Robert Picardo

Robert Picardo
Picardo at the San Diego Comic Con, 2011
Born	(1953-10-27) October 27, 1953 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	Yale University
Alma mater	William Penn Charter School
Occupation(s)	Actor, singer
Years active	1975–present

Robert "Bob" Picardo (born October 27, 1953) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach; the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH), also known as The Doctor, on Star Trek: Voyager; the Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years (where he received an Emmy nomination); Ben Wheeler in Wagons East; and as Richard Woolsey in the Stargate television franchise. Picardo is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Planetary Society.

Early life

Robert Picardo (nickname: Bob) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Joe Picardo. Robert is of Italian heritage, with his father's family originating from Montecorvino Rovella, Salerno and his mother's parents originally from Bomba in Abruzzo. The original name of his family was Picardi, changed by his father.

He graduated from William Penn Charter School in 1971 and originally entered Yale University as a pre-medical student, but opted to act instead. He ended up graduating with a bachelor's degree in drama from Yale University.

Picardo is an accomplished singer. While he was at Yale University, he was a member of the Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, the second longest running undergraduate a cappella group in the United States. His singing has also been incorporated into his role in Star 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 the David Mamet play “Sexual Perversity in Chicago,” and with Diane Keaton in “The Primary English Class.”

In 1977, he made his Broadway debut. He appeared in Gemini (1977) and Tribute (1978).

During the 1988-1991 television seasons, Picardo was simultaneously seen on the ABC Vietnam series China Beach in the role of Dr. Dick Richard, and the ABC series The 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.

Career

Picardo made his feature film debut as Eddie Quist, the serial killer werewolf in the Joe Dante film The Howling (1981). He also had a recurring role in the sitcom Alice. He played a number of roles in Dante's family science fiction film Explorers (1985), and later appeared in Dante's The 'Burbs, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Matinee, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Small Soldiers and Innerspace. Picardo often plays roles under layers of prosthetic latex, having also played the swamp-dwelling Meg Mucklebones in Ridley Scott's film Legend. He also had a small role as a funeral director in John Landis's Amazon Women on the Moon. He voices Pfish in two Pfish & Chip shorts as seen on Cartoon Network's What-A-Cartoon! Show. Picardo also portrays the voice of the robotic Johnny Cab in Total Recall. He appeared in one episode of ER in 1995 as Abraham Zimble (Season 2 - Episode 6, "Days Like This").

In the early 1990s, Picardo had a brief role as Joe "The Meat Man" Morton, a butcher and neighbor to Tim Allen's character on the sitcom Home Improvement.

From 1995 to 2001, he played the role of the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Before being accepted for this role, Picardo initially auditioned for the role of Neelix. He later also directed two episodes. He played additional versions of the role of the EMH in the 1996 motion picture Star Trek: First Contact and the 1997 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?" He also played Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the EMH, in episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

In 2001, he guest starred in the 7 Days episode "Revelation", purporting to be a time traveler from seven years in the future. In 2004, he began playing the recurring role of International Oversight Advisory (IOA) member Richard Woolsey in both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, where he became a regular in the fifth season. His first appearance in those series was in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Heroes (Part 2)".

In 2007, he played Principal White in Ben 10: Race Against Time. In 2007, he starred in the independent feature film by director Russ Emanuel, P.J., alongside John Heard and Vincent Pastore. He also starred in Russ Emanuel's Chasing the Green in 2008, with William Devane, Jeremy London and Ryan Hurst. In 2007 and 2008, Star Trek: The Music was a multi-city tour with John de Lancie. Picardo and de Lancie narrated around the orchestral performance, explaining the history of the music in Star Trek.

Picardo appeared on Kojak in a 1977 episode, E-Ring, as a media rep in The Pentagon, as an enraged father in Cold Case, and as a police officer in CSI: NY. He was a recurring guest star in two episodes of Season 7 of Smallville.

Away from acting, from 1999-2015, Picardo was a member of the Board of Directors' Advisory Council of The Planetary Society; beginning in 2015, he was elected to the Board of Directors itself. In 2002, Picardo authored The Hologram's Handbook, published by Pocket Books. Other career highlights include performing in Leonard Bernstein's Mass in D during its European debut tour, performing with the Yale University Society of Orpheus & Bacchus a cappella singing group as an undergraduate, and appearing in dozens of other television and film roles, including the film Our Last Days as Children.

