The first Scottish voice I ever heard died today. Actor James Doohan, better known as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the chief engineer on the Star Trek spaceship USS Enterprise, passed away. He leaves behind a legacy of catch phrases, including "I dannae if she can take any more, Captain!" and "Beam me up, Scotty!" I cannot fix a jammed machine without drawing on Doohan's inspiration. I was one of millions of viewers who learned that it was okay for men to love their technology because Scotty loved his Enterprise. He knew her like the back of his hand--and even that metphor earned him a cinema moment. He was idolised by Trekkies and he enjoyed fan gatherings where he would often sing for crowds. Doohan was among the first of "Star Trek's" accidental icons to realize that it was better to embrace that universe than resist it. He had too--he was trapped in a cult figure's body which made it nigh impossible to find other work.
From the BBC, I learned some other things about Doohan. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1920, and waded ashore on the first morning of D-Day, losing a finger in the process. Then he lost hard-earned card-playing money when the tank holding his winners sank off shore. Later in the war, he flew with the Canadian Air Force and once nearly crashed his aircraft in Holland while taking "a look" at a German U-boat.
Five years ago, aged 80, Doohan became a father for the seventh time when his then 43-year-old wife gave birth to a daughter, Sarah.
Following his death from pneumonia-related causes (on top of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, diabetes and lung fibrosis, and after suffering a heart attack 20 years ago), his family arranged for his remains to be shot into space.
I miss Scotty but know his spirit lives in the personalities of coworkers who swear that they cannot possibly complete projects on time--then somehow pull it out at the last minute.
I will miss his voice telling me we're losing power. Time to buy the first Star Trek movie as a DVD.
BBC -- "Obituary: James Doohan " via Maura McHugh.
Memory Alpha -- "The trouble with Tribbles"
John Schwartz -- "James Doohan, Actor Who Played Scotty on 'Star Trek,' Dies at 85
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