HOLOCHARACTERS

GAUNT GARY

Gaunt Gary, [#6 The Cloud]

Hologram Gaunt Gary is seen in [#6 The Cloud], [#15 Jetrel] and [#19 Twisted]. Tom Paris informs Harry Kim that the pool table at Sandrine's in Marseilles has attracted the world's greatest hustlers throughout the century (he does not mention which century). When Paris creates the Chez Sandrine holoprogram (computer designation "Paris-3"), he inserts into it additional (holographic) elements such as the holographic woman Ricky (see under 'Holocharacters') and re-creations of famous historical pool players, telling Kim: "I thought it might be fun to program in some of the great players to shoot here." [#6 The Cloud]

The first sight that greets Harry Kim when Tom Paris brings him to the holoprogram for the first time is that of hologram Gaunt Gary (centrally positioned) playing pool with other holographic pool players, [#6 The Cloud]

[#6 The Cloud]

Gaunt Gary (his real name, or rather full name) is the holographic representation of a famous pool player from mid-20th century Earth. According to Tom Paris as he recounts to Kim, hologram Gaunt Gary hustled the great Willie Mosconi in Ames Pool Hall, New York, in 1953. Kim meets the resident holographic pool player:

The attention of Kim and Paris is drawn to the pool table where a holocharacter is playing superbly, hitting the pre-designated balls into pre-called pockets.
Paris: "You see that pool table, Harry? The table at Sandrine's in Marseille has attracted the world's greatest hustlers throughout the century. I thought it might be fun to program in some of the great players to shoot here. Gaunt Gary, Ames Pool Hall, New York City, 1953. They say that he hustled the great Willie Mosconi himself."
Kim: "Mosconi? Is he some famous billiard player?"
Hologram Gaunt Gary approaches Kim and says: "Here's pool, kid. Pool. I don't suppose you'd care to wager a Finn on a game or two?"
Paris: "He's not ready for you yet, Gary. Let me teach him a few tricks first."
Hologram Gaunt Gary to Kim: "Watch out for him, kid. Can swallow your wallet without ever losing your smile."
Kim: "I'll keep it in mind." He turns to Paris. "What's a Finn?"
Paris: "I'm not sure. Some old kind of Scandanavian currency. Come on!"
They leave the table for the pool table.
Paris: "I'll rack 'em up, you pick out a cue."
He does so and sets the table ready for play. As he goes to the other end of the table to start play, he remarks: "Harry, this is my idea of home - my little piece of Earth out here in the Delta Quadrant."
Kim: "You shrug it off, or you like to make the rest of think you're shrugging it off, but you miss it too, don't you?"
Paris: "What?" He breaks.
Kim: "Home."
Paris: "Your shot, Harry."
Kim smiles. He knows he is right and that Paris knows it too.
[#6 The Cloud]

[#6 The Cloud]

Tom Paris bears the responsibility for the character of hologram Gaunt Gary, though it is not indicated how much of the hologram's character is true to that of the real Gaunt Gary and how much is the result of Paris' imagination or programmer's licence. At the time when Tom Paris creates the holoprogram, he has not yet shed his womanising character traits, and so hologram Gaunt Gary's reprehensible attitude to women might be more of an indictment of Tom Paris than of the real Gaunt Gary. If he had created the holoprogram much later, he might have programmed the holographic Gaunt Gary differently. For one of hologram Gaunt Gary's traits is that of a male chauvinist pig, pig being an apt word. After the holo-Gigolo fails to lure Janeway to an assignation on his private felucca on the wharf, hologram Gaunt Gary makes male chauvinist remarks to Torres. Hologram Gaunt Gary, to Torres in an aside: "Just don't see what the dolls see in the holo-Gigolo, do you? Now me, I've got a whole different approach to women: treat a lady like a tramp and a tramp like a lady. Never fails." Torres turns to Paris. "Paris, did you program this guy?" Paris to Torres: "Yeah, why?" Torres to Paris: "He's a pig, and so are you." She moves away. Left on his on hologram Gaunt Gary says to himself: "Almost never." [#6 The Cloud]

Hologram Gaunt Gary and Tom Paris are, until hologram Gaunt Gary explains to Tuvok (and to Neelix who is also present), the only ones who know that the Chez Sandrine's pool table "rolls a little to the east" and doubtless have been using the knowledge to their advantage during play.

In [#15 Jetrel], hologram Gaunt Gary watches with interest the game in progress between Neelix and Tuvok. The latter he calls "Vulcan Slim". He is happy to give Neelix advice on play.

Neelix: "He hasn’t left me with a single shot."
Hologram Gaunt Gary: "In that case, pal, call a safety."
Neelix: "Safety?"
Paris explains to Neelix: "It’s a defensive strategy. Since you can't make a shot, the idea is to leave the cue ball somewhere on the table where Tuvok can't make a shot either."
Neelix, obviously new to the Earth game of pool: "Oh, I don't know. It sounds cowardly."
Hologram Gaunt Gary: "Suit yourself, pal, but if you leave Vulcan Slim over here with an open shot he's got a very good chance of running the table."
Neelix: "Alright." He announces: "Safety."
[#15 Jetrel]

[#19 Twisted]

During Voyager's encounter with a distortion ring in [#19 Twisted], hologram Gaunt Gary does not display any interest in the dangerous phenomenon, but just wants someone to play pool with him.

hologram Gaunt Gary looks on as the distortion ring ripples the pool table, preventing play, [#19 Twisted]

He is unfazed when Torres and Paris materialise standing on the pool table and just asks them to move as they are blocking his shot. He tries to interest the Doctor, who is trapped on the holodeck where the program is running continuously: "Come on, pal. One lousy game. Spot you six balls." but the Doctor ignores him. Hologram Gaunt Gary calls Tom Paris "Tommy", first done in [#6 The Cloud], and once refers to him as "Tom Terrific" in [#15 Jetrel]. Hologram Gaunt Gary is present when the main Voyager crew assemble in the holoprogram to give Kes a surprise party for her second birthday, and tries and fails to interrupt the proceedings.

Hologram Gaunt Gary to Tom Paris: "I hate to interrupt this tender little moment, Tommy boy, but don't you think it's about time we shot a rack?"
[#19 Twisted]

hologram Gaunt Gary is not really interested in the birthday party and soon afterwards suggests to Tom Paris that they play pool but is ignored, [#19 Twisted]

[#19 Twisted]

Also in [#19 Twisted], hologram Gaunt Gary witnesses the interaction of holo-Sandrine with the Doctor as the latter fends off the holo-proprietress' eager advances.

[#19 Twisted]

Hologram Gaunt Gary plays with the cue ball, bouncing it above his downturned hand and running it along his fingers.

Playing pool is everything for him, and he is serious-faced when he prepares to play a shot (picture right)

[#19 Twisted]

Paris and Torres look around, surprised, when they materialise on top of the pool table in the holoprogram, but hologram Gaunt Gary merely says: "Would you mind moving your foot, Tommy boy? It's blocking my shot."