|
Wehret Den Anfängen!
Location: Ontario, Canada
|
Beam me up. :`(
Quote:
James Doohan, Who Played Scotty on `Star Trek,' Dies at 85 July 20
(Bloomberg) -- James Doohan, who fielded the request ``Beam me up'' as the
starship Enterprise's engineer Scotty in the ``Star Trek'' science-fiction
television series and subsequent films, has died. He was 85.
Doohan died of pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease at his home in Redmond,
Washington, this morning, the Associated Press reported, citing his
agent Steve Stevens. His wife was with him, AP said. The actor also
suffered from Parkinson's disease, diabetes and lung fibrosis and used
a wheelchair.
Doohan played Lieutenant Commander Montgomery ``Scotty'' Scott, the
Enterprise's chief engineer, on ``Star Trek,'' which ran on NBC network
from 1966-1969.
``Star Trek'' was canceled after 79 episodes, then gained legions of
fans in reruns, spinning off 10 movies, five TV series and a burgeoning
convention circuit. Doohan later made a guest appearance on the ``Star
Trek: The Next Generation'' TV series (1987-1994), starring Patrick
Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Doohan created the Klingon language introduced in the first Star Trek
movie, 1979's ``Star Trek: The Motion Picture,'' according to the
director's edition DVD of the film. His original sounds were expanded
and used to translate William Shakespeare plays and the Bible.
Doohan made his last public appearance in August 2004 when he received a
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and blew kisses to a standing-room-only
crowd at the two-day ``Beam Me Up, Scotty ... One More Time'' tribute
and convention at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.
Trouble With Tribbles
James Montgomery Doohan was born on March 3, 1920, in Vancouver, British
Columbia. He became a captain of artillery in the Royal Canadian Army
during World War II.
Doohan lost the middle finger of his right hand on June 6, 1944, or D-Day,
when the Allied forces invaded France. The injury is visible in only two
``Star Trek'' episodes, ``The Trouble With Tribbles'' and ``Cats Paw,''
according to Internet Movie Database.
In 1946, Doohan won a two-year scholarship to drama teacher Sanford
Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he trained
alongside actors Tony Randall and Jackie Gleason. He served as Meisner's
assistant for several years.
Doohan went on to appear on 4,000 radio shows and 400 live TV shows
for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. He acted in plays and films in the
U.S. and Canada and guest-starred on TV shows including ``Bonanza'' and
``The Twilight Zone.''
He joined the cast of ``Star Trek'' after the first of two pilots. Doohan
said in a 1994 interview with the Advocate of Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
that he auditioned with seven or eight different accents. ``Star Trek''
creator Gene Roddenberry then asked him to choose his favorite accent
and Doohan said, ``If you're looking for an engineer, I think he'd better
be a Scotsman.''
`Can't Take It Anymore!'
Scotty, named after Doohan's grandfather, was a mechanical wizard who
could fix dilithium crystals with safety pins and bail William Shatner's
Captain James T. Kirk out of scrapes. He would shout in a Scottish brogue,
``Captain, she can't take any more.''
Doohan also appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies, spanning from
``Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979) to ``Star Trek: Generations''
in 1994.
Doohan became a regular on the Star Trek convention circuit. Fans praised
him for always signing autographs and chatting with fans about alternate
universes. The ``Beam Me Up'' convention in August 2004 featured Scotty
impersonation contests, Scotty trivia and a panel discussion on ``The
Influence of Scotty on Society.''
Doohan said in a 1994 Boston Herald interview that he appeared at ``Star
Trek'' events ``because I'm not getting other parts. I get a fabulous
living just doing appearances.''
He also was a regular speaker at colleges and a spokesman for Royal
Philips Electronics NV. Survivors include his wife Wende, sons Eric and
Thomas, daughter Sarah and four children, Larkin, Deirdre, Montgomery
and Christopher, from his first marriage.
|
Now that is a life.
In the face of vacuous celebrities whose claim to fame is being famous, stands this man who was -- no, is famous for the least of his accomplisments.
If my life is a tenth of a tenth of this man's...
He can't take it any more, cap'n. Beam him up.
__________________
Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.
|