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Robert Picardo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Picardo atGalaxyCon San Jose in 2024 | |
| Born | Robert Alphonse Picardo (1953-10-27)October 27, 1953 (age 72) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Robert Alphonse Picardo (born October 27, 1953) is an American actor. He is best known for playingThe Doctor onStar Trek: Voyager. He also appeared asRichard Woolsey in theStargate franchise, the Cowboy inInnerspace, Coach Cutlip onThe Wonder Years, and Captain Dick Richard on theABC seriesChina Beach. He is a frequent collaborator withJoe Dante and is a member ofThe Planetary Society's board of directors.
Picardo was born inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Joe Picardo. Robert is ofItalian heritage, with his father's family originating fromMontecorvino Rovella,Salerno, and his mother's parents originally fromBomba inAbruzzo. He graduated fromWilliam Penn Charter School in 1971 and originally enteredYale University as apre-medical student, but opted to act, instead. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama from Yale.
Picardo is an accomplished singer. While he was at Yale University, he was a member ofthe Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, the second-longest running undergraduatea cappella group in the United States. Also, while at Yale, he had a major role in the 1973 European premiere production ofLeonard Bernstein'sMass in Vienna, conducted byJohn Mauceri. The production was televised byORF and broadcast onPBS during the 1970s. His singing was also incorporated into his role inStar Trek: Voyager.
After earning his degree, he enrolled at the Circle in the Square Professional Theater Workshop. He waited tables for a few years until his theatrical work started to take off around 1976. His first breaks were appearing in theDavid Mamet playSexual Perversity in Chicago, and withDiane Keaton inThe Primary English Class.[1]
In 1977, Picardo made hisBroadway debut, appearing inGemini (1977) andTribute (1978).[2]
On television, Picardo appeared onKojak in a 1977 episode andTaxi in a 1979 episode. He made his feature-film debut as Eddie Quist, the serial killer werewolf in theJoe Dante filmThe Howling (1981). He also had a recurring role in the sitcomAlice and played a doctor on an episode ofThe Golden Girls.
He played a number of roles in Dante's family science fiction filmExplorers (1985), and later appeared in Dante'sInnerspace (1987),The 'Burbs (1989),Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990),Matinee (1993),Small Soldiers (1998), andLooney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). Picardo often plays roles under layers of prosthetic latex, having also played the swamp-dwelling Meg Mucklebones in Ridley Scott's filmLegend. He also had a small role as a funeral director in John Landis'sAmazon Women on the Moon. Picardo also portrayed the voice and face of the roboticJohnny Cab inTotal Recall.
During the 1988–1991 television seasons, Picardo was simultaneously seen on the ABC Vietnam seriesChina Beach in the role of Dr. Dick Richard, and the ABC seriesThe Wonder Years in the role of Coach Cutlip. He is among a small group of television actors to achieve notice on two television series at the same time.
In 1993, Picardo had a brief role as Joe "the Meat Man" Morton, a butcher and neighbor toTim Allen's character on the sitcomHome Improvement. He also appeared in one episode ofER in 1995 as Abraham Zimble (Season 2 - Episode 6, "Days Like This"). That same year, he voiced Pfish in two Pfish & Chip shorts as seen on Cartoon Network'sWhat-A-Cartoon! Show.
From 1995 to 2001, he played the role of theEmergency Medical Hologram (EMH) in the television seriesStar Trek: Voyager. Before being accepted for this role, Picardo initially auditioned for the role of Neelix. He later also directed two episodes. In an alternate timeline in the series, his character finally chose the name "Joe", after both the name of his wife's grandfather and Picardo's own father.
He played additional copies of the role of the EMH in the 1996 filmStar Trek: First Contact[3] and the 1997Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?". He also played Dr.Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the EMH, in episodes ofDeep Space Nine andVoyager.[citation needed]
In 2002, Picardo authoredThe Hologram's Handbook, published byPocket Books.[4]
In 2007 and 2008,Star Trek: The Music was a multicity tour in which he performed withJohn de Lancie.[5] Picardo and de Lancie narrated around the orchestral performance, explaining the history of the music inStar Trek.
