ROBERT PICARDO SPEAKS

Hello everyone, it's your Doctor speaking, Robert Picardo. Get on all fours, arch your back and cough.

Have you noticed you get to kiss a lot of women on [Star Trek Voyager]?

I think that by Season 3 I'd kissed about 6 or 7 women. I think that er, how many women were there? I had my holographic sweetheart, I had Kes, I had Sandrine at Sandrine's bar, I think I got three or four women the first two years I got to kiss on screen.

Freya, his "holographic sweetheart", [Season 1: #12 Heroes And Demons]

with holographic Sandrine, [Season 1: #19 Twisted]

the Doctor hallucinates that Kes is his wife, [Season 1: #17 Projections]

with first romantic interest, Dr Danara Pel, a Vidiian woman, [Season 2: #35 Lifesigns]

two holographic luau girls welcome the Doctor enthusiastically, [Season 3: #56 Alter Ego], so the Doctor's kissing was not confined to Seasons 1-2!

And the other actors were complaining that I was getting more beautiful girls than they were. And er, you know, I felt a certain amount of sympathy for them, but I didn't feel that much, erm, you know. Anyway, the point is I've been doing much better as a hologram than I've ever done as a human.

How did you win the role of the Doctor?

When [Star Trek Voyager] was being cast I was doing a play. We were only in rehearsals and I wasn't technically available to get cast in a tv pilot because it would conflict with the play. But did that stop me? I was in final rehearsals for a play at the time, and had very little time to read pilot scripts. Well, I read the audition scene and the Doctor character was described as "colourless, humourless, a computer program of a doctor". That doesn't sound like much fun. I mean, I didn't see how that can be a rewarding experience to play. Well, I had this conversation with an actress friend later that night and she said: "No, you're reading the wrong part. You want to read for Neelix. Neelix is like the great character part." So I read the script and I liked Neelix; I thought it was very funny. So I had my agent call up and say: "No, he doesn't want to read for the Doctor, but he'll read for Neelix." So I go in and I read for Neelix very well. I go in, I do my best, I read, I go home. My agent called and said: "It's not going to work out. You didn't get it." And I said: "OK, fine." And he said: "But they still really want you to read for this other character, the Doctor." And I said: "Look, I don't get the joke. I mean, I know they want this character to be funny. But he's a computer program - how can he be funny?" There was strong interest in me for the Doctor because of something they saw and heard in my being and voice, that enabled me to see myself in the role. All the other actors auditioned for their parts probably four or five times, or at least three times. I'm the only actor who went in; they'd never heard me read the lines for this character before; and I'm at the big final audition with all the heads of the Studio, all the heads of the Network, and all the producers of Star Trek, thirty-five people. Michael Piller said: "You have any questions?" I said: "No. No, I'll just take a stab at it." "Fine." So I go in, and I read it. And I'm getting them to laugh, and I ad lib, which you never do on Star Trek - I was never allowed to do that in the seven years after I got the job - but I ad libbed a couple of jokes. And the final line of my audition, the last scripted line was: "I believe someone has failed to terminate my program." And I took a long deadpan look at all of the other people in the room watching me, and I said: "I'm a doctor, not a night-light." And I got a big laugh, and on the wave of that laugh I got out the door and I was hired literally hours later.

"I'm a doctor, not a [....]" became the Doctor's main catchphrase, derived from a line spoken by De Forest Kelley as Dr Leonard 'Bones' McCoy in [TOS: Devil In The Dark]. The first use of the catchphrase that I recall is in [#5 Phage] when the ill Neelix, confined motionless in sickbay possibly forever, tells the Doctor that his "ceiling is hideous". The Doctor looks up at the ceiling then comments: "I'm a doctor, Mr Neelix, not a decorator." The Doctor's Catchphrases

[#5 Phage]

Usually in TV, when you have tested for one role, they simply throw you into the ash can and move on to another actor. There was strong interest in me for the Doctor because of something they saw and heard in my being and voice, that enabled me to see myself in the role. But I'm sure my Bones-like ad-lib of, "I'm a doctor, not a nightlight" also helped win me the part. SHOW NOTE

When I was cast as the Doctor, I was tentatively slated to work on a Joe Dante movie. I needed an actor who looked enough like me to play my brother and I recommended Ethan Phillips. When I called his agent to pass on the tip, I discovered that Ethan and I had been cast in the same pilot and didn't know it yet. I also found out that he got the role of Neelix, the part that I initially preferred. I was pissed off until I saw the makeup. (laughs)

My father's family is from Naples, my mother's from a small town — Bomba, Abruzzo. My mother's family name is Santarone and my relatives in Naples are named Picardi. My father chanced one vowel for reasons never disclosed to me.

