Actor Leonard Nimoy, the screen actor best-known for portraying Mr. Spock on the television series "Star Trek," who retained a passion for theatrical work throughout his decades-long career, died Feb. 27 at the age of 83, according to the New York Times.

Nimoy was hospitalized earlier this week as a precautionary measure after suffering chest pains. He was previously diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which ultimately took the actor's life. The condition was the result of year's of smoking, which Nimoy had given up decades ago.

His death was confirmed to the Times by his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy. Mr. Nimoy was born March 26, 1931, in Boston, MA.

Mr. Nimoy's stage appearances were numerous, having toured as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, as well as taking on the role of Fagin in Lionel Bart's Oliver! His theatrical credits also included roles such as Brick in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire and Visit to a Small Planet.

It was Otto Preminger who saw the Massachusetts-born Nimoy as King Arthur in a production of Camelot and cast him in his Broadway debut in the short-lived 1973 play Full Circle. By that time, Mr. Nimoy was a three-time Emmy Award nominee for his work as the half-human half-Vulcan spaceship officer of "Star Trek."

He returned to Broadway two additional times, as a replacement as Martin Dysart in the original Broadway cast of Equus and as director for the 1996 dramatic comedy The Apple Doesn't Fall...

Mr. Nimoy also produced, directed and wrote the one-man play Vincent about the life of painter Vincent Van Gogh. He also starred as Sherlock Holmes in the Royal Shakespeare Company's national tour.

Mr. Nimoy was also the director for "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." He also directed "Three Men and a Baby," "The Good Mother," "Funny About Love" and "Holy Matrimony." On screen he also appeared in "Mission: Impossible" and "Never Forget."

In 1975 he published his autobiography, "I Am Not Spock," and 20 years later penned the sequel, "I Am Spock."