This evening, I woke up to some unfortunate news. News I had expected for some time, but expecting it doesn't take away any of the pain or sadness.
This morning, James Montgomery Doohan, best known to millions as Star Trek's Montgomery Scott, passed away from pneumonia and complications of Alzheimer's at the age of 85.
Doohan had been battling a series of health problems in recent years - Parkinson's disease, lung fibrosis and diabetes. Early in 2004, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and looked weak and frail in his final public appearance, when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on August 31.
Doohan, who made his first appearance on television in 1952 and acted for half a century, of course would be forever known as Montgomery Scott, the chief engineer of Captain Kirk's Enterprise in the original Star Trek, and the first seven motion pictures. He would also reprise the role in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, in October of 1992.
Scotty was not only one of the most beloved characters in nearly 40 years (and five series) of Star Trek, but one of the most influential. Many young people were inspired by Scotty to get into engineering themselves, and the Milwaukee School Of Engineering awarded Doohan with an honorary degree in 1992 due to his influence.
Even though millions of people throughout the years heard Doohan speak in a Scottish brogue, the man behind Scotty was actually a Canadian with a gift for speaking in multiple accents.
James Montgomery Doohan was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 3, 1920. After a rough childhood of dealing with a "drunk" father who made life "miserable" for his family, Doohan escaped at the age of 19, joining the Canadian army.
It was during his stint in the military that Doohan would not only have his life saved by his smoking habit (which he quit sometime in the 70's or early 80's), but would lose a finger.
During a skirmish, Doohan took a bullet to the heart. Everyone - including Doohan himself - expect to see blood and for him to lose his life. However, in the heat of battle, Doohan forgot that he had a silver cigarette case in his breast pocket. He removed the case, with the bullet lodged into it, stopped from ever reaching him.
He wouldn't quite be so lucky on D-Day, however. He took six bullets to his right middle finger, and was told by doctors there wasn't much that could be done. He would either spend the rest of his life with that finger sticking straight up - he quipped in his autobiography that he would've gone through life accidently giving people the finger - or they could just remove it. He decided to have his finger amputated. And, if you'll notice on Star Trek, he would usually keep his right hand hidden so that it was difficult to notice his missing finger - even reaching across and hitting the intercom on the captain's chair with his left hand.
As well as his television work, Doohan spent several years on the radio, allowing his to showcase his vocal talents.
In 1965, Doohan would audition for the role as the chief engineer in Gene Roddenberry's second pilot for Star Trek. He read the lines with seven different accents, and was asked by the producers which he preferred. Doohan felt if he was to be an engineer, it would only be fitting to be a Scotsman, and the Montgomery Scott we all knew and loved was born.
Scotty would become one of the most loved characters in the series, despite the raging ego of star William Shatner at the time, who routinely stole lines from the "other four" characters (Scotty, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura). The feud between Shatner and Doohan simmered for decades, with Doohan even once saying "I like Captain Kirk, but I sure don't like Bill. He's so insecure that all he can think about is himself."
Shatner would finally be woken up to how his co-stars felt in 1995, while writing Star Trek Movie Memories, when during an interview with Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Nichols conluded discussing his fond memories by looking Shatner in the eye and telling him "Now, let me tell you why I hate you." Nichols then gave Shatner an ear-full about how she and the rest of the "other four" felt, which prompted Shatner to wake up and set about making things right with his former co-stars.
There was a great deal of resentment from James Doohan, that took many years to tear away. However, I did hear in late 2004 that Shatner and Doohan finally made up sometime that year. You have no idea how relieved I was to hear that - for both of their sakes. Shatner carried a great deal of grief for unresolved hostilities between himself and Gene Roddenberry at the time of Gene's death in 1991, and I'm glad James Doohan finally buried the hatchet before that damned disease took it's toll and it was too late.
In 1973, four years after the cancellation of Star Trek, Doohan complained to his dentist that he had been typecasted as Engineer Scott. His dentist told him "Jimmy, you're going to be Scotty long after you're dead. If I were you, I'd go with the flow."
Doohan would do so, not only appearing in the first seven Star Trek films, but becoming a regular at Star Trek conventions, which only added to the popularity of his character.
"I took his advice, and since then everything's been just lovely.", Doohan said of his dentist's advice.
Ironically, the popular phrase he inspired, "Beam me up, Scotty", was actually never uttered in a single episode of Star Trek.
I first became a Trekkie (I am not a Trekker) in 1986, at the age of 11. I routinely watched the reruns every night on channel 13, which was independently-owned KCOP back then. At first, I was into the action - Kirk and his flying leg kicks, battles between the Enterprise and Romulans. However, as I matured, I saw the deeper meaning of the show, and the messages Gene Roddenberry delivered through science fiction. The show wasn't just about the heroics of James T. Kirk, or the sarcastic charm of Bones McCoy, but a statement about the world (at least of the 1960's). Racism, religion, Vietnam and the Cold War were among the many issues Roddenberry spoke out about, disguised as a science-fiction action series. And while it was the action that brought me to the series, it was it's statements that helped make it one of my all-time favorite shows.
While I also enjoy The Next Generation, I never got into any of the other spin-offs. Likely, because Roddenberry had passed on and what made the first two series (especially the original from the 60's) so special was missing.
I always loved Scotty, though I wish we had gotten to see and know more of him. Thanks to being fourth in billing and Shatner's uncontrollable ego at the time, all we truly saw of Scotty was that he loved warp engines and alcohol. It was a shame we couldn't see more depth to him, as we saw with the "big three", or with all of the key characters in TNG.
When I first heard the news that Doohan had Alzheimer's, I was heartbroken. My grandfather, who I loved very dearly, was diagnozed with Alzheimer's in 1992, and died from complications in 1997. He had just turned 78, and was pretty much gone. He wondered where his brother was, who had died in the 1920's. He thought his wife of 56 years (my grandmother) was his sister when she died (April 1997). When he was being driven to a nursing home after my grandmother's death, he kept asking my aunt and uncle if it was okay with his mother. This was a man who had served in three years, gave 28 years of his life to the Air Force (I don't want to get into a debate or rant about the military, but I do respect the veterans but I can't stand how they are used by the government, and my grandfather is a huge reason WHY I respect the veterans of this country). He knew Chuck Yeager, he had so many remarkable stories and memories about life, history, baseball and golf (and yes, he is one of the reasons I love golf so much). And all of that was stripped from him in his later years.
So, it goes without saying how much it hurt to hear that James Doohan was facing this damned disease as well. Damn that disease, as Tom Watson said of ALS. It is my hope that a cure is found for it as soon as possible.
I am saddened that James Doohan and everyone's favorite chief engineer has passed on. But I am relieved he is no longer suffering, and I hope he is back among the stars.
My condolences to James's wife Wende, his children, his family, and all Star Trek fans.
Rest in peace, James Doohan. Godspeed, Montgomery Scott.
(Edit: For all you James Doohan/Scotty fans reading, startrek.com has put together a great six minute tribute clip, called "The Wit And Wisdom Of Montgomery Scott". It includes many classic quotes and scenes of Scotty, not only in the original series, but the films. Great work!
Clich
here and click on the first link on your left to watch it.)
Labels: Gone But Not Forgotten
