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The career of a character actor tends to be a fascinating one, if not always a glorious one. Guest spots on TV shows and bit parts in movies are all part of being a journeyman in Hollywood. John de Lancie is one such journeyman, but he’s managed to make his mark on more than one occasion, particularly in the realm of science fiction. Fans of the genre will know him best as Q, one of the most powerful “Star Trek” characters of all time. But that’s not the only long-running, beloved sci-fi property he had played a recurring role in.
De Lancie was also part of the cast of “Stargate SG-1.” While not one of the two actors who appeared on over 200 episodes of the hit “Stargate” series, de Lancie did have his part to play in that particular sci-fi universe as Colonel Frank Simmons. The character made his debut on the show in Season 5 and appeared in five episodes in total, with his run ending in Season 6.
“Stargate SG-1” is set after the events of 1994’s “Stargate” movie (a film that was meant to kick off an entire trilogy). It follows SG-1, one of many secret military teams of soldiers and scientists who travel through a gateway to other planets and fight against dangerous aliens to protect Earth. As for Frank Simmons, he’s a member of the National Intelligence Department who winds up being a thorn in the side of Stargate Command.
De Lancie’s journey on the show came
De Lancie’s journey on the show came to a close in Season 6 when his character fell victim to a member of the parasitic alien species known as the Goa’uld. Colonel Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) was then forced to send him into space, which killed both Simmons and the Goa’uld in question.
John de Lancie famously played the villainous Q in Star Trek
John de Lancie has something of a knack for making the most out of relatively minimal screen time. The actor got the role of Q on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” after he ditched the first audition, yet he ultimately wound up being one of the most memorable foes in the history of the show, if not the “Star Trek” franchise in its entirety. That’s pretty impressive considering that he only appeared in eight episodes of a series that had damn near 200.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that de Lancie later reprised his role in multiple “Star Trek” projects across video games, animation, and other TV shows, including “Voyager.” De Lancie even returned as Q in “Star Trek: Picard,” which truly helped make that feel even more like a “Next Generation” reunion for longtime fans. The larger point, as it relates to “Stargate SG-1,” is that de Lancie had a similar impact on both sci-fi properties with relatively minimal screen time. That takes a truly memorable actor to accomplish.
It’s also not the only time that this particular show played host to a notorious on-screen villain. “Stargate SG-1” likewise features “Saw” star Tobin Bell as a character in an episode, as just one high-profile example. But that’s just what happens when a series runs for a full decade and is in desperate need of guest stars from week to week.
You can grab “Stargate SG-1” the complete series on Blu-ray or DVD from Amazon.
