Scotty: I'd Like To Play King Lear

Actor James Doohan, "Scotty" in the original Star Trek cast, will beam himself onto the Monorail Saturday morning, heading for the opening of a new Pacific Science Center exhibit titled "Star Trek: Federation Science."

Doohan was a natural choice for opening ceremonies since he now lives on the Eastside. A Vancouver, B.C., native, Doohan worked as a dramatic actor (stage, radio and TV), before playing the character who inspired the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty."

(Oddly, that phrase never was spoken on air. The exact words were, "Beam me up, Mr. Scott.")

In an interview yesterday, Doohan said he and his wife, Wende Braunberger, and sons, Eric and Thomas, moved here from L.A. several years ago. He explains, "My wife is a San Francisco girl and didn't like the heat."

Does Doohan have any regrets about playing Scotty? Frankly, yes. In the early 1970s, it was hard to find roles because he was so closely identified with the Scotsman and his warning that "the engine kinna take it."

Then Doohan, using a proper British accent, played a stage role in "The Trial of James McNeill Whistler." Since then, the master of dialect has had rave reviews for a variety of roles.

What's left? He replies, "I've always wanted to play King Lear."

Doohan doesn't mind stopping on the street to sign autographs, though he deplores the "awful pens people carry." He says, "I usually carry a good marking pen. Then it's easy."

He says he'll sign autographs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Science Center. (While supplies last, tickets to the signing will be given out with paid admissions, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.)

Real blast: Michael Teltoft, CEO of TOTE, the shipping giant, retired in style. During last week's goodbye party at his home in The Highlands, Teltoft called on guests to look outside.

What they saw, cruising past on Puget Sound, was the S.S. Greatland, the 789-foot TOTE flagship. The vessel tooted a one-and-a-half minute farewell salute, followed by three answering cannon booms from Teltoft. The Highlands may never recover.

Black and white bawl: The Seattle Celebrity Waiters Lunch, a benefit for leukemia research, usually is one laugh after another. But laughter took a back seat at last week's event at the Four Seasons Olympic.

Auctioneer Dick Friel was fielding bids on a Dalmatian puppy, led onstage by leukemia poster child Jeremy Sybertz. After spirited bidding, the dog went for $2,050.

Then the winning bidder, Joyce Schweickert, turned around and handed the pup back to Jeremy. There was scarcely a dry eye in the crowd as the youngster hugged the pup. Co-auctioneer Sharon Friel sniffled, "More Kleenex, please."

Garbage out: Ballard resident Tommer Peterson reports some friends from Japan were stumped by the "Refuse to Lose" signs spotted in Seattle shop windows. The visitors hauled out phrase books to translate the signs, leftovers from Seattle Mariner playoffs.

After discovering that "refuse" can be translated as "to decline politely" or as "garbage," the Japanese developed two theories. They figured the signs either meant "don't try to rob this building" (residents refuse to be deprived of their possessions), or "please pick up the garbage" (we have a pile to spare).

Jean Godden's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Local News section of The Times. Her phone is 464-8300.