Tidbits About the Doctor! 

New information is placed at the bottom! Sorry! I need to keep it in some kind of order!

Ever wonder what the original casting call for Beverly Crusher was? Well, look no further! Here it is coming right at you!

BEVERLY CRUSHER- Leslie's (now Wesley) 35 year old mother. She serves as the Chief Medical Officer on the Enterprise. If it were not for her intelligence, personality, beauty and the fact that she has a natural walk of a striptease queen, Capt. Picard might not have agreed to her request that Leslie observe bridge activities; therefore letting her daughter's intelligence carry events further.

I don't know about that striptease queen part. I think Wesley would have been on the bridge anyway because Jean-Luc, Beverly, and Jack were such good friends earlier. It seems that EVERYONE knew that Beverly and Jean-Luc were to be an item, seems that some people have trouble remembering.

Now for the most popular question ever asked! Why did Gates McFadden leave second season? Here's what I've found so far...

Anne said the real reason why Gates left is:

The real reason Gates left is because she was getting sexually harassed by Maurice Hurley. She told Roddenberry it was him or her and for some reason they picked him. So she left, but they realized it sucked w/o her, and asked her to return. She agreed, but only if Hurley left. If you notice, Hurley's name is present on the credits for all 1st and 2nd season eps, but absent after that.

Eww, I think that's creepy the company took a pervert over the goddess! But, haha she got him back didn't she! :)

The Star Trek:TNG Companion claims:

McFadden's departure was said to be no reflection on her as an actress. "There were those who believed at the end of the first season that they didn't like the way the character was developing vis-a-vis Gates' performance, and managed to convince Mr. Roddenberry of that," Rick Berman said years later, adding:"I was not a fan of that decision."

I don't understand. How could anyone think that Gates McFadden was a bad actress? O.k. I must admit, I didn't like Taking Care of Business, it was kind of obvious that Ms McFadden does not smoke. :) Hey, you weren't supposed to like her character anyway. I didn't so I think she did a darn good job of playing the female boss _itch! (For the little kiddies and so VA Tech doesn't suspend me!)

Here's something else I just found:

It might be shocking to hear an actor biting the hand that feeds it, but given her history with Paramount, one might be inclined to side with Gates. Gates tried to renegotiated her contract at the end of the show's first season-a very typical thing for an actor on a hit show to do. But Paramount did not meet the demands that Gates requested, so she was removed from the show. When she was asked to return in subsequent years, it was at a lower salary than the rest of her co-stars.

Does anyone else think that's unfair? :~(

Here are some other information around the time of her departure I found interesting:

The year-long letter-writing campaign to return Gates McFadden to the show was not directly mentioned when a change of heart in the great "chemistry experiment" over TNG's doctors was announced. "Diana Muldaur is a marvelous actress and it's obvious that I think so because I've used her many times," Roddenberry would say later. "But it's all just chemistry. Beverly had that little something...Somehow the way the captain bounces off her works well. It works with Muldaur, too but it just seems to work a little more with Crusher." He would also say, "It was always our intention to leave the door open for her to return to the show."

See Gene Roddenberry knew Lady Gates is an excellent actress! Shame on those people who wanted her off! Now that I think about it, it seems like Picard and Pulaski seem to rub off each other like sandpaper. They were constantly bickering. At least when Crusher told Picard off she wasn't rude about it. In fact, she seemed like she felt sorry for him because they both knew that there wasn't anything he could do to stop her. :)

Also, when I attended a convention with Gates McFadden in Kansas City, she refused to talk about it. All she would say was that "Some people didn't like me." How could anyone not like Gates McFadden? I'm waiting for her book to come out to find out the truth! You know she's going to have one, it's like a rule in Star Trek! I'd buy two just for the heck of it! :)

Did you know that Diana Muldaur declined the offer to be listed with the regular cast in the opening title? I guess she knew that her character wasn't going to last. Probably because of all the letters that started pouring in after everyone realized that Lady Gates was gone. Unfortunately, I was unaware of Star Trek until the end of the third season, but boy was I ticked off whenever they showed an old episode with Dr. Pulaski during the summer! Heck, I still do!

Want to know what Gates thinks about Beverly and Jean-Luc's relationship and how should be?

...Recently Picard and Crusher admitted their romantic feelings for each other and Gates, for one, is thrilled. In fact, Gates would like to see that romance carry over to the big screen. "I'm not saying that I would like Picard and Crusher to get married or anything. But a little sex now and then wouldn't be so bad. There is a lot of chemistry between Patrick and I. We love the romance and so do the fans. I don't know if it will go farther, but I'd like it to." When questioned about Patrick's kissing abilities, she laughs and remarks,"I never kiss and tell."

Awe, please?! ;) Come on PTB (Powers That Be), please, let Crusher and Picard get together in the next movie!! Please, Pretty Please, with sugar on top. Don't make me grovel!

Like to know what the running joke was about Dr. Crusher?

