Movies - TV
The 12 Best William Shatner Roles That Aren't Capt. James T. Kirk
By BRENT FURDYK
Alexey Karamazov
William Shatner made his film debut in "The Brothers Karamazov" — the 1958 adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's iconic novel — as Alexey Karamazov, a wannabe monk. Despite being relatively inexperienced, Shatner held his own among a cast of veteran actors, and the film opened doors to further high-profile opportunities in Hollywood for him.
Bob Wilson
Shatner's turn as jittery airline passenger Bob Wilson in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," a 1958 episode of "The Twilight Zone," is now considered a tour-de-force, and the episode itself one of the series' finest. However, Shatner isn't particularly fond of his work in the episode and once said, "I never quite understood why it has been so popular."
Marc
Shatner delivers a compelling and understated performance as injured war hero Marc in the 1966 horror thriller "Incubus." Due to lack of distribution, the movie only played in France, and it was thought to be lost forever after the negative was destroyed in a fire until its home video release in 2001.
Rack Hansen
After the original "Star Trek," Shatner's career hit a rough patch, leading him to take any projects offered, including the role of veterinarian Rack Hansen in the 1977 schlock-horror classic "Kingdom of the Spiders." For fans of Shatner's particular style of acting, the film is a masterclass in committing to a ridiculous premise and running with it.
Buck Murdock
In "Airplane II: The Sequel" Shatner portrays Commander Buck Murdock, a brilliantly pointed spoof of Captain Kirk. Despite his brief screen time, Shatner brilliantly deadpans the absurd dialogue, some of which he improvised on the spot.