Now, THAT is tragic. I loved Scotty. Regardless of all the complaints of Star Trek's authenticity, it was a wonderful show at a time when it was the cutting edge of sci-fi.
*deep sigh*
Ach, Scotty, we'll miss ye.
Posted by punahougirl84 (Member # 1731) on :
Yes, I read the story on Yahoo. Interesting - he was on his third marriage (lasted 28 years). His youngest child is 5, born in 2000 (he was 85 when he died). And if that sounds like any other actor you know, it turns out that back after he won a scholarship to a playhouse in NYC, one of his fellow students there was Tony Randall!
I'll miss him too - but he gave us a great deal to enjoy, and we won't forget him.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
<SIGH!>
Well, there goes my dream of seeing him play Dr. Watson to Leonard Nimoy's Holmes.
Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :
Hmm, that would have been something to see.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
After reading his obit, it leaves me with only one question. Does _anybody_ like Bill Shatner?
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
I'm sure *somebody* does.
<looks around> Anyone?
Posted by dpatridge (Member # 2208) on :
He is who? Heh.
Posted by pixydust (Member # 2311) on :
He was good in Miss Congeniality. Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :
Bill Shatner likes Bill Shatner!
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
The comments that the ST cast have made over the years about Bill Shatner remind me that "It's better to be kind than to be right." When all is said and done, we leave everything behind us except the relationships we've nurtured over the years. It would be sad to be remembered as someone who trampled through people's lives.
I would have liked to have met James Doohan. I always liked his on-screen persona. Although, I CAN claim to have met John DeLancie ("Q" in ST:TNG). He was very amiable. We had a lovely conversation while waiting in line for a bathroom one night, and he autographed my ticket stub for the OMSI Star Trek exhibit grand opening.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
How could anybody not like the Shat?
To be honest, I think that William Shatner went through a lot of the same things that the rest of the cast suffered, but had the worst position in most ways. His ego had a lot to do with it, made things worse, but the not entirely unjust criticism of his abilities would be hard for anyone to take.
I think that the turns he's made towards both comedy and shameless commercialism have really helped him to come to terms with himself and his celebrity. That's a good thing, I think, even if there are other costs to it.
Posted by Alexis (Member # 2687) on :
Speaking of shameless, has anyone heard Shatner's renditions of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and, most hilariously, "Mr. Tambourine Man"? If not you -must- download them. They're also on the album "Spaced Out", along with some pretty funny Nimoy stuff. Picture Spock doing "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town".
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Shatner had to make some pretty desperate career choices after the first STAR TREK series was cancelled. His wife had divorced him, and I understand that the alimony payments were based on what he'd been making as Captain Kirk. Some of the roles he took in order to make his payments really hurt his career, and probably made any claims to quality as an actor look laughable.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Also, unlike some of the other very fine members of the original Star Trek cast, Shatner was always better as a performer than an actor. It can be hard for performers to get along with actors, and vice versa. And the vagaries of fame tend to go harder on performers.
So, I think that any past friction between Doohan and Shatner has to be viewed as a testament to Doohan as an actor of high caliber. Do you know, I don't even know what he sounded like when he wasn't doing the accent?
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Interesting distinction, that, between actor and performer.
Thank you, Survivor. I don't think I'd heard that idea expressed in quite that way before, and I like it.
Now, to start pigeonholing celebrities....
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
To be fair, it is important to remember that most stars go both ways. And to an extent, the public demands both of almost all stars.
But it's no secret that some are better at one thing than the other.
Except when you have an exceptional actor who'd rather be a performer...those ones can be hard to suss.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
I didn't mean to touch a match to the tinderbox with that little comment.
I've only met one Trek actor (Harry Mudd) so I don't really have any opinion of any of the cast members as people because the only information I have is second-hand.
