Scotty Gets His Star

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "Star Trek" actor James Doohan -- famed for his portrayal of "Beam Me Up" Scotty, the intrepid engineer who kept the starship Enterprise warping across galaxies -- grinned and waved to fans Tuesday as he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It was expected to be the last public appearance of the 84-year-old performer, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and also suffers from Parkinson's disease, diabetes and lung fibrosis.

The ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard was the culmination of several days of farewell activities that brought Doohan back into contact with many of this longtime fans.

George Takei, who played Sulu on "Star Trek," told the crowd: "This is a galactic day in this town full of stars.

"We've gathered from throughout this planet to say congratulations to you, Jimmy," Takei said. "We love you and we thank you for your luminous talent. We thank you for the gift you have given us of that unforgettable character, that ingenious and beloved engineer that was able to fix anything."

Other "Star Trek" cast members to attend were Nichelle Nichols, who was Uhura on the series, and Walter Koenig, who played Chekov.

"He's a wonderful friend, a beautiful person," Nichols said of Doohan. "There is no one better than he, and no one more deserving. We all love this man."

Koenig said he felt great companionship with Doohan after decades of working together, from the original TV series in 1966 to their last film in 1994, "Star Trek: Generations."

"This star is a recognition of a man's talent, his endurance and the effect that he's had on people all over the world," Koenig said.

Doohan did not speak to the crowd, but he waved and posed for photos before leaving with his family.

Seeing Stars.

Sci-fi fans have been seeing stars most of their lives. Whether it is reaching for them in our dreams or actually catching sight of one at a convention or simply up on the big screen. The stars are what makes this genre work, doesn't matter if it is actually in the heavens or one of the heavenly actors that portray one of our favorite characters.

Finally, it is up to the fans to make reaching those stars a reality! At least in a symbolic way.

A few years back the fans united to help Patrick Stewart reach his goal and receive a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Now it is time for another STAR TREK star to shine. James Doohan, our beloved Scotty from the Original Series is one of the last members from the original crew not to have a star placed on the famous walk of fame. And it is time he has one.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to visit Hollywood and see The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and even tour Universal Studios. You know all the fan things to do. Unless you have been there you will never know the feeling you get walking along those sidewalks. It truly is an amazing feeling which must be multiplied a million times when you are the person receiving that star for all your fans to see.

I would like for fandom, who always seem to ask for something from theirs stars, to pull together and give something back. And what better thing for this genre than a star?

The campaign to get a star for Mr. Doohan is spearheaded by his son Chris Doohan, who is also a major contributor to The Sci-Fi Cafe, a chain of science fiction based restaurants. [ www.sci-ficafe.net ]All proceeds from sales on his website will be donated to the project. Chris states that James is proud man [who wouldn't be with a resume like that] and would "never pay for a pat on the back". James Doohan started beaming into our living rooms in 1952 in an episode of Tales of Tomorrow in the episode Plague From Space. And since then has appeared in nearly a hundred films and TV series and even did the voices of many cartoon characters.

Getting a star is not as easy as simply paying for it. However, there is a $15,000 sponsorship fee [which is what we are asking you to help raise]. Once the money is raised the sponsor must submit the individuals qualifications as well as contributions to community as a whole, a biography and samples of their work. The Walk of Fame Committee meets annually to decide who among the hundreds of applicants get to receive their star. If the star is not awarded that first year their nomination rolls over to the next year for one more shot at a star before the sponsor needs to resubmit. Now that you know a little more about what is involved in getting a star you might be asking what can I do to help?

Simple donate some money [no matter how much....no amount is too small]! You have several options at your disposal. You can make a purchase from the Sci-Fi Cafe online store, make a donation here via paypal, mail a check or money order to: Scotty's Star, c/o Chris Doohan, 2060 E. Ave. Los Arboles, suite D-163, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362-1376 or donate via his website [ www.scottysstar.com ] All donations will remain in the 'official' Scotty's Star PayPal account until the goal is met.

Won't you help James [Scotty] Doohan get his rightful place among these stars?

Roddenberry, Gene TV Location: 6683 Hollywood Blvd.
Shatner, William TV Location: 6901 Hollywood Blvd.
Nimoy, Leonard MP Location: 6651 Hollywood Blvd.
Kelley, DeForest MP Location: 7021 Hollywood Blvd.
Nichols, Nichelle TV Location: 6633 Hollywood Blvd.
Takei, George TV Location: 6681 Hollywood Blvd.

More information on The Hollywood Walk of Fame visit http://hollywoodchamber.net
For James Doohans Filmography visit http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001150/
To donate or get more information visit http://www.scottysstar.com/