Actor and director Leonard Nimoy, known to Star Trek fans for his portrayal of the character Spock, has died. He was 83.

The newspaper reports the actor died at his home in Bel Air, Calif., Friday morning.

The actor was rushed to hospital earlier in February with severe chest pains. Nimoy suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and taken to UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles.

The star -- who is known for his portrayal of Commander Spock has been in-and-out of hospital on numerous occasions in the past few months and was spotted last year in New York in a wheelchair attached to a breathing apparatus.

Leonard took to Twitter last February to announce that he'd been diagnosed with the condition, despite giving up smoking over 30 years ago, and encouraged people to look after their health.

He wrote at the time: ''I quit smoking 30 yrs ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP (Live long and prosper).

''Smokers, please understand. If you quit after you're diagnosed with lung damage it's too late. Grandpa says learn my lesson. Quit now. LLAP

''I'm doing OK. Just can't walk distances. Love my life, family, friends and followers. LLAP."

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term used for a number of illnesses affecting the lungs, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which affects millions of people around the world.

The disease damages the air sacs and passages into the lungs, which can then make breathing difficult, and the majority of cases are believed to be caused by cigarette smoke.

Spock is dead

Actors, astronauts, writers and many others poured out their emotions on Twitter Friday as news broke that Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock from TV’s ‘Star Trek,’ had died.

“Live long and prosper” was the message fans remembered Nimoy by in the hours after his death, recalling the phrase his character often used in the popular sci-fi series.

Nimoy’s poetic final Twitter message also went viral. “A life is like a garden,” he wrote, just one day before he was hospitalized with chest pains. “Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.”

Nimoy's 'Star Trek' co-star William Shatner said he loved him "like a brother." Shatner's Captain Kirk and Nimoy's Spock played best friends in the television series and movies.


Actor George Takei, who played Sulu in 'Star Trek,' also expressed his sadness.

 
Post by George Takei.

 

Chris Hadfield, former Canadian astronaut and commander of the International Space Station, thanked Nimoy for inspiring him to look to the stars.

NASA tweeted a photo of Nimoy and other ‘Star Trek’ cast members from a 1976 visit to see the Enterprise, a space shuttle named after the ship on the television show.

Actor Zachary Quinto, who took over the role of Spock in 2009’s ‘Star Trek’ reboot, said he will miss the actor “every day.” Quinto and Nimoy actually crossed paths in the film, with Nimoy playing a version of Spock from the far future.

Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher on the 1990s series ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ paid tribute to Nimoy for helping launch the sci-fi franchise that has been around for more than 50 years.

Many thanked Nimoy for the role he played in shaping their childhoods as the logical half-Vulcan Mr. Spock.

Others went back to YouTube to see his final moments as Spock on film, along with his character’s death scene in ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.’

Several people recalled Nimoy’s various other pop culture appearances, including his cameos on ‘The Simpsons’ and an odd-ball song about ‘The Hobbit’ he recorded in the 1960s.

Tributes poured in from all corners of the Internet.

- With files from BANG Showbiz