I heard on the news the other night that James Doohan is going to be a father again, at age 80!

I was shocked to hear he was 80. I didn't think he looked like he was in his late 40's during TOS!

Way to go, Scotty!

By now, the baby is about seven months old. Bravo, Jimmy.

March 3, our good old Chief Engineer is going to be 81.

Phil points out in the nitpickers guide in a few places that James Doohan is missing a finger, does anyone know how he lost it?

He lost it on D-Day durring World War II.

And to make it even more frustrating, James lost it to a sniper at night, AFTER the big D-Day rush on the beach when there were a million bullits in the air!

In the TNG episode "Relics" you can see his hand (I think it's the right hand) with the finger missing. All throughout the original series, you almost always only see his other hand, because TPTB didn't think people would be missing fingers in the Star Trek century.

Phil does point out a few times the creators could have written in an explanation for it. One a similar note when Louise Jameson was Leela in Dr Who she had to wear contact lenses to make her blue eyes look brown to fit in with the part. She found them tricky to wear so the creators wrote into one story an excuse to have them change to blue. Also didn't someone at Paramount suggest Patrick Stewart wear a wig because baldness would have been cured in the future.

Actually, this is what imdb.com says:

Royal Canadian Air Force Fighter Pilot during WW2. Known for performing Daredevil Aerobatics over Aerodromes he was stationed at, and for Performing Above and Beyond the Call of Duty on Fighter Sweeps [destroying enemy targets on the ground] deep into enemy held Territory. It was during one of these Fighter Sweeps that he lost the Middle Finger on his right hand due to return enemy fire.

So, he was apparently not part of the D-Day invasion, but an RCAF pilot, like my grandfather was.

I read his autobiography about 3 years ago, and I'm pretty sure it happened the way I said it did. Just have to re-read that part, I guess.

In a sense, you did see Scotty's right hand many times -- operating the transporter, using the lie detector, etc., but it was always a double for Doohan in the close up. I believe Phil pointed out one case where the sleeve in the closeup doesn't match.

In his autobiography Doohan tells how one day during the third season when he was about to shoot a scene the director saw his hand and yelled "Jimmy! What happened to your finger?" and Doohan had to explain that it had been shot off 25 years ago. So apparently they never noticed.

In the book he also tells how he lost it in the chapter called "Giving Hitler the Finger".

That would place it after WWII, right?

Nope. Third season was '68-69. 25 years before that was '43-44, well in the middle of WWII.

Since the war lasted 6 years, 43-44 is more toward the end. (Pick, pick, pick! )

Well, not for Americans. *g*

What does that have to do with anything? The war only starts when America enters it? Besides, James Doohan wasn't an American. He fought in the Canadian military.

What does that have to do with anything? The war only starts when America enters it?

No, but for Americans the war didn't last six years did it?

I don't recall anyone saying it did. ScottN referred to 1943-44 as being in the middle of the war. It was not. The war was from September 1939 to August 1945. 1944 was therefore toward the end, not the middle. Who said anything about "for Americans"? Why do some Americans feel that the entire world and all of history, somehow revolves around them? Besides, as you might guess from my original post to Scott, I was half-seriously splitting hairs.

Doohan, I hear, really detests Shatner's guts(but I guess I would too if he stole my lines).

Doohan was on Wogan (a british chat show) a couple of years back and when Terry Wogan asked him would he miss working with Bill Shatner, he replied "Well all I can say is working with Leonard was fun", so I dont think judging by that Shatner and Doohan were drinking buddies.

No.... but everyone seemed to love Nimoy and Kelly (or is it Kelley?).

Its Kelley. sorry. Had to post quickly because my boss walked past.

Doohan actally flew (spotter missions, I assume) for the Royal Canadian Artillery, not the Royal Canadian Air Force. He says he long ago got tired of correcting it, and lets it slide these days.

A friend of mine who saw him in October 2001, says he has a bad tremor in one of hs arms and has lost weight and appears frail. Let's keep him in our thoughts.

According to Startrek.com Mr Doohan has been hospitalized for Pneumonia. They say it isnt life threatening and he is doing well.

NEWS ITEM: James Doohan will be making his FINAL Star Trek Convention appearance this year. He is 87 years old and in declining health.

TRIVIA James Doohan's middle name is "Montgomery"

Actually, Doohan is only 84, but agreed, he is inpoor health, and should spend his final months/years with his wife and daughter.

His middle name, Montgomery, was his mother's maiden name, and he gave the name to one of hs sons from his first marriage as well.

