Richard Woolsey
Encyclopedia
Richard Woolsey is a fictional character
on the Stargate
television franchise about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Played by Robert Picardo
, Woolsey made his first appearance as a member of the NID in "Heroes
", an episode of season 7 of Stargate SG-1
, and recurred in several SG-1 episodes until season 10. He was also a recurring character in seasons 3 and 4 of Stargate Atlantis
before becoming a main character in season 5 of Atlantis.
in the episode "Heroes
" to examine the command decisions and threatens SGC personnel with court-martial if they do not cooperate. When Woolsey brings his report to President Hayes in "Inauguration", he comes to realize Vice President Kinsey's ambitions and presents incriminating evidence against him, indirectly forcing Kinsey into resigning. Woolsey returns in the season 9 episode and encourages the SGC to take great risks with the captured Goa'uld-human-Ancient hybrid Khalek to learn more about the Ascension process. When the studies cause injury and death among SGC personnel, Woolsey acknowledges his own error and pleads for forgiveness from the SG-1 team. Being the US's representative on the newly formed International Oversight Advisory Committee (IOA), Woolsey and some colleagues are rescued by SG-1 and the crew of the Odyssey after a catastrophe at the Gamma Site in "The Scourge", which he later considers an "eye-opening experience." Woolsey makes two more appearances in "Flesh and Blood" and "Morpheus" and last appears on SG-1 in season 10's "The Shroud". Woolsey remembers the Khalek incident and decides that Daniel, who transformed into a Prior, is too dangerous and must be placed indefinitely into stasis. However, Daniel frees himself before Woolsey's plans can be enacted.
, Woolsey tells Dr. Weir that the IOA is considering bringing the Atlantis
ZPM to Earth to power the Ancient defense platform in Antarctica. He is also part of an IOA panel that recalled Dr. Weir
to Earth to explain her failed alliance with the Wraith
. He genuinely respects Weir and attempts to defend her actions, but must defer to his IOA colleagues. The IOA dispatched him to Atlantis to evaluate Weir's ability to command. While evaluating Weir's abilities, he made a rather poor impression on the expedition members (Lt. Col Sheppard
expressed a strong desire to knock Woolsey on the head). However, he ultimately sides with Weir by sending the IOA a report modified to favor Weir and keep her in command of Atlantis. When live Ancients
were found and reclaimed control of Atlantis, Woolsey and General O'Neill
were sent to negotiate with them. Woolsey and O'Neill were allowed to stay as liaisons with the Ancients, and both were trapped when the Asurans
invaded and took control of the city. They were eventually rescued by members of the former Atlantis expedition, although Woolsey expressed frustration that he had been duped as a part of the rescue plan.
After Samantha Carter takes control of Atlantis, Woolsey once again returns in order to assess her ability to command the expedition. Once again he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous situation, including coming face to face with a Wraith for the first time. Eventually he leaves and apparently presents a favourable report of Carter's methods. Although he had claimed to want to produce a report which was as thorough as possible, he indicated to Carter that certain facts would be left out to make the report more favourable to her. In an alternate timeline Woolsey became the leader of Atlantis, after Carter was killed in a kamikaze
run against three Hive ships. In this timeline, he ordered every resource in Atlantis to focus on the protection of the city and recalled everyone trying to help other humans in the galaxy who had fallen victim to Michael's plans for galactic domination.
Robert Picardo joins the cast of Stargate Atlantis in Season 5, as Richard Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition after Colonel Carter is reassigned. Once Woolsey learns not to go by the book all the time, he proves to be an effective and good leader.
. He resigned after it was discovered he had ties to a large corporation which had received $800 million in private contracts from The Pentagon
. He has an M.B.A.
and a J.D.
from Harvard, where he served on the Harvard Law Review. Woolsey is divorced and has no children.
Robert Picardo described Woolsey as a "hard guy...with a tough, investigative exterior that was sent in to assign blame." He also called him "a likable Dick Cheney
", a "conflict character" and the "ultimate bureaucrat".
was in the main cast of Star Trek: Voyager
from 1995 to 2001. He was familiar with Stargate SG-1 from his time as a Showtime subscriber. He was offered a one-day guest star as Richard Woolsey for the SG-1 episode "Heroes
" in season seven (2004) while he was working on The Outer Limits
in Vancouver
(where Stargate SG-1 is filmed). He was then brought back for the follow-up episode "Inauguration", which began the rehabilitation of the Woolsey character. With the story introduction of the IOA, the Woolsey character made more regular appearances to "annoy people". Eventually, humor was added to the role, and the character was spun over to Atlantis as a recurring guest character.
