One of the most beloved TV duos of all time, William Shatner and the late Leonard Nimoy are most famously known for playing Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock in the original “Star Trek” series, which aired from 1966 to 1969. Of course, this wouldn’t be the last time they portrayed the famous pair, who appeared across various “Star Trek” properties over the years. Despite the famous team-up, “Star Trek” wasn’t the first time they acted in the same project. Years earlier, they appeared in an episode of the classic spy series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
For the uninitiated, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centered on two agents who worked for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement (UNCLE). Airing from 1964 to 1968, the series starred Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, and Leo G. Carroll. Shatner and Nimoy both appeared in Season 1, Episode 9, titled “The Project Strigas Affair,” which centered on UNCLE attempting to bring down a man trying to exacerbate problems between the East and West. Shatner played a man named Michael Donfield, while Nimoy played a man named Vladeck.
Although the episode itself hasn’t had the staying power of Shatner and Nimoy’s contributions to the “Star Trek” universe, “The Project Strigas Affair” is often cited as the origin of their professional working relationship.
William Shatner forgot working with Leonard Nimoy before Star Trek
Fans of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy may fondly remember “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” as the first time they shared the screen together, but it wasn’t always this way for Shatner, who didn’t recall working with Nimoy prior to starting “Star Trek.” He made the surprising revelation during a joint appearance with Nimoy on “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee” in 1996. During the interview, Nimoy set up their meeting. “We had actually worked together once before ‘Star Trek’ on ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E,'” he said. “We were ships that passed in the night. We did not have any interaction directly with each other, but we were in a couple of scenes where one guy entered, the other guy was leaving.”
Shatner, however, couldn’t recall any of that experience when asked. “No, but I’m glad to hear you say it,” he exclaimed. He also praised Nimoy’s recollection skills compared to his own at the time.
This wouldn’t be the last time that the real-life Captain Kirk spoke about forgetting the first time that he and Nimoy worked together. He also described not having any memory of their stint on the classic spy series while speaking with StarTrek.com in 2015. “I guess, at the time, his was just another face,” he said. “Long and lean, but just another face.”