James Doohan's Birthday

I've never really known how to address birthdays of the deceased. You can't really say "Happy Birthday!" as it is a wish for someone that is no longer here to do so. So I am simply saying "let's celebrate this person's life on the anniversary of their birth." James Doohan was born on March 3, 1920, and if he were still with us, he would be 95, and we would be wishing him "Happy Birthday, Jimmy!" We wish you were still with us. We celebrate your memory and contribution to Trek by a toast of a glass of something green.

Browse through some of the Doohan-oriented posts on this blog by clicking here.

Bonus link: What happens when you combine the faces of the original cast with the faces of the new cast from the reboot? Go here and see!

1986 Article: The Writers of Star Trek

From the 20th Anniversary Celebration issue of Starlog, published in November of 1986 (see the cover here), comes this article on a couple of writers of the original show. The pages feature two rare publicity photos of the guest stars from a couple of the episodes.

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Bonus: a full-page ad from June 1992 issue of The Official Fan Club magazine with James Doohan in costume as Scotty advertising the QVC show that he was a guest host on. Did you order anything from this program?

Bonus: A publicity photo of Nimoy taken during the filming of the episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Nimoy's high collar was different from the other costumes, made with snaps on each side so that it could be put on and taken off without messing up his makeup.

 

Bonus: more of the promised TOS original novel covers, this time from "The Abode Of Life," published in May of 1982. The cover art by "Rowena" was from the TMP era, but with brown cowboy boots rather then the built-in footy-pajama type. Also, that pulp-inspired raygun is about as far away from a phaser as one can get. I know some of my readers get a kick out of this non-regulation art, because it came from a time before the Trek merchandise became more tightly controlled. But at the time it just made me scratch my head and wonder why they couldn't get things like this right.

Daredevil of The Skies: James Doohan

From issue #146 of Starlog, published September 1989, comes this article on everyone's favorite Engineer, Montgomery Scott. Or to be more accurate, the much-loved actor that brought him to life, James Doohan. It's interesting to learn that, but for being hired a day or two earlier for Trek, he might have become the engineer of the Seaview. Fate was kind to him (and us) by beaming him up before he could take that voyage to the bottom of the sea into obscurity.

It's also revealing to see how he and the other secondary cast members were chafing at the meagerness of their parts in ST 5, which was thanks to the ego of the director, who just happened to be the star. It's my outlook that giving an egotist like Shatner the directorial reins of a film he was also starring in was like giving the fox the keys to the henhouse. (No offense, Bill, but your talent for self-promotion was often at the expense of your co-stars, and nobody likes that.)

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One amusing bit from the article is when Jimmy says he would never guest-star on "The Next Generation," but we all know he did later. He didn't want to have to appear older through aging makeup, but when they found a way to get him in that century without aging him, he was ready for it! I'm glad he did it, it was a great homage to him.
Bonus: Below, a vintage photo of Bill Shatner from a TV/Movie magazine around 1967.

"I don't know why the extras like Jimmy and George hate me, they get to bask in my stardom!"

Kelly Freas Scotty Portrait

We've recently been looking in detail at the individual paintings that Kelly Freas did in 1976 as part of a set called "Officers of The Bridge." (You can see all the posts, once they are done, by using the "Kelly Freas Art" tag on the right side of the page.) They were originally created for the program booklet (pictured below) for the New York Star Trek convention at the New York Hilton, held Jan 23-25 in 1976, which, besides the portraits, contained cast and crew bios by Ralph and Valerie Carnes.

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This time we are looking at Mr. Scott's portrait, which is one of the most interesting paintings in the set, in that Scotty is decked out in his dress uniform and traditional kilt. He's holding (what is probably) a basket-hilted Claymore, and the face appears to be based on a picture of James Doohan as he appeared at the time, beard and all. The background depicts Montgomery Scott's Scottish heritage, ranging from the ancient Celtic castle to an early pulp sci-fi-style rocket.

There Can Be Only One.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and I'll run ye through."

And below we take a closer look at the chiseled visage of our Scotch-loving Scottish engineer, who looks as if a Klingon just insulted his beloved ship. Seriously, you do not want to mess with a man who is holding a sword and has an expression like that. A great piece of artwork, and one of my favorites in the set. I'm betting that this hangs somewhere in the Doohan household.

"Gr-r-r-r-r! The haggis is in th' fire now, fer su-r-r-re."

