UPDATE: For the most recent tributes, please scroll down this page and click on Pages 4 & 5.
Today is a sad day for many of us as the reality of James Doohan's passing sets in. To be fair, the news isn't entirely unexpected given Jimmy's poor health due to advanced stages of Alzheimer's and pneumonia, but it is still a jolt nonetheless.
Fans from around the world reacted immediately to the news of Doohan's death, many surprised that we did not have a story up on the site as soon as the news broke. We apologize if the brief delay caused anyone undue stress. We do, however, have some wonderful pictures, text and video pieces dedicated to Doohan that we put together for last year's tribute in Hollywood, what was truly to be his final convention.
Over the last nearly 40 years, many of us in the Star Trek world have had experiences with Mr. Doohan, either professionally or from conventions, and we all have our favorite memories of his performances. Either by the magic of his role as Scotty, or the force of his personality, he has touched millions.
Personally, Jimmy will always hold a special place in my heart as he was the first Star Trek star I got to see in person. It was the early 1980's and I was fresh out of high school in Fresno, California. I had never been to a convention of any sort, so his appearance at Fresno State University was a real treat. Jimmy showed the blooper reel, an uncut "Tribbles" (back when the only way you could see it was in syndication, with the customary trims to fit an hour slot), answered any and all questions with his customary candor, and, above all, he was funny. As a character, what I warmed to with Scotty was his vulnerability. In "The Trouble with Tribbles," Scotty started The Fight. In "Wolf in the Fold," he was wrongly accused of murder. These episodes are two big reasons why I loved Star Trek in the first place.
To honor Mr. Doohan, we've asked people from the world of Star Trek to give us their own memories and tributes to Jimmy. We will update this page as the tributes arrive.
We would also like to hear from you too. You can add your own tribute to Jimmy by following this link to post on our message boards.
"I worked with Jimmy on an episode of Next Generation ['Relics'] as well as on 'Star Trek Generations.' He was a gentle and lovely man, as well as an extremely talented actor. We are all very saddened by this news."
— Rick Berman, Executive Producer
"I attended my very first Star Trek convention at Michigan State University in the early 1970s, back when no one had a clue there would be any further TV shows or even Star Trek movies. Because I worked the con, I had the privilege of sitting next to Jimmy Doohan at a Chinese restaurant in East Lansing, Michigan when the con committee took him and the other guests (Mark Lenard and David Gerrold) out to dinner. As I recall, Jimmy was a great guest, very kind and giving with his time, and he was a lively dinner partner. I think we spent the evening sharing jokes, some clean and some not so clean! I laughed all night.
"Meeting some of the folks behind Star Trek was a great introduction to Trek fandom for me — although it totally spoiled me for dealing with the real mundane world ... which is why I work at Paramount today!"
— Paula Block, Author, Executive Director Publishing, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products
"Jimmy Doohan was a class act. He never took himself too seriously, yet he always conducted himself with great professionalism and with courtesy to his coworkers. On those occasions when we were lucky enough to work with him, he was always a joy, even if he was sometimes a little curmudgeonly.
"Jimmy accepted his role as a cultural icon with grace and humor. He was thrilled that he had helped to inspire engineers, scientists, pilots, and even astronauts. To them (and to everyone else), he was a symbol of the triumph of human technical ingenuity (and grim determination) in the face of overwhelming odds. We are privileged to have known both Jimmy and Scotty, for both have enriched our lives."
— Michael and Denise Okuda, Star Trek production personnel
"Jimmy Doohan was in his Starfleet uniform the first time I met him. We were on the Enterprise Bridge, on a sound stage at Paramount Pictures. Although I was there as a member of the 'Star Trek V' film crew, I felt shy about approaching the man because to me he was 'Scotty,' a bigger than life character that I'd followed since being a kid in the midwest. But approach him I did, and he responded by putting his arms around me in a sincere hug and saying, 'Welcome to the crew.' And when I later showed up as a guest at a convention, Jimmy approached me and said, 'Hi Terry.' Yes, Jimmy was a man who not only remembered the thousands of people who approached him over the years, but joined them for dinner at the conventions and, I'm sure he'd chuckle to remember, even tipped a few glasses with them.
"James Doohan was a gentleman, and in my heart's memory, always will be. I miss you, Jimmy."
— Terry J. Erdmann, Author, Unit Publicist
"I could always tell that Jimmy cared about the people around him, the fans and my family.
"My father and Jimmy, as I often heard him called, were the closest of the Star Trek cast. I recently came across a home movie of Jimmy and my father out on a boat in what must have been the mid '70s. There was no sound but by the smiles and laughter I could tell they were enjoying the day as well as each other's company. I had met Jimmy only a few times throughout the years and it was always my impression that he was a genuinely good person. I along with millions of others will miss Jimmy and the moments we shared.
"At this time, my thoughts are with the Doohan family and relatives. Over what must have been a very difficult past year, I was witness to extraordinary displays of love and caring within the Doohan family circle. I suspect the pain runs deep but know that the love and cherished memories will run eternal."
— Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry
