William Shatner 1982 promoting Star Trek 2 on Tonight Show

Just days before the release of Star Trek 2 to theaters in 1982, Shatner appears on a talk show with guest hostess Joan Rivers. Shatner tells how Star Trek has affected his life, and also discusses breeding Dobermans and quarter horses.

[@sbaxter4207]

He is more than a living legend, he is William Shatner.

[@user_16309]

There's a Chuck Norris joke in there somewhere :)

[@rickmays797]

HES..............JAMES TIBRIUS KIRK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@stephenbrown7545]

@@rickmays797 TIBERIUS...good grief.

[@TheCrapocalypse]

I swear, wrath of khan is one of my top 50 favorite movies of all time.

[@Eddie-ym1vq]

Definitely the best of the Star Trek franchise

[@jimmysapien9961]

Oh yes

[@godphoenix66x]

It's in top 10 for me definitely.

[@patrickjones5080]

William Shatner is great actor! A great personality for all generations.

[@lisekartakmcdonald]

Wow! He was so handsome! even more so than the Original Series. :) Joan :( what a sad loss. Bill Live Long, Long, Long

[@anitacalloway3032]

Man they both were so good in that scene. Montalban is intense and incredible! Awesome job!

[@sonnyburnett8725]

I love that story of the Vietnam POW viets re-telling stories of TOS Star Trek episodes to entertain themselves over time. Awesome!

[@stevethefishdotnet]

Wow, Joan Rivers really blew the ending of the movie right before it was released. I am sure Bill Shatner wasn't happy about that. It's like telling everyone that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father right before Empire Strikes Back is released. Crazy.

[@Q80Warlock]

I believe everybody knew the ending the Trek fans knew long before it premiered and it's Joan Rivers like she even cares :).

[@bratton79]

I bet both Shatner and Rivers got in trouble for making those comments. That was very careless of the host to catch William Shatner off guard like that. I would have recovered better though. I would have said, oh yeah, Spock dies, I die, the whole ship gets blown up, its really the most violent and nihilistic film I've ever been in, I think the director is German or something. Then start laughing like its all a big joke.

[@wiseguymaybe]

Wait a minute. Darth Vader is Luke's father?????

[@bozotheclown169]

he did sort of do that when he said 'spock lives and dies and perhaps lives again but you'll have to see the movie to understand it' and since there was ALOT of rumours and speculation about spock dying before the movie came out it was kind of in keeping with what was already known at that time (and spock did 'die' in the opening - with the 'aren't you dead?' after being a injoke to the audience)..but Rivers shouldn't have done that it was a dumb thing to do (esp saying he dies at the end!!!) but shat just about saved it maybe idk. I pity any trekkies who watched this before seeing the movie : (

[@zingzangspillip1]

It was common knowledge, I think. Nicholas Meyer said that one reason for the Kobayashi Maru was to kill Spock at the start and make people forget about it.

[@garymcaleer6112]

Excellent! The plots and morals of the Star Trek stories I have found useful in every day life. Hats off to the script writers and the actors.

[@greyeyed123]

You know the movie is good when you are watching a 36 year old interview...and continue watching the movie clip, and clap with the audience afterward. As Jerry Seinfeld said, it really was the best of those movies.

[@nunayobiz]

Shatner celebrating his 90th birthday today!

[@starfleet-verdadero9808]

Exactly !! WOW !!

[@elainelaw9464]

Love him

[@LordShadrach]

Damn, life was sure different in 1982...

[@donsharma6136]

wow vietnam pows reanacting star trek. to stay alive..simply amazing..

[@loupizzuti]

It was actually June 3, 1982. The movie premiered the next day. (I remember standing in line at the theater with my future wife, and we looked at each other when we hear the full orchestra come in playing "Amazing Grace". Amazing Grace in a Star Trek movie???? )

[@donsharma6136]

jeepers that clip is 25 years old..and still gives me shivers..

