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Dr. Cottle

 
Dr. Cottle

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Dr. Cottle



 
 
Dr. Cottle is a fictional character
Fictional character

A character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that exists in a The arts. The process of conveying information about characters in fiction is called characterisation....
 in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. He is the battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (ship)

The Battlestar Galactica is a space battleship in the Battlestar Galactica and Battlestar Galactica science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica....
's Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Officer

There are four Chief Medical Officers in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments on health related matters: Her Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government....
. The character is played by Donnelly Rhodes
Donnelly Rhodes

Donnelly Rhodes is a Canadian actor. He currently stars as Dr. Cottle 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 ....
.

Character biography
Cottle is eccentric, gruff and sarcastic, and portrayed as a heavy smoker. He isn't impressed or easily swayed by those in authority: he has been known to make less-than-deferential remarks to Colonel
Colonel

Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures....
 Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh

Colonel Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan .The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed after a clerical error....
 and President
President

President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, company, trade unions, university, and country. Etymology, a "president" is one who Wiktionary:Preside, who sits in leadership ....
 Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin

Laura Roslin is a fictional character in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series, portrayed by Mary McDonnell. She is the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol....
. He holds the rank of Major
Major

In many European languages, the term Major refers to a military rank, denoting seniority at one of usually various levels of rank, for example: "Sergeant-Major" denoting the most senior ranking sergeant of a large military unit; "Captain-Major", denoting a mid-level command status Officer ...
 in the Colonial Fleet
Colonial Forces (Battlestar Galactica)

The Colonial Forces are the military forces of the Twelve Colonies in the Battlestar Galactica fictional universe....
, but is not a line officer
Line officer

The term line officer is used in the Military of the United States to describe a military officer who is trained to command a warship, ground combat unit, combat aviation unit, or combat support unit....
: he does not form a part of Galactica's chain of command
Chain of command

In a military context, the chain of command is the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed within a military unit and between different units....
.

Cottle appears to have a strict sense of medical ethics (possibly having sworn the Colonial equivalent of Earth's Hippocratic oath
Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath traditionally taken by physicians pertaining to the ethical practice of medicine. It is widely believed that the oath was written by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, in the 4th century BC, or by one of his students....
), and does not discriminate between human and Cylon
Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)

The Cylons are a Cyborg civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980 series, as well as the 2003 Battlestar Galactica ....
 patients: he describes the sexual assault of Sharon "Athena" Agathon as "unforgivable"; he delivers her baby, Hera, by Caesarean section
Caesarean section

File:Cesarian the moment of birth3.jpgA Caesarean section , also known as C-section or Caesar, is a surgery procedure in which incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more infant....
; after the Cylon occupation of New Caprica, Cottle even provides medical care to critically injured Cylons.

President Roslin is a long-term patient of Doctor Cottle's: she informs him of her breast cancer
Breast cancer

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the Cell of the breast in women and men. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death....
 diagnosis two weeks after the destruction of the Twelve Colonies
The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies

The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies is a fictitious interstellar holocaust first depicted in the 1978 in film motion picture Battlestar Galactica , which set the stage for the Battlestar Galactica ....
, and continues to see him at various points until her near death and successful treatment by Doctor Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar

Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series....
.






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Encyclopedia


Dr. Cottle is a fictional character
Fictional character

A character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that exists in a The arts. The process of conveying information about characters in fiction is called characterisation....
 in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. He is the battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (ship)

The Battlestar Galactica is a space battleship in the Battlestar Galactica and Battlestar Galactica science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica....
's Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Officer

There are four Chief Medical Officers in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments on health related matters: Her Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government....
. The character is played by Donnelly Rhodes
Donnelly Rhodes

Donnelly Rhodes is a Canadian actor. He currently stars as Dr. Cottle 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 ....
.

Character biography


Cottle is eccentric, gruff and sarcastic, and portrayed as a heavy smoker. He isn't impressed or easily swayed by those in authority: he has been known to make less-than-deferential remarks to Colonel
Colonel

Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures....
 Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh

Colonel Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan .The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed after a clerical error....
 and President
President

President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, company, trade unions, university, and country. Etymology, a "president" is one who Wiktionary:Preside, who sits in leadership ....
 Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin

Laura Roslin is a fictional character in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series, portrayed by Mary McDonnell. She is the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol....
. He holds the rank of Major
Major

In many European languages, the term Major refers to a military rank, denoting seniority at one of usually various levels of rank, for example: "Sergeant-Major" denoting the most senior ranking sergeant of a large military unit; "Captain-Major", denoting a mid-level command status Officer ...
 in the Colonial Fleet
Colonial Forces (Battlestar Galactica)

The Colonial Forces are the military forces of the Twelve Colonies in the Battlestar Galactica fictional universe....
, but is not a line officer
Line officer

The term line officer is used in the Military of the United States to describe a military officer who is trained to command a warship, ground combat unit, combat aviation unit, or combat support unit....
: he does not form a part of Galactica's chain of command
Chain of command

In a military context, the chain of command is the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed within a military unit and between different units....
.

