Leonard Nimoy attended his last ever Star Trek convention this past weekend in Illinois. The 80-year-old actor, who played Mr Spock in the sci-fi television series and movies, gave an hour long speech about his life before bidding adieu on Sunday (2nd September 2011), according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Nimoy had become a staple of the popular conventions, but decided the Chicago event - which celebrated the 45th anniversary of Star Trek's first episode - would be his last. During his goodbye speech, the actor entertained fans with stories about his life and thanked 'Trekkies' for their enduring support. Mr Spock, a half-Vulcan known for his pointy ears, still maintains a huge fan base around the world. The original Star Trek series ran from 1966 to 1969, before creator Gene Roddenberry revived the original cast for the popular 1979 movie 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'. Nimoy has penned two autobiographies detailing his time on the show, firstly 'I Am Not Spock' in 1977 and then 'I Am Spock' in 1995. Recently, he voiced the character of Sentinel Prime in Michael Bay's sci-fi movie 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' - his character Spock also appeared on a television screen during the film.
In 2001, the actor and his wife Susan donated $1 million to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for its renovation and expansion. The building now houses the 'Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theatre' in his honour.