PATRICK STEWART
Date of Birth: July 13, 1940
Born in Milford, Yorkshire, Parick Stewart was performing in various drama groups by the age of twelve.
Leaving school at fifteen, he went to work as a junior reporter for a local newspaper but was
told he was spending too much time at the theater, and not enough time on the paper. He quit and
began working as a furniture salesman to pay for drama school.
In 1957, he was accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and two years later made his professional
stage debut in a production of Treasure Island. Stewart went on to enjoy a prolific and acclaimed stage
career, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and remaining with it for the next twenty-seven
years.
It wasn't until the 1980s that Stewart began to work in film and television. Some of his first attempts
included popular films like Excalibur (1981) and Dune (1984).
Although he was well-known, his fame would be nothing compared to what a sci-fi television series had
in store for him. In 1987, he was chosen to play Captain Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Rumor had it that he was originally considered for the role of the android, Data.
Certain that he would be fired from the series, Stewart reportedly refused to unpack his bags for six
weeks. The show was a hit, and Stewart stayed with Next Generation for seven seasons. After the show
ended, Stewart reprised his role for a string of successful Star Trek films: Star Trek
Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998).
In addition, Stewart continued to work on the stage and in various films. In 1995, he had a hilarious turn as a flamboyant, acid-tongued interior decorator in Jeffrey, while in 1997, he tried his hand at intrigue with a part in The Conspiracy Theory.
The following year, he appeared again 0on the small screen, giving a terrific portrayal of the obsessive
Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. On stage, Stewart enjoyed acclaim for a number of productions,
particularly A Christmas Carol, which he performed both on Broadway and the London Stage, winning a 1993 New York Theatre Critics Drama Desk Award and a 1994 Olivier Award. He also earned extensive praise for his portrayal of Prospero in the 1996 Broadway production of The Tempest.
In 2000, he decided to start off the millennium off with a bang, landing a role in the big budget
sci-fi/fantasy film, X-Men. He played the telepathic, paraplegic leader, Professor Charles Xavier,
of the mutant team. He reprised the role in X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).
Stewart married Star Trek television producer Wendy Neuss in August 2000. Brent Spiner (who played Data on the show) was his best man. Unfortunately, the marriage ended in divorce just three years later. Stuart has two children, Sophie and Daniel, from his former marriage of 25 years to choreographer Sheila Falkoner. A devoted father, Stewart decided not to attend the Star Trek 50th Anniversary show, so that he could celebrate his son's birthday in England.
Filmography:
X-Men: The Last Stand(2006)
Chicken Little (2005) (voice)
The Game of Their Lives(2005)
X2: X-Men United(2003)
Star Trek: Nemesis(2002)
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) (voice)
X-Men(2000)
Safe House (1999/I)
The Prince of Egypt (1998) (voice)
Star Trek: Insurrection(1998)
Dad Savage (1998)
Masterminds (1997)
Conspiracy Theory (1997)
Whales (1997) (voice)
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Jeffrey (1995)
Let It Be Me (1995)
The Pagemaster (1994) (voice)
Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Gunmen (1994)
Liberation (1994/I) (voice)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
The Secret of Life on Earth (1993) (voice)
L.A. Story (1991)
Discovering Hamlet (1990) (voice)
Lady Jane (1986)
Lifeforce (1985)
Wild Geese II (1985)
Code Name: Emerald (1985)
The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
Dune(1984)
Uindii (1984)
The Plague Dogs (1982) (voice)
Excalibur (1981)
Hennessy (1975)
Hedda (1975)