My name is Robert Picardo, and for Star Trek fans there's another character we've all heard of, and it's very similar to my name, and there's actually no significance to this coincidence at all. But I like to think that the way my name first came up was the producers were all sitting around lamenting, you know, going: "O, we'll never find another Picard." And they were repeating that over and over again. "O, we'll never find another Picard. O, we'll never find another Picard. O, we'll never find another Picard." And they went: "Wait a minute! Picardo!" It's just a theory though.

What is your take on the Doctor and how did you develop the character?

The Doctor was very uninformed in the pilot, and I frankly bluffed my way through the pilot, not really knowing what I was doing. I didn't really quite get the joke.

During the early episodes, Robert Picardo was still trying to find out who the Doctor really was, and how to play him. Being unfamiliar with Star Trek, he would regularly show up in Lolita Fatjo's office and borrow tapes of episodes from [TNG] and [TOS]. He kept saying, "I don't know anything about this." Lolita kept telling him not to worry; he would be terrific. Picardo believed he was at a disadvantage compared to other cast members, with respect to fan recognition. Until the second or third episode aired, he continued to believe his character would not be popular with viewers. He believed people would be attracted only to characters who are warm and lovable. Perhaps. But in the case of the Doctor, he could not have been more wrong. Picardo did, however, recognize from the outset a unique function his character plays, as one of Star Trek's ever-present "mirrors" of the human condition.

At first, no one takes an interest in him as a person, like a human, with feelings. It has its parallel with people today who do a job and are just treated like a number. They don't get a lot of consideration. A holographic doctor is sort of the ultimate functionary. He's just a component that you plug in. He's designed. He's not a person, he's a machine. The Doctor is a metaphor for people who work in a service position and wind up getting depersonalized. Unless they are needed, they are ignored. They are made to feel they are invisible.

It wasn't until the third episode of the series where Kes comes in to the Doctor's office and asks for soil samples. And the Doctor goes off on this tirade how he was designed for emergency medical use only and now every tiny banal medical or scientific need was going to be funnelled his way, and he was going to be forced to do all these demeaning things. Here he was, the culmination of everything we know about medicine in the 24th century. He has all of this wealth of knowledge and yet anyone, any idiot on the crew, can turn him on or off, like a light switch. Now that would piss me off. And that's what it did to the Doctor. It made him mad (= angry). And I think that was the first major clue was that he felt- you know, that his pride was injured, because he was designed for better things.

the Doctor materialises above 2 pictures: [#6 The Cloud]

Torres enters sickbay. "Computer, activate Emergency Medical Holographic program." The Doctor materialises as his program comes online. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." Torres is startled by his sudden appearance right next to her. She turns to him. "Why do you always have to say that?" Doctor: "I can only speculate about my programmer's motives. Perhaps he thought I might be summoned for," being sarcastic, "important reasons?" Torres: "Under the circumstances, don't you think you really ought to change your program?" Doctor, sarcastically: "Now there's an interesting concept - a hologram that programs himself. What would I do with that ability? Create a family, raise an army?" Torres: "I know a little about holographic programming. I could probably reprogram you." Doctor, sarcastically: "That makes me feel particularly confident." Torres: "Has anyone ever told you you have a lousy attitude?"

The Doctor is programmed with state-of-the-art 24th-century medical information, but his bedside manner needs work. He can be arrogant, rude, impatient and slightly paranoid. I see him as a satire of managed health care.