Update: Reader Rob Bignell submitted a comment with a link to this photo he found online, of Doohan at a convention in 1975. This confirms that the portrait was based on photos of Jimmy at the time, and it's very accurate! Thanks, Rob!

The fan in the photo still has scars from cigarette ash burns on her arm, which she treasures to this day and proudly shows her grandkids.

Below, a scan of a photo from one of my scrapbooks showing the wearin' o' th' kilt, which gives new meaning to the term "dress uniform."

"Mr. Chekov, if you keep insisting that the kilt was "inwented in Russia," Mr. Scott here is most certainly going to deck you."

Bonus: (Updated on 1-13-10) Here is the salute to Doohan from Starlog issue #112, which celebrated Trek's 20th anniversary in October of 1986.

Bonus #2: Below, a writeup from the same issue of Starlog on the location filming of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," which shows Jimmy turning on the legendary charm for a bonnie lass visiting the set.

Update: here's a link to a video found online where James Doohan talks about his encounter with a suicidal fan. Quite touching!

Next: the best legs in Starfleet! You know who I'm talking about.

Starlog #3 Con Articles Part 2

As promised last time, here are more of the pages from Starlog issue #3 covering the September 1976 Bicentennial 10 convention in New York. The pages this time cover appearances by NASA space specialist Jesco Von Puttkamer (who would go on to be the technical advisor on ST:TMP), Kathryn Hays (Gem), James Doohan, Stanley Adams (Cyrano Jones) and Tribbles writer David Gerrold, as well as a look at the (in)famous blooper reel. Enjoy!

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Below, it was with amusement that I read the text in the David Gerrold panel. The question and his answer are, in retrospect, prophetic in view of his later revelations.

Come back soon for more convention report pages from this memorable issue!

Shatner, Doohan in British TV commercial

I found this video while exploring the net for Trek material I hadn't seen before, and I sure hadn't seen this one or anything like it! It looks to have been made after Star Trek VI, when TNG was on the air, (or at least while the first TNG movie was being made) since Scotty is in the Enterprise D Engineering room. Enjoy!

Loved that the transporter accident put Kirk's head on the female cadet's body... which he seems to enjoy a little too much! And hearing Shatner use British slang; "I don't need a brolly, you wally!" Which in English would be "I don't need an umbrella, you idiot!" Funny stuff.

Update: thanks to some comments, we have narrowed it down to 1989-1990. I would have thought it was a bit later, due to the digital effects in the head-replacement bit, but I guess they could do a good job back then as well!

1986 article: Keep On Trekking

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Above, a pull-out centerfold article from The Star, May 6, 1986. Not that long ago, I know, but any article about the original cast, show or movies is liable to be posted here; old, new or inbetween.

(Sorry for the gap in posts, but a family emergency took me away for about a week and I'm just now getting back to scanning stuff for the blog. Sometimes real life interferes with our fun.)

Bonus: Below, no date on this clipping from the Enquirer but it was around July 1995.

Bonus #2: Cover to "Letters to Star Trek" paperback published in 1977. Nice painting!

1994 People article "Great Scotty!"

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Clipped from the Dec. 19, 1994 issue of People magazine. It wasn't very often that James Doohan got press, so this was nice to find.

Bonus: Below, a publicity shot of Doohan from "Where No Man Has Gone Before."

"If Shatner slights me one more time, I swear I'm shovin' this rright up his Jeffries Tube."

Below, the Scotty postcard from the Lincoln Enterprises set sold in the early 70's.

Below, the lead cast of the show if they had their way. It was a pity, though, that we didn't see more character development for each of them. With the power struggle between Shatner and Nimoy, it was a miracle anyone else got screen time, so I suppose we should be thankful for what little time in the spotlight they did get here and there.

"Pavel, if you keep insisting that the kilt was "inwented" in Russia, Mr. Scott here is most certainly going to deck you!"

An autograph from Mr. Doohan that I'm proud to own.

Star Trek '77 poster

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In spring of 1977 I was 18 and still living at home, and we were living in Macon, GA again, my hometown. I saw this poster in a bookstore, and they had another copy which they gave me. Of course I didn't get to go see Doohan thanks to you-know-who.*

Below is a cool newspaper feature that I found in a paper I picked up while traveling through N.C. Think of it, a regular Star Trek feature in the daily paper! Cool stuff.

And below is a picture I drew as a teenager, probably about 17, of Spock. Not good, I know, but I enjoyed drawing my Trek heroes.

*(Regular readers know it was my stepdad who made me go underground with my Trek fan activities.)