SCIFI.COM | Star Trek: Montgomery Scott

Born in Vancouver, James Doohan left home at age nineteen to join the Canadian Forces, fighting with the Allies in World War II. As a Captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Doohan lead his men into battle on D-Day, and was wounded in the leg and hand. For the remainder of the war, he became a pilot observer, and received the dubious distinction of being called the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Forces."

After returning home to Canada, Doohan was awarded a two-year scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. There, he studied alongside such future stars as Leslie Nielsen, Tony Randall, and Jackie Gleason.

He eventually found himself following other fellow actors in the pilgrimage to Hollywood. There, his versatility and talent as a dialectician helped him earn parts in more than 100 motion pictures and television series, including The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Fantasy Island, and of course, Star Trek.

Biographic information provided by Star Trek: Continuum.

Character: Montgomery Scott
Played By: James Doohan
Serial Number: SE 197-54T
Year of birth: 2227
Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Earth
Education: Starfleet Academy, 2240-44
Marital status: Single
Service record: Lieutenant Commander, U.S.S. Enterprise by 2266

While the Enterprise may have been Kirk's ship, no one knew or loved the vessel as did "Scotty," everyone's affectionate name for the ship's chief engineer and second officer. The phrase "hands-on" could have been coined for the Scotsman with the ever-thick brogue, whose reputation as a mechanical miracle worker in his own right was legendary.

Even so, his turn in the command chair at critical times never lacked for grit and a cool head -- though he also earned a well-deserved reputation for real Scotch whiskey. Scotty's other passions proved enigmatic -- while he was known to prefer technical journals as prime entertainment in off-hours, his eye for the ladies was exceeded only by his nose for a good time on shore leave.