When Amanda Tapping
announced in late 2007 that she would not reprise her regular role as Colonel Samantha Carter on Stargate: Atlantis, the producers immediately agreed on Robert Picardo's Woolsey as the new commander of the Atlantis expedition. Joseph Mallozzi called Picardo, Picardo "was surprised yet delighted at the prospect of coming aboard" and ran it by his wife, and Picardo joined the cast of Stargate: Atlantis in season 5.
was enthusiastic and praised Woolsey's promotion to main character, stating "he brings sexy back," and expressed that Picardo's addition to the cast was "fish out of the water [...] he is the last person who should be in charge of Atlantis."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
television franchise about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Played by Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
, Woolsey made his first appearance as a member of the NID in "Heroes
Heroes (Stargate SG-1)
"Heroes" are episodes from Season 7 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. This two-parter was nominated for a Hugo Award in the category Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form. For Part 2, which aired as the 150th episode of the series, Andy Mikita was nominated for a Leo Award...
", an episode of season 7 of Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
, and recurred in several SG-1 episodes until season 10. He was also a recurring character in seasons 3 and 4 of Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
before becoming a main character in season 5 of Atlantis.
Character arc in Stargate SG-1
Following the death of Dr. Janet Fraiser late in season 7 of Stargate SG-1, Woolsey is brought into Stargate CommandStargate Command
The Stargate Program is a fictional top-secret program that plays a key role in the Stargate franchise: it surrounds the operations of the Stargate on Earth. The core of the Stargate Program is Stargate Command , based at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station near Colorado Springs, Colorado...
in the episode "Heroes
Heroes (Stargate SG-1)
"Heroes" are episodes from Season 7 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. This two-parter was nominated for a Hugo Award in the category Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form. For Part 2, which aired as the 150th episode of the series, Andy Mikita was nominated for a Leo Award...
" to examine the command decisions and threatens SGC personnel with court-martial if they do not cooperate. When Woolsey brings his report to President Hayes in "Inauguration", he comes to realize Vice President Kinsey's ambitions and presents incriminating evidence against him, indirectly forcing Kinsey into resigning. Woolsey returns in the season 9 episode and encourages the SGC to take great risks with the captured Goa'uld-human-Ancient hybrid Khalek to learn more about the Ascension process. When the studies cause injury and death among SGC personnel, Woolsey acknowledges his own error and pleads for forgiveness from the SG-1 team. Being the US's representative on the newly formed International Oversight Advisory Committee (IOA), Woolsey and some colleagues are rescued by SG-1 and the crew of the Odyssey after a catastrophe at the Gamma Site in "The Scourge", which he later considers an "eye-opening experience." Woolsey makes two more appearances in "Flesh and Blood" and "Morpheus" and last appears on SG-1 in season 10's "The Shroud". Woolsey remembers the Khalek incident and decides that Daniel, who transformed into a Prior, is too dangerous and must be placed indefinitely into stasis. However, Daniel frees himself before Woolsey's plans can be enacted.
Character arc in Stargate Atlantis
Faced with the threat of the WraithWraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
, Woolsey tells Dr. Weir that the IOA is considering bringing the Atlantis
Atlantis (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
ZPM to Earth to power the Ancient defense platform in Antarctica. He is also part of an IOA panel that recalled Dr. Weir
Elizabeth Weir (Stargate)
Dr. Elizabeth Weir is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate Atlantis, a military science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Elizabeth Weir is introduced as a recurring character in...
to Earth to explain her failed alliance with the Wraith
Wraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
. He genuinely respects Weir and attempts to defend her actions, but must defer to his IOA colleagues. The IOA dispatched him to Atlantis to evaluate Weir's ability to command. While evaluating Weir's abilities, he made a rather poor impression on the expedition members (Lt. Col Sheppard
John Sheppard (Stargate)
John Sheppard is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
expressed a strong desire to knock Woolsey on the head). However, he ultimately sides with Weir by sending the IOA a report modified to favor Weir and keep her in command of Atlantis. When live Ancients
Ancient (Stargate)
The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
were found and reclaimed control of Atlantis, Woolsey and General O'Neill
Jack O'Neill
Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe, three science fiction shows about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
were sent to negotiate with them. Woolsey and O'Neill were allowed to stay as liaisons with the Ancients, and both were trapped when the Asurans
Asuran (Stargate)
The Asurans are a fictional race in the science fiction series Stargate Atlantis that bear many similarities to the human-form Replicators of Stargate SG-1. These similarities have led the Asurans to simply be called "Replicators" by other characters on the show...
invaded and took control of the city. They were eventually rescued by members of the former Atlantis expedition, although Woolsey expressed frustration that he had been duped as a part of the rescue plan.
