Even though it has been almost twelve years since Star Trek: Voyager ended, Robert Picardo still maintains contact with his former co-workers. Every year, the actors get together once or twice for a dinner and this year’s dinner fell on a special date. “We have our dinner at the Palm (in Los Angeles), and last [...] More...
I liked Picardo's work as Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years too. And to think, it all started in 1981 as Eddie Quist in The Howling.
That's nice to know. The Doc is by far my favorite Voyager character, and Picardo has always struck me as a decent, genuinely nice guy. Coach Cutlip! I still laugh whenever I think about his awful drawing of the female body during his sex-ed class.
I've just seen a pic of Picardo in China Beach (which I've never watched) and barely recognised him! Pretty hot though.
He's in 1985's kids movie Explorers, though mostly in heavy makeup as ugly aliens. But he also shows up early as the blond-haired sci-fi hero Starkiller in a movie-within-a-movie scene at a drive-in theater.
To be honest, I always did find him pretty attractive, in an unconventional way. But I just assumed I was the only one who thought so.
The Doc was honestly the best character on the show. He was the only one with any wit, it seemed like the writers (for the most part) actually cared about his character, and the show honestly wouldn't have been as good with someone else in his role (and I can't say the same about anyone else, including Janeway).
Janeway was full of wit. As an actress she had a lot of body humor. 7 was also understated in comedy, she knew how to convey dry wit. Ethan Phillips knew his comedy and how to self deprecate. I remember hearing Wang at a con complain that he (Wang) was full of funny ideas and a comedian but they wouldn't let him "do" the humor, they left it all to Mulgrew and Picardo.
I've never seen a picture of him younger either. The eyes and facial features are recognizable, but yeah... you'd have to be looking for them. I'm sure the voice would be a dead give away regardless though.
I was a fan of China Beach (and Picardo) all through the TNG years (when China Beach was made), and whenever an episode focused on Dr. Richard (his character on Beach), I used to think, "This guy would make a GREAT Star Trek doctor", then I would usually follow that thought with, "yeah, like THAT'll ever happen!". Keep in mind that this was when even DS9 was still about two years in the future. Suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised three years later when the Voyager cast was announced. It was the only time in my life that I was both right and wrong in the same breath.
According to Picardo at a con, if an actor had an idea to make alterations to the script, they had to make their submission in writing and it took two weeks for the "idea" to be processed through legal, the fact checkers and proof readers first before the creative people got to weigh in, which is hardly any time at all considering that's the complete turnover for an episode on the acting side of things. So yes if the actors wanted to add a joke they could add it, they just had to have a law degree to do so.
I find it hard to believe that Wang had some genuinely funny ideas. That's probably why they never included them in episodes. Does anyone remember seeing Picardo on Home Improvement? He played the "annoying friend". What a shocker.
Saw him on a new episode of the Mentalist last week. Looks more like (elderly) Zimmerman everytime I see him.