Sir Rhosis

Thanx again, Sir Rhosis. Thou art a gentleperson indeed.

From StarTrek.Com:

PLANETXPO
Beam Me Up Scotty... One Last Time
James Doohan Farewell Convention and Tribute
June 18-20, 2004
Los Angeles, CA

NEWS FLASH!

For some strange reason, "Beam Me Up Scotty...One Last Time" has been bumped up to August 28-30, 2004...according to Star Trek.Com

My mistake, he's scheduled for THREE "Farewell Appearances"

The one at Jun 18-20 is coming up.

There will be another "farewell appearance" on Aug. 28-30

Then another "farewell appearance" on Sept. 3-5, 2004

OK...I think I got it now.

The Jun. 18-20 "farewell appearance" is cancelled due to the revealing of James Doohan's star on the Walk of Fame on Aug. 28 (which is the day of the rescheduled "farewell appearance")

If you can figure all this mess out better than I, go to Star Trek.Com & see if you can make sense of all of this.

IMDB reports that our beloved Jimmy Doohan is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Apparently, it's still in its' early stages.

I read on StarTrek.Com that Doohan is in a wheelchair as well. If ANYONE is going to the "Beam me up Scotty" convention, please post your notes here!

Doohan, I hear, really detests Shatner's guts...
John posted, on Bill Shatner's page here, that Messrs. Shatner and Doohan have now mended fences.

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0%2C1%2C14442%2C00.html?tnews

Scotty gets a star!!

Story on cnn.com

...and it's about time, too!

Just saw the pics of the Doohan farewell.

It is truly sad to see Doohan so frail.

His hands have patches of black & blue on them.

The wheelchair is the saddest part.

Forgive me if I sound morbid, but I hope Jimmy don't suffer like Reagan did.

There's some REALLY GOOD pictures of the farewell to James Doohan at "StarTrek.com". One of the pics is photo of the surviving cast members. It may the the last one. Cherish it!

Funny moment from "Farewell":

Some of the people who were in "The Way to Eden" stood up and sang "Headin' out to Eden. Yeah, brother!"

(I read this on "StarTrek.Com"...I wasn't there...but wish I was to hear that.)

They had a pic of that. They called them the "Space Hippies".

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163092,00.html

Oh, God! NO!

Rest in peace, James!

A sad day for Trek fans everywhere. God bless the miracle worker.

This is really sad news. Our Miracle Worker is dead. He will be missed.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Doohan about ten years ago when J.C. Penny's, I think it was, was going to have a line of STAR TREK clothing. James was at the Penny's at the Galleria in Dallas for the event. He was a very kind, gentle man, indeed.

"I canna change the laws of physics. I've got to have 30 minutes."

Goodbye Mr. Doohan. Rest in peace. We will miss you!

Of all the websites I've checked, they all seem to be reporting from the same Associated Press release. Yet only one (CNN.com) uses the word "apocryphal" describing the command "Beam me up, Scotty" in the lead.

Either CNN added that or the rest of them deleted it.

Beam up, Scotty. It's your turn now. Rest in peace.

The best tribute I can think of is that by all accounts he was a great guy.

I agree with you serutan. I met him at a convention in 1988. I found him to be a great guy. I thought he was very gracious and very considerate and caring. I feel a very profound sadness right.
May you be at eternal peace and happines, Mr. Doohan.

Sadness, gloom and depression. Once more a shining jewel in the crown of the universe goes out.

According to Star Trek.Com, a portion of Doohan's ashes will be shot into space....just like Roddenberry's were

RIP James - you will be missed!

Say Hello to De and Gene when you get to heaven.

Don't forget to also say hi to Mark Lenard and John Fiedler while you're there, James! Peace be with you now and full factor warp ahead, kind sir.

Good bye, James. You are now truly among the stars. May you rest in peace.

I met him at a convention in September, 1977. He had a beard at the time, which he shaved down to just a mustache by the time ST-TMP started shooting 11 months later. He WAS a great guy.
RIP, Jimmy. We'll miss you.

One of the last of the old-timers, gone, but he'll always be in every Trekker's heart!

Here's a great memorial pic of him that I found on another forum site:

http://www.startrek.com/imageuploads/200407/promo-doohan-obit-standby/560x175.jpg

Anything I can think of to write either comes out sounding incredibly sappy or unintentionally insensitive, so I'll just say rest in peace, Mr. Doohan.

