Gates McFadden
Encyclopedia
Cheryl Gates McFadden usually credited as Gates McFadden, is an American
actress and choreographer. She is best known for portraying the character of Dr. Beverly Crusher
in the Star Trek: The Next Generation
(TNG) television series and subsequent films.
.
She attended Brandeis University
graduating cum laude with a bachelor of arts
in theatre arts. After graduating from Brandeis, she moved to Paris and studied theatre with actor Jacques Lecoq
.
, McFadden often worked for Jim Henson
productions, including the films The Dark Crystal
(as choreographer), Labyrinth
(as Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement), The Muppets Take Manhattan
(choreographer and a brief on-screen appearance), and uncredited work on Dreamchild
(again supervising choreography and puppet movement). 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 3 episode of The Cosby Show
, "Cliff's 50th Birthday". She appeared in The Hunt for Red October
as Jack Ryan's wife Caroline, though most of her scenes were cut in post-production.
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
. The Crusher character was slated to be Captain Jean-Luc Picard
's love interest, and this aspect of the character is what attracted McFadden to the role. Another important aspect of the character was being a widow balancing motherhood and a career. McFadden was fired and replaced by actress Diana Muldaur
as the Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer for the second season. Muldaur's character, Dr. Katherine Pulaski
, didn't make it to the third season. Roddenberry described Muldaur as "a most talented actress", and said that the decision "to let her go was made solely because the hoped-for chemistry between her and the rest of the starship cast did not develop." McFadden was approached to return for the third season. At first she was hesitant, but after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart
, McFadden was persuaded to reprise her role. Highlights for her character included "The High Ground," where Dr. Crusher 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 a man with a big secret; "Suspicions," in which Dr. Crusher risking her career to solve the murder of a scientist; "Sub Rosa," where Dr. Crusher becomes the next victim of her grandmother's seductive "ghost;" and "Attached," where Picard and Crusher become telepathically linked as prisoners and learn their true feeling 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 also directed the TNG episode "Genesis" and choreographed the dance routine in "Data's Day".
, co-starred McFadden and another TNG
actor, John de Lancie
(aka Q
). In 1992 she appeared alongside fellow castmembers 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 TV series Marker
with Richard Grieco
and appeared in the made-for-television movie Crowned and Dangerous
with Yasmine Bleeth
in 1997. Additional TV 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 (AADA, Brandeis, Harvard, Purdue, Temple, The Stella Academy in Hamburg, and the University of Pittsburgh) and is currently listed as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Theater at the University of Southern California
. She has been Artistic Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre of Los Angeles since January 2009. During her tenure she spearheaded the building of the Atwater Village Theatre Collective (AVT), a new two-theater space in Los Angeles.
McFadden has lent her voice as narrator in several audio books. In 2010 she was the narrator of "Confessor" (METAtropolis: CASCADIA).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and choreographer. She is best known for portraying the character of Dr. Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
in the Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
(TNG) television series and subsequent films.
Early life
McFadden was born in Cuyahoga Falls, OhioCuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
.
She attended Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
graduating cum laude with a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in theatre arts. After graduating from Brandeis, she moved to Paris and studied theatre with actor Jacques Lecoq
Jacques Lecoq
Jacques Pierre Lecoq born in Paris, was a French actor, mime and acting instructor.He is most famous for his methods on physical theatre, movement and mime that he taught at the school he founded in Paris, L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq from 1956 until his death in...
.
Early works
Before Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, McFadden often worked for Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
productions, including the films The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal is a 1982 British-American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than previous material created by them. The animatronics used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary concept artist was the...
(as choreographer), Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)
Labyrinth is a 1986 British/American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee, Terry Jones from Monty Python, and Elaine May .The film stars David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin...
(as Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement), The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan is the third of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets, and also the final film before Henson's death. This film was produced by Henson Associates and TriStar Pictures, and was filmed on location in New York City during the summer of...
(choreographer and a brief on-screen appearance), and uncredited work on Dreamchild
Dreamchild
Dreamchild is a 1985 British drama film produced by Verity Lambert, directed by Gavin Millar and written by Dennis Potter. It stars Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Nicola Cowper and Amelia Shankley and is a fictionalized account of Alice Liddell, the child who inspired Lewis Carroll's...
(again supervising choreography and puppet movement). 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
When Nature Calls
When Nature Calls is a 1985 spoof comedy written and directed by Charles Kaufman and starring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn in an early performance...