[@rsprockets7846]

39 yrs old sheesh

[@wingitprod]

June 4, 1982 was such and exciting day for a nerd like me. Best Trek movie, ever. Damn JJ Abrams.

[@varanid9]

Oh, stuff a sock in it! People are sick of you geeks and your butt-hurt fanboy hatred.

[@johnchapman6446]

Why don't you put a sock in it yourself? Some people are sick of hearing from JJ fanboys too.

[@wingitprod]

John Chapman Hear, hear! Well said.

[@wingitprod]

varanid9 Sorry, chap. I prefer substance over style. Sadly, you r-selection types have the #s.

[@billanthony7896]

They killed Joan for giving away the ending to this movie. It just took a really long time to get to her. She deserved it, though. The long reach of The Federation is NOT to be under-estimated!

[@jazztrumpet87]

Jesus Joan... spoilers alert.

[@doughbafett]

Wow. She just gave away the ending to Wrath of Khan before it opened?! I know the rumor was out there that Spock died, but you don't say it out loud like that.

[@jnnx]

It wasn’t remotely a secret, at the time.

[@LynxSouth]

@@jnnx It was a secret to a lot of people, and even friends weren't telling friends the ending, just saying that it was good, go see it. Mostly, it doesn't matter whether it was a secret or not, she was horribly rude and inconsiderate to blurt that out. It was bad manners and she knew it was.

[@ant2312]

@@LynxSouth oh dear, are you homosexual?

[@kitcat7538]

@@ant2312 Are you crazy?

[@globalcat]

You know Shat had the good hair going on when there's no comments about it. Impressive how luxuriously real it is. And man it's impressive how youthful he is at age 80 plus - How he manages it - amazing. Shat the man

[@bozotheclown169]

i'll make one now then... it looked awesome

[@wtbwrites1806]

His hair isn't real

[@globalcat]

@@wtbwrites1806 WHUT??

[@kagomecc461]

June 3rd 1982 I was 4 and half yrs old omg Also i never knew Joan Rivers did the Tonight show. Ever !!

[@bratton79]

You missed out on an important part of television history. Joan Rivers did guest host for Johnny Carson on the Tonight show, and it was a very sweet gig for her until she abruptly decided to do her own thing on another network. This pissed Johnny off to no end. He never spoke to her again and he went to his grave hating her guts. As for Joan she never missed an opportunity to tell the world what a selfish, condescending arrogant jackass Johnny was to her and everyone else when the cameras weren't rolling. His persona as an avuncular, genial distinguished gentleman and funnyman was a sham that was carefully crafted in order to manipulate the public. She compared Johnny Carson to Hitler. Meh, that's show business I guess.

[@kitcat7538]

@@bratton79 Joan Rivers spitting venom at Johnny Carson sounds like George Takei spitting venom at William Shatner.

[@OceanBlue82]

R.i.p. Joan Rivers.

[@marileestetson737]

Wow. 36 years ago. Joan gone. Ricardo gone. DeForest gone. Bibi Besch gone. And Shatner still young and healthy and starting T.J. Hooker. Linear existence.

[@robertholtz]

Carson gone too. Live Long and Prosper.🖖

[@sandyfreyman3501]

And now 2021 he's turning 90

[@Eggs_is_eggs]

This was before spoiler culture.

[@nuo98]

I own a Doberman, he is a big lover with his family I totally trust him, with us. HOWEVER ~ strangers he is very stand offish. You are right the aren't bred for fighting other big dogs (Jerks that fight dogs) but a bare handed human doesn't stand a chance against a big angry male Doberman and forget about trying to out run him, they run like a grey hound, fearless & with a mouthful of big sharp teeth.

[@soakingbook]

Shatner would have made an excellent Tonight Show guest host.

[@kitcat7538]

He would have! He's got that way of projecting intense interest in what someone is saying to him.

