Gates McFadden | |
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![]() McFadden at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2023 | |
Born | Cheryl Gates McFadden March 2, 1949 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
Other names | Cheryl McFadden (choreography work) |
Education | |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1980–present |
Notable credit(s) | Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation , the four subsequent films, and Star Trek: Picard |
Spouse | divorced |
Children | 1, James (Jack) McFadden-Talbot |
Cheryl Gates McFadden (born March 2, 1949) [1] [2] is an American actress and choreographer. She is usually credited as Cheryl McFadden when working as a choreographer and Gates McFadden when working as an actress. She played Dr. Beverly Crusher in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation , its four subsequent films, the sequel series Star Trek: Picard , [3] [4] and Star Trek: Prodigy .
McFadden was born in Akron, Ohio, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Silver Lake. [5] [6] She graduated high school from Old Trail School in 1966. [7] She attended Brandeis University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts ( cum laude ) in the theatre arts, before moving to Paris, where she studied theatre with actor Jacques Lecoq at his school of physical theatre. McFadden is of Lithuanian descent on her mother's side. [8]
In the 1970s, McFadden spent time teaching in post-secondary theater and dance departments, including those of the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard University, and George Washington University. [9] [10] During this period she formed a theatrical company, The New York Theatre Commotion, and in 1975 toured an all-female clown act, "Commedia Dell Pinky". [9]
McFadden worked at The Jim Henson Company [11] [12] as the director of choreography and puppet movement for Labyrinth , The Muppets Take Manhattan , and uncredited work on Dreamchild . As a way of distinguishing her acting work from her choreography, she is usually credited as "Gates McFadden" as an actress and "Cheryl McFadden" as a choreographer. However, she was credited as "Cheryl McFadden" in the Troma movie When Nature Calls (1985) and in the season-three episode of The Cosby Show , "Cliff's 50th Birthday".
In 1987, McFadden was cast as Dr. Beverly Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Crusher character was slated to be Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love interest; another important aspect of the character was being a widow balancing motherhood and a career. McFadden clashed with Maurice Hurley, head writer and showrunner, about the characterization of Dr. Crusher; she later stated, "I definitely pissed off Hurley. Because I kept saying 'Why is it that I've raised this genius kid...and yet every time there's anything serious it's only the male characters who talk to him?'" [13] She was also highly critical of the episode "Angel One", labeling it sexist. At Hurley's demand, McFadden's contract was not renewed at the end of the season. [14] In her place, Diana Muldaur joined the production as the Enterprise's new chief medical officer, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, for the second season.
Series creator Gene Roddenberry admitted that the Dr. Pulaski character did not develop a chemistry with the other characters, so McFadden was approached to return as Dr. Crusher for the third season. [15] She was hesitant, but after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart, and numerous fan letters, McFadden was persuaded to return to the role, which she then played through the remainder of the series. [16]
Highlights for her character included "The High Ground", where she is kidnapped by terrorists; "Remember Me", in which she becomes trapped in an alternate reality where her loved ones start to disappear; "The Host", which features a romance between the doctor and an alien composed of two symbiotic organisms; "Suspicions", in which she risks her career to solve the murder of a scientist; "Descent" where Crusher takes command of the Enterprise; "Sub Rosa", where she becomes the victim of a seductive "ghost"; and "Attached", where Picard and Crusher become telepathically linked as prisoners and learn their true feelings for one another.
McFadden reprised her role for all four TNG movies and also provided her voice for PC games Star Trek: A Final Unity and Star Trek Generations . McFadden directed the seventh season episode "Genesis" (her only directing credit) in which an infection causes the crew to de-evolve into primitive forms of life, and choreographed the dance routine in the fourth season's "Data's Day".
McFadden co-starred in the 1990 comedy Taking Care of Business with James Belushi, and fellow Next Generation alumnus John de Lancie (Q). That same year she appeared in The Hunt for Red October as Jack Ryan's wife, Catherine. In 1992, she appeared alongside fellow cast members Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Colm Meaney in a production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour , which was performed in four cities. She also starred in the 1995 television series Marker with Richard Grieco and appeared in the made-for-television movie Crowned and Dangerous with Yasmine Bleeth in 1997. Additional television work was the role of Allison Rourke, Paul Buchman's boss, in four episodes of the sitcom Mad About You . In the spring of 2006, McFadden appeared in a series of television commercials for Microsoft.
