Age: 71
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 | |
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 | |
2016 | Hail, Caesar! | Rabbi |
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 |
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" |
1995 | 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" |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Star Trek Voyager Elite Force | Emergency Medical Hologram | N/A |
2008 | Too Human | Loki | N/A |
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 |