In 2015, Picardo reprised the role of Dr. Lewis Zimmerman in the pilot episode of the fan seriesStar Trek: Renegades.[6]
In 2024, he reprised the role of the EMH in the second season ofStar Trek: Prodigy,[7] and will also appear as the Doctor in the upcoming seriesStar Trek: Starfleet Academy.[8]
In 2004, he began playing the recurring role ofInternational Oversight Advisory memberRichard Woolsey in bothStargate SG-1 andStargate Atlantis. His first appearance in those series was in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Heroes (Part 2)".
On February 5, 2008, Picardo was announced to be joining the regular cast ofStargate Atlantis full-time for the series' fifth and final season. He took over the role of mission commander of the Atlantis Expedition.[9]
In 2001, Picardo guest-starred in the7 Days episode "Revelation", purporting to be a time traveler from seven years in the future.
In 2007, he played Principal White inBen 10: Race Against Time, and starred in the independent feature film by directorRuss Emanuel,P.J., alongsideJohn Heard andVincent Pastore.[10] He also starred inRuss Emanuel'sChasing the Green in 2008, with William Devane, Jeremy London and Ryan Hurst.
Picardo appeared on four episodes ofE-Ring, as an enraged father inCold Case, and as a police officer inCSI: NY. He was a recurring guest star in two episodes of season seven ofSmallville, and appeared on a season-six episode ofSupernatural titled "Clap Your Hands if You Believe", as aleprechaun.
Outside of acting, Picardo was a member of the Board of Directors' Advisory Council ofThe Planetary Society from 1999 through 2015. Beginning in 2015, he was elected to serve on the board itself.[11]
Picardo's other career highlights include performing inLeonard Bernstein'sMass during its European debut tour, performing with the Yale University Society of Orpheus & Bacchusa cappella singing group as an undergraduate, and dozens of other television and film roles, including the filmOur Last Days as Children.
Picardo provided the voice of Loki in theXbox 360video gameToo Human. In 2009, he appeared inPushing Daisies,Chuck, andCastle, and had the lead role in the independent psychological thriller filmSensored. In 2010, he had a cameo in the final episode ofPersons Unknown, as a member of "the program"'s governing board. He also voicedRobert McNamara in the video gameCall of Duty: Black Ops. He appeared in four episodes ofThe Mentalist from 2012 through 2013 as Jason Cooper, a lieutenant of cult leader Bret Styles.
In May 2014,Cartoon Hangover announced Picardo as a guest voice actor in the second season ofBravest Warriors, in the episode "The Parasox Pub".
In 2017, Picardo played Lt. Kitan's father Prof. Ildis Kitan in the first-season episode ofThe Orville titled "Firestorm", and reprised the role in the 2019 episode "Home" together withJohn Billingsley, who playedDoctor Phlox inStar Trek: Enterprise.
Picardo appeared as himself in an episode ofSchooled.[12]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | The Howling | Eddie Quist | |
| 1983 | Star 80 | Interviewer | |
| Get Crazy | O'Connell | ||
| 1984 | Oh, God! You Devil | Joe Ortiz | |
| 1985 | Explorers | Starkiller / Wak / Wak and Neek's Father | |
| Legend | Meg Mucklebones | ||
| 1986 | Back to School | Giorgio | |
| 1987 | Munchies | Bob Marvalle | |
| Innerspace | The Cowboy | ||
| Amazon Women on the Moon | Rick Raddnitz (segment "Roast Your Loved One") | ||
| 1988 | Jack's Back | Dr. Carlos Battera | |
| Dead Heat | Lieutenant Herzog | ||
| 976-EVIL | Mark Dark | ||
| 1989 | The 'Burbs | Garbageman | |
| Loverboy | Dr. Reed Palmer | ||
| 1990 | Total Recall | Johnnycab | Voice and likeness[13] |
| Gremlins 2: The New Batch | Forster | Nominated–Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| 1991 | L.A. Story | Voicephone | Voice, uncredited |