She has taught at several universities (American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Brandeis, Harvard, Purdue, Temple, the Stella Academy in Hamburg, and the University of Pittsburgh). [17] As of August 2010, she was listed as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Theater at the University of Southern California. [18] She was the artistic director of the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Los Angeles from January 2009 [19] to October 2014. [20] During her tenure, she spearheaded the building of the Atwater Village Theatre Collective, a new two-theater space in Los Angeles. [21] [22]
McFadden has lent her voice as narrator in several audio books. In 2010, she was the narrator of "Confessor" ( METAtropolis: Cascadia). [23] [24]
McFadden was initially nervous to attend fan conventions, due to a stalking issue early in her teaching career prior to her Star Trek tenure. However her concerns have not come to pass and she has since found conventions to be a positive experience. [25]
McFadden narrated the multi-part documentary series The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek, which aired on the cable channel History in 2021. She was also one of the executive producers. [26]
In 2021 McFadden launched Gates McFadden InvestiGates: Who Do You Think You Are?, a podcast for Brian Volk-Weiss's Nacelle Company, interviewing close friends and former co-stars. [27] [28] [29]
She has since reprised the role of Crusher on Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Picard's third season as well as in the video game Star Trek Online . [30] [31]
McFadden became a mother in 1991. Her pregnancy was not written into the fourth season of TNG; instead, her character wore a laboratory coat over her uniform to conceal it. Next Generation co-star Brent Spiner is her son's godfather. [32]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | The Muppets Take Manhattan | Mr. Price's Secretary | |
1985 | Rustlers' Rhapsody | Choreographer [33] | |
Dreamchild | Choreographer | ||
When Nature Calls | Gena | "Gena's Story" trailer | |
1986 | Labyrinth | Choreographer | |
1990 | The Hunt for Red October | Catherine Ryan | |
Taking Care of Business | Diane | ||
1994 | Star Trek Generations | Dr. Beverly Crusher | |
1996 | Star Trek: First Contact | ||
1998 | Star Trek: Insurrection | ||
2002 | Star Trek: Nemesis | ||
2005 | Dirty | Wife | |
2009 | Make the Yuletide Gay | Martha Stanford |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Wizard | Darcy | Episode: "El Dorado" |
1987 | The Cosby Show | — | Episode: "Cliff's 50th Birthday" |
1987–1994 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Dr. Beverly Crusher | 153 episodes |
1990 | Beyond the Groove | Secretary | Unknown episode |
1992 | L.A. Law | Uta Keller | Episode: "Steal It Again, Sam" |
1993 | Dream On | Ina Dreikoff | Episode: "The Book, the Thief, Her Boss and His Lover" |
1994 | Party of Five | Greer Erikson | Episode: "Something Out of Nothing" |
1995 | Marker | Kimba | 13 episodes |
1995–1996 | Mad About You | Allison Rourke | 4 episodes |
1997 | Crowned and Dangerous | Patrice Baxter | TV film |
2000 | The Practice | Judge Emily Harrison | Episode: "Checkmates" |
2001 | The Division | Mrs. Petersen | Episode: "Hero" |
2004 | The Handler | Siobhan | Episode: "Wedding Party" |
2009 | Family Guy | Herself (voice) | Episode: "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" |
2011–2013 | Franklin & Bash | Judge Mallory Jacobs | 4 episodes |
2016 | Scary Endings | The 911 Operator (voice) | TV short |
2017 | A Neighbor's Deception | Dr. Constance Abrams | TV film |
NCIS | Mrs. Belmont | Episode: "Skeleton Crew" | |
2022-2024 | Star Trek: Prodigy | Dr. Beverly Crusher (voice) | 3 episodes |
2023 | Star Trek: Picard | Dr. Beverly Crusher | 10 episodes |
2024 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Queen Marlena (voice) | 4 episodes |
X-Men '97 | Mother Askani (voice) | 1 episode |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Star Trek: Very Short Treks | Dr. Beverly Crusher (voice) | Episode: "Worst Contact" |
Stage appearances
Stage work
Beverly Crusher is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise played by Gates McFadden. Debuting in the television series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, McFadden appeared in every season except for the second, as well as its spin-off feature films: Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis. McFadden returned to the role in the third season of Star Trek: Picard. She also had cameo appearances in Star Trek: Prodigy, both as a holographic recreation and the real Crusher.
Dr. Katherine Pulaski is a fictional medical doctor in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. She served a rotation as the chief medical officer aboard the Federation starship USS Enterprise-D. During her time on the ship, her medical skills saved the lives of both Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Commander William Riker. She inadvertently caused Geordi LaForge to create a hologram of Professor Moriarty that became self-aware, after a bet involving the abilities of Lt. Commander Data. Pulaski seemed averse to most new technology and preferred to avoid the transporter, but was forced to rely on it to save her own life from a genetically-modified infection. Before arriving on the Enterprise-D, she previously served on the USS Repulse. For a time in her past, she was romantically involved with William Riker's father, Kyle Riker, with whom she has maintained a friendship.
