William Shatner's 3 Kids: All About Leslie, Lisabeth and Melanie

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty

William Shatneris a proud father of three.

The legendaryStar Trekactor married his first wife, Gloria Rand, in 1956 and the pair welcomed three daughters together: Leslie, 66, Lisabeth, 63, and Melanie, 60.

Shatner and Rand divorced in 1969 and he went on tomarry three more times. He was married to Marcy Lafferty from 1973 to 1996; Nerine Kidd from 1997 to 1999; and most recently, Elizabeth Shatner from 2001 to 2020.

After his and Rand’s divorce, Shatner remained close to his girls. “I must have been a hands-on dad because that’s what my children tell me,” he toldThe Guardian.“In my mind, I was gone a lot of the time in an effort to make a living, so I am gratified that my kids think that they are who they are today because of my influence on them and my sense of being there for them — although it was only at weekends.”

His youngest daughter, Melanie, confirmed his hands-on parenting, tellingSenior Voice Alaska, “He would do whatever it took to get home to see us, even if it meant driving all night. I think that illustrates what a wonderful, committed father he was and is.”

She added he would often bring them with to set: “We all have such great memories of getting to hang out with him and watching him work.”

Here is everything to know about William Shatner’s kids.

Leslie Shatner, 66

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Shatner welcomed his eldest daughter, Leslie Carol Shatner, on Aug. 31, 1958, in his home country of Canada. As a child, Leslie acted alongside her father onStar Trek,appearing in a season 1 episode ofStar Trek: The Original Series.

However, she wasn’t interested in an acting career. The only other time she spent on screen was during a 1989 episode of the television docuseriesThis is Your Lifetitled “William Shatner.”

Instead, Leslie went into the healthcare field. She is an occupational therapist, according to herLinkedIn profile, with a practice in Orange County, California. She is married to Gordon Walker and has two children, Grant and Eric Walker.

In 2021, Shatner made history when he became theoldest person to travel to spaceat the age of 90. His daughters, though, were less than thrilled.

Speaking to PEOPLE, Shatner shared that hisfamily tried to talk him out of the journey to space."[They said] ‘But Dad, why don’t you go to Australia instead?’ "

Despite having moments of doubt himself, the experience was an emotionally poignant one for the Emmy-winning actor. “It sharpens everything about your life,” he told PEOPLE. “It sharpens your awareness of the beauty of the Earth and your loved ones.”

Lisabeth Shatner, 63

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Lisabeth Mary Shatner was born on June 6, 1961, in California. Like her older sister, Lisabeth made aStar Trekcameo during the first season.

She went on to act in a few more projects but was more interested in other creative ventures. In an interview with the online outletWhooshin 2002, Lisabeth shared that she was passionate about writing and sculpture. Still, she wasn’t opposed to working in the entertainment industry. “I never say no to a new experience. I learned that from my dad,” she told the outlet.

She also shared that despite her father’s fame, she had a typical childhood. “Growing up with my dad seemed normal to me,” she said. “When I was really young, I didn’t realize he worked at something different than most dads did.”

Lisabeth is now married to Andy Clement, but it is unclear whether or not the two have children. However, in a 2014 interview withThe Guardian,Shatner said that his daughters “have turned out to be three of the greatest mothers.”

Melanie Shatner, 60

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Shatner’s youngest daughter, Melanie Ann Shatner, was born on Aug. 1, 1964, in Los Angeles. Like her sisters, Melanie has acted with her famous dad. Her first acting role was in the filmStar Trek V: The Final Frontier.She also starred in a 1988 commercial with her dad.

Of all of Shatner’s children, Melanie was the most interested in following in her father’s footsteps and she had a number of small movie roles in the ’90s. However, it wasn’t what she wanted to do forever.

“I didn’t fully enjoy acting,” she toldSenior Voice Alaska. “I made a living acting for a while, but wanted to be successful in other ways.”

According to Shatner, her assessment was correct. “Success is so spare,” he said of the entertainment industry during an interview withYahoo. “That’s why I didn’t want my kids to be a part of it, and for the most part they’re not. Everybody’s doing something else.”

In 1999, Melanie married actor Joel Gretsch. They have two children together, Kaya and Willow Gretsch.

“I’m always worried about whether I’ve done a good job as a parent,” Shatner toldThe Guardian, before saying that his daughters “have brought their family up in the way I wish I’d brought them up. So something good must have happened!”

He added, “Being a grandparent is the greatest joy for me.”

source: people.com