| Frame Up | Frank Govers | ||
| Samantha | Neil Otto / Mr. Samantha | ||
| Motorama | Jerry | ||
| 1993 | Matinee | Howard | |
| 1994 | Wagons East | Ben Wheeler | |
| The Pagemaster | Pirate | Voice[13] | |
| 1996 | Star Trek: First Contact | Holographic Doctor | |
| 1997 | Menno's Mind | Senator Taylor | |
| 1998 | Small Soldiers | Ralph | |
| 2000 | The Amati Girls | Grace's Doctor | |
| 2002 | Until Morning | Brad Scott | |
| 2003 | Looney Tunes: Back in Action | Acme VP, Rhetorical Questions | |
| 2008 | Universal Signs | Father Joe | |
| 2009 | Chasing the Green | Dave Foxx | |
| 2010 | Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey | Milton | Voice[13] |
| Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus | Admiral Calvin | Direct-to-video | |
| 2011 | Beethoven's Christmas Adventure | Smirch | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Camilla Dickinson | Mr. Stephanowski | |
| Atlas Shrugged: Part II | Dr. Robert Stadler | ||
| 2014 | Don't Blink | Man in Black | |
| 2015 | Star Trek: Renegades | Dr. Lewis Zimmerman | |
| The Meddler | Cos | ||
| 2016 | Hail, Caesar! | Rabbi | |
| Unbelievable!!!!! | Boris, Dr. Nontu Soon, Award Show Presenter | ||
| 2018 | Buttons: A Christmas Tale | Mr. Wentworth | |
| 2022 | MEAD[14] | Admiral Gillette | |
| Confess, Fletch | Count Clementi Arbogastes De Grassi | ||
| 2024 | Space Command Redemption | Yusef Sekander | |
| 2025 | Werewolf Game | Bill |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Kojak | Thomas Rindone | 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Taxi | Philip Polevoy | Episode: "Nardo Loses Her Marbles" |
| 1980 | The Dream Merchants | Mark Kessler | 2 episodes |
| 1982 | Silver Spoons | Louis Morgan | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1982–84 | Alice | Freddie, Officer Maxwell | 8 episodes |
| 1983 | Archie Bunker's Place | Larry Burnett | Episode: "Captain Video" |
| It Takes Two | Chad Hunter | Episode: "Looks Bad, Feels Good" | |
| The Other Woman | Chuchi | TV movie | |
| 1984 | Steambath | Rod Tandy | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | The Golden Girls | Doctor Revell | Episode: "The Operation" |
| Benson | Richard Alan Tracy | Episode: "Reel Murder: Part 1" | |
| Hardcastle and McCormick | Manny | Episode: "Brother, Can You Spare a Crime?" | |
| Amazing Stories | Tony Sepulveda | Episode: "Boo!" | |
| Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Randall Skylar | Episode: "Three Little Spies" | |
| Throb | Todd | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1987 | Roses Are for the Rich | Durant | TV movie |
| 21 Jump Street | Ralph Buckley | Episode: "Gotta Finish the Riff" | |
| The Man Who Fell to Earth | Agent Richard Morse | TV movie | |
| Bates Motel | Dr. Goodman | TV movie | |
| Private Eye | Eddie Rosen | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Mr. President | Reinbeck | Episode: "Armageddon Kinda Sore" | |
| St. Elsewhere | Eli Muzzy | Episode: "Weigh In, Way Out" | |
| 1987, 1991 | L.A. Law | John Dunphy | 2 episodes |
| 1988–91 | The Wonder Years | Coach Cutlip | 15 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Specialty Player |
| 1988–91 | China Beach | Dr. Dick Richard | 54 episodes Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series(1990–91) |
| 1989 | The Cover Girl and the Cop | Denise's Date | TV movie |
| Newhart | Terry | Episode: "The Little Match Girl" | |
| 1992 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Paul Lance | Episode: "Two Teens and a Baby" |
| Capitol Critters | Additional voices | Episode: "The KiloWatts Riots" | |
| The Witches of Eastwick | Raymond Gentry | TV movie | |
| The Powers That Be | Larry Yablonsky | Episode: "Sophie's Big Decision" | |
