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Revealing William Shatner: Marcy Lafferty’s honest take on their marriage
"He has tremendous energy. I think that was one of the hardest parts for me."
Is there anybody that knows us better than our significant other? There's a different level of familiarity that comes from waking up next to someone every day. That kind of love reveals depths and multitudes, and it's hard to hide anything when two people are that close. Our partners see us like nobody else ever has, and might even show us sides of ourselves we didn't know we had.
It's no surprise, then, that one of the most honest depictions of actor William Shatner comes from an interview with his wife at the time. In 1979's Are You Anybody?: Conversations with Wives of Celebrities, several spouses of famous men are guided through a series of questions that illuminate both their lives and those of their husbands. While nobody is going to use the medium to bash their beau, the interviews are nonetheless interesting for the truths they point toward.
One of the most interesting interviews is the one with Marcy Lafferty. At the time of the book's publication, Marcy was married to William Shatner.
After the interview touches on Lafferty's early life and prior marriage, the conversation turns to her famous husband. Lafferty is mostly forthcoming with details about both their marriage and William Shatner's life.
"By and large he is even-tempered. He is an artist, so he is given to extremes upon occasion. He has tremendous energy. I think that was one of the hardest parts for me."
The pair were married for six years at the time of the book's publication. So, with years of experience, was Lafferty able to keep up with Captain Kirk's liveliness?
"I can't," she said. "I just have to accept that. It is the kind of energy that has nothing to do with age. He is about fifteen years older than me, but he says he will bury me and I think he will."
So, where did all the energy come from, and more importantly, what did Shatner focus it on?
"[Shatner is] into everything. I tell you, there is not a sunset that he won't look at and enjoy. It is the child, he sees life through the eyes of a child. The newness, the wonder, the excitement. He will stop whatever he is doing to enjoy something unexpected. Probably one of my worst qualities, which is good in many ways, is how organized I get. I don't take time to look at the sunset.
"He is into all sports; we share them except for motorcycling. We play tennis together, ski, run, [and] work out. We love to read. We are pretty much hermits. We love movies. If we were to plan an ideal day together, it would be to go to three movies and to a favorite restaurant. We rarely go to social parties, time together is so precious."
However, like any marriage, this one was not without its flaws. Apparently, the former Captain Kirk was prone to bouts of anger.
"He will fly off the handle at small things," said Lafferty. "If he gets angry at me, he yells. I get very quiet. I might cry in front of him or I go off by myself. These periods don't last long; they come and they are over right away."
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