved, the ears were cast in a 3-piece sectional plaster mold. The plaster mold was then cleaned out of residual clay, mold pieces reassembled and foam latex injected. Finally, the molds and appliance were cured in Phillip’s kitchen oven. When the molds were opened, the resulting piece was an authentic Spock ear tip. The interior fitting precisely to Nimoy’s ear and the exterior, the iconic pointy Vulcan feature synonymous with the Spock character. In vintage production-used, fine condition. Provenance: Christie’s, Los Angeles November 15, 2000, lot 27. 
$4,000 - $6,000

Source: invaluable.com

Lot 440: Leonard Nimoy's on-set director's chair from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Description:

440. Leonard Nimoy’s on-set director’s chair from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. (Paramount, 1991) Leonard Nimoy’s personal, on-set director’s chair from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Consisting of a 46 in. tall folding wooden director’s chair with 21 x 15 in. rose-colored canvas seat and matching 20 x 7 in. canvas chair back with, “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”printed on the front and “MR. SPOCK” embroidered in black thread on the back. With minor fading to fabric. Otherwise, in very good condition. 
$800 - $1,200

Source: invaluable.com