On February 5, 2008, it was announced that Picardo would be joining the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis full-time for the series' fifth and final season. He took over the role of mission commander of the Atlantis Expedition. Picardo performed the voice of Loki in the Xbox 360 video game Too Human. In 2009, he also appeared in Pushing Daisies, Chuck and Castle. Also in 2009, he played the lead role in the independent psychological thriller film Sensored. In 2010, Picardo had a cameo in the final episode of Persons Unknown, as a member of "the program"'s governing board. Picardo also voices Robert McNamara in Call of Duty: Black Ops in campaign and in the 'Zombie mode' after completing campaign on the one map, "FIVE". Picardo appeared in four episodes of The Mentalist from 2012 through 2013 as Jason Cooper, a lieutenant of cult leader Bret Styles.

Picardo also appeared on a season 6 episode of Supernatural entitled "Clap Your Hands if You Believe", as a leprechaun.

In May 2014, Cartoon Hangover announced Robert Picardo as a guest voice actor in the second season of Bravest Warriors, in the episode "The Parasox Pub".

In 2015, Picardo reprised the role of Dr. Lewis Zimmerman in the pilot episode of the fan series Star Trek: Renegades.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	The Dream Merchants	Mark Kessler	Television movie
1981	The Howling	Eddie Quist
1983	Get Crazy	Connell O'Connell
1984	Oh, God! You Devil	Joe Ortiz
1985	Legend	Meg Mucklebones
1985	Explorers	Starkiller	Voice and actor
1986	Back to School	Giorgio
1987	Munchies	Bob Marvalle
1987	The Man Who Fell to Earth	Agent Morse	Television movie
1987	Innerspace	The Cowboy
1987	Bates Motel	Dr. Goodman	Television movie
1987	Amazon Women on the Moon	Rick Raddnitz
1988	976-EVIL	Mark Dark
1988	Dead Heat	Lieutenant Herzog
1988	Jack's Back	Dr. Carlos Battera
1989	Loverboy	Reed Palmer
1989	The 'Burbs	Joe
1990	Gremlins 2: The New Batch	Forster	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1990	Total Recall	Johnnycab	Voice and image
1991	Motorama	Jerry The Policeman
1993	Matinee	Howard, the Theater Manager
1994	Wagons East	Ben Wheeler
1994	Revenge of the Nerds IV	Chad Penrod
1994	VR.5	VR Engineer
1996	Star Trek: First Contact	Emergency Medical Hologram
1998	Small Soldiers	Ralph Quist
2003	Looney Tunes: Back in Action	Acme VP, Rhetorical Questions
2006	A.I. Assault	Doctor John Foster
2007	Ben 10: Race Against Time	Principal White	Television movie
2008	P.J.	Stan Jamison
2009	Sensored	Wade
2009	Chasing the Green	Dave Foxx
2010	Monsterwolf	Stark	Television movie
2010	Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus	Admiral Calvin
2011	The Captains	Himself
2011	Beethoven's Christmas Adventure	Smirch	Television movie
2011	Morlocks	Colonel John Wichita	Television movie
2012	Atlas Shrugged: Part II	Dr. Robert Stadler
2012	The Legends of Nethiah	Grandpa
2010	The Candidate	Carl Tucker	Short film
2014	Age of Tomorrow	General Magowan
2014	Restoration of Paradise	Narrator	Documentary
2014	Don't Blink	Man in Black
2015	Occupants	Dr. Alan Peterson
2015	The Meddler	Cos
2016	Hail, Caesar!	Rabbi