(1985) and in the Season 3 episode of The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, "Cliff's 50th Birthday". She appeared in The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October (film)
The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It was directed by John McTiernan and stars Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan...
as Jack Ryan's wife Caroline, though most of her scenes were cut in post-production.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
In 1987, McFadden was cast as Dr. Beverly CrusherBeverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. The Crusher character was slated to be Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
's love interest, and this aspect of the character is what attracted McFadden to the role. Another important aspect of the character was being a widow balancing motherhood and a career. McFadden was fired and replaced by actress Diana Muldaur
Diana Muldaur
Diana Muldaur is an Emmy-nominated American film and television actress.-Career:Born in New York City, but raised on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, Muldaur started acting in high school and continued on through college, graduating from Sweet Briar College in Virginia in 1960. She studied acting...
as the Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer for the second season. Muldaur's character, Dr. Katherine Pulaski
Katherine Pulaski
Commander Katherine Pulaski, MD; played by Diana Muldaur, is the replacement chief medical officer for Dr. Beverly Crusher during the second season of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:...
, didn't make it to the third season. Roddenberry described Muldaur as "a most talented actress", and said that the decision "to let her go was made solely because the hoped-for chemistry between her and the rest of the starship cast did not develop." McFadden was approached to return for the third season. At first she was hesitant, but after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
, McFadden was persuaded to reprise her role. Highlights for her character included "The High Ground," where Dr. Crusher 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 a man with a big secret; "Suspicions," in which Dr. Crusher risking her career to solve the murder of a scientist; "Sub Rosa," where Dr. Crusher becomes the next victim of her grandmother's seductive "ghost;" and "Attached," where Picard and Crusher become telepathically linked as prisoners and learn their true feeling 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 also directed the TNG episode "Genesis" and choreographed the dance routine in "Data's Day".
Beyond The Next Generation
Beyond TNG, the 1990 comedy Taking Care of Business starred James BelushiJames Belushi
James Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
, co-starred McFadden and another TNG
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
actor, John de Lancie
John de Lancie
John de Lancie is an American actor. He has been active in screen and television roles since 1977, though he is best known for his recurring role as Q on the various Star Trek series and as Frank Simmons in Stargate SG-1....
(aka Q
Q (Star Trek)
Q is a fictional character who appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, as well as in related products. In all of these programs, he is played by John de Lancie....
). In 1992 she appeared alongside fellow castmembers Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
, Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in the Star Trek franchise, as well as for his tenure as host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction ....
, Brent Spiner
Brent Spiner
Brent Jay Spiner is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and four subsequent films. His portrayal of Data in Star Trek: First Contact and of Dr...
, and Colm Meaney
Colm Meaney
Colm J. Meaney is an Irish actor widely known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is second only to Michael Dorn in most appearances in Star Trek episodes. He has guest-starred on many TV shows from Law & Order to The Simpsons...
in a production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is a stage play by Tom Stoppard with music by André Previn. It was first performed in 1977. The play criticizes the Soviet practice of treating political dissidence as a form of mental illness. Its title derives from the popular mnemonic used by music students to...
, which was performed in four cities. She also starred in the 1995 TV series Marker
Marker (TV series)
Marker was an American hour long television drama that premiered on the UPN on March 20, 1995. It was set in and filmed in Hawaii.The series focused on Richard DeMorra , a man given a strange inheritance from his late father: markers which were given in the past by his father to those who had...
with Richard Grieco
Richard Grieco
Richard John Grieco, Jr. is an American actor and former fashion model.-Early life:Richard Grieco was born in Watertown, New York, the son of Carolyn and Richard Grieco. He is of Italian and Irish descent. Grieco played football for Central Connecticut State University.-Career:Grieco worked as a...
and appeared in the made-for-television movie Crowned and Dangerous
Crowned and Dangerous
Crowned and Dangerous was a 1997 made-for-TV movie which was a thriller that based on a true story and starred Yasmine Bleeth, Cassidy Rae, George Eads and Jill Clayburgh.-Plot:...
with Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Amanda Bleeth is an American actress. Her television roles include Caroline Holden in the long-running series Baywatch.-Early life and career:...
in 1997. Additional TV work was the role of Allison Rourke, Paul Buchman's boss, in four episodes of the sitcom Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
. In the spring of 2006, McFadden appeared in a series of television commercials for Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
.
She has taught at several universities (AADA, Brandeis, Harvard, Purdue, Temple, The Stella Academy in Hamburg, and the University of Pittsburgh) and is currently listed as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Theater at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. She has been Artistic Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre of Los Angeles since January 2009. During her tenure she spearheaded the building of the Atwater Village Theatre Collective (AVT), a new two-theater space in Los Angeles.
