Scotty Beams Up

You've probably already read or heard that actor James Doohan has passed away. Doohan played Scotty, the ship's engineer, on the original TV show "Star Trek."

I happened to meet James Doohan at a Star Trek convention many years ago and he was a likeable fellow.

The classic Star Trek shows look dated now with its cheap special effects but this was a ground breaking show when it first appeared in 1966. In its stories it handled many social issues, like racial prejudice and the arms race, while other TV shows were avoiding those issues.

So, I raise my glass to James Doohan. I hope he is happy wherever he is.

Another actor, Deforest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), and the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, passed away many years ago.