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Gates McFadden

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Cheryl Gates McFadden (born March 2, 1949), usually credited as Gates McFadden, is an American actress and choreographer. She is best known for portraying the character of Dr. Beverly Crusher in the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation. She attended Brandeis University earning B.A Cum Laude in Theater Arts. After graduating from Brandeis, she moved to Paris and studied theater with actor Jacques LeCoq. Before Star Trek: The Next Generation, she was mostly known as a choreographer, often working on Jim Henson productions including the films The Dark Crystal, for which she was a choreographer, Labyrinth, for which she served as Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement, and The Muppets Take Manhattan, in which she has a brief on-screen appearance. As a way of distinguishing her acting work from her choreography, she is usually credited as "Gates McFadden" as an actress and "Cheryl McFadden" as a choreographer. She appeared briefly in the Woody Allen film Stardust Memories, and in The Hunt for Red October as Jack Ryan's wife Cathy, though most of her scenes were cut in post-production. In 1987, McFadden was cast as Dr. Beverly Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Crusher character was slated to be Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love interest, and this aspect of the character is what attracted McFadden to the role. Another important aspect of the character was being a widow balancing motherhood and a career. McFadden left after the first season, in part because series executive producer Gene Roddenberry was never enthusiastic about casting McFadden in the first place. Roddenberry also wanted to give the role of ship's doctor to actress Diana Muldaur, with whom he had worked on the original Star Trek series and other occasions. Muldaur's character, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, proved very unpopular with fans and left the show after the second season. McFadden was approached to return for the third season. At first she was hesitant, but after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart, McFadden was persuaded to reprise her role.


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Born:
Mar 2, 1949 In Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
28
First Appeared:
In the series Saturday Night Live 1975-10-11
Latest Project:
Series The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek 2021-11-05
Known For
Poster of Mattresside
Poster of Make the Yuletide Gay
Poster of Star Trek: Insurrection
Poster of Marker
Filmography
Series The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek Self / Narrator 2021-11-05
Movie That Guy... Who Was In That Thing 3: Trek Stars Self & Narrator 2019-08-08
Movie A Neighbor's Deception Dr. Constance Abrams 2017-04-08
Movie 50 Years of Star Trek Self 2016-08-14
Movie Mattresside Nurse 2015-06-12
Movie Chaos on the Bridge Self 2014-08-25
Movie Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation Self 2012-11-04
Movie Make the Yuletide Gay Martha Stanford 2009-11-01
Movie Dirty Wife 2005-02-14
Movie Star Trek: Nemesis Dr. Beverly Crusher 2002-12-13
Series The Division Unknown 2001-01-07
Series Family Guy Unknown 1999-01-31
Movie Star Trek: Insurrection Doctor Beverly Crusher 1998-12-11
Movie Crowned and Dangerous Patrice Baxter 1997-01-23
Series The Practice Unknown 1997-03-04
Movie Star Trek: First Contact Commander Beverly Crusher 1996-11-22
Series Marker Kimba 1995-01-17
Movie Star Trek: The Next Generation - Gambit Dr. Beverly Crusher (archive footage) 1995-05-08
Movie Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation Self 1994-05-15
Movie Star Trek: Generations Dr. Beverly Crusher 1994-11-18
Series Party of Five Unknown 1994-09-12
Movie Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special Self 1991-09-28
Movie The Hunt for Red October Caroline Ryan 1990-03-02
Movie Taking Care of Business Diane Connors 1990-08-16
Series Star Trek: The Next Generation Beverly Crusher 1987-09-28
Movie Inside the Labyrinth Self 1986-12-13
Movie The Muppets Take Manhattan Mr. Price's Secretary 1984-06-27
Series Saturday Night Live Unknown 1975-10-11