"...It's tough for them to give Beverly a lot more to do because she's always needed in Sick Bay working on a patient who is about to die. You know, especially in the first year, I lost more patients than I saved! The running joke around the set has always been, 'Is Beverly on the ship because she's sleeping with the captain?! (Laughter) And the reason she doesn't have her medical diplomas up on the wall is because she didn't really get them!' Usually, when there's a guest star that, for whatever reason, is on the medical table, one member of the cast will say, 'Listen, sorry you're being treated by Bev-you might not make it!' " said by Gates in the Star Trek:The Official Fan Club, Issue # 74.

Did you know that there is an Ensign Gates running around the Enterprise? Yep, you can see her in the following episodes Phantasms and The Pegasus. In The Pegasus, Ensign Gates gets to say "course plotted." Ensign Gates is named for Gates McFadden of course! The actress's name is Joyce Robinson if you want to see if she's in the movies or on another episode.

What our dear Captain Jean-Luc Picard wants in a woman:

She must be 1. independent, 2. forceful, 3. brilliant, and 4. an adventuress.

Hmm...sounds like a certain doctor I know. ;)

While we are talking about Captain Picard let's talk about Vash and Commander Nella Daren. Shall we? First Vash, was this the BIGGEST mistake Jean-Luc has ever made?! I think so! A friend of mine told me that Jean-Luc should be smirking whenever her name is mentioned. In French the pronunciation of Vash has the same pronunciation of cow in French. I love that! Well on the Picard scale she's 5 for 10, I wouldn't say that she's brilliant but I guess she might be in archeology but that's about it! She's way too corrupt for our moral captain, Jean-Luc must have had a SERIOUS laps in judgment.

Now how about we talk about a more interesting choice, Nella Daren. On the Picard scale she's 9 for 10. I actually liked her. Maybe it's because she is independent, brilliant, and has a genuine warmth. Naw, it's the red hair! ;) I know that most people see Daren as a carbon copy of Crusher, except for some small differences. But notice how Picard is attracted to a REDHEAD, wearing a BLUE UNIFORM, and is artistically talented. I guess I wouldn't have mind all that much if Picard and Daren did actually get together but boy was I glad that they didn't. I was seriously concerned about Beverly throughout the entire episode.O.k., o.k. so I'm one of those people who believes that Daren is copy of Beverly and I admit that she is a good one but NO ONE can replace BEVERLY CRUSHER!! Because we all know she's 10 for 10!!!

Some things I've noticed.

Most of Bev's best scenes are her classic facial expressions! While I was going through my video collection trying to increase my wav file collection, I found myself ranting over the fact that I couldn't capture the scene with a wav file. A picture would be all right but a small movie clip would be the best way to capture the scene. Unfortunately I have no means of doing that (sorry I'm not rich, remember I'm just a poor college student!).

Classic case in point. In "True Q", Q says "...And in vulgar human fashion they conceived a child." Q then winks at Beverly right after he finished the sentence. Bev just rolling her eyes at him as if to say, "You wish." How about another one? Yes? O.k. the scene in "Allegiance" at the end when the true Picard is back and he's just found out that his double sang in Ten Forward. Then Beverly saunters on the bridge and sits down next to him. Clueless Picard acknowledges her with "Doctor" and she replies in a slightly leading voice "Captain," and then gives him "the look." And poor Picard has to take a double take. ;)

I'm slightly confused after just watching "All Good Things..." I seemed to recall Bev kissing Picard and him kissing her back. I really thought it was cute how Picard's face looked after she turned to leave, it was so dreamy looking, like he was totally swept away by that kiss. So if the kiss had that much of an impact on him, then WHY is it in the movies they aren't getting together? I guess that he forgot about it as soon as he was back to his own timeline. Paramount must have something against people in serious long term relationships. Come on, is it really a bad thing to be in a serious relationship? Did Bev tell him she wants to be friends again? If she did, I am going to have to trash this entire home page, just kidding. I'll just have to devote a page to the reasons why she and Johnny should be more than friends and flood Paramount with e-mails and letters!

Did you know that Brent Spiner is the Godfather of Gates's son? Well he is! -Thanks Emily! Lucky kid! James Cleveland McFadden-Talbot has an awesome mother, an awesome godfather, and he know everyone in the cast! I wish him the best of health and luck in his life!

I was talking to several of my Bev friends and we all agree that Peter David should write the next movie or at least have a say in the next movie!! Go read Imzadi and Q Squared to find out what we are trying to get at!! ;)

Did you know that during Gates' directorial debut (Genesis) an earthquake, registering 6.6 on the Richter scale, stuck? Talk about pressures!!

Did you know that Gates didn't even want to be Dr. Beverly Crusher?

"I turned down the role a couple of times originally, and I had to think hard about it before I decided to do it at all. In fact, when I auditioned for the part, my heart wasn't really in it at all. I had come to Los Angeles from New York to test for a film and my agent suggested I try out for the show - any of the women's roles. But I only had time to try out for one before the plane left, so I tried out for Crusher." Gates McFadden in the April/May 1994 Issue of Star Trek: The Official Fan Club.