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Kojak	Thomas Rindone	2 episodes
1979	Taxi	Philip Polevoy	Episode: "Nardo Loses Her Marbles"
1982–1984	Alice	Officer Maxwell	8 episodes
1986	Hardcastle and McCormick	Manny	Episode: "Brother, Can You Spare a Crime?"
1986	Scarecrow and Mrs. King	Randall Skylar	Episode: "Three Little Spies"
1986	Amazing Stories	Tony Sepulveda	Episode: "Boo!"
1986	The Golden Girls	Dr. Revell	Episode: "The Operation"
1987–1991	L.A. Law	Lawyer John Dumphy	2 episodes
1987	21 Jump Street	Ralph Buckley	Episode: "Gotta Finish the Riff"
1987	St. Elsewhere	Reinbeck	Episode: "Armageddon Kinda Sore"
1988–1991	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
1988–1991	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	Newhart	Terry	Episode: "The Little Match Girl"
1992	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Paul Lance	Episode: "Two Teens and a Baby"
1993	Home Improvement	Joe Morton	2 episodes
1993	Tales from the Crypt	Frank Bobo	Episode: "Til Death Do We Part"
1993	The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.	Puel	Episode: "The Orb Scholar"
1994	Rebel Highway	Mr. Ed Cahn	Episode: "Runaway Daughters"
1995–2001	Star Trek: Voyager	The Doctor	166 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television
1995	ER	Abraham Zimble, Mobile Notary	Episode: "Days Like This"
1998	The Outer Limits	Emmet Harley	Episode: "Sarcophagus"
1995–1997	The Cartoon Cartoon Show	Pfish	2 episodes
1996–2000	Star Trek: Voyager	Dr. Lewis Zimmerman	2 episodes
1997	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	Dr. Lewis Zimmerman	Episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?"
1999	Ally McBeal	Barry Philbrick	Episode: "Love's Illusions"
2001	7 Days	Major Michael McGrath	Episode: "Revelation"
2001	Frasier The Weakest Link	Mr. Kechner Himself	Episode: "Bully for Martin" Episode: "Star Trek: Weakest Link Edition
2002	Crossing Jordan	Father Bruno Casnelli	Episode: "Miracles & Wonders"
2002	The Practice	Dr. Edmunds	Episode: "Neighboring Species"
2002–2004	Justice League	Amazo	6 episodes
2003–2004	The Lyon's Den	Detective Nick Traub	7 episodes
2003	Sabrina, The Teenage Witch	Bob Jacobs	3 episodes
2004–2007	Stargate SG-1	Richard Woolsey	7 episodes
2004	The West Wing	E. Bradford Shelton	Episode: "The Supremes"
2005–2006	E-Ring	Larry Kincaid	4 episodes
2005	The 4400	Trent Appelbaum	Episode: "Weight of the World"
2006–2009	Stargate Atlantis	Richard Woolsey	20 episodes
2007	The Closer	Mr. Sheffield	Episode: "Saving Face"
2007	CSI: NY	Sheriff Benson	Episode: "Boo"
2008	Smallville	Edward Teague	2 episodes
2009–2010	Castle	Dr. Clark Murray	2 episodes
2009	Chuck	Dr. Howard Busgang (Perseus)	Episode: "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon"
2010	Justified	Karl Hanselman	Episode: "The Collection"
2010	Supernatural	Wayne Whittaker/Leprachaun	Episode: "Clap Your Hands If You Believe"
2011	Stargate Universe	Richard Woolsey	Episode: "Seizure"
2011	No Ordinary Family	Vice-principal Nance	Episode: "No Ordinary Animal"
2011	United States of Tara	Dr. Smolow	Episode: "Bryce Will Play"
2012	Body of Proof	Henry	Episode: "Cold Blooded"
2012	Austin and Ally	Dr. Grant	Episode: "Successes & Setbacks"
2012	Hawaii Five-0	FBI Agent	Episode: "The Promise"
2012–2013	The Mentalist	Jason Cooper	4 episodes
2013	Jessie	Cyril Lipton	Episode: "To Be Me or Not to Be Me"
2014	Bones	Dr. Lawrence Rozran	Episode: "The Heiress in the Hill"
2014	Bravest Warriors	Puddingtown	Episode: "The Parasox Pub"
2015	Star Trek: Renegades	Dr. Lewis Zimmerman	Episode: "Pilot"
2016	Lucifer	Yuri	Episode: "Lady Parts"

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Star Trek Voyager Elite Force	Emergency Medical Hologram	—
2008	Too Human	Loki	—
2010	Call of Duty: Black Ops	Robert McNamara	Also mo-cap
2012	Call of Duty: Black Ops II	Erik Breighner	Also mo-cap
2014	Star Trek Online	The Doctor	Voice role
2015	Call of Duty: Black Ops III	Sebastian Krueger, Shadow Man	Also mo-cap for Krueger
2015	Fallout 4	Alan Binet / Vault-Tec Scientist	Voice role
TBA	Hellraid	Adon

External links

• Robert Picardo at IMDb
• Robert Picardo at the TCM Movie Database
• Robert Picardo at AllMovie
• The Official Robert Picardo website
• The Planetary Society Home Page
• Robert Picardo Interview (2012) at www.reviewgraveyard.com