James Doohan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Doohan
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James Doohan
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| Born |
James Montgomery Doohan
March 3, 1920 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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| Died | July 20, 2005 (aged 85) Redmond, Washington, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Pulmonary fibrosis |
| Resting place | Puget Sound, Washington outer space |
| Other names | Jimmy Doohan |
| Alma mater | Neighborhood Playhouse |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1952–2005 |
| Known for | Montgomery "Scotty" Scott |
| Home town | Sarnia, Ontario, Canada |
| Television | Star Trek |
| Spouse(s) | Janet Young (1949–1964) Anita Yagel (1967–1972) Wende Braunberger (1974–2005) |
| Children | 7 |
James Montgomery Doohan (March 3, 1920 – July 20, 2005) was a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the famous TV show and movies called Star Trek.
Scotty was the Scottish Chief Engineer of the Starship Enterprise. His character was very popular in Star Trek. Many fans were inspired by Scotty to become engineers or work in other technical jobs. James Doohan also helped create the Klingon and Vulcan languages for the show.
Before becoming an actor, Doohan was a pilot in the Canadian military. He fought in World War II, including the D-Day invasion. He was hurt during the war. After the war, he worked a lot in radio and TV. This led him to his role as Scotty. Even after the first Star Trek show ended, he kept playing Scotty in animated shows and movies. He also often met fans at Star Trek events.
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Early Life and Education
James Doohan was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was the youngest of four children. His parents had moved from Northern Ireland.
His family later moved to Sarnia, Ontario. James went to high school there. He was very good at math and science. In 1938, he joined the 102nd Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps.
Military Service in World War II
When World War II began, James Doohan joined the Royal Canadian Artillery. He became a lieutenant. In 1940, he went to England for training.
His first battle was on D-Day, when he landed at Juno Beach. Doohan led his soldiers to higher ground. They set up defenses for the night. Later that night, he was accidentally shot by a Canadian guard. He was hit six times: four times in his leg, once in his chest, and once in his right middle finger. A silver cigarette case in his pocket stopped the bullet to his chest. Sadly, his right middle finger had to be removed. He often hid this injury while acting.
| Medals and Awards | Ribbon |
|---|---|
| Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) |
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| United Kingdom 1939-1945 Star |
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| United Kingdom France and Germany Star |
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| United Kingdom Defence Medal 1939-1945 |
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| United Kingdom War Medal 1939-1945 |
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| Canadian Volunteer Service Medal |
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Acting Career Begins
After the war, Doohan went to London, Ontario, for more technical schooling. One day, he heard a radio play and thought he could do better. He recorded his voice at a local radio station. This led him to a drama school in Toronto. He won a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.
In 1946, he started acting for CBC radio. For many years, he worked in both Toronto and New York. He acted in over 4,000 radio shows and 450 TV shows. He became known for being able to play many different types of characters.
In the mid-1950s, he played a forest ranger named Timber Tom in the Canadian Howdy Doody show. Another Star Trek actor, William Shatner, was also on the American version of the show. Doohan and Shatner also appeared together in a Canadian science fiction show called Space Command.
Becoming Scotty in Star Trek
James Doohan was good at doing different accents since he was a child. When he tried out for the role of chief engineer on the USS Enterprise, he used several accents. The show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, asked him which one he liked best. Doohan said, "If you want an engineer, the best engineers I know are Scotsmen." He chose the name "Montgomery Scott" after his own grandfather.
Doohan once said that "Scotty is ninety-nine percent James Doohan and one percent accent." He also did the voices for many other characters on the show.
He returned to play Scotty in the early 1970s for Star Trek: The Animated Series. He also voiced many other male characters, sometimes playing as many as seven different roles in one episode.
Doohan joined the rest of the Star Trek cast for the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). He even helped create the Vulcan and Klingon language dialogue for the film. He continued to play Scotty in the other Star Trek movies. In 1992, he was a guest star in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "Relics". In this episode, an older Scotty remembered his time on the Enterprise. He also appeared briefly with William Shatner in Star Trek: Generations.
Many fans told Doohan that he inspired them to become engineers. Even Astronaut Neil Armstrong, who was an engineer before going to space, thanked Doohan. At Doohan's last public appearance in 2004, Armstrong told him, "From one old engineer to another, thanks, mate."
Later Life and Legacy
James Doohan passed away on July 20, 2005, at his home in Redmond, Washington. He died from problems related to pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. It is thought this might have been caused by being around harmful substances during World War II.
A small amount of his ashes was planned to be sent into space. The first attempt in 2008 failed. However, on May 22, 2012, a small container with some of his ashes was successfully flown into space on a Falcon 9 rocket. The rest of his ashes were spread over Puget Sound in Washington.
Selected Films
- The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
- 36 Hours (1964)
- Signpost to Murder (1964)
- Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965)
- The Satan Bug (1965)
- One of Our Spies Is Missing (1966)
- Jigsaw (1968)
- Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971)
- Man in the Wilderness (1971)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) as Montgomery Scott
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) as Montgomery Scott
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) as Montgomery Scott
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) as Montgomery Scott
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) as Montgomery Scott
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) as Montgomery Scott
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- Double Trouble (1992)
- Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) as Scotty
- Amore! (1993)
- Star Trek Generations (1994) as Montgomery Scott
- River of Stone (1994)
- New York Skyride (1994)
- Storybook (1996)
- Bug Buster (1998)
- Through Dead Eyes (1999)
- The Duke (1999)
Images for kids
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The handprints of James Doohan in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
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Doohan (left) visiting NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center with pilot Bruce Peterson April 13, 1967 in front of the Northrop M2-F2.
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In Spanish: James Doohan para niños
