Canadian actor William Shatner, whose prolific output and self-deprecating humor secured him a place in the contemporary North American pop culture pantheon, is most recognized as James T. Kirk, the famous character he played in the Star Trek franchise.
Kirk commanded the starship USS Enterprise (the same name as the famous US carrier) on its voyage “to seek out new civilizations.” The short-lived series, however, became a classic and spawned a subculture of aficionados known to many as “Trekkies.”
But as the title suggests, what’s William Shatner got to do with baldness? Was Captain Kirk wearing a wig then? Have you heard about the Captain Kirk wig? It’s never an easy job to find about famous actors with toupees. Continue to read, and see what we will find out.
How Did William Shatner’s Baldness Rumor Start?
William Shatner turned 91 this year. His hairline remains intact. Without checking his profile on IMDB, perhaps everyone would believe he’s tried some rejuvenation therapy. He just looks younger than his age. His physique still looks healthy and well-built, and his hairline remains intact. So many people thought William Shatner was bald and wearing a toupee. What’s there got to do with the Captain Kirk wig?
Has William Shatner actually been bald? How were all these William Shatner balding and toupee theories generated?
Watch and finish watching this short clip, it may give you more insight about William Shatner and his Captain Kirk wig or toupee. You may see some other actors with toupees, too.
Has William Shatner Been Balding?
Rumors over his hair and his baldness have been around for decades. According to reliable sources, Shatner began balding at the age of nine. When he had been cast as Kirk in the first Star Trek series, he was already wearing toupees, or “the merkins of the head,” as people called them at the time. Producer Robert H. Justman noticed Shatner’s shaggy wig immediately upon meeting him. The producer had the young actor wear two professional hairpieces to eliminate his cowlicks.
It turned out that those were some fine-ass toupees. They were the Cadillacs of synthetic hair, with one of them costing the show $1,600 in today’s money. So it was perfect that Justman ordered two, as one of them went missing after they finished shooting the first season.
Did William Shatner Admit He’s Balding?
Formerly published reports have claimed that William Shatner paid around $25,000 for his hair system. However, the actor has always denied wearing a toupee or wig in public.
Most of William Shatner’s fans believe that Shatner’s baldness is quite severe. His baldness is one of the reasons he wears wigs or toupees in almost all of his film roles.
Is William Shatner a Toupee Wearer?
Simply put, yes. Several characters Shatner portrayed throughout his 70-year acting career had him wear toupees. Whether he wore a toupee or his own hair, the unique hairstyles he kept have made him a trend-setter.
Many scrupulous fans have noticed that William Shatner’s natural hair is curly. But as a public figure, the Star Trek legend was rarely seen with curly hair.
Since young William Shatner stole the first wig from his Star Trek crew, wigs or toupees have somehow become an inseparable part of his life. The Daily Mail reported that at the beginning of August 2022, 91-year-old William Shatner was seen visiting Denise Johnson Originals in Encino, California, to get his hair fixed. He was seen at the same clinic last March, too. The Star Trek legend’s hair has been a hot topic for decades.
William marked his ninety-first birthday early this year, proving that people are never too old to invest in their looks. The media often sees Shatner casually dressed in a lovely purple dress shirt, black jeans, and sneakers. Even though his hair is getting thinner, the TV star has kept his healthy body and youthful look, even though he is indeed elderly.
When his Star Trek journey started, William was required to wear different toupees throughout the three years of shooting. The three-year-long wig-wearing journey caused him to age prematurely. However, throughout the three years, the captain also sported a few hairstyles with wigs, such as the combed one. As he began to lose his hair, he tried lace frontal hair systems, which are designed with thin human hair for older men’s looks.
Where to Get Toupees to Look Like William Shatner?
Are you looking for the same realistic hair replacement systems as the kind William Shatner is wearing?
New Times Hair is the place to shop.