[@iusedyourtowel6765]

Rest in peace, Joan. Thanks for telling the truth about Michael.

[@planetiowa]

Thanks for this! I hope someone has Shatner's Promise Margarine commercial. He did a voiceover for Wishbone Salad Dressing, too. I'd love to see them again.

[@indranidasgupta8982]

They chose the best clip :)

[@Chinookman]

Back in the day…before a spoiler could get you killed - Joan.

[@hickeyrob]

If I was watching this show back then before I saw the movie I would go feckin mental !!! What a spoiler to give on a promo interview !!!

[@PaulJonathanBrett]

The best of them all.

[@globalcat]

The clip they use is so iconic it's as much a climax of the movie as the actual climax (funny enough Khan looks like he has one too lol). Ricardo wouldn't have got the role if he hadn't been in the TV show... but how awesome is it he was and is in the movie.

[@brynpookc1127]

Oh so beautiful! Great man! And, going into space at age 90!

[@SaschaBuster]

i would've been 3years old when this came out

[@jjnelsonnc]

OMG, THE LOOK ON KHANS FACE REALIZING KIRKS ALIVE....LOLOLOLOL..IM LAUGHING SOOOOO HARD NOW

[@shatner99]

I was 9 too. 1971. Vancouver.

[@tachikomakusanagi3744]

Well this video has had a difficult journey down the ages.

[@vincevirtua]

That's a pretty long clip of Star Trek 2 they show there. They wouldn't do that these days..

[@sbaxter4207]

Even in 4:3 aspect ratio and all the noise, it was still great, and to see Shatners expression afterward.

[@marcparella]

It's risky to invite William Shatner on the Tonight Show. He could convince the show to self destruct.

[@dr797-w2b]

Rivers talked too much. Most talk show hosts have this problem. Shatner a very fine actor. Underrated.

[@rsprockets7846]

One wonders what the franchise could have done between 1969. And 1978 those 9 years of inactivity. ....

[@LucisFerre1]

Doberman's are sweethearts. They're good for patrolling, but not for confrontation. They don't fight worth a crap, they're too lean.

[@christianmaga5809]

en mi pais Uruguay Star trek ''La ira de Khan ''llego un año despues 1983 antes llegaban las peliculas un año tarde yo tenia 10 años fui a verla a el cine

[@raymogactil6216]

Unusually stuttering interview. Such a rare event!

[@vegansaxon3962]

I was only 16..I was only 16 !!!

[@geoffjoffy]

I love looking at Shatner's varied wigs and their varied colors. Sometimes black, dark brown or light brown. Sometimes short, or thick wig wavy.

[@DougZbikowski]

William Shatner has been on the Tonight Show multiple times, but I think most of the times he was on there was a guest host. Wonder if that was by design or coincidence?

[@7beers]

I cannot believe that Joan Rivers says that Spock dies at the end!! What an idiot!!!! Very nice recovery by William.

[@lizardmanYTMND]

Spock's death was already leaked months ahead of time by Gene Rodenberry (actually his secretary Susan Sackett) under protest, it was literally front-page headlines and the controversy about it was the major public talking point about the film. Frankly Joan Rivers wouldn't be doing her job properly if she hadn't asked him about it.

[@TaliaIGhul]

This vid was made shortly before that line became famous. :D

[@7beers]

He also did a bunch of Loblaws commercials in the '70's.

[@ColoradoViews50]

What's interesting to me is that they could have the exact same conversation today as I write this, of course about different projects. Joan, of course, would look the same, Shatner, well, not so much.

[@bozotheclown169]

and now?

[@christianmaga5809]

Ricardo Montalban interpretaba un gran villano

[@starfleet-verdadero9808]

Uno de los mejores como Villano...Otra época en que los actores le daban el PLUS a toda pelicula, independiente de los efectos especiales.

