Slashdot Mirror

Damn right. Not only did he expertly play the character that hooked many a kid on the idea of science and engineering, but was also a decorated war veteran and a genuine class act. He was always warm and receptive to his fans and a beloved fixture of the convention circuit.

This is an important point. Doohan really gave so much back to the community. In the fascinating (and sometimes hilarious) documentary Trekkies, Doohan relates the story of a suicidal Trek fan who confided in him. Doohan took it upon himself to nurse this poor soul back to health. He told the fan that he wanted to see them at the next convention. To his amazement, the fan was there and Doohan graciously met with them, allowing them to come backstage and the whole deal. Doohan tried it again and again the fan showed up at the next convention. They kept this up for a long time (I forget -- it might have been years) when suddenly the fan stopped coming. Doohan feared the worst had happened.

Years later Doohan was stunned when the fan showed up at a convention out of nowhere! The fan told Doohan that they had turned their life around, enrolled in school, and become ... an electrical engineer.

If you haven't seen this film you should definitely rent it. Watching Doohan come close to tears as he tells this story is worth the rental fee right there.

GMD

James Doohan and George Takei always struck me as the two members of the cast who seemed to handle the unlikely fame they received from Star Trek the best. Doohan always remembered that it was the fans that made everything possible.

I'll bet he inspired a great many of the older posters here in their formative years.

In the fascinating (and sometimes hilarious) documentary Trekkies Doohan relates the story of a suicidal Trek fan who confided in him. Doohan took it upon himself to nurse this poor soul back to health. He told the fan that he wanted to see them at the next convention. To his amazement, the fan was there and Doohan graciously met with them, allowing them to come backstage and the whole deal. Doohan tried it again and again the fan showed up at the next convention. They kept this up for a long time (I forget -- it might have been years) when suddenly the fan stopped coming. Doohan feared the worst had happened.

Years later Doohan was stunned when the fan showed up at a convention out of nowhere! The fan told Doohan that they had turned their life around, enrolled in school, and become ... an electrical engineer.

If you haven't seen this film you should definitely rent it. Watching Doohan come close to tears as he tells this story is worth the rental fee right there.

GMD

The winner plays Captain Christopher Pike.

(I'm such a geek. *sigh*)

You ever see the film "Trekkies"? There's an uber-geek in that film who has built his own Christopher Pike wheelchair and then, I kid you not, goes riding in it around town! The scene where he goes to Radio Shack to pick up some new parts for it is hilarious! If you haven't seen this flick, rent it tonight! You'll never make the mistake of calling yourself a geek again after you see the people in this movie!

GMD

In the documentary, wasn't the Trek screenplay that 14 year-old (Gabriel Koerner) was working on named, "Nemesis"?

According to Roddenberry, ST:TOS was conceived as "Wagon Train to the Stars", that is, the concept of exploration and meeting strange and interesting people... sort of like /., come to think of it :) Social commentary, breaking new TV ground, dealing with taboos, observations on the human condition, , were all hallmarks of TOS and TNG. (Sorry, I can't fairly comment on DS9 or Voy) TOS a mistake? I think it was the same sort of mistake which have set other TV ground-breaking classics apart from the dross. The fact that it was ahead of its time, both in its fictional setting and for the '60's when it was originally broadcast, was indicative of its inherent nature. TNG carried it forward for its first few seasons, but like most other successful franchises, overstayed its welcome, IMNSHO. All of this is not to say that there aren't folks who are obsessed with the program. For a look at how bizarre things can get when a TV program takes over your life, view the documentary, Trekkies. Truly frightening!