LOS ANGELES - James Doohan, the burly chief engineer of the Starship
Enterprise in the original "Star Trek" TV series and motion pictures died
early Wednesday. He was 85.
The Canadian-born Doohan was enjoying a busy career as a character
actor when he auditioned for a role as an engineer in a new space adventure on
NBC in 1966. A master of dialects from his early years in radio, he tried
seven different accents.
"The producers asked me which one I preferred," Doohan recalled 30 years
later. "I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding. So I told them,'If
this character is going to be an engineer, you'd better make him a Scotsman.'
LOS ANGELES - James Doohan, the burly chief engineer of the Starship
Enterprise in the original "Star Trek" TV series and motion pictures died
early Wednesday. He was 85.
The Canadian-born Doohan was enjoying a busy career as a character
actor when he auditioned for a role as an engineer in a new space adventure on
NBC in 1966. A master of dialects from his early years in radio, he tried
seven different accents.
"The producers asked me which one I preferred," Doohan recalled 30 years
later. "I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding. So I told them,'If
this character is going to be an engineer, you'd better make him a Scotsman.'
Be sure to read the biographies various news services are printing. The guy
was hit six times by machine gun fire while storming Juno Beach. The bullet
that hit him in the chest wasn't fatal because it hit his silver cigarette
case. (Smoking can save your life?)
I was saddened to hear of his passing. I'll have to name a NAC ship the James
Doohan in his honor.
Did you notice that the engineer in Chicken Run is a Scot? Clearly, Nick Park
was influence by Star Trek's Scotty character.
--Greg
Be sure to read the biographies various news services are printing. The guy
was hit six times by machine gun fire while storming Juno Beach. The bullet
that hit him in the chest wasn't fatal because it hit his silver cigarette
case. (Smoking can save your life?)
***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.
Didn't hear about the silver cigarette case........)
I was saddened to hear of his passing. I'll have to name a NAC ship the James
Doohan in his honor.
***Well I already have the Medical Ship DeForest Kelley in my FCT fleet.....)
Did you notice that the engineer in Chicken Run is a Scot? Clearly, Nick Park
was influence by Star Trek's Scotty character
***Yes I did notice that, and lets not forget the Galaxy Quest spoof. Trek
influence is every where like it or not......)
> On Wed, 20 Jul 2005, Don M wrote:
> Didn't hear about the silver cigarette case........)
It's mentioned in the AP article. Here's a link to the Yahoo News site.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050720/ap_on_en_tv/obit_doohan;_ylt=AnoGimL
EY7aIFM.ssC3a2qZ34T0D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
--Greg
It's mentioned in the AP article. Here's a link to the Yahoo News site.
Greg,
Hey it was a heroic age.....)
> Be sure to read the biographies various news services are printing.
<<<<
NINE children by three marriages, and the youngest born in 2000! Nothing wrong
with his engines...
> Did you notice that the engineer in Chicken Run is a Scot? <<<<
The Scottish ship's engineer has been a cliché since the advent of steam
propulsion in the 19th century. Check out "McAndrew's Hymn" by Rudyard Kipling
(pub. 1894, by which time the McEngineer was obviously already a recognisable
type):
http://www.pacifier.com/~rboggs/KIPLING.HTML
Like many stereotypes from late-19th & early 20th Century literature,
the McEngineer has been enthusiastically embraced by science fiction authors:
Montgomery Scott (ST:TOS et al), Warren Mackenzie (Imperial Earth, Sir Arthur
Clarke), Jock Sinclair (The Mote In God's Eye, Niven & Pournelle) etc.