By Steve Krutzler / 00:01, 22 March 2004 / TrekWeb Features

STARGATE and Beyond
A Conversation with Robert Picardo ('The Doctor')

By Jacqueline Bundy

During the media event surrounding the grand opening of the new BORG INVASION (TrekWeb's report) attraction I had an opportunity to talk with Robert Picardo about his role on STARGATE SG-1 and find out what else the very busy actor has planned.

"I have appeared twice on STARGATE and they've contacted me about some more. I assume that I'll be back on that," Picardo said when asked about the role of Richard Woolsey.

"I play a character named Woolsey, who is from a kind of military think tank. At first he seems to be a bad guy...a henchman of the evil Senator played by Ronnie Cox [Senator Robert Kinsey], but then he has his mind turned around," said Picardo. "So I am about to turn on my original employer and investigate him."

"It's always nice to play a sympathetic character," Picardo explained. "Especially to go from a character who seems to be very creepy and evil at first and then to have his conscious transformed."

"It has been a nice journey already," he added.

Originally it was just a one-shot character. "They like me and I certainly like them, they're a great cast," said Picardo. "I think they like me because they can give me seven pages of solid dialogue on a shooting day...that old technobabble brain of mine still functions."

Mr. Picardo also talked about the prominence of the Science Fiction series. "STARGATE is through the roof," Picardo said. He was actually working on the show when the TV Guide cover came out calling STARGATE 'The New Trek'.

"I'm amazed at its world wide popularity," he continued, referring to STARGATE. "When I go to England now, they know me as a STAR TREK actor but because I've now appeared on STARGATE they want to ask all these questions about that. So I know that it's popularity is certainly global."

Picardo couldn't talk too much about the STARGATE role when asked if it would tie in at all with the launching of STARGATE Atlantis but he did say, "I know that they are carrying plot threads from one to the other. Whether whatever happens in the culmination of my plot resonates with the launching of that show I don't know at this point."

"Just like STAR TREK writers they are quite secretive about their future storylines. I really don't know how it will resolve or what will happen to me."


Picardo was also asked about his role on CHINA BEACH a drama about Vietnam. The series originally aired in the early 1990's and is currently being shown on The History Channel.

"I'm very proud of having been on that show and the stories we told," Picardo said. "It's been fun to catch it the second time around with my children...now that they are old enough to ask questions about the Vietnam era. It's been a nice conversation piece to watch the show and talk about the issues it raises."

Asked about other projects Picardo responded, "I am working on developing two movie projects. One we're pitching to the Sci Fi Channel tomorrow [March 18th]. I don't want to hex it by saying what it is but involves me and another very famous STAR TREK actor, but not from VOYAGER. [It is] an original idea by the two of us," Picardo added and the only thing further he would say was that it wasn't Jonathan Frakes, either.

"I'm optimistic about that and there is another low budget theatrical film that I'm also working on pitching. And then I have an upcoming episode of WEST WING that I guest star on. Beyond that I don't know. It's a regular a actor's life."

Picardo has appeared in two musicals since VOYAGER ended, A CLASS ACT at the Pasadena Playhouse and ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY a revival in a series called Reprise: Broadway's Best.

"I would love to do another one its just finding the right one," Picardo said when asked if he hoped to return to the stage again. "I love to sing to sing on stage and I love to work on stage. I also sing occasionally at a club, and I'll be there the last week of this month, a place called Maxwell's at the Argyle." The historic Argyle Hotel is located on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. "They have a swing dancing night and I sing with the band."