I remember when Rick Berman came up to me and told me that this character was going to be very popular. We hadn't premièred yet, and we had shot maybe only three or four shows, but apparently they had seen something in the alchemy of what they had created and the humour that they were writing for the character and my performance that was giving them ideas on a moment to moment basis. They were coming up with new story ideas and writing very humorous things for the character. It went in the direction of what the actor they had hired could do. And that was what was so wonderful about the Doctor because he started as such a blank slate that I felt I was very much in a creative process with the writers. I could ask them questions, I could make a suggestion and say: "Suppose he was interested in this? Supposed he was interested in opera?" I think that Brannon Braga's impression of me hiding in the bushes outside the writings office hoping to jump whichever one exited indicates that I did have a certain amount of influence on the writing staff. I made many, many suggestions, usually about ideas for the Doctor's other interests (opera) and unique relationships (the Doctor/Seven social appropriateness lessons) more than actual story suggestions. I did also receive the first writing credit of any cast member of the various series for my "I never sang for my father" Doctor and his programmer story [#144 Life Line].

I think the process of my own discovery paralleled my character's desire to extend himself beyond his original capabilities. So I suppose it all worked out better than had I entered the experience with a lot of expectations and other baggage.

I was completely caught off guard by the character's popularity, but delighted by the great storylines the writers came up with for the Doctor. Had I known more about Star Trek going in, perhaps I would've anticipated some of the character's potential, but being a relative newcomer to the saga helped me in a funny way.

I think that the Doctor, because of his beginning as an untried technology, had the most distance to cover as a character development arc. I think the character's ability and my ability to handle comic and dramatic moments with equal success made him fun for the writers to create for. So I don't think he necessarily got too much attention. But if you do, I certainly apologize (laughs).

The Doctor always had a streak of disdain for "biologicals" that I don't think Data has (although Seven certainly has). I think the Doctor was very much defined by his program directive to preserve life, and the most important thing to him was his identity as a medical provider. But he also liked cute girls, once he had had his program upgraded to anatomically correct status. (laughs)

Did you do all of the singing on the show?

I get asked constantly by the fans if I did all of the singing on the show and the fact is that I did almost all of my singing. I did all of my singing except for the second half of [#133 Virtuoso]. The Don Carlo duet and Rondino al Nido are voiced by an opera singer Augostino Castellnano (I hope I spelled that correctly). (For instance, the Tincoo hologram's aria was, deliberately so, too musically difficult and required a professional singer.) He's a terrific guy. I simply couldn't sing high enough or well enough to pull them off, but I did my own singing in [The Swarm], [Tinker, Tenor...], [Renaissance Man], [Someone to Watch Over Me] and all the others.

Did you know you have a lot of people who are fans of all your work?

It's a nice feeling of continuity that you have done a body of work as an actor that is thoroughly appreciated and continues to be enjoyed by a very loyal group of fans.

What are your hobbies?

Regular exercise, walking, cooking, traveling, reading, and cigars once every two weeks — but not while I'm singing this much. I like to visit any place I haven't been before, but I especially enjoy going to Italy, where all of my ancestors are from. I've had the pleasure of going to Italy about eight or nine times during my life. I'm back there at least that many more.

Have there been any embarrassing moments while filming [Star Trek Voyager]?

I think the first time I dropped something on the set and tore the crotch of my uniform up to my neck, I realised it's unwise to drop anything while wearing a Starfleet uniform. I understand Frank Sinatra had someone following him around picking up anything he dropped, and, to my knowledge, he never appeared in a Star Trek uniform. I don't know what that means. Maybe you do.

What would you like to be remembered for as regards your role in [Star Trek Voyager]?

The thing that I'd liked to be remembered personally for is that my character, the Doctor, worked equally well in drama and comedy on Star Trek, that he could be in a story where he was just so silly and made you laugh, and the very next week he'd be in a story where it was very dramatic and very gritty and very realistic and the character could function in both realities. And that's probably what I'm proudest of, that he really carry the ball humour- and drama-wise, and I think that's what made him particular fun. And finally, I'd like to be thought of, along with Patrick Stewart (who plays Captain Picard in [TNG]), as another link in that chain taking follicly-challenged men into the arms of beautiful women.

What would you say you and the Doctor have in common?

A large forehead. A dry wit. And affection for women in catsuits.

publicity shot

I loved playing scenes with Jeri (Ryan). How did it feel working with Jeri Ryan? What can I say? Once I broke the habit of staring at her between shots, it became extremely comfortable and a great deal of fun. Jeri has a very goofy streak, and loves to laugh. We really enjoyed our scenes together.

