TV Zone. August, 1999
By Steven Eramo
TV Zone. August, 1999
By Steven Eramo
[Selections from the complete article, used with permission.] Speaking with Steven Eramo, Richard Dean Anderson discussed the chain of events that led him to accept the role of Jack O'Neill in Stargate SG-1, and to take on the responsibilities of an executive producer as well. One of the challenges of making the transition from the big screen to the small screen was to remain true to the continuity of the characters and the story lines. Jack O'Neill's personal demons were addressed in an early episode, "Cold Lazarus," that is one of Anderson's favorites.
"The movie kind of left O'Neill floating in an emotionally unstable state. That's not to say we've solved that problem but in this episode he faced one of his demons, which was the death of his son," he says. "That was good because it tied off some emotional loose ends from the film and served as a springboard for me to leap into the series. We still hung on to the fact that he lost his son, but having O'Neill at least come to terms with it allowed me to move forward with the character.
"I enjoyed doing this episode because it had all the elements that make Stargate what it is. It had a great story with a sentimental edge and a concept that was born of the Stargate itself, so it was true to the franchise. Production-wise the special effects were somewhat arduous to deal with, however, at least they weren't the big, ornate effects that can sometimes overshadow what you're trying to say."Another episode I like is Brief Candle in which my character ages from 40-something to 100 years old," adds Anderson. "This story was over by 12 minutes and it got butchered in editing. We were kind of powerless to do anything about that and most of the material cut were the scenes with O'Neill adjusting to his aging, which provided me with a wonderful acting challenge. It's too bad that we were restricted creatively by time constraints because I don't feel the plot was fully realized but as an actor it was truly rewarding for me to do."
Anderson shares an especially close relationship with each of his co-stars, and this shows through in the relationships Jack O'Neill has with his teammates.
"Michael Shanks and I have a wonderful rapport as actors and the writers have noticed that, so they readily provide us with banter that is comfortable and fun for us to do. The relationship between Jackson and O'Neill is a lot like what Michael and I are all about. It's light-hearted and intelligent, although he's much smarter than me," laughs the actor.
O'Neill's relationship with General Hammond is basically a father/son thing because he's so tolerant of the colonel's irreverence," explains Anderson. "Hammond realizes O'Neill is a potential live wire but he cuts him a lot of slack because he also knows that O'Neill is very good at what he does. So he allows the relative genius in O'Neill to come out while basically covering his ass.
The road that led Anderson to Stargate SG-1 included dreams of becoming a professional hockey player, and extensive travels in his youth including a summer fighting forest fires in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Eventually it brought him to Hollywood where he got his first big break on the soap opera "General Hospital." He took on the role of "MacGyver," which has become something of a "global catchphrase," and enjoyed his favorite project to date, the short-lived offbeat western, "Legend."
Today, in addition to starring as Jack O'Neill, Anderson also has a role as an executive producer, working basically in an editorial capacity in post-production, and as a liaison between the actors and the production team. However, his favorite role is as father to his young daughter, Wylie.
I have an 11-month-old child [Wylie Quinn Annarose], and I don't want to undermine any credibility I have as a working stiff, but, honestly, all I really want to do is be a dad for a while. Once Stargate has run its course I'm sure that's what I'll do, take a couple of years off and be dad."
As he approaches his 50th birthday Anderson could not be happier with his life. He has a hit television programme, a loving partner, Apryl Prose, and a healthy and happy little girl. Not bad for someone who once considered himself a vagabond.
"I've been extremely fortunate to be able to perpetuate a livelihood or 'career' out of acting," says the actor. "However, I had a problem in that I was a workaholic. I was never quite sure why over the years I couldn't hold anything together and kept losing relationships until I realized I was working too much. I had my priorities in the wrong place. So what that's allowed me to do now is to really appreciate the fact that I have this beautiful baby and, at 49-years-old, a new life. That's the payoff for what we'll loosely call my career and I'm very grateful."
To read more of this article, visit TV Zone.
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Eramo, Steven. "Richard Dean Anderson: Gate Crasher." TV Zone. August, 1999: p. 14-20.
