Leonard Simon Nimoy (March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor and director, famed for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original Star Trek series in 1966, then Star Trek: The Animated Series , the first six Star Trek films, Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek (as Spock Prime), and Star Trek Into Darkness (as Spock Prime). Nimoy also directed films, including Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and Three Men and a Baby