Perhaps the last time I saw James Doohan on screen was in the first annual TV Land awards in spring 2003. He was
accompanied by his Star Trek co-stars; among them, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Nichelle Nichols. While it was
great to see them again, it was also sad in that Jimmy was in declining health at the time.
In light of his passing, I recalled one of my earliest memories of Scotty or Jimmy. The earliest one would have to be
in the second season Original Series episode "The Doomsday Machine" when Kirk called Scotty at engineering in the battered
U.S.S. Constellation by asking "Scotty, gimme that power." In response, Scotty answered, "You've got it, captain."
(I'm paraphrasing this scene and the next from memory.) Then the ship suddenly accelerates, all thanks to Scotty.
Another moment from that same episode was Scotty jumping up into the Jefferies Tube, fixing the transporter to beam Kirk
back before the Constellation entered the mouth of the planet killer. Of course, Scotty got it fixed in time but it
always thrilling to see the miracle worker in action, keeping up with his nickname.
Possibly the best moment ever is an anecdote Jimmy told in the 1997 documentary Trekkies, which is quoted on this page.
For anyone who thinks Star Trek is just a TV show, they should read that story of how Jimmy saved a fan from suicide.
He proved to be a miracle worker on-screen and off.
Jimmy, Star Trek is not the same without you or De, Gene, and all of the Trek actors who have left. You have inspired
many to become engineers and pursue similar interests. May you live long and prosper and may the wind always be on
your back.
Quotes on James Doohan
The following three quotes are from Doohan's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, when he received his star on
Hollywood Boulevard in 2004
"We've gathered from throughout this planet to say congratulations to you, Jimmy. We love you and we
thank you for your luminous talent. We thank you for the gift you have given us of that unforgettable character, that
ingenious and beloved engineer that was able to fix anything."
"He's a wonderful friend, a beautiful person. There is no one better than he, and no one more deserving.
We all love this man."
"This star is a recognition of a man's talent, his endurance and the effect that he's had on people all over the world."
"Jimmy Doohan I had never worked with, but a director brought him in and asked him if he could do a Scottish accent and
he did like an hour and a half of accents and had us falling on the floor laughing, so there was never any doubt that
he had the job."
Quotes from Doohan himself
Trekkies (Roger Nygard, 1997)
[When Gene Roddenberry asked Doohan which accent he preferred for the chief engineer role, later named Scotty]
"He's going to be an engineer so he should be a Scotsman."
"The writers of Star Trek found out that I read technical journals. And that's how they put that into Scotty's
character. The character is ninety-nine-percent James Doohan and one-percent accent."
Quotes from Doohan as Scotty
Star Trek: The Original Series episode titles are in quotation marks and movie or book titles are italicized.
"By Any Other Name"
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
"Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden" by William Shatner (Pocket Books, 1995)
Related Links
More Doohan and Trek-related Links (new link)
- George Takei (Sulu)
- Nichelle Nichols (Uhura)
-Walter Koeing (Chekov)
- Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, from Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before by J.M. Dillard (Pocket Books, 1994)
I got a fan letter from a young lady. It was a suicide note. So I called her, and I said "Hey, this is Jimmy Doohan.
Scotty, of Star Trek. I'm doing a convention in Indianapolis. I want to see you there." I saw her, boy I'm telling you,
I couldn't believe what I saw. It was definitely suicide. Somebody had to help her, somehow. And obviously, she wasn't
going to the right people. Anyhow, I said to her, "I'm doing a convention two weeks from now, in St. Louis. And two weeks
after...she also came to New York. She was obviously able to afford to come to these places. And this went on for two or
three years. Maybe eighteen times. And all I did was talk positive things to her. And then all of a sudden, nothing.
I didn't hear anything. I had no idea what was happening, because I never really saved her address. Eight years later,
I get a letter saying, "I do want to thank you so much for what you did for me. Because I just got my Master's Degree in
Electronic Engineering." You know, to me, that's the best thing I've ever done in my life. And it brings tears to my eyes
every time I even talk about the story.
-Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before by J.M. Dillard (Pocket Books, 1994)
-Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before by J.M. Dillard (Pocket Books, 1994)
Scotty, on an unknown alcoholic drink: "It's, uh, it's green!"
NOTE: This is the same line Data quoted when he also found an unknown bottle of alcohol for Scotty in the
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics"
Kirk, on the Enterprise's repair time: "How long to re-fit?"
Scotty: "Eight weeks. But you don't have eight weeks, so I'll do it for you in two."
Kirk: "Do you always multiply your repair estimates by a factor of four?"
Scotty: "How else to maintain my reputation as a miracle worker?"
Kirk: "Your reputation is safe with me."
[Kirk looks around the Enterprise, which was decommissioned and later retrieved by his love interest Teilani.
Though the bridge appeared physically different with the familiar hardware taken out and still bearing the scars from
the final battle in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, it was still his ship nevertheless.]
Without looking, Kirk touched the control that opened line to the engine room.
“Kirk to Engineering.”
“Scott here, Captain.”
To Kirk, it was as right to hear the warm Scottish lilt in that greeting as it was to be on the bridge again.
And he wasn’t surprised to hear it, either. Perhaps because the Enterprise and her engineer shared a bond as strong as
his own with his ship.
“Mr. Scott, I thought you had retired.”
“Aye. So did I.”
Kirk grinned. He had long ago learned that Scotty was only happy when he had something to complain about.
“Then I trust Starfleet came up with a suitable reward for duty above and beyond.”
“Starfleet had nothin’ t’ do with me being here, Captain.”
That was surprising.
“ ‘Twas the lass, Teilani. Starfleet put her in touch with me, and she told me what it was she was planning to do
with the Enterprise. I figured if the time wasn’t quite right for the old girl t’ retire, then it wasn’t quite right for
me, either.”
Kirk wasn’t going to argue with him. When was it ever right to give up doing what you lived to do?
“You’ve done a magnificent job with her, Scotty.”
“Och, if ye could see the shambles the reclamation tem left this engine room in, you’d call it a bloody miracle.”
“When you’re involved, Mr. Scott, I always do. Glad to have you aboard.”
Kirk was about to sign off, but Scott wasn’t finished.
“Captain, just so you know…th’ Enterprise, sir…well, she’s…”
Kirk knew what Scott was trying to say. The signs were everywhere. “I know. She’s been through a lot.”
“That’s puttin’ it mildly, sir.” It was Scotty’s turn to sigh. “She was never repaired properly after that last
go-round with Chang. And the best parts of her, well, Starfleet’s taken those back. Left her in a kind of depleted
condition, if ye know what I mean.”
Kirk knew. “The question is, will she get us to Chal, Mr. Scott?”
“Aye, I’ll see to that. But afterward… I don’t know if she’ll be up to much in th’ way of planetary defense.
Without a complete overhaul, I mean.”
“And that’s not very likely, is it, Mr. Scott?”
The chief engineer sounded as if he were speaking about the death of a dear friend. “This is an old design, sir.
I’d never say it to an admiral’s face, but there was good reason for scheduling her to be decommissioned.”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Mr. Scott.”
Scott chuckled. “Aye. We oldsters have to stick t’gether, don’t we?”
Kirk winced.
“Warp power is online and ready when ye need it, Captain.”
“Thank you, Mr. Scott,” Kirk said. “I think.”
“Scott out.”