James Doohan, ‘Star Trek’s’ Scotty, dead
Wednesday, July 20, 2005; Posted: 12:07 p.m. EDT (16:07 GMT)
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — James Doohan, the burly chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise in the original “Star Trek” TV series and motion pictures who responded to the command “Beam me up, Scotty,” died early Wednesday. He was 85.
Doohan died at 5:30 a.m. (1330 GMT) at his Redmond, Washington, home with his wife of 28 years, Wende, at his side, Los Angeles agent and longtime friend Steve Stevens said. The cause of death was pneumonia and Alzheimer’s disease, he said.
The Canadian-born Doohan fought in World War II and was wounded during the D-Day invasion, according to the StarTrek.com Web site. He was enjoying a busy career as a character actor when he auditioned for a role as an engineer in a new space adventure on NBC in 1966. A master of dialects from his early years in radio, he tried seven different accents.
“The producers asked me which one I preferred,” Doohan recalled 30 years later. “I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding. So I told them, ‘If this character is going to be an engineer, you’d better make him a Scotsman.’ “
The series, which starred William Shatner as Capt. James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as the enigmatic Mr. Spock, attracted an enthusiastic following of science fiction fans, especially among teenagers and children, but not enough ratings power. NBC canceled it after three seasons.
When the series ended in 1969, Doohan found himself typecast as Montgomery Scott, the canny engineer with a burr in his voice. In 1973, he complained to his dentist, who advised him: “Jimmy, you’re going to be Scotty long after you’re dead. If I were you, I’d go with the flow.”
“I took his advice,” said Doohan, “and since then everything’s been just lovely.”
By: J Boyle - 23rd July 2005 at 01:47
Let’s not forget Gene Roddenberry (the series creator) passed some time ago and was an old B-17 driver in the war.
M
He was also an ex-airline pilot….Pan Am possibly. He quit that to go to Hollywood.
By: landyman - 23rd July 2005 at 00:04
one thing i remember reading is that Gene Rodenberry married Majel Barret who played Nurse Chappel in th original series, she went on to play other parts in the later versions too iirc, also that Gene was the first person to have their ashes scattered in space.
Greg
By: DazDaMan - 22nd July 2005 at 08:18
Let’s not forget Gene Roddenberry (the series creator) passed some time ago and was an old B-17 driver in the war.
M
Wow! I did not know that!
By: J Boyle - 22nd July 2005 at 05:23
I saw an article today that said after D-Day (where he was an artillery lieutenant) Doohan became an observation pilot.
Can anyone confirm that?
If so, I guess he flew Austers with the Canadian Forces. (I didn’t know they had a “grasshopper” program, but it would make sense if they did.
RIP Mr Doohan….good luck and godspeed on your trip to the real “final frontier”.
By: Corsair166b - 21st July 2005 at 21:23
Let’s not forget Gene Roddenberry (the series creator) passed some time ago and was an old B-17 driver in the war. And yes, they plan to launch Scotty’s ashes up into space like they have other celebrities, some organization out of Houston TX does it if I recall…
M
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st July 2005 at 06:47
George Takei (Sulu)
Was flicking through the channels last night and found an old muppets episode with Sulu… telling stories to some very bored Penguins. Kinda strange that although it was a kid show and I presume most of the kids would have agreed with the penguins I really wouldn’t have minded meeting Sulu in a bar over a few beers and just listened to some of that guys stories. Can pretty much guarantee the same thing with the other stars of Star Trek. Not that I am a pointed ear wearing trekkie… but I did enjoy the series and the idea of a future where it doesn’t matter what country you came from… you were an earthling… even if you weren’t (ie Spock).
By: paulc - 21st July 2005 at 06:32
Walter Koenig had a part in Babylon 5
By: landyman - 21st July 2005 at 02:43
a sad loss for his family and friends and for those of us who “grew up” with th original startrek on the tv, strange, only this morning i had my old model of the Enterprise in my hands and was thinking about restoring it some time (its the old AMT kit). i will definitly be restoring it now. thats James Doohan (AKA Scotty) and Deforest Kelly (AKA “Bones” McCoy) i wonder how the rest of the crew are doing, i know that Nichelle Nichols (AKA Uhura) was in the film snow dogs recently, and that Bill shatner (AKA James Tiberius Kirk – yup thats what the ‘T’ stood for) turns up a fair bit on tv but what about Leonard Nimoy (Spock) George Takei (Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov). wonder what they are up to film and tv wise.
all the best
rest in peace James Doohan,
Greg
By: Shadow1 - 21st July 2005 at 02:12
May he rest in peace and begin his true journey through the stars!
Mister Doohan was perhaps one of the most memorable characters in the history of television and the cinema! He will be missed! There is a report that his ashes could be spread in space. Not sure what all of the details are, I only just saw the headline.
By: whalebone - 21st July 2005 at 00:42
“Jimmy, you’re going to be Scotty long after you’re dead. If I were you, I’d go with the flow.”
“I took his advice,” said Doohan, “and since then everything’s been just lovely.”
And how right he was !
I knew he was a D-Day veteran but didn’t know he was wounded, not that it makes much difference now…your God’s speed JD, thanks for all the quotes !
By: Andy in Beds - 20th July 2005 at 23:53
“You can-ny change the laws of physics”.
Great series.
He’ll be missed.
Cheers
Andy
By: Napier Sabre - 20th July 2005 at 22:09
Shame, Will be missed.
By: Grey Area - 20th July 2005 at 21:54
Yup…. the old engines could’nae take any more. 🙁
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July 20, 2005 at 9:18 pm