Boy and I glad that she did! She must be one heck of an actress if she got the part and didn't even have her heart in it!! I wonder what film she was auditioning for...

Some things that Gates noticed...

"When Wesley left, I found that the relationship with Picard had changed. They moved away from developing their relationship for a very long time. I also think we know every little about Beverly, about her personally, about her life. We just know that there's this [dead] husband. We know more about him than we do about the rest of her family or life. Where did she come from? What did she study? What books does she read?" Interview in Star Trek The Next Generation : The Official Magazine Series Volume 28.

Yeah, I noticed that too!! That's why I made this web page. To find more information and to let other's know more about this great doctor!! :) I hope I'm doing a good job! :)

Did you know that Orient Express is Beverly's favorite holodeck program.

In an interview with Gates it turns out that she wasn't thrilled with her role in Generations, although she thinks that the final product turned out 'rather well' considering how it had to accommodate stories involving several members of the cast and the entire ST:TNG crew. She really like the opening sequence with the champagne bottle hitting the U.S.S. Enterprise B.

She was also disappointed with the size of her role in First Contact. (So am I!!!) "It was the good doctor doing what she does, and that's being a doctor. She was an active part of the crew, doing whatever she could to support her crew mates on the U.S.S. Enterprise. In their own way, all of the characters do the same thing. My role in the film wasn't big enough to do any more than that, to serve the crew and the captain. She was not actively involved in either of the main plot lines, but I did enjoy Crusher's little scene with the Doctor from Star Trek:Voyager." "...I enjoyed doing the scene with him. If I have any regret about it, it's that I wish that there had been even more of an encounter between Crusher and the Doctor. It just seemed to play a bit quick, but I think it was definitely a fun, effective moment, and, again, I think the fans loved it."

"In terms of Beverly Crusher, I really do think that she is a role model for women. They can see that here is a woman who is both a mother and a doctor, who can be in space, be in jeopardy and deal with it well, and who can get along with her fellow crew members. I think all of that is a very attractive concept to people. I really like that there is harmony she shares with the other crew members. There's never all this backbiting to see who will get ahead of someone else. We've all been working for and toward the common good of humanity. That's quite nice thing to be involved in, and I'm sure we'll continue to explore it in whatever other films we do down the road."

From Star Trek : The Official Monthly Magazine May 1997. (A British Magazine, Thank you Nova for this!!)

Gates' personal high points while working with Star Trek are directing Genesis and visiting US troops in Bosnia. :o)

Did you know that there are WORDS for that little tune that everyone is SURE that they've heard before from Cause and Effect?! Well, here are the words to the song :

Hello, mama, my name is Jack.

Hello to the world, I'm coming back.

I've been here before as an Egyptian cat.

So hello, mama, welcome me back.

Hello, mama, my name is Jack.

I've been here before as an Egyptian cat.

Welcome me back.

Don't trust me? Then watch the episode in closed captioning! Paige says that Gates wrote the song herself and wanted to sing it but TPTB didn't want her to sing it, but they left the words on closed captioning! A little tidbit she picked up at a Star Trek Convention with Gates.

Kathy has reported reading in a Star Trek Magazine an interview with Sagan (writer of "Attached" and "The Host"). He reported in the interview certain scenes that were changed or altered in "Attached". And here is what he said they changed:

The next scene that they altered was the camp fire scene. After Jean-Luc says that terrible line about now we're friends, Bev knows it is a lie. Instead of a hand shake, they were supposed to kiss. When Bev stands up after the kiss/handshake and goes to lay down, JLP goes with her, and the scene fades to black with the two of them on the ground kissing. Leaving a slightly different impression on how the night was passed.

Now a major element that was edited out of his screen play, partially for time and partially because TPTB didn't want to go there was the fact that the implants were extremely addictive. There were a few lines left in that hinted at this. "This sharing of thoughts is very compelling." And the title of the piece itself, "Attached." Bev and Picard were developing a hive mind. They were becoming addicted to each other. The nausea they felt when they were separated was actually withdrawal. There was a scene in Sick Bay after they return to the ship where the implants were removed. Both characters go through intense withdrawal.

That night after dinner when Picard requests they explore their feelings, Beverly's character isn't sure whether it's because he really wants to start a relationship, or if it's like a junky wanting another fix. That is why she says maybe we should be afraid and that is why she has to leave.

Now talk about a great injustice!! I totally wished they kept these scenes in the episode. It would have definitely made the episode way more interesting!! They always do that!! WHY!!!

Ever wonder if a Scottish clan Howard ever existed? Well, a friend of mine, Margaret, did some searching and found out that there is not a Scottish clan Howard. Margaret wrote, "So the Howard clan must have been recognized after the 20th century as a Scottish clan - or else the writers just liked the romantic idea of the Howard clan, and didn't bother checking with anyone about its existence." Thanks for the tidbit Margaret! BTW-she's working on making a Tartan for Beverly's clan and she's going to use some of the colors from the clan Stewart. ;o) Isn't she a true Bev obsessive?!

Date Updated : December 27, 1999

Date Created : December 12, 1996