Donnelly Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Donnelly Rhodes is a Canadian actor. He recently starred as Doctor Cottle
("Doc") on the Sci Fi Channel
television program Battlestar Galactica. Before Battlestar Galactica he was probably best known to American audiences as the lovestruck, hapless escaped convict "Dutch Leitner" on the 1970s soap-opera spoof Soap
. He was previously known for his role as Phillip Chancellor II in The Young and the Restless
, which he played from 1974 to 1975. He also played the character Milash in Smallville
in 2008. From 1984-1989, he played a single parent marine scientist in the TV series Danger Bay
, also named "Doc".
Rhodes was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A noted character actor
with many American
television and film credits, he is also known in his homeland for his role as detective Leo Shannon in the TV series, Da Vinci's Inquest
. From 1984 to 1989 he played Dr. Grant Roberts in the family adventure series Danger Bay
. In 1966, Rhodes appeared as the Indian
"Red Eagle" in the episode "Pariah" of NBC
's western
series The Road West
starring Barry Sullivan
. In 1967, he appeared as another Indian, War Cloud, on the ABC
military-western series Custer
with Wayne Maunder
in the title role of Lieutenant Colonel
George Armstrong Custer
. In 1975 he starred in the Canadian drama Sidestreet
. In 1980, he played a Franciscan
priest in the concluding episode, "The Siren Song", of the CBS western
miniseries
The Chisholms
. In 1984, he had a supporting role as the beleaguered father, Art Foster, in the short-lived TV series Double Trouble. In 1987 he made a guest appearance on "The Golden Girls
" as Jake Smollens, the handsome but rough-around-the edges caterer for Blanche's (Rue McClanahan
) Hospital Charity Banquet, and in 1988 he guest appeared on "Empty Nest
" as Leonard, an old friend of the main character, Dr. Harry Weston (played by fellow Soap alumnus, Richard Mulligan
), who dates Harry's daughter, Carol (Dinah Manoff
, who also has appeared on Soap).
In February 2009 the Union of British Columbia Performers honoured Rhodes with the Sam Payne Award for Lifetime Achievement.
space opera/comedy series Canadia: 2056.
During the CBS series The Wild Wild West
(from 1965-60) Rhodes appeared several times in those episodes. This might have been his first featured roles.
Dr. Cottle
Dr. Sherman Cottle is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. He is the battlestar Galacticas Chief Medical Officer. The character is played by Donnelly Rhodes.-Character biography:...
("Doc") on the Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
television program Battlestar Galactica. Before Battlestar Galactica he was probably best known to American audiences as the lovestruck, hapless escaped convict "Dutch Leitner" on the 1970s soap-opera spoof Soap
Soap (TV series)
Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
. He was previously known for his role as Phillip Chancellor II in The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
, which he played from 1974 to 1975. He also played the character Milash in Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
in 2008. From 1984-1989, he played a single parent marine scientist in the TV series Danger Bay
Danger Bay
Danger Bay is a Canadian television series, produced in Vancouver, with first-run episodes broadcast on CBC Television starting October 18, 1984 and the Disney Channel starting October 7, 1985...
, also named "Doc".
Rhodes was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A noted character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
with many American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television and film credits, he is also known in his homeland for his role as detective Leo Shannon in the TV series, Da Vinci's Inquest
Da Vinci's Inquest
Da Vinci's Inquest is a Canadian dramatic television series that aired on CBC Television from 1998 to 2005. Seven seasons of thirteen episodes each were filmed for a total of ninety-one episodes....
. From 1984 to 1989 he played Dr. Grant Roberts in the family adventure series Danger Bay
Danger Bay
Danger Bay is a Canadian television series, produced in Vancouver, with first-run episodes broadcast on CBC Television starting October 18, 1984 and the Disney Channel starting October 7, 1985...
. In 1966, Rhodes appeared as the Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
"Red Eagle" in the episode "Pariah" of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
series The Road West
The Road West
The Road West is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1966 to May 1, 1967 for twenty-nine episodes with rebroadcasts continuing until August 28. The hour-long series, sponsored by Kraft Foods, aired in the 9 p.m...
starring Barry Sullivan
Barry Sullivan (actor)
Barry Sullivan was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s.Born in New York City, Sullivan fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football...
. In 1967, he appeared as another Indian, War Cloud, on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
military-western series Custer
Custer (TV series)
Custer, also known as The Legend of Custer, is a 17-episode military-western television series which ran on ABC from September 6 to December 27, 1967, with Wayne Maunder in the starring role of then Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. During the American Civil War, Custer had risen to the...
with Wayne Maunder
Wayne Maunder
Wayne E. Maunder is a retired actor, originally from Canada, who starred in three American television series between 1967 and 1974.-Three television series:...
in the title role of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
. In 1975 he starred in the Canadian drama Sidestreet
Sidestreet
Sidestreet was a Canadian television drama, which aired Sundays on CBC from 1975 to 1978. It starred Sean McCann and Donnelly Rhodes as police working in 1970s Toronto.-Background:Sidestreet succeeded The Collaborators as the CBC's main series drama...
. In 1980, he played a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
priest in the concluding episode, "The Siren Song", of the CBS western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
The Chisholms
The Chisholms
The Chisholms is a CBS western miniseries starring Robert Preston, which aired thirteen episodes from March 29, 1979, to April 19, 1979, and from January 19, 1980, to March 15, 1980. The 1979 episodes showed the family moving from Virginia to Wyoming...
. In 1984, he had a supporting role as the beleaguered father, Art Foster, in the short-lived TV series Double Trouble. In 1987 he made a guest appearance on "The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
" as Jake Smollens, the handsome but rough-around-the edges caterer for Blanche's (Rue McClanahan
Rue McClanahan
Rue McClanahan was an American actress, best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude, Fran Crowley on Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1987.-Early life:McClanahan was born Eddie Rue...
) Hospital Charity Banquet, and in 1988 he guest appeared on "Empty Nest
Empty Nest
Empty Nest is an American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1988 to 1995. The series was created as a spin-off of The Golden Girls by creator and producer Susan Harris. For its first three seasons, Empty Nest was one of the year's top 10 most-watched programs...
" as Leonard, an old friend of the main character, Dr. Harry Weston (played by fellow Soap alumnus, Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan
Richard Mulligan was an American television and film actor best known for his role as Burt Campbell in the 1970s sitcom Soap and later as Dr. Harry Weston on The Golden Girls and its spin-off Empty Nest.-Early life:He was born in New York City, the younger brother of director Robert Mulligan...
), who dates Harry's daughter, Carol (Dinah Manoff
Dinah Manoff
Dinah Beth Manoff is an American stage, film and television actress and television director best known for her roles as Elaine Lefkowitz on Soap, Marty Maraschino in the film Grease, Libby Tucker in both the stage and film adaptations of I Ought to Be in Pictures, for which she won a Tony award,...
, who also has appeared on Soap).
In February 2009 the Union of British Columbia Performers honoured Rhodes with the Sam Payne Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Radio Drama and Comedy
Rhodes provides the voice of the American president at the start of each episode of the CBC Radio OneCBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
space opera/comedy series Canadia: 2056.
During the CBS series The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
(from 1965-60) Rhodes appeared several times in those episodes. This might have been his first featured roles.