'Scotty' of 'Star Trek' Bids Fans a Fond Farewell

They gathered Sunday in a ballroom at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel to say farewell to James Doohan, 84, who played Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on the original "Star Trek" TV series.

With the recent onset of Alzheimer's disease, Doohan, a former regular on the Trekkie convention circuit, decided to make one final appearance for fans before retiring from public life.

The "Star Trek" faithful paid up to $995 to take part in a two-day tribute and convention, "Beam Me Up, Scotty

"He wanted to say goodbye to his fans," said Dave Mendel, of Berryville, Va., who said he spent much of the weekend near Hollywood and Highland dressed in full Klingon battle armor -- including sand-crab forehead and spiked shoulder pads. "How could you not show up for that?"

Mendel, a 6-foot-4 truck driver who also goes by the Klingon name "qarjagh," fit in among his fellow fans, some of whom packed fake phaser guns in homemade utility belts. There were Scotty impersonation contests, Scotty trivia and a panel discussion titled "The Influence of Scotty on Society."

The New York-based Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation set up a booth, passing out information about the degenerative brain disease, and astronaut Neil Armstrong stopped by for an honorary banquet.

Doohan, who also has Parkinson's disease and diabetes, mingled with fans and spoke haltingly at a news conference, but his family members had to elaborate on his bond with "Star Trek" and its loyal followers.

Fans plan to flock Tuesday to Hollywood Boulevard, where Doohan's star will be unveiled on the Walk of Fame.

"We're just very proud to honor Dad with this star," his son, Chris Doohan, said. "A lot of 'Star Trek' fans helped us out with this."

It was, of course, William Shatner's Capt. James T. Kirk who was the star of the first "Star Trek" series, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969. But many Trekkies still find Shatner to be irredeemably nguq -- Klingon for "arrogant" -- after he dissed Trek culture in a 1987 "Saturday Night Live" skit.

Fans love Doohan for being so approachable. Some of the hundreds who made the trip for the chance to see him one last time said they paid the admission because over the years, the man they knew as Scotty always took the time to talk to them, sign autographs and chat about alternate universes, obscure plot points and spaceship specs.