[@christianmaga5809]

@@starfleet-verdadero9808 tienes razón, yo elegía ver una película primero por los actores y después por el tipo de género, siempre fui seguidor de Star Trek y Montalban le daba a Khan un toque distinguido a el personaje

[@starfleet-verdadero9808]

@@christianmaga5809 Fuimos afortunados de conocer tremendos actores, no solo en StarTrek, sino en muchas peliculas de peso.

[@sonnyburnett8725]

Sorry about saying something bad about the dead but now I know why Johnny cut her loose! She only thought of herself.

[@josephtzintzun5463]

I remember watching this when it aired,... i remember my uncle yelling..." Dumb fuckin bitch!! totally spoiled the ending!!! typical dumb woman!" I didn't understand at the time. watching this now... i can see how Joan says Spock dies at the end, and William Shatner tries to save it.

[@MalcolmShawVids]

Within a day of it being released, everyone knew that Spock died. Everyone who saw it, told everyone who hadn't.

[@rickmays797]

...... and we all still cried 😢 😭 😪

[@zoyataylor]

lol !

[@7beers]

What did he do then?

[@EmmanuelGoldsteinINGSOC]

Wow... Star Trek II hadn't even come out yet, and yet she not only manges to totally spoil that, but Star Trek III as well...

[@zoyataylor]

i wasn't even born yet

[@lenpey]

One heck of a hair piece.

[@terminalfrost3645]

On another interview, I think parkinson interview he says the same story but in a different setting about the 3 guys which he nearly took on but realized was stupid...

[@schallrd1]

KHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

Happy 88th, Shat! Can't stand Joan Rivers.

[@maxlaser2597]

He had a great hairpiece in the first season of the 1966 series. The worst ever on The Six Million Dollar man. Then a great one in a 1975 interview with Geraldo. But in the 1980's he had horrible hairpieces that looked like an animal on his head.

[@literacylabyrinth4018]

Wow... spoiler alert back then

[@grosskopf2779]

Can't believe that Joan told the end of the movie on national TV before it came out., smh

[@vincevirtua]

Joan Rivers, though she changes her face around a lot.

[@robwebnoid5763]

Oops, Joan accidentally spoiled the movie by saying Spock dies.

[@nafost]

Yikes, Joan was a disaster.

[@Antigus11]

funny how little she knows about star trek or even respects anything about it very bad interview on her side

[@b.deville3236]

You can tell that Rivers doesn't get it.

[@sulufest]

Evil-gasm!

[@7beers]

You would've been, if not for what?

[@wildone106]

I recognize her voice but not the face, Who is she?!?

[@poppyreads736]

Wow! She blows the ending of Khan. She makes a joke out of his heartfelt story about the Vietnam vet. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@BuddyFantastic]

Oh, wouldn't it have been funny if it was Ricardo Montalban himself.

[@DarraghC]

Jesus Joan, spoiler alert much.

[@basicdose.9872]

Wrath of khan.

[@theothertroll]

Good thing the second was better than that dreadful first movie -

[@bratton79]

I agree. It was just too long and drawn out for a movie with no discernable villain. I also didn't like the pajama uniforms. They were literally reaching for the stars on their first attempt. Unfortunately their reach exceeded their grasp. Ironically the second film was more "down to Earth", so to speak.

[@bratton79]

I know. I liked the movie, I have it on DVD. But I have been paying attention to the criticism it has received. I think Paramount was not happy that it didn't make more money for them. Apparently the hype was really big at the time, and lots of people went to see it but not as many people went back to watch it again. As a result Gene Roddenberry had less creative control over the subsequent sequels. Harve Bennett and Nick Myer saved Star Trek, I think.

[@DeaPeaJay]

Wow. No concept of spoiler warnings? Did audiences at the time go in expecting Spock to die? Way to ruin the movie Joan!!

[@Kangourou66]

Wake up!

[@LucisFerre1]

Khan needs some chapstick. Those sticky lips were distracting & gross.

[@Kangourou66]

Useless