| 1992–93 | Dinosaurs | Ted, Muse, Clerk | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Eddie G. | Voice, episode: "The Man Who Killed Batman"[13] |
| The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | Puel | Episode: "The Orb Scholar" | |
| Home Improvement | Joe Morton | 2 episodes | |
| Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald | David Lifton | TV movie | |
| Tales from the Crypt | Frank Bobo | Episode: "Till Death Do We Part" | |
| 1994 | Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love | Chad Penrod | TV movie |
| White Mile | Tom Horton | TV movie | |
| Rebel Highway | Mr. Ed Cahn | Episode: "Runaway Daughters" | |
| 1995 | ER | Abraham Zimble | Episode: "Days Like This" |
| Dumb and Dumber | Colonel Drab, Control Tower Voice, Chief, Cook | Voice, 2 episodes[13] | |
| 1995, 1997 | What a Cartoon! | Pfish | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1995–2001 | Star Trek: Voyager | The Doctor, Dr. Lewis Zimmerman | 172 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television |
| 1996 | The Savage Dragon | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1997 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Dr. Lewis Zimmerman | Episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?" |
| The Second Civil War | Godfrey | TV movie | |
| Early Edition | Doctor | Episode: "Faith" | |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Emmet Harley | Episode: "Sarcophagus" |
| Cow and Chicken | President, Narrator | Voice, episode: "101 Uses for Cow and Chicken"[13] | |
| 1999 | Ally McBeal | Barry Philbrick | Episode: "Love's Illusions" |
| 2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Professor Reddschift | Voice, episode: "First Missions"[13] |
| 2001 | Seven Days | Maj. Michael McGrath | Episode: "Revelation" |
| Frasier | Charlie Koechner | Episode: "Bully for Martin" | |
| 2002 | Crossing Jordan | Father Bruno Casnelli | Episode: "Miracles & Wonders" |
| The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Cod Commando | Voice, episode: "The Pie Who Loved Me" | |
| The Practice | Dr. Edmunds | Episode: "Neighboring Species" | |
| 2002–03 | Justice League | Blackhawk,Amazo | Voice, 4 episodes[13] |
| 2003 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Bob Jacobs | 2 episodes |
| The Dead Zone | Mitch McMurty | Episode: "The Storm" | |
| The Lyon's Den | Det. Nick Traub | 7 episodes | |
| 2004 | The West Wing | E. Bradford Shelton | Episode: "The Supremes" |
| Justice League Unlimited | Amazo | Voice, 2 episodes[13] | |
| 2004–07 | Stargate SG-1 | Richard Woolsey | 7 episodes |
| 2005 | The 4400 | Trent Appelbaum | Episode: "Weight of the World" |
| Masters of Horror | Kurt Rand | Episode: "Homecoming" | |
| 2005–06 | E-Ring | Larry Kincaid | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | The O.C. | Bill Merriam | Episode: "The Pot Stirrer" |
| Eve | Professor Dunson | Episode: "To Sir, with Mom" | |
| Ben 10 | Leader Alien | Voice, episode: "The Big Tick"[13] | |
| 2006–09 | Stargate: Atlantis | Richard Woolsey | 20 episodes |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Arthur Lennox | Episode: "Knuckle Up" |
| The Closer | Mr. Sheffield | Episode: "Saving Face" | |
| CSI: NY | Sheriff Benson | Episode "Boo" | |
| Women's Murder Club | Allen Douglas | Episode: "Grannies, Guns and Love Mints" | |
| Ben 10: Race Against Time | Principal White | TV movie | |
| 2008 | Smallville | Edward Teague | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Chuck | Dr. Howard Busgang | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon" |
| Pushing Daisies | Detective Puget | 2 episodes | |
| 2009–10 | Castle | Dr. Clark Murray | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Justified | Karl Hanselman | Episode: "The Collection" |
| Persons Unknown | Silver-Haired Man | Episode: "Shadows in the Cave" | |
