Spock’s ears: A pointy trademark for Leonard Nimoy
Flowers adorn the Hollywood Walk of Fame star of Leonard Nimoy in Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. AP
LOS ANGELES, United States — Leonard Nimoy, who died Friday at age 83, likely had the most famous lobes in Hollywood. As the logical half-human, half-alien Mr. Spock in “Star Trek,” his pointy Vulcan appendages became a signature — and a nuisance — for the actor. Here are a few facts about those iconic ears:
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An unidentified fan gives a salute in honor of Leonard Nimoy at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. Nimoy, famous for playing officer Mr. Spock in “Star Trek” died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 in Los Angeles of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 83. AP
AURAL HISTORY
“Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry was determined to have Nimoy don pointed ears as the Enterprise’s chief science officer. It was easier said than done. Before the first episode was filmed, numerous designs of the ears’ shape and size were created before he settled on the perfect ears.
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Article continues after this advertisementEAR JOB
Article continues after this advertisementRoddenberry promised a reluctant Nimoy that if the pointy ears didn’t appeal to the viewing public after the initial episodes of “Trek” that he’d arrange for Spock to undergo an “ear job” and they’d be removed. Instead, the character was a hit, and no such operation was needed.
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NOW HEAR THIS
The early ears were made of foam rubber and had to be glued on every morning and removed every night. The process usually required Nimoy to be in the make-up chair for about 45 minutes each day. However, applying Spock’s slanted eyebrows typically took twice as long.
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LATER EARS
The process was eventually streamlined, and Spock’s ears were made of latex and cranked out on an assembly line. Over the years, the lobes and their molds turned up in various celebrity auctions. A pair is on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
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