American actor and producer Zachary Quinto, known for his role as Spock in “Star Trek” films, made a “highly illogical” discovery recently while appearing on NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”
Ancestry researchers found an 1899 issue of The Amalgamated Journal newspaper in which Quinto’s great-grandfather, P.J. McArdle, wrote a letter to the editor that ends with the unmistakable phrase, “May it live long and prosper,” the same iconic words that Quinto’s character Spock is known for saying in the “Star Trek” franchise.
“Whoa, what?” Quinto said in reaction to seeing the now-famous Vulcan blessing in newsprint. “That’s crazy. That’s insane.”
Zachary Quinto plays Spock and Chris Pine is Kirk in “Star Trek into Darkness,” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.
Zade Rosenthal
To contemplate his ancestor using the tagline more than a century earlier was astonishing for Quinto, he said in a video interview.
“The fact that 115 years later or something I would get cast as a character who is known for that very phrase, there was something about it that felt bigger than me. There was something about it that felt kind of cosmic, and it was just such a wonderful connection.”
An Ancestry genealogist and actor Zachary Quinto talk about his family history on an upcoming episode of NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”
Ancestry
The Ancestry researcher who made the reveal to Quinto said the “live long and prosper” line was used in the stage play of Rip Van Winkle. The line was likely something Quinto’s ancestor either picked up after seeing the play or it was a popular saying among his friends.
The episode featuring Quinto’s full family history journey on “Who Do You Think You Are?” will air on NBC on Sunday, Aug. 14, at 6 p.m. MDT. Viewers can also stream the episode on Peacock.