McFadden has lent her voice as narrator in several audio books. In 2010 she was the narrator of "Confessor" (METAtropolis: CASCADIA).
Personal life
McFadden is married to John Talbot. They have one son: James Cleveland McFadden-Talbot (born June 10, 1991). Her pregnancy was not written into the fourth season of TNG; instead, her character wore a lab coat over her uniform.Film
- The Muppets Take ManhattanThe Muppets Take ManhattanThe Muppets Take Manhattan is the third of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets, and also the final film before Henson's death. This film was produced by Henson Associates and TriStar Pictures, and was filmed on location in New York City during the summer of...
(1984) - Rustlers' RhapsodyRustlers' RhapsodyRustlers' Rhapsody is an American comedy-Western film. It is a parody of many Western conventions, most visibly of the singing cowboy films that were prominent in the 1930s and the 1940s...
(1985) - When Nature CallsWhen Nature CallsWhen Nature Calls is a 1985 spoof comedy written and directed by Charles Kaufman and starring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn in an early performance...
(1985) - The Hunt for Red OctoberThe Hunt for Red October (film)The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It was directed by John McTiernan and stars Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan...
(1990) - Taking Care of Business (1990)
- Beyond the Groove (1990) film TV.
- Star Trek Generations (1994)
- Star Trek: First ContactStar Trek: First ContactStar Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
(1996) - Crowned and DangerousCrowned and DangerousCrowned and Dangerous was a 1997 made-for-TV movie which was a thriller that based on a true story and starred Yasmine Bleeth, Cassidy Rae, George Eads and Jill Clayburgh.-Plot:...
(1997) - Star Trek: InsurrectionStar Trek: InsurrectionStar Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
(1998) - Star Trek Nemesis (2002)
- DirtyDirty (film)Dirty is a 2005 crime–drama film, directed by Chris Fisher. It stars Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Clifton Collins, Jr.. The film had a limited release in 2005.-Plot:...
(2005) - Make the Yuletide Gay Make the Yuletide GayMake the Yuletide Gay is a 2009 American romantic comedy film about a gay college student who is "out" at school, but is afraid to reveal his sexual orientation to his parents. The Christmas-themed film was written and directed by Rob Williams. It stars Keith Jordan as Gunn, and Adamo Ruggiero as...
(2009)
Television
- The WizardThe Wizard (TV series)The Wizard is a live-action, family friendly, action/adventure series created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Paul B. Radin...
(1986) episode El Dorado - The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
(1987) episode Cliff's 50th Birthday - Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
(1987-1988; 1989-1994) - L.A. LawL.A. LawL.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
(1992) episode Steal It Again, Sam - Dream OnDream On (TV series)Dream On is an American adult-themed situation comedy about single New Yorker, Martin Tupper. The show used a gimmick where old black and white clips were used to punctuate the main character's feelings or thoughts...
(1993) episode The Book, the Thief, Her Boss and His Lover - Party of FiveParty of FiveParty of Five is an American teen drama television series that aired on Fox for six seasons, from September 12, 1994, until May 3, 2000.Critically acclaimed, the show suffered from low ratings and after its first season was slated for cancellation...
(1994) episode Something Out of Nothing - Mystery Dance (1994) pilot
- MarkerMarker (TV series)Marker was an American hour long television drama that premiered on the UPN on March 20, 1995. It was set in and filmed in Hawaii.The series focused on Richard DeMorra , a man given a strange inheritance from his late father: markers which were given in the past by his father to those who had...
(1995) - Mad About YouMad About YouMad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
(1995-1996) 4 episodes - The PracticeThe PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
(2000) episode Checkmates - The DivisionThe DivisionThe Division is an American Lifetime Television original series about a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.-Synopsis:...
(2001) episode "Hero" - The HandlerThe Handler (TV series)The Handler is a crime series created by Canadian writer-producer Chris Haddock, airing in the United States on CBS in the 2003-04 season. The show starred Joe Pantoliano as Joe Renato, an FBI agent assigned to train and handle young undercover officers in the FBI. Other cast members included...
(2004) episode "Wedding Party" - Franklin & BashFranklin & BashFranklin & Bash is an American drama-comedy television series created by Kevin Falls and Bill Chais. The series stars Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as unconventional lawyers and longtime friends. A Turner Broadcasting executive has referred to the series as a "funny legal procedural".The...
(2011) episode Go Tell It on the Mountain