James Doohan

James Doohan played the role of Scotty in all of the Star Trek television programs and movies. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in early 2004 and also suffered from Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. On August 31, 2004 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although born in Vancouver James Doohan grew up in Sarnia, Ontario and went to the Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School. He was 19-years old at the outbreak of the Second World War and he joined the Royal Canadian Artillery. He landed on Juno Beach during the famed D-Day Invasion and was wounded a few hours later. As a result of those injuries his right middle finger was amputated, which he was able to conceal during his long career as an actor, which began after the war. He privately studied Shakespeare and began acting with an appearance on CBC Radio in 1946. He enrolled in a drama class in Toronto, and later won a two-year scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. There he met and studied with Leslie Nielsen, Tony Randall and Richard Boone. For several years Doohan would shuttle between Toronto and New York as work demanded and it is estimated that he appeared on some 4,000 radio programs and 400 television programs, which earned him a reputation for his versatility.

Also see: Christopher Doohan
Also see: William Shatner