Last time, I talked a little bit about the original Stargate series, specifically focusing on the SG-1 team. This week, I thought I would find out a bit more about the newer SG-1 members as well as the two renowned commanders of the base.
Don S Davis
Remember him? Gen. Hammond? He was a fantastic leader in the Stargate SG-1 series. When he was there, you knew the evil plotting NID couldn't get their grubby nubbies on SG-1 papers/technology/crew. Well, what did I find out about Don S Davis, the man behind this lovable general.
- Did you know he was a stunt double for a character in one of the MacGyver episodes? Alright, so he also played a cameo as a truck driver but it is interesting to know that actors from SG-1 had a kind of linked past.
- Davis had a love for theater and arts and so it is hardly surprising that he pursued studies in this field. In fact, did you know he did his PhD in Theatre. Turns out he used to teach as an assistant professor for a few years before he decided to pursue an acting career.
- Most of the SG-1 fans will probably know this one. Davis served in the army in the late 1960s. As a matter of fact, he was one of the few actors from SG-1 crew to have such work experience. No wonder he looked rather dignified as the leader of the base.
- Davis also used to paint and sketch and you can find a lot of his artwork at this site.
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Beau Bridges
He was the man who took over as the commander of the base when Davis left for D.C. Going by the name of Hank Landry, he was a sensible, no-nonsense type of person. This also meant that when he did crack a joke, folks were not quite expecting it and this made it even funnier. For example, think of “Uninvited” (episode 5, Season 10) where Mitchell and Landry end up spending some quality time in a cabin in the woods. Coming down to fun facts about Bridges, what did I find so far?
- Bet he will tell this story to all his grandkids. Apparently Beau Bridges was born during the Second World War, just a few days after the tragic bombing of Pearl Harbor. Do I hear a “In my day...” lecture coming up?
- Just like Richard Dean Anderson, Beau Bridges seems to be passionate about firearms control. Not just that, apparently he feels strongly about environmental issues as well. You have to admit, that does paint him as a rather nice guy.
-He comes from an acting family; his father is famous actor Lloyd Bridges (original Battlestar Galactica, How the West Was Won and Airplane!) and his brother is popular star, Jeff Bridges who is well-known for arty movies like Arlington Road and The Fisher King.
- His real name is Lloyd Vernet Bridges. Apparently, he got the name 'Beau' from a character from the epic story, Gone with the Wind.
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I must admit, I was quite upset that Jack O'Neill had run off to join more bureaucratic ventures. Hence, I was wary of Ben Browder (as Cameron Mitchell) signing up as the leader of SG-1 team. That proved to be unfounded as he ended up as one of the funniest, likable characters on SG-1. Here are some interesting facts about Browder:
- Prior to SG-1, Browder and Claudia Black were part of a Science Fiction series called Farscape. Incidentally, this series has a cult following and thus, these two are well-loved amongst die-hard fans. The good folks behind SG-1 actually made a quirky reference to Farscape in the 200th episode. See if you can catch that one.
- You can get a glimpse of his real life wife in a few of the Farscape episodes, most notably the series finale (Bad Timing).
- Remember Star Trek Enterprise? Apparently, the good folks behind the series thought about bringing on Browder for the role of Major J. Hayes. Speaking of starring in big scifi series, his name was also thrown around when they were looking for a guy to play Major John Sheppard (Stargate Atlantis).
- How about that? Browder's family is into Nascar racing; they run a few cars themselves. However, turns out Browder always eyed NASA as his dream work place. But then one thing led to another and he found himself trying out an acting career. I know fans won't complain.
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Claudia Black
As I have mentioned before, she is the strong-willed fighter on Farscape alongside Ben Browder. And so, it was quite a change to see her play a rather carefree, sneaky character in Stargate SG-1 in the form of Vala Mal Doran. Vala's heart in the right place but you know that wherever she goes, mischief is sure to follow.
- She was pregnant during Season 9 of the SG-1 series and thus, seems like the creators of the show added that aspect to the script itself. By the way, she named her son Odin which is interesting given the Norse references throughout the series.
- Like Browder, Claudia Black has also taken part in a few plays. Incidentally, both of them have been part of the Broadway production of Merchant of Venice. I am not sure if this was together or separate instances.
- This versatile actress has a wide range of talents; she's known to play the guitar and sing at scifi conventions. It has also been said that classics and jazz songs are amongst her list of favorites.
- She also had small roles in a few famous movies including Pitch Black.
- Apparently, the actress is not particularly fond of traditionally feminine clothing like skirts. Thus, it makes sense when read that Black was quite happy with Aeryn Sun's character in Farscape. On that note, she also had a say in how Vala dressed for Stargate SG-1.
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