One of the last of the old-timers, gone,

Huh? Isn't he just the 2nd of the "old-timers" to die? Just him and DeForest Kelley, right? Well, I guess he'd be third if you count Gene and not just cast members. Shatner, Nimoy, Nichols, Takei, and Koenig were all still with us (fortunately) last I knew. *crosses fingers hoping that's still the case*

Yeah, but AFAIC, our favorite cast is dying off, and that's hitting me kind of hard.

Anyone seen Nimoy lately? He's looking rather frail. I don't say that in a mean way.

I saw him a year ago at a Star Trek Convention in Chicago. To me, he looks good for his age.

Im so sad the miracle worker is no longer with us. RIP Mr Doohan.

Goodbye Scotty! Say hello to Gene, Bones, Sarek and Moogie for us!

our favorite cast is dying off, and that's hitting me kind of hard.

And there's nothing wrong with feeling that way.

I just take issue with the statement made (not even by you, anyway) that he was one of the last.

Yeah picky, but pick is what we do.

First, last, or in the middle, it is still sad for someone who gave us such joy to be gone.

Now you got me going sappy again...

He's dead, Jim.

Although this is an article about James Doohan, it's unfortunate that they spell George Takei's name wrong through the whole thing.

Star Trek's James Doohan remembered by former co-star George Takai

I've been listening to the Dr. Demento show this morning. It's about to finish. They're up to the Funny Five Countdown. This week's number one demented song is "Beam Me Up, Scotty" by Terry McGovern, a tribute to James Doohan. The song's a sweet acoustic number from the late Seventies. Nice to know that Scotty made the top spot. We miss you, Jimmy.

Doohan's remains will be shot into space.
CNN article

Maybe they should dig up Bones and send him off into space too (no pun intended)


Cpt. Shatner said he wanted to fly into space too (while alive)

Poor Scotty .He was worried about being typecasted! in Hollywood

DeForest Kelley was cremated as well. His ashes are in an urn somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. There's nothing to dig up.

Doohan's remains will be shot into space.
CNN Article

Nichelle Nichols said in an interview on the new DVDs that James Doohan had a heart attack sometime between STIV and the end of filming of STV. (She didn't say exactly when) She said to Doohan at the hospital, "Jimmy, if you die, I'll kill you." That made Doohan laugh.

IIRC, he also had a heart attack between the filming of ST-TMP and Wrath of Khan. The "wee bout" of "shore leave" lines in WOK are a reference to that.

According to this page (from the blog Star Trek Fact Check) Gene Roddenberry tried to fire James Doohan from the series after the second pilot. Aren't you glad he didn't?

I seem to recall reading somewhere (The Worlds of Star Trek? The Making of Star Trek?) that Roddenberry didn't think an engineer would be a major character on the show. Not sure if it mentioned the "firing" or not though.

Oddly enough, the no engineer prejudice carried over to NextGen where, for the first season, they had three or four engineers instead of just one character as the main engineer.

Guess Gene just didn't see the story potential in engineers.

In the episode Elaan of Troyius, Elaan is visiting the Enterprise and while in Engineering she has this amusing exchange with Scott:

SCOTT: Well, I suppose, lassie, that even our impulse engines must seem fast compared to your nuclear propulsion units.
ELAAN: We are interested in how the ship is used in combat, not in what drives it. Engines are for mechanics and menials.
SCOTT: Menials? Without engines, there'd be no fighting or...

At which point Kirk arrives to diplomatically de-escalate the situation. I wonder if that bit of dialogue had anything to do with Gene's opinions. Scott's incensed reaction to Elaan's comments was very funny though

Chris Doohan, the son of James, did a great Scotty in the Star Trek Continues web series.

Nice tribute to his dad.

Chris is a good guy. He and my brother in law are good friends.

That's cool.

James Doohan really liked the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks produced mini-series, Band Of Brothers. He said it was one of the best depictions of the Normandy Invasion (a battle Mr. Doohan took part in) that he'd even seen.

We missed the late, great Jimmy Doohan's birthday back in March.
March 3rd was his centennial.

I know.

I remembered to commemorate DeForest Kelly's centennial, but forgot James Doohan

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quote:

Scotty, the Third Doctor and Sulu:

https://www.facebook.com/EverythingTheDoctor/posts/3239568969486492

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While Emily may screech is horror, I think the idea of a Trek/Who crossover is cool.

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quote:

"Captain Kirk, the TARDIS has materialized in sick bay"

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James Doohan was a fan favourite at conventions.

and unlike the shirkers George W. and Orange Hitler, Doohan lost a finger fighting the Nazis on D-Day.

James Doohan was one of the Greatest Generation.