For any who might not know, James Doohan played engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the Star Trek original series, in one episode of the Next Generation series and in seven of the movies.
With Jimmy's remains will go a collection of digitized tributes. Anyone can add a tribute at http://www.nameastarspacelaunch.com/doohan_message.asp
I did.
However, since one can only included 500 characters, it was a bit constraining for my usual long-winded style. At 1600+ characters, my first cut was summarily rejected -- and I thought it was pretty short!
I slashed and hacked and got it down to under 500 characters, but I think it loses a little in the translation. I gave the original piece a bit of effort (I know, Dave. If you're reading this. I needed to take a break to clear my head ;-) and didn't want it to go to waste, so I'm sharing it with you, here. I'd put a link to this page in the tribute, but it wouldn't fit. So, if you happen to know Wende Doohan, could you please send her the permalink for this entry: http://www.tdfunk.com/2005/10/tribute-to-james-scotty-doohan.asp?
Thanks so much.
Here's how the tribute looked before I whacked it down to 414 characters.
Wende,
It's a bitter-sweet thing, the passing of someone like James Doohan.
The bitter, of course, is his passing. It brings that sick sense of loss, that hole in the heart and soul were a loved was, everything that you have endured and are heart-achingly familiar with.
But there's a sweetness, too. Jimmy's passing gives us pause and encourages us to reflect on the man and his legacy. As James Doohan passes on, he leaves behind a body of work that inspires millions.
Though the character of "Scotty" was originally penned by Gene Roddenberry, it was Jimmy who breathed life into that character, stamping "Scotty" with his inimitable style and endearing him to fans around the globe. Jimmy, through "Scotty," brought hope, joy and a sense of wonder to us all. "Scotty's" "can-do," "under-promise and over-deliver" spirit stands as a credo worthy of emulation. Jimmy's delightful portrayal of "Scotty's" love of life; wonder at, and love of, technology and exploration; and dedication to friends, crew and duty, could only have come from an actor who holds these tenets near to his own heart.
It's fitting that James "Scotty" Doohan's remains should find their final rest in space. From that grand perch, Jimmy will watch Man's slow march into space. He'll look upon our progress lovingly and with encouragement. When we finally arrive, it's appropriate that he be there to greet us. When we get there, he'll nudge us in the ribs and say: “What took ya so long, laddie? I co'd na waited much longer!”
Jimmy, "you are, and always shall be [our] friend."
Godspeed, Jimmy.
Wende, our thoughts and prayers go to you and your family.
Here are some kind words from friend George "Sulu" Takei.
Though I don't consider myself a trekker, I do like all versions of Star Trek, and I've always been particularly fond of Scotty. He always seemed like a loving and beloved uncle we all wish we could have. Plus, he was a fine leader one hell of an engineer! That's really handy to have when your ship is fully of tribbles or the Rolumans are breathing down your neck. ;-)
Related links:
James Doohan at StarTrek.com
A news article about this event at StarTrek.com
A gentle introduction to the world of Star Trek, for anyone who lives under a rock, or is just curious about this crazy Star Trek phenomenon.
Star Trek at SciFi.com
George Takei's blog
An NPR Science Friday episode about the Star Trek phenomenom
No comments:
Post a Comment