Gatecon organizer Allan Gowen, dressed as a Tok'ra, came forward to introduce Don S. Davis, the first guest of Gatecon 2000. Don S. Davis was born in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri in a time he has described as "a time of heroes." He studied theater in college, served three years in the Army, and attended Southern Illinois University, earning his Masters and Doctorate in theater. He remained at the University as a professor of theater, and continued his teaching at the University of British Columbia. He began working as an extra on film and television sets, leading to his many many roles in both film and television, where he seems to turn up "everywhere". His greatest love is his wife, and his son. In addition to acting, he is also an accomplished painter, sculpter and wood carver, and has had worldwide exhibitions of his work.
[As he is introduced, Don S. Davis comes on to the stage to roaring applause. He begins to address the audience as he is being fitted for a microphone.]
Don S. Davis:
[Referring to the cocktail party the night before]
Everybody have fun last night? [Cheers and applause]
You're a good looking bunch of people. At least you were last night! [Laughter]
Stargate's a wonderful show to work on. I'm very fortunate...
[The microphone is not working, and he is interrupted as people from the audience call out that he is not being heard. There is a pause and the microphone is adjusted until it goes on.]
Don S. Davis:
There you go. Now we're on! [Cheers and applause] Actually, I'm loud enough, it would hurt your ears if I did this. I could project back there. I spent 20 years doing theater, and you have to speak to the back row of the house. I don't really know how this is supposed to be formatted, if you're going to have questions, or if I should talk first. I started to say that Stargate's a wonderful experience for me because it's like "Old Home Week." Years ago, one of the shows that gave me my start in the film business was MacGyver. [Cheers and applause] I was fortunate enough to work as an extra and as a photo double for a wonderful man named Dana Elcar [applause] who played Rick's boss Pete Thornton. And then I became a stunt double, and they began to trust me through that, which really they shouldn't have. [Laughter] They wound up giving me a guest star role, and when the other shows in town saw that role, I began to get guest star roles all over town, and it kind of goes from there. So I'm one of those people that wandered into this, at least in the film business, in my early forties, and was fortunate enough, to be lucky enough, to meet some very fine people who have carried me ever since. And it's a business... It costs a lot of money to make a film or a television show, so it's a business in which people have to trust that you've not going to slow down the process, and you wind up developing ever-enlarging networks of producers and directors that you've worked for before, and I know somebody, so when they talk about a role they let you know, and that's how you get to be in this business.
[To Be Continued]
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Transcript written by KateR. Gatecon 2000. September 22-24, 2000.
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