Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr Spock in science fiction series Star Trek, has died. He was 83.The actor, who won worldwide fame as the ever-logical, half-Vulcan first officer of the Starship Enterprise, passed away on Friday morning at his home in Los Angeles.
His unflappable character's blessing, "Live long and prosper", became a catchphrase for generations of devoted fans.
A former smoker, he had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Nimoy, the son of a barber, was also a poet, singer and photographer
His son, Adam Nimoy, told the Associated Press: "He affected the lives of many. He was also a great guy and my best friend."
The actor's final tweet on 23 February said: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"
Tributes have been flooding in from across the world, including from co-star William Shatner.
He tweeted: "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love."
George Takei, who played Sulu in Star Trek, tweeted: "Today, the world lost a great man, and I lost a great friend. We return you now to the stars, Leonard."
US President Barack Obama recalled how he greeted Nimoy with the Vulcan salute when they met in 2007, adding: "I love Spock."
Nimoy is survived by his second wife, two children, Adam and Julie Nimoy, six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
The son of a barber, he was also a poet, singer and photographer.
Nimoy was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on 26 March 1931 to Ukrainian immigrants who were Orthodox Jews.
He would later point out that Spock's split-fingered salute was derived from one used by rabbis during benedictions.
Nimoy acted in local productions from a young age, working as a cinema usher, vacuum-cleaner salesman and taxi driver before he found fame.
He also rose to the rank of sergeant while serving in the Army for two years, mainly at Fort McPherson, Georgia.
Nimoy was cast as Spock in the Star Trek TV series in the mid-1960s while teaching method acting at his own studio.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had noticed his guest appearances on TV shows The Lieutenant and Dr Kildare.
After Star Trek ended, Nimoy joined the adventure series Mission Impossible as Paris, a master of disguise.
He seemed conflicted about the green-blooded half-alien who made him a household name in the titles of two autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1975) and I Am Spock (1996).
But he took cameo roles as the beloved character when director JJ Abrams revived the Star Trek film franchise in 2009 and in a 2013 follow-up movie.
Nimoy would direct two Star Trek movies, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).
He also directed the hit 1987 comedy Three Men and a Baby.
But for fans, it was the part of Spock that always defined him.
He once said: "Of course the role changed my career - or rather, gave me one.
"It made me wealthy by most standards and opened up vast opportunities.
"It also affected me personally, socially, psychologically, emotionally."
