Leonard Simon Nimoy (/ˈniːmɔɪ/; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, author, director, singer, songwriter, and photographer who achieved international fame for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for almost 50 years; from two pilot episodes in 1965 and 1967 to his final film performance in 2013.[1] Originating the role of Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series, he went on to play him again on Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first six Star Trek films, and in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nimoy also directed films, including Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and appeared in several movies, television shows, and voice acted in several video games.