Dozens of high-profile TV roles followed, the most famous of which remains his bravura 1963 performance as a bedevilled airline passenger in the chilling Twilight Zone episode Nightmare At 20,000 Feet. In 1965, Shatner landed his first series lead in the short-lived drama For The People. The following year, writer-producer Gene Roddenberry invited him to view a 90-minute pilot he'd developed that had been rejected by all the major networks. Intrigued with Roddenberry's futuristic tale of inter-galactic exploration, Shatner offered some suggestions for re-jigging the plot and agreed to accept the starring role in a revamped version. His life would never be the same.

"I was built for the long run, not the short dash." - William Shatner

Star Trek debuted in September 1966 and lasted three seasons. At the time, however, it wasn't a big hit. Trekmania wouldn't ignite for another 16 years, with the release of the second Trek film, The Wrath Of Khan, and the subsequent popularity of the spin-off series, Star Trek: The Next Generation. By the time the world rediscovered Captain Kirk, Shatner was establishing himself as a more down-to-earth TV hero, playing street-smart cop T.J. Hooker for five hit seasons.

Still, there was no escaping the stalwart James T., and Shatner wisely chose not only to embrace the role but to have some fun with it. He starred in five more Trek films, finally laying Captain Kirk to rest in Star Trek: Generations. Kirk did resurface briefly in 1993 in a clever episode of Star Trek: Voyager that parodied the classic Trouble With Tribbles episode from the original series. Even more memorable, though, was a brilliant Saturday Night Live sketch, with Shatner screaming at a convention full of overzealous Trekkers to "Get a life"!

In 1990, the ever-enterprising Shatner decided to try his hand at writing. His first novel, the sci-fi adventure Tek War, proved so popular that eight sequels, and a syndicated TV series, followed. He has also written 10 other books, including two best-selling volumes of Trek reminiscences.

Recent years have been bittersweet for Shatner. Last summer, the announcement of his first Emmy nomination - for his brilliantly funny turn as The Big Giant Head on Third Rock From The Sun - coincided with the tragic, accidental death of his third wife, Nerine. Still, as his 70th birthday nears, Shatner remains optimistic about the future. Recently, when asked about his seemingly boundless creative energy, he explained simply, "I was built for the long run, not the short dash." In other words, he fully intends to live long and prosper.