Your new Instagram follower can be Captain James T Kirk, T.J. Hooker and Danny Crane -- the iconic Willam Shatner!
William Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 60 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist and horseman. He is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures and a major philanthropist. In 1966, Shatner originated the role of “Captain James T. Kirk” in the television series Star Trek. The series spawned a feature film franchise where Shatner returned as Captain Kirk in seven of the Star Trek movies, one of which he directed.
Shatner played the title role in the hit television series T.J. Hooker before hosting television’s first reality-based series, Rescue 911. He won Emmy's and his first Golden Globe for his portrayal of eccentric lawyer “Denny Crane” on both The Practice and Boston Legal. He received four more Emmy nominations as well as other Golden Globe and SAG Award nods.
Mr. Shatner is the host and executive producer of The History Channel's The UnXplained which explores the world’s most fascinating, strange and inexplicable mysteries. Shatner's love of music inspired him to record the critically acclaimed album Has Been. The Milwaukee Ballet performed “Common People,” a dance presentation set to several numbers from the record; the event and its preparations are featured in the documentary Gonzo Ballet, which played to sold out houses at film festivals worldwide. In 2018, Shatner released the country music album, What About Me, with Jeff Cook and Heartland Records Quickly following that, Shatner experienced much success with Shatner Clause, a 2018 holiday album which peaked at number two on the Billboard chart. In 2020, Shatner released The Blues which quickly reached number one on Billbord’s Blues chart.
Off the screen and broadcast waves, Shatner has authored nearly 30 best-sellers in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His autobiography, Up Till Now, was a New York Times best-seller and was followed by Shatner Rules. In 2016, he released Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man, also a NY Times Bestseller and in 2018, Live Long And…What I Might Have Learned Along the Way. In April 2011, Shatner launched his hugely popular one-man show, Shatner’s World on Broadway. He toured in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and over 50 cities in the United States.
Shatner has been successful in another area — horse breeding. A longtime dedicated breeder of American Quarter horses, he has had enormous success with the American Saddlebred, developing and riding world champions and has won numerous world championships in several equine events. His passions for horses and philanthropy were united when he started the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which benefits Los Angeles-based children’s charities. Shatner continues to act, write, produce and direct while still making time to work with charities and further his passion in equestrian sports.