In the New Year’s Day episode of Better Late Than Never, ‘Lithuania – I’m King of the Castle,’ actor William “Bill” Shatner takes the guys to Lithuania. It wasn’t on their itinerary but it’s where Shatner’s parents grew up. Shatner, who’s now 86 years old, was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It’s where Shatner’s parents arrived after emigrating from Lithuania. His father Joseph owned a small men’s clothing store. His mother Anne “kept the house” and gave elocution lessons.
In 2014, Shatner said that “neither of my parents really influenced me” although his mother did enroll him in acting classes at the age of 6 of 7. He was raised Jewish (although he says “I never quite understood it or got it”), and lived with his family until he was 21. He moved to New York shortly after. He describes his upbringing as “very standard.” Better Late than Never airs on January 1, 2918 at 9pm and 10pm on NBC.
