Leonard Nimoy, actor and Star Trek icon, dies at 83.

Leonard Nimoy, the multi-talented actor, poet, artist, and photographer, has passed away at the age of 83. Nimoy had recently checked in to UCLA Medical Center after suffering from chest pains but he was released. His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed that the actor had died at their Bel Air, CA home of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Mr. Nimoy announced last year that he had the disease, which he attributed to years of smoking, a habit he had given up three decades earlier. He had been hospitalized earlier in the week.

His artistic pursuits — poetry, photography and music in addition to acting — ranged far beyond the United Federation of Planets, but it was as Mr. Spock that Mr. Nimoy became a folk hero, bringing to life one of the most indelible characters of the last half century: a cerebral, unflappable, pointy-eared Vulcan with a signature salute and blessing: “Live long and prosper” (from the Vulcan “Dif-tor heh smusma”).

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Leonard Nimoy dies at 83

Leonard Simon Nimoy was born in Boston to immigrant parents from what is now the Ukraine. He began acting at a very early age and eventually studied drama at Boston College and photography at the University of California, Los Angeles. He served in the US Army from 1953-1957.

Best known for creating the iconic role of Mr. Spock in TV’s Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy is credited with more than 130 TV and big screen performances ranging from early TV appearances in shows such as Zombies of the Stratosphere to a more recent recurring role in the TV show The Fringe. He was also a writer, director, and producer.

In addition to acting, Leonard Nimoy was a talented photographer. His work has been displayed at several museums in Massachusetts and he authored a number of books on the subject. He was also a musician and released several albums in the late 60s/early 70s. He was well known as a voice artist and narrator as well.