"The Neutral Zone" is the season finale of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired within the United States on May 16, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The episode originated as a story submission purchased by Paramount written by Deborah McIntyre and Mona Clee, and was turned into a teleplay by Maurice Hurley. Because of the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, Hurley created the script in a day and a half, and the timescale forced the abandonment of both the idea of a two-part episode and of the first appearance of the Borg, which was delayed until the following season episode "Q Who".
"The Naked Now" is the third episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired on October 5, 1987, in broadcast syndication in the United States. Directed by Paul Lynch, the episode was written by D. C. Fontana, under the pseudonym of "J. Michael Bingham", based on an unfinished teleplay by Gene Roddenberry. It is a sequel to the original series Star Trek episode "The Naked Time" (1966), and that episode's writer John D. F. Black also received a writing credit on this episode for his role in devising the plot's origins.
"The Host" is the 23rd episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 97th episode overall. It was originally released on May 11, 1991, in broadcast syndication.
"We'll Always Have Paris" is the twenty-fourth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, first aired on May 2, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The story and script were both created by Deborah Dean Davis and Hannah Louise Shearer, and the episode was directed by Robert Becker.
"The Child" is the first episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 27th episode overall. It was originally released on November 21, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The story was originally written by Jaron Summers and Jon Povill for the cancelled late 1970s series Star Trek: Phase II. Due to the tight deadlines caused by the 1988 Writers Guild of America Strike, the producers of The Next Generation searched the records of that earlier television project, resulting in the script being amended by show runner Maurice Hurley.
"Where No One Has Gone Before" is the sixth episode of the American science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which originally aired October 26, 1987, in broadcast syndication in the United States. A high-definition, remastered version of the episode received a limited theatrical release for one day to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series on July 23, 2012. The story was originally developed with the title "Where None Have Gone Before" and was based on Diane Duane's book, The Wounded Sky. Duane and Michael Reaves pitched the idea to David Gerrold and Gene Roddenberry, and then submitted a script. Their script was subsequently rewritten by Maurice Hurley, whose first effort was poorly received; however, he subsequently rewrote it and that version was filmed. The episode was the first of the series directed by Rob Bowman, who went on to direct 12 more episodes. It was the only Star Trek: The Next Generation assignment for writers Duane and Reaves.
"Remember Me" is the 79th episode of the syndicated American science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the fifth episode of the fourth season.
"Angel One" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was first broadcast on January 25, 1988, in the United States in broadcast syndication. It was written by Patrick Barry and was directed by Michael Ray Rhodes.
"The Arsenal of Freedom" is the twenty-first episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally aired on April 11, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The teleplay was written by Richard Manning and Hans Beimler, based on a story by Beimler. The episode was directed by Les Landau.
"Symbiosis" is the twenty-second episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It first aired on April 18, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The teleplay was written by Robert Lewin, Richard Manning, and Hans Beimler, based on a story by Lewin, and the episode was directed by Win Phelps.
"Genesis" is the 171st episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 19th episode of the seventh season. It was directed by series cast member Gates McFadden, her only directing credit to date.
"Evolution" is the first episode of the third season of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 49th episode overall, it first aired in the United States on September 25, 1989.
"Suspicions" is the 148th episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 22nd episode of the sixth season.
The second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on November 21, 1988, and concluded on July 17, 1989, after airing 22 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise-D. Season two featured changes to the main cast, following the departure of Gates McFadden. Diana Muldaur was cast as Dr. Katherine Pulaski for a single season before the return of McFadden in season three. Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg also joined the cast after pursuing a role from the producers.
The third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation commenced airing in broadcast syndication in the United States on September 25, 1989 and concluded on June 18, 1990 after airing 26 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise-D. This season featured the return of Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher after she was replaced by Diana Muldaur for the second season. The season also saw the debut of several actors who would reappear in the same roles and others throughout the franchise, such as Dwight Schultz as Lt. Reginald Barclay, and Tony Todd as Kurn.
Maurice Hurley was an American screenwriter and producer known best for his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
...Cheryl McFadden, 12, of 3084 Merkle [sic] dr...
Berman on TNG [19:30 – 1:17:15]: Gates McFadden fired at end of first season because head writer Maurice Hurley "he had a real bone to pick" with Gates and didn't like her acting, Berman brought Gates back for third season after Hurley left.