Poll The Alternate Picard

[Abi Smith]

Just reading about Captain Picard, as you do, and learned about the other actors considered for the role; Roddenberry's choice Stephen Macht, Alien alum Yaphet Kotto, Bond baddie Patrick Bauchau, McQueen/Newman lovechild Roy Thinnes and Riker's dad Mitchell Ryan.
But which one could have made a convincing Picard?
There can only be one. Choose.

 

[Qonundrum]

First!

I wish more screentests existed, had they been made.

Yaphet Kotto I've seen in "Live and Let Die" and "Homicide: Life on the Street". He's got quite a range. He certainly would have made fun Mirror Picard as well had TNG does the mirror universe wonderland, but he clearly would have been great as Prime Picard.

Then again, Patrick Stewart was something of a coup by Robert Justman and it's way too easy to see what Justman saw in him because Stewart had what it took as well.

But had there been no Stewart, and I'll admit I've not seen enough of the other actors considered, Yaphet easily would have been great.

I just sat through a clip of Roy Thinnes from 1967 ("The Invaders"). Given how Picard is not allowed to leave the ship, he might have made a more interesting Riker had the same character he played in that movie were to be Riker.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

The only one of those I know is Yaphet Kotto (from his role in Alien). So, I'm out of this poll!

 

[Mojochi]

Yaphet Kotto is the only one who could simultaneously present the gravitas of Picard, while still being down to Earth & approachable enough to carry off the interpersonal stuff

They all might be able to hit the notes of commanding, like dressing down officers, or assigning orders etc... But I don't really see any of those other guys being able to play the range of expression from icing down Gul Macet to sitting back & admiring Data do some Shakespeare.

It really is a wide ranging character, who's just as much father figure, friend, & regular man, as it is captain. Kotto has all those attributes imho

 

[E-DUB]

Kotto was very strong in the commanding role in "Homicide: Life on the Street" so I can see him as a Starship captain for sure. Thinnes, as well, showed his substance as David Vincent and would have made a good Picard as well. A few years had passed between the end of the "Invaders" and the start of "TNG" so I think Thinnes would have been too old for a Riker-type character. Ryan also commanded a cop squad on S.W.A.T., I think it was. Anyone of those three could have done it probably, and we wouldn't have believed that Roddenberry had ever considered that guy from "Dune".

 

[Makarov]

Genevieve Bujold

 

[Terok Nor]

Yaphet Kotto could easily lead the show as the ship's captain but I really can't see anyone else as Picard other than Patrick Stewart. It was perfect casting.

 

[Artoo Atari]

I voted for Macht out of the choices given before I read that he was GR's choice. I was impressed by him in his role as General Krim on DS9.

 

[TrickyDickie]

Telly Savalas

He was great in Kojak and in the movie Kelly's Heroes.

A Greek in the center seat could have made for some fun episodes.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Yaphet Kotto followed by Stephen Machet.

 

[Tenacity]

and we wouldn't have believed that Roddenberry had ever considered that guy from "Dune".

Agent Cooper would have made for a very intersting Picard.

I've only seen Roy Thinnes play cool and controled characters, that was usually Picard's publc face, but did Thinnes have the range for more?

Mitchell Ryan character from the first Lethal Weapon movie would have been perfect for Picard and would be My first choice. If so, who would have been Riker's father then?

 

[Mojochi]

Mitchell Ryan character from the first Lethal Weapon movie would have been perfect for Picard and would be My first choice. If so, who would have been Riker's father then?

The same guy!

 

[Ghrakh]

No one.