Happy Birthday to James "Scotty" Doohan...85 years young!

[edbermac]

Very sadly withdrew from public appearances last year due to his suffering from Alzheimer's disease...still, many happy returns from all your fans!

Update: Jimmy also served in WWII on D-Day...from his bio:

Doohan was a Captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery, stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and was wounded after taking out two enemy snipers only to go on to fly an artillery observation plane for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

[WildClarySage]

1. yeah, having a five yr old keeps you young, I guess.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Well, dang - I thought he'd died!

I would have bet money he died a few months ago.

[TlalocW]

3. We were just talking about him at work the other day

Boss and I were discussing the few sci-fi conventions we've been to, and I mentioned that I got Scotty's autograph at the last one I went to (which was at least three years ago). I didn't know if it was from a stroke or Alzheimer's, but you could tell he wasn't "all there" when signing autographs, although I hear he pulled it together and was very engaging when he got up on stage later on to talk.

They only allowed 5 people at his table at a time so there was a long line facing his table with people waiting his turn. Sometimes, people coming from the opposite direction would see him and the few people at the table and think that no one was waiting to talk to him and go to the table. At that point, one of the event workers - dressed as a Klingon - would go and inform them where the line ended. That happened once when I was close to the front of the line, and I remarked to the Klingon/worker, "Line cutters have no honor!"

He rolled his eyes at me so I challenged him to a Bat-Leth duel. If I'm going to pay $20 to walk around a bunch of actors - most of whom I don't care about - surrounded by uber-geeks in crappy costumes, I want the workers to be in character, damn it! :)

TlalocW

[HamstersFromHell]

4. Hello, computer! Wish Scotty Happy Birthday for me....

Hello? Computer? (picks up mouse...)