She has a great sense of humour about her bombshell qualities, and I really liked the way our characters related. I was, however, disappointed when she threw me over for Commander Chakotay in the home stretch.

Robert Picardo and Jeri Ryan pose together

Do you still see your fellow [Star Trek Voyager]-ensemble cast members?

Kate Mulgrew as Katharine Hepburn in 'Tea At Five'

Yes, frequently. I see Ethan Phillips the most, but I am in contact with all of them on a fairly regular basis. During the course of the year I see them all at least once. Absolutely. Ethan Phillips is coming to opening night of "A Class Act" this coming Mother's Day. Tim Russ, Kate Mulgrew, Roxann Dawson and Robbie McNeill have all said they're going to come to see the show. I, of course, see them at appearances, but many of us socialise together as well. As an aside, I saw Kate as Katharine Hepburn at Hartford Stage in 'Tea At Five', and she was extraordinary.

In [Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy], did you contribute to the script-writing?

Only marginally. Joe Menosky asked me for a list of what the Doctor's fantasies might be. Needless to say, a life drawing of Seven of Nine was the first suggestion I made. And the first one to be put in the script (laughs). Sometimes having a 14-year-old male trapped in my adult male body makes me come up with ideal suggestions for our ideal demographic.

The Doctor likes opera. Do you like it too?

the Doctor and a holographic diva sing opera together, [#46 The Swarm]

I listen, not to whole operas, but to great arias. I am not really knowledgeable about great opera, but I appreciate the artistry of the great singers. I don't know many "whole" operas that well.

I listen to a very eclectic blend of music. Someone recently got me started on the Italian singer Adriano Celentano, whom I like very much. I enjoy jazz, but am not terribly knowledgeable about it. I am a high baritone, or lyric baritone.

Which was your favourite opera aria that you sang on [Star Trek Voyager]? Was it 'La Donne e Mobile' in [Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy]?

I would say either that, or "O Soave Fanciulla" — it's a famous aria from "La Boheme".

Whose idea was it to make the Doctor more mobile and no longer confined to sickbay?

That was Brannon Braga's idea, so that we could have more stories that included the Doctor set outside sickbay or the holodeck. I was initially not in favour — I thought the Doctor's limitations were part of what made him interesting — but Brannon was certainly right about the "mobile emitter". SHOW NOT VERY RELEVANT NOTE

In the series finale [#171 and #172 Endgame] the Doctor has finally chosen a name for himself - Joe. Did you choose it?

Joe and his wife Lana in the eventually unrealised timeline seen in [#171 Endgame, Part One]

No, I did not. But I was pleased with it. My father's name was Joe, as well as my brother's and most of my uncles' — it is the most common male name in my family. In fact, when I was born and my mother told my dad what she wanted to name me, he said, "Who the hell is Robert?" I suppose I could have been the other Joe.

What is one of the more unusual items given to you by a fan?

I was given a gift by a fan in Alabama who carved tombstones for a living. He gave me a small marble memorial with the character's image on it, and my name. It's very hard to explain to airport security why you have a tombstone in your carry-on bag. You have to mumble something lame about how you had a premonition about this particular trip. The tombstone sits in my garden, and is a great conversation piece. And I suppose, someday, it'll save me some money! (laughs)

Do your children want to be in showbusiness?

My younger daughter wants to be a director or producer. My older daughter wants to be a visual effects director. I'm thinking either one could help me get jobs in the future. My older daughter (15 and a half) is interested in theatre, and will be part of the Acting Conservatory program at her high school next year, presuming she auditions successfully. My younger daughter wants to be a director or a producer. But I think that's just because she's tired of asking me for money and wants to turn the tables on me as soon as possible. I'd actually like that very much. (laughs) Having my two children see me onstage for the first time (not counting Star Trek conventions) has been the deepest joy I've felt regarding my career as an actor. The fact that my 13-year-old daughter, who is utterly mortified when I sing in the car with her, was so delighted to see me singing onstage and so proud of me, as was my younger daughter, was my greatest thrill I felt as an actor. This joy will be nearly equalled when the thousands of loyal Star Trek fans line up at the box office to see me in this production (his latest venture).

Do you play any sports?

Hmm. I don't play any team sports, although I exercise daily. I suppose baseball is still my favorite sport, though I don't watch any sport religiously.

