William Shatner: When Star Trek got cancelled after just three years, I had no money

When William Shatner landed the role of Captain James T Kirk in the iconic TV series Star Trek in 1966, he was already an established stage and screen actor in his native Canada.

He famously reprised his role in the vastly successful movie franchise, while playing the eponymous veteran police officer TJ Hooker in the 1980s TV drama series. 

After the Star Trek mantle was passed to the next generation, Shatner won plaudits for his role as advocate Denny Crane in comedy drama Boston Legal.

At the age of 90 he also travelled where no one of his age had gone before, by blasting off into space.

Now 92, he remains a keen equestrian and lives with his two Dobermans at his villa overlooking the San Fernando valley in Los Angeles. He has been married four times and has three daughters, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

What was your first job after leaving school?

After I graduated from McGill University in Montreal, I worked at a summer theatre for two or three months. After the season, the manager was off to Ottawa to run the Canadian Repertory Theatre for the winter, and I asked about a job. She said they had no acting jobs going but as I had a business degree, she could hire me as an assistant manager.

I proceeded to be a terrible business manager, promptly got fired and rehired as an actor. I got paid $50 a week, which was enough to pay the rent of an apartment with a bed with a rope mattress [where rope supports the mattress rather than wooden slats], and enough money for food most of the time. But if I wanted to have my laundry done or go to a movie I had to forfeit a meal.

Did you think being an actor would be well paid?

I had been performing since the age of six, all through school and university. My fault or my benefit is that I didn’t think about whether acting would bring in enough money to live on.

It never occurred to me to not be on stage until I told my father I wanted to be an actor. He just said, ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ and we got into an argument about my career prospects because he didn’t want me to be, as he termed it, a ‘hanger-on’.

Did Star Trek offer a greater level of job security?

By the mid-1960s, I had three children with my first wife Gloria and could no longer sleep in a small apartment on a rope mattress.

Hanging over me like a storm cloud about to break was the thought, can I make enough money to support everyone?

Star Trek might have offered financial security but as with every other show, the jeopardy is being cancelled. We weren’t magnificently paid, even by the standards of the time.

So, when Star Trek was cancelled after three years, I had no money and I was divorced. I put together a summer theatre programme and toured the US with that. I kept myself alive by being on stage and earning just enough to live on.

How did Star Trek re-emerge?

Star Trek disappeared for about six years, and then it began being shown everywhere in syndication, being played in front of younger audiences and suddenly it became very popular.

But the original cast received none of the financial benefits.

Was there one year that stood out as your most successful, financially?

I’ve always been a saver and not one to spend a lot of money, so I was able to save it, bank it and invest it. Gradually, I got to the point where I thought I don’t need to worry from year to year so I felt most successful financially then, in the 1980s when I played TJ Hooker.

Are you a spender or a saver?

I always felt financially at risk because I had three children and they needed healthcare and looking after. Now there are a lot of people around me that I am able to help. Aside from my three daughters – Lisabeth, Leslie Carol and Melanie – I’ve got five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Did you ever have a pension?

No! I think a pension requires a well-financed company, with a beginning, middle and no end. I think it’s a very English thing.

Do you own property?

I bought a four-bedroom modern Spanish colonial style house in 1974. It’s in a suburb of Los Angeles, overlooking the San Fernando valley. I also keep horses at a trainer’s stable about 30 minutes from my home.

Wiliam Shatner in soace: The star, right, with crew from the Blue Origin in 2021

What has been your best financial decision?

I was aware that investing was a good idea. Being careful with my money, so I could look after the family, repair the roof or whatever, and investing, has been my best money decision.

What is your financial priority?

I am comfortable now. I don’t think about money for myself, but for about those I love. My top priority is making sure my family have enough to eat and shelter in the years to come.

Did you have to pay to go into space?

I was very lucky to be a guest of Jeff Bezos on the Blue Origin orbit, but from what I hear commercial flights of the future will be priced between $200,000 [£158,000] to $300,000. That’s some ticket!

You went to space in 2021 at the age of 90. How did that happen?

I actually turned down the first offer – which invited me to go up after Jeff Bezos. I thought I’m not going to go up second.

But I have a book out called Boldly Go, which says: ‘Say YES! to the adventure of life.’ So I persuaded myself that I had to be true to that.

Anyway, they got me there a day early, and I thought: ‘What am I doing here, there’s no one else here yet?’ And then someone from the space team suggested driving out to the launch site, which is at almost 5,000ft up in the desert. When we got there one of the space crew said: ‘Let’s walk up the gantry to the launch pad.’

Well, I did three, four flights – trying to catch my breath – then a few more, and finally made it to the top. They said: ‘That’s great, let’s go back down’ and I thought: ‘Why get me up here?’ I then realised they were checking whether the old man could make it up those 11 storeys at 5,000ft altitude.

• William Shatner’s book Boldly Go: Reflections On A Life Of Awe And Wonder is now available in paperback. A biopic, You Can Call Me Bill, is out this summer