We are a manufacturer of hairpieces, a wholesale wig distributor, a retailer, and a custom-made service provider. Having worked in the hairpiece business for over a decade, we are well-versed in the industry.
New Times Hair has supplied top-notch hair systems or wigs for the last decade. We have over 3,000 return customers based in over 200 countries worldwide. They are salon owners, cosmetology schools, and qualified hairstylists. All our products are made of human hair. We have no competitors in terms of comfort, a realistic look, hair quality, etc.
What’s more, we have developed a new supply chain to keep every production step under close control, from the first strand of hair collected to the second the courier knocks on the client’s door. That has allowed us to keep costs to a minimum while retaining top-tier quality.
Whatever William Shatner is paying for his hairpieces, you can afford it too. Now have a look at some of our best-sellings!
- Duro-ins Injected Hair System
The Duro-Ins Injected Hair System is an exact copy of the toupee Shatner wore as Captain Kirk in terms of pattern and The 0.1-mm PU skin base will melt flawlessly into the wearer’s scalp.
100% human hair is used, injected to the base, no knots can be seen. The hair blends perfectly with the wearer’s own hair to make it look super natural and real. Duro-Ins has over 10 colors available, ranging from black to light blonde. Surely one will suit your customer’s hair. Its hair density is medium-light to medium, giving the wearer a natural, comfy look, and easy to style it into various hairstyles.
- Hollywood Lace Hair System
The Hollywood Lace Hair System with PU perimeter and human hair is a perfect choice for people starting to wear hair systems. The hair and base mix perfectly with the wearer’s natural hair and scalp, making it look absolutely real.
The lace base offers the top breathability and comfort, also grants the most authentic look, that no one can tell the wearer is wearing a hairpiece. Its PU perimeter keeps the base intact, and prevents it from fraying. Harmless tapes or adhesives can also be applied to the underside of the perimeter to stick the hair system to the scalp with strong hold.
- NTC1012 Swiss Lace Hairpiece
NTC1012 Men’s Swiss-Lace Front Toupee helps the wearer create an immaculate front hairline. Swiss lace makes the finest lace base, which means the scalp under the hairline looks the most realistic.
The majority of lace base also retains the best breathability and comfort. The PU perimeter strengthens the whole hair system base, keeping it from fraying. Again, 100% human hair will mix perfectly with the wearer’s natural hair.
What about Medication or Hair Transplants?
You may say, “Yes, William Shatner has been bald for most of his life, especially for most of his 70-year acting career, but how about I go for medications or hair transplants?”
The most popular medication is finasteride (Propecia). For guys, it is a prescription medication. But it won’t help if the hair loss is caused by aging.
The injection method injects platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into the scalp to boost hair growth. However, by 2016, very little scientific proof had been found that the medication benefited a person’s overall health.
Most people try medication before they go for hair transplants, as they are expensive and prone to risks. Take That star Robbie Williams is the opposite. He had a successful hair transplant in 2013, and the hair all fell out over the following 7 years. Then he went back to try medications and injections. But according to him, that didn’t work out either.
Back to hair transplants: as statistics show, only half of balding men have healthy enough hair for hair transplants. Even if they have a successful hair transplant, no doctor worldwide can guarantee that the hair will continue to grow in its new breeding ground. Take Robbie Williams, for example. Thus far, hairpieces, hair systems, toupees, wigs, etc., are still the ultimate solution for all hair loss patients like William Shatner.
Conclusion
William Shatner wore a wig for almost 70 years of his acting career. Though rumors are continuing their rounds, no one has eyewitnessed William Shatner’s baldness. Hair pieces and hair systems are harm-free; wearers with all kinds of hair loss can use them.
All hairpieces made at New Times Hair are designed for the most realistic look and the strongest hold. Once put on, no one can tell that the person is wearing it; it just feels like the wearer’s natural hair. He can go swimming, diving, or even skydiving, and the hairpiece doesn’t go anywhere. Look at the full collection of the world’s top-notch hair systems.
