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Star Trek's Scotty Dies Aged 85

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chorleydave:
Actor James Doohan, who played the chief engineer Montgomery Scott in Star Trek, has died at the age of 85.

Doohan, whose role was immortalised in the line "Beam me up, Scotty", had been suffering from pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease, his agent said.

His wife of 28 years, Wende, was by his side, Steve Stevens added.

Doohan was a popular character actor when he auditioned for the part in 1966. When the series ended in 1969, he found himself typecast in the role.

The Canadian-born actor was a master of dialect, developed during his years on radio.

 
When asked what accent he thought his Star Trek character should have, he said: "I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding."

'Go with the flow'

Doohan's character Scotty manned the Star Trek enterprise with Captain James T Kirk, played by William Shatner, and Mr Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.

They starred together for three seasons before US network NBC cancelled it because of weak ratings.

But the team was reassembled when the franchise hit the big screen. Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released in cinemas in 1979.

Doohan appeared in seven big screen episodes of Star Trek, and continued to voice the franchise's video games into the late 1990s.

Initially he was concerned about being typecast as Scotty.

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 and since then everything's been just lovely."

He came to embrace his Scotty character and attended Star Trek fan conventions into his 80s, before falling ill.

Doohan became a father again at the age of 80, when his wife Wende gave birth to daughter Sarah.

His last public appearance was in October 2004 when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4701167.stm

Simon:
I wonder if he'll have 'Beamed Up - 20th July 2005' on his gravestone?   :)

Clive:
He's certainly going to be beamed up Simon!  :laugh:

Scotty's ashes to hit outer space  
 
The ashes of Star Trek actor James Doohan, who died on Wednesday, are to be sent into space at his request.

Doohan, who was 85, played engineer Scotty in the original sci-fi series. He died of pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease at his home in Washington.

His agent said Doohan and his wife Wende had discussed sending his ashes into space, following those of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

Star Trek co-star William Shatner has sent his condolences to the family.

"A long and storied career is over," Shatner said.

"I knew Jim when he started out in Canada and I knew him in his last years in America, so we go way back. My condolences go out to his family."

Original crew

The Space Services Inc company said Doohan's ashes could be on a Falcon 1 rocket launching from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, tentatively scheduled for launch in September.

The ashes of Star Trek writer John Meredyth Lucas, who died in 2002, are also set to be on the flight.

Doohan's Star Trek character Scotty manned the Starship Enterprise with Captain James T Kirk, played by Shatner, and Mr Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.

The original crew lasted for three series, starting in 1966, before the show was axed, but the team reunited for seven big screen movies.

Although Doohan became synonymous with the line "Beam me up, Scotty", it was never actually said in the series.

The closest Captain Kirk came to saying it was in the fourth Star Trek movie, when he said "Scotty, beam me up".

Canadian-born Doohan had been a successful character actor on radio and TV before landing the role in the pilot Star Trek episode.

'Terrific actor'

But he quickly became typecast as the Scottish space engineer, finding it difficult to get other roles. But he learned to embrace his place in sci-fi history.

"He loved being Scotty," said his agent Steve Stevens.

"He loved the whole Star Trek thing. I don't think people knew what a terrific actor he was."

Mr Stevens added: "James loved the idea of being in an airport and people from some obscure country, barely able to speak English, would come over to him and say, 'You're Scotty'.'"

"I've never known someone so gracious with fans."

Doohan became a father again at the age of 80, when his wife Wende, 48, gave birth to daughter Sarah.

His last public appearance was in October 2004 when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4702503.stm

Lona:
Shame about his Scottish.  :)

You could tell easily he wasn't Scottish. :wink:

Sandra:
I couldnt, although with hindsight I realise that I could understand what he said so that should have given me a clue  :P

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