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‘Star Trek’ Actor William Shatner Was Married 4 Times Throughout His Career: Get to Know His Ex-Wives
With his iconic portrayal of Captain James Tiberius Kirk in Star Trek, William Shatner managed to capture the hearts of millions of viewers. The Canadian actor landed the breakout role in 1966 after years of minor film and television roles. In addition to his tremendous career that spans more than six decades, William found love with multiple women and was married four times.
William was married to his first wife, Gloria Rand, from 1956 to 1969. The pair welcomed three children together during their marriage. Their eldest daughter, Leslie, was born in 1958. Lisabeth was born in 1961, the same year William was starring in A Shot in the Dark on Broadway. Their youngest daughter, Melanie, was born in 1964. His relationship with his children is something he has valued tremendously throughout his life, even when his schedule got extremely busy.
“I must have been a hands-on dad because that’s what my children tell me. In my mind, I was gone a lot of the time in an effort to make a living, so I am gratified that my kids think that they are who they are today because of my influence on them and my sense of being there for them – although it was only at weekends,” the Barbary Coast alum told The Guardian in March 2014.
William began looking for work after Star Trek came to an end. He married his second wife, Marcy Lafferty in 1973. At the start of their marriage, the Golden Globe Award winner appeared in several notable television films like The Horror at 37,000 Feet. The couple were married for more that 20 years before they divorced in 1996.
“I have all the anger, rage, desire and sensuality about me as when I was 20,” William told the New York Times in 1994. “I’ve been uplifted and supported in every sense of that word by Star Trek. The only thing I didn’t allow was for it to be the only thing in my life. My personal life is in turmoil now, renewing itself. The professional, too.”
In 1997, The Twilight Zone actor wed Nerine Kidd. She died in 1999, just two years after the couple said “I do.” William walked down the aisle for the fourth time with Elizabeth Martin in 2001 at the age of 70. After 18 years of marriage, William filed for divorce in 2019. After the end of his fourth marriage, William joked that he was a “heartthrob at 89” in June 2020 interview.
Scroll to meet William’s four ex-wives.
Who Is William Shatner’s First Wife Gloria Rand?
Before his Star Trek fame, William married Gloria after meeting on the set of a play called Dreams. She was also pursuing an acting career and grew up in Canada. She appeared on four different television shows in the ‘50s including Encounter and Goodyear Playhouse before having children.
As the final season of Star Trek came to an end in 1969, so did William and Gloria’s marriage. The Better Late Than Never star began looking for other big roles in Hollywood.
“I was becoming a star; she was remaining my wife. And for an actor, the role of a star’s wife is not a very pleasant one to play,” William wrote in his 2008 book, Up Till Now.
Who Is William Shatner’s Second Wife Marcy Lafferty?
William’s second wife, Marcy, was also a Hollywood actress. The New York native appeared Hawaii Five-0 and Medical Center before marrying the acting legend. The couple shared the screen in the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the television series TJ Hooker.
During their marriage, the pair spent a lot of time at Belle Reve Farm, a horse farm that William purchased in Kentucky. Marcy, the daughter of All In The Family producer Perry Lafferty, called it quits with the actor in 1996. Their 23-year union marked the longest marriage for William.
“I think if a young actor were to ask me for advice about relationships I would probably respond, whatever you do, don’t marry an actor,” William wrote in his autobiography. “Of course, Marcy probably would respond exactly the same way.”
What Happened to William Shatner’s Third Wife Nerine Kidd?
William fell in love with Kidd, a former model, and tied the knot in 1997. His late Star Trek costar, Leonard Nimoy, served as his best man at the wedding. The screenwriter shared in his book that his late wife struggled with alcohol addiction. Nimoy stepped in to take Kidd to Alcoholics Anonymous. In August 1999, William found Kidd dead at the bottom of their swimming pool. Her autopsy report indicated that she had valium and alcohol, three times the legal limit, in her system.
“During that period when we were together, we were so much in love, and she was drinking, but I didn’t understand addiction,” William said in a May 2021 interview with The Irish Times. “Subsequently, I was able to form a charity called the Nerine Shatner Foundation, which has a house, which is connected to a halfway house and 11 women can live there. Women come up to me and say: ‘You saved my life.’ But not me; it was Nerine. She did that.”
Why Did William Shatner and His Fourth Wife Elizabeth Martin Divorce?
After Kidd’s death, William received letters and condolences from fans all over the world. Elizabeth had written him a letter after the pair met due to their common interest in horses. Her first husband, Michael Gleen, died in 1997 after battling cancer.
“Elizabeth is a strong, independent woman — and a very talented one,” the father of three wrote in his book. “She was a wonderful trainer, and the energy that once went into that now goes into our life together and her painting. She’s discovered her creative talents.”
Their divorce was finalized in 2020, however, the pair still remain friendly with each other. The horse trainer reunited with her ex-husband for his 90th birthday in March 2021. The actor has since become the oldest person to fly to space on a Blue Origin spaceflight.