| Monsterwolf | Stark | TV movie | |
| Supernatural | Wayne Whittaker Jr. | Episode: "Clap Your Hands If You Believe" | |
| 2011 | No Ordinary Family | Vice Principal Nance | Episode: "No Ordinary Animal" |
| Stargate Universe | Richard Woolsey | Episode: "Seizure" | |
| United States of Tara | Dr. Smolow | Episode: "Bryce Will Play" | |
| NTSF:SD:SUV | Damian | Episode: "Twistin' the Night Away" | |
| 2012 | Harry's Law | Annie's Psychiatrist | Episode: "Gorilla My Dreams" |
| Body of Proof | Henry Pedroni | Episode: "Cold Blooded" | |
| Femme Fatales | Hieronymus Hawks | Episode: "Bad Science" | |
| Austin & Ally | Dr. Grant | Episode: "Successes & Setbacks" | |
| 2012–13 | The Mentalist | Jason Cooper | 4 episodes |
| 2013 | Happy Endings | Mr. Logan | Episode: "The Marry Prankster" |
| The Client List | Judge Hughes | Episode: "My Main Trial Is Yet to Come" | |
| Jessie | Cyril Lipton | Episode: "To Be or Not to Be Me" | |
| Hawaii Five-0 | CIA Agent | Episode: "Olelo Pa'a" | |
| Perception | A.Z. Weyland | Episode: "Alienation" | |
| 2014 | Bones | Dr. Lawrence Rozran | Episode: "The Heiress in the Hill" |
| 2015 | Aquarius | Neil Jacobs | Episode: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" |
| Significant Mother | Dr. Robert Richter | Episode: "Who's Your Daddy?" | |
| 2016 | Suspense | Arnold Keene | Episode: "The Shadow on the Screen" |
| Lucifer | Yuri | Episode: "Lady Parts" | |
| Salem | Mr. Stoughton | Episode: "Night's Black Agents" | |
| 2017 | The Good Fight | Alan Mannheim | Episode: "First Week" |
| Justice League Action | Harvey Dent / Two-Face | Voice, episode: "Double Cross"[13] | |
| The Last Tycoon | Leopold Ferber | Episode: "Eine Kleine Reichmusik" | |
| 2017–18 | Grey's Anatomy | Mr. Nelligan | 2 episodes |
| 2017, 2019 | The Orville | Ildis Kitan | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Schooled | Himself | Episode: "Money for RENT"[12] |
| Hot Streets | The Concierge | Voice, episode: "The Moon Masters" | |
| The Flash | Dexter Myles | 2 episodes | |
| The Code | Col. Zugler | 2 episodes | |
| 2019–21 | Dickinson | Ithamar Conkey | 10 episodes |
| 2020 | Space Command | Yusef Sekander | 3 episodes |
| Station 19 | Mr. Nelligan | Episode: "Nothing Seems the Same" | |
| The Family Business | Bernie | 2 episodes | |
| 2022 | CSI: Vegas | Carlo Rey | Episode: "Burned"[15] |
| Mythic Quest | Principal Taggart | Episode: Sarian | |
| 2023 | NCIS | Dale Harding | Episode: "Too Many Cooks" |
| Quantum Leap | Dr. Edwin Woolsey | Episode: "Leap. Die. Repeat." | |
| A Biltmore Christmas | Harold Balaban | TV movie | |
| 2024 | Star Trek: Prodigy | The Doctor | 17 episodes |
| Young Sheldon | Professor Salzman | Episode: "A Roulette Wheel and a Piano Playing Dog" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force | Emergency Medical Hologram | |
| 2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | Singapore Townsfolk | |
| 2008 | Too Human | Loki | |
| 2010 | Star Trek Online | The Doctor | [13] |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | Robert McNamara | Alsomotion capture[13] | |
| 2012 | Call of Duty: Black Ops II | Erik Breighner | Also motion capture[13] |
| Hellraid | Adon | Project commenced 2012, announced for 2013 release, cancelled 2015[16] | |
| 2015 | Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Shadowman, Sebastian Krueger, Robert McNamara | Also motion capture for Sebastian Krueger |
| Fallout 4 | Alan Binet, Vault-Tech Scientist | [13] | |
| 2018 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | Robert McNamara, Shadowman | Appears inBlood of the Dead |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time | Bernard | Episode: "Second Season Prequel" |
| 2014–18 | Bravest Warriors | Puddingtown, Eyeball | Voice, 7 episodes |
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