Cottle appears to have a strict sense of medical ethics (possibly having sworn the Colonial equivalent of Earth's Hippocratic oath
Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath traditionally taken by physicians pertaining to the ethical practice of medicine. It is widely believed that the oath was written by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, in the 4th century BC, or by one of his students....
), and does not discriminate between human and Cylon
Cylon (Battlestar Galactica)

The Cylons are a Cyborg civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980 series, as well as the 2003 Battlestar Galactica ....
 patients: he describes the sexual assault of Sharon "Athena" Agathon as "unforgivable"; he delivers her baby, Hera, by Caesarean section
Caesarean section

File:Cesarian the moment of birth3.jpgA Caesarean section , also known as C-section or Caesar, is a surgery procedure in which incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more infant....
; after the Cylon occupation of New Caprica, Cottle even provides medical care to critically injured Cylons.

President Roslin is a long-term patient of Doctor Cottle's: she informs him of her breast cancer
Breast cancer

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the Cell of the breast in women and men. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death....
 diagnosis two weeks after the destruction of the Twelve Colonies
The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies

The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies is a fictitious interstellar holocaust first depicted in the 1978 in film motion picture Battlestar Galactica , which set the stage for the Battlestar Galactica ....
, and continues to see him at various points until her near death and successful treatment by Doctor Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar

Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series....
. Cottle opposes but does not obstruct Baltar's treatment method, which uses the blood of Sharon Agathon's unborn child, calling it "un-natural".

Cottle is not aboard Galactica when Commander
Commander

Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement....
 William Adama
William Adama

William "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, a reimagining of Commander Adama from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series....
 is shot by the Cylon agent Sharon "Boomer" Valerii
Sharon Valerii

Sharon Valerii / Number Eight,, also known as Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon 'Athena' Valerii Agathon, refer to a collection of humanoid Cylon characters on the television series Battlestar Galactica , a reimagining of the Battlestar Galactica ....
. An error in distribution of jump
FTL (Battlestar Galactica)

An FTL, or "Faster Than Light", drive is a fictional propulsion technology from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television program that allows Spacecraft to achieve faster-than-light travel....
 coordinates and the subsequent boarding of Galactica by Cylon Centurions delay his arrival at Adama's bedside. Medics Layne Ishay and Howard Kim (although not properly trained) are forced to perform emergency surgery to keep Adama alive until Cottle is brought on board. Cottle is successful in treating Adama's injuries, although the surgery leaves Adama with a large scar on his chest.

After delivering Sharon "Athena" Agathon's baby, Hera, Cottle is told by President Roslin and Admiral Adama to fake the infant's death to deter any attempts by unknown Cylon spies to kidnap the child. Sharon Agathon, who is not privy to the deception, is enraged and has to be physically restrained from attacking the "murderer" of her child. Cottle is present when the baby is placed in the care of a civilian woman, Maya, and is later reassured by President Roslin that his actions were for the best.

Cottle is among those who muster out of the Colonial Fleet after the establishment of the settlement on New Caprica. He continues to provide medical services as a civilian doctor, frustrated by the lack of antibiotic
Antibiotic

In common usage, an antibiotic is a substance or compound that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics belong to the group of antimicrobial compounds used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including fungus and protozoa....
s and other medical supplies. As noted above, Cottle acts as a neutral party during occupation, providing medical care to all those in need.

Following the rescue of the New Caprica colonists, Cottle resumes his duties as Galactica's chief medical officer.

Trivia

  • Actor Donnelly Rhodes was one of those initially picked to portray the role of Colonel Saul Tigh. Michael Hogan
    Michael Hogan (actor)

    Michael Hogan is a Canadian actor of Irish descent. His birthdate is a matter of private record. . Hogan is notable for numerous roles in TV over the past four decades, most recently as Colonel Saul Tigh in the Battlestar Galactica re-imagining and Billy in the Peanut Butter Solution....
     was given the role instead.
  • Doctor Cottle's counterpart in the original series
    Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)

    Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television program, produced in 1978 by Glen A. Larson and starring Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict....
     is Doctor Salik (played by George Murdock
    George Murdock (actor)

    George Murdock , also known as Eric Rush, is an United States actor.Known for frequently playing judges, , he also performed the role of "Big Daddy" in Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with the Arizona Theater Company during the 1988 season]....
    ).
  • The character is named for David Weddle
    David Weddle

    David Weddle is an American writer, best known for writing episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Battlestar Galactica with writing partner Bradley Thompson....
    's childhood pediatrician, who was a nicer person than his fictional counterpart.


External links

  • Cottle at Battlestar Wiki