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Leonard Simon Nimoy (born March 26, 1931) is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. He is best known for playing the character of Spock on Star Trek, an American television series that ran for three seasons from 1966 to 1969, in addition to reprising the role in several movie sequels.

Nimoy was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Izyaslav, Ukraine. His father, Max Nimoy, owned a barbershop. His mother, Dora Nimoy (nee Spinner), was a homemaker. Nimoy began acting at the age of 8. His first major role was Ralphie in Clifford Odets's "Awake and Sing," at 17. He studied photography at UCLA, but left before completing his degree. He graduated from Boston College in 1953, and has an MA in Education and an honorary doctorate from Antioch University in Ohio.

Nimoy spent much of his early career doing small parts in B-movies, TV shows such as Dragnet, and serials such as Republic Pictures' Zombies of the Stratosphere. In 1961, he had a minor role in The Twilight Zone episode "A Quality of Mercy".

Nimoy served in the U.S. Army Reserve, being discharged in November 1955 as a sergeant.