Was there ever a time on [Star Trek Voyager] that you wished your character was not a hologram?

[#12 Heroes And Demons]

Whenever we had a scene with real food in it, and the food smelled good. One of my fondest memories of Voyager is from the early episode [#12 Heroes and Demons] when I'm gnawing on a large leg of holographic lamb as I am telling a story. The best way to keep me from chewing the scenery was to give me a leg of lamb.

I am happiest at Italian and Indian restaurants, and I love to cook myself. Of all the many dishes I make, my favorite is fresh spinach pizza, because it was my grandmother's specialty, and I feel I'm carrying on a tradition.

What do you think of [Enterprise], the series which succeeded [Star Trek Voyager]?

I have seen several episodes, but I don't have the opportunity to watch any television show religiously. I think that the show is growing beautifully and the characters are defining themselves with each new episode. It takes every new Star Trek series at least two seasons to develop its unique voice. And they are absolutely ahead of schedule.

Late last August (i.e. August 2003), I stopped in to see Brannon and told him I'd enjoy doing the show but I wanted to try to avoid heavy rubber. Suppose I played a great-great-great-ancestor of the Doctor's programmer, Lewis Zimmerman, who was vigorously opposed to the development of artificial intelligence. When I spoke to my pal Brent Spiner yesterday, I found out they're doing exactly the same story with Data in a three-part episode, which he and I both thought was a remarkable coincidence. I would love to get a phone call from Brannon about this "remarkable coincidence" as it really is remarkable. Perhaps he'll call. That too would be remarkable. (laughs)

What inspired you to write the book "The Hologram's Handbook"?

Working on the two-part [#155 and #156 Flesh and Blood] episode, I was explaining to guest star Jeff Yagher (a close friend of mine), what holograms can and can't do in the Star Trek world. He quipped, "You ought to write a book," and we did, together. I wrote it; he did all the illustrations. The book is carefully designed to be the perfect toilet reader. It sits on any commode, and can be completed in approximately ten visits to the restroom. I want to see one on every Star Trek fan's commode by 2003. I certainly enjoyed writing the book. I have had preliminary talks with Margaret Clark, my wonderful editor at Pocket Books, about writing another one, but thus far nothing has been firmed up. Also, Ethan Phillips and I have discussed collaborating on a project once I have finished performances of "A Class Act" (a musical show he did which has now ended).

What was the most unusual thing a fan did when they met you in person?

Showed me their tattoo of Voyager, which was docked near the..... (he does not finish)

Did you get to keep your Voyager costume?

[#133 Virtuoso]

I did not, but I did get to keep my back-up boots. They are a treasured souvenir of the show. Also, producer Merri Howard let me keep the Doctor's smoking jacket after I explained to her that I had a smoking jacket that I had worn in my 'China Beach' series. So now I have smoking jackets from the past and the future.

Do you have any pets?

I have many pets: seven cats (four indoors: Ed, Emily, Gracey, Katie — I hate Katie — three outdoors: Wally, Christopher and Frank), two parrots, an African Grey (Elizabeth), and a Yellow-Naped Amazon, one turtle (Sparkie), and giant desert tortoise (my favorite, Tilly).

Which do you prefer: acting on recorded television or in front of a live audience?

I love both of them, but after eight years of being off the legitimate stage, it is an utter joy to be doing this show. It is exhilarating, terrifying, and ultimately the most rewarding for your actor's soul to do stage work. I blame my current state of utter exhaustion (during the days, never on stage at night) to the "You've got to listen to your gypsy soul" speech Kate Mulgrew made to me after I saw her in "Tea At Five" (in which she played Katharine Hepburn). It's her fault that my feet hurt right now — did I mention I dance several times? I want to start a foundation for the dance-challenged. (laughs)

What makes you laugh?

My children. My wife. My dancing skills. (laughs) David Hyde Pierce and Kelsey Grammer. Ethan Phillips. And certain pieces of my personal wardrobe.

What would you suggest to someone who wants a career in performance?

Check your fly before you go onstage. Just kidding. Make sure that you follow this word of advice: if there is anything, anything else you can do and be happy, do that first. But if this is the only thing you find joy in, then you probably want it enough to survive doing it.

My best to you all. Go boldly and, if necessary, baldly.