How did you get involved with "Stargate SG-1?"
I learned about the show when my agent informed me that I had an
audition. When I was informed that it was a show to produced by Michael Greenburg
and Richard Dean Anderson, I jumped at the part because I had really gotten my break
in this business working.
Will you go through the Stargate with the crew this upcoming season?
Yes.
What sports do you like besides
golf?
I lettered in football, golf and track in high school. My son is a basketball fanatic. I've
played tennis. I like just about every sport. I work out four days a week with a trainer, so I try to stay in
shape - weightlifting and cardiovascular.
What is the shooting schedule like?
Normal 12-hour days. That's pretty standard in the industry. They're pretty good about
controlling overtime. A lot of the crew has worked together for a long time, so it's a pretty efficient
crew. The same is true of the directors.
What are some of your favorite
movies and TV series?
I was in 'Twin Peaks' so it's obviously a favorite. I like very much the British serial mystery
series that you see on A&E. Besides that I mostly watch sports. In films I prefer comedies more than
anything. I like any film that has a bit of wit.
Do you miss teaching at all?
Not really, I love acting. Probably if I wasn't doing this - I would be teaching acting. But
what I taught was stage design and technical theater.
Did you start off as an actor and go
to teaching or vice versa?
Actually, I was an actor as an undergraduate. I only had a couple courses in technical
theater but I happened to be an artist - a painter and sculptor - I had a facility for design. And at the
time I got my Masters, a graduate assistantship that I had.
Do you have any interest in directing an episode of "SG1?"
No. None whatsoever. I directed theater. I'm very much a Type-A
personality. I tend to expect a lot out of people and have a hard time dealing with the
frustration of things not happening in the way I expect them to happen if I'm in control
of the situation.
What do you enjoy most about doing
the show?
I enjoy the people I work with. Rick and Michael are two of the finest guys I've ever met.
I'm primarily there to get a chance to work with them. And the other producers are very supportive of
me. They give me freedom and listen to my suggestions.
Which of your roles has been the
most memorable for you?
I have a lot of them, but I think my favorite role was one that nobody really heard of.
There was a locally produced series called 'Flick Air' in which I played a sleazy private I called
Donald B. Carstairs. He was such a wild man; a joy to portray.
Do you have any other projects that
you're working on now?
I've got a couple of films that I'm writing, and some series treatments. I have a friend
who's a successful football coach on the University level. He's written a novel that I'm trying to shop
around to get somebody to option and produce.
What is the most difficult episode
that you've had to shoot?
The pilot because it was the first time we were all together. We were all trying to find our
way regarding our characters. I wasn't in complete agreement at times with the director's idea of
where my character was going.
Will there be any romance for your
character in future episodes?
I certainly hope so. I've tried to paint a picture of this guy as a passionate individual. I
don't believe he could have as much passion in him as I've tried to show, without also having some
kind of personal relationship outside the job.
Do you like General Hammond?
I like him very much. I think he's a man who wrestles with compromises that at times
torture his soul. There have been a couple of episodes in which he has had to do things that he
might not necessarily agree with or be proud of.
What is the most emotional episode
you've done?
I think it would be the episode with Rick and Jack O'Neal
and the young boy who took the form of his son. That torment. The
episode where SG1 is missing and Teal'c wants to go find them and I have to say
no. That was a tough episode.
Do you ever feel typecast since
you've portrayed so many military characters?
I'm worried that some segments of the audience will think that I'm typecast, but I'm a
character actor whose done a couple hundred roles in the last ten years - that's a lot of roles. And
they're not all generals. There have been husbands, fathers, coaches, etc.
Are there certain characters you
like to play more than others?
I like to play characters that go through a wide emotional range - that's what's fun for me
- Not to be a one-note Samba.
Any Hammond-centered episodes in
Season 3?
I don't know, but I doubt it. It's really not a series about the general; it's a series about the
team.
Are you going to be doing any
conventions in the near future?
Yes in July, some of us are going over to Australia. In August I'll be going to the state of
Washington for the 'Twin Peaks' festival. It's a chance to meet old friends. And a lot of the fans of the
show have become friends. I go there each year.
Do you exhibit your artwork?
Not anymore. I did. I've had work in juried art shows. I've had work presented as gifts to
other countries; I've had commissioned work for different organizations, and included in different
collections.
What was your favorite TV show when
you were growing up.
I was born in 1942 in a small town in the Ozarks to a family that didn't have a lot of
money. We didn't really have a television until about the time I was in high school. And then I was
too busy in athletics and things to watch a lot of TV.
Did you have any idea that "SG1"
would be a big hit when you were filming the pilot?
I was hoping it would be. I don't watch most of the things I do, but when I saw the pilot I
was really impressed with the quality of the story and with the care they took in putting it together. I
thought the director did a great job; the sets were beautiful.
What do you like and dislike about Hammond?
The thing I like best about the character is his loyalty to his troops. This is a
man with integrity who is committed to the service of his country, and following the rules
he believes are in the best interest of the nation.
Ultimate TV Chat Featuring Don S. Davis
May 26, 1999