After Samantha Carter takes control of Atlantis, Woolsey once again returns in order to assess her ability to command the expedition. Once again he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous situation, including coming face to face with a Wraith for the first time. Eventually he leaves and apparently presents a favourable report of Carter's methods. Although he had claimed to want to produce a report which was as thorough as possible, he indicated to Carter that certain facts would be left out to make the report more favourable to her. In an alternate timeline Woolsey became the leader of Atlantis, after Carter was killed in a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
run against three Hive ships. In this timeline, he ordered every resource in Atlantis to focus on the protection of the city and recalled everyone trying to help other humans in the galaxy who had fallen victim to Michael's plans for galactic domination.
Robert Picardo joins the cast of Stargate Atlantis in Season 5, as Richard Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition after Colonel Carter is reassigned. Once Woolsey learns not to go by the book all the time, he proves to be an effective and good leader.
Characteristics
Prior to taking his position in the NID, Woolsey was lead counsel for the Army Corps of Engineers and later sat on the Defense Policy BoardDefense Policy Board Advisory Committee
The Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee, also referred to as the Defense Policy Board is a federal advisory committee to the United States Department of Defense. Their charter is available online through the office of the Director of Administration and Management of the Department of Defense...
. He resigned after it was discovered he had ties to a large corporation which had received $800 million in private contracts from The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. He has an M.B.A.
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Harvard, where he served on the Harvard Law Review. Woolsey is divorced and has no children.
Robert Picardo described Woolsey as a "hard guy...with a tough, investigative exterior that was sent in to assign blame." He also called him "a likable Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
", a "conflict character" and the "ultimate bureaucrat".
Development
Robert PicardoRobert Picardo
Robert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
was in the main cast of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
from 1995 to 2001. He was familiar with Stargate SG-1 from his time as a Showtime subscriber. He was offered a one-day guest star as Richard Woolsey for the SG-1 episode "Heroes
Heroes (Stargate SG-1)
"Heroes" are episodes from Season 7 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. This two-parter was nominated for a Hugo Award in the category Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form. For Part 2, which aired as the 150th episode of the series, Andy Mikita was nominated for a Leo Award...
" in season seven (2004) while he was working on The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
(where Stargate SG-1 is filmed). He was then brought back for the follow-up episode "Inauguration", which began the rehabilitation of the Woolsey character. With the story introduction of the IOA, the Woolsey character made more regular appearances to "annoy people". Eventually, humor was added to the role, and the character was spun over to Atlantis as a recurring guest character.
When Amanda Tapping
Amanda Tapping
Amanda Tapping is an English-born Canadian actress, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Samantha Carter in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis...
announced in late 2007 that she would not reprise her regular role as Colonel Samantha Carter on Stargate: Atlantis, the producers immediately agreed on Robert Picardo's Woolsey as the new commander of the Atlantis expedition. Joseph Mallozzi called Picardo, Picardo "was surprised yet delighted at the prospect of coming aboard" and ran it by his wife, and Picardo joined the cast of Stargate: Atlantis in season 5.
Reception
Producer Joseph Mallozzi said that "whenever I do interviews, I often draw parallels between [Amanda Tapping and Robert Picardo]. They are both incredibly kind, professional, delightful to work with, and gifted actors who always elevate the performances of anyone they share a scene with." Actor David HewlettDavid Hewlett
David Ian Hewlett is an English-born Canadian actor best known for his role as Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay on the science fiction television shows Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis.-Early life:...
was enthusiastic and praised Woolsey's promotion to main character, stating "he brings sexy back," and expressed that Picardo's addition to the cast was "fish out of the water [...] he is the last person who should be in charge of Atlantis."
External links
- Richard Woolsey at WikiaWikiaWikia is a free web hosting service for wikis . It is normally free of charge for readers and editors, deriving most of its income from advertising, and publishes all user-provided text under copyleft licenses. Wikia hosts several hundred thousand wikis using the open-source wiki software MediaWiki...
- Richard Woolsey at scifiSci Fi Channel (United States)Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
.com