Patrick Stewart Movies
Doing for bald men what no amount of Minoxodil ever could, Patrick Stewart won international fame for his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the popular TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Before earning immortality for his ability to handle a phaser convincingly, Stewart was known as a stage actor of great talent in his native Britain, where he had been performing since he was a teenager.Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England on July 13, 1940, Stewart was performing in various drama groups by the age of twelve. After leaving school at fifteen, he went to work as a junior reporter for a local newspaper. He quit the job after being told by the paper's editor that he was spending too much time at the theatre and not enough on the newspaper and worked for a year as a furniture salesman to pay for drama school. He was accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 1957, and two years later made his professional stage debut in a production of Treasure Island.
Stewart went on to enjoy a prolific and acclaimed stage career, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and remaining with it for the next twenty-seven years. He also began to work on the big and small screens, and in the early 1980s started popping up in a number of popular films like Excalibur (1981) and Dune (1984). In 1987, he was chosen to play Picard on Next Generation. Certain that he would be fired from the series, Stewart reportedly refused to unpack his bags for six weeks. Although more than one snarky observer spent the first year of the series making idiot jokes about Stewart's bald pate, the actor--and the show--proved to be a hit. Stewart stayed with Next Generation for seven seasons, and then reprised his role for a string of successful Star Trek films: 1994's Star Trek Generations, 1996's Star Trek: First Contact, 1998's Star Trek: Insurrection and 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis.
In addition to his work with the Next Generation series and films, Stewart also continued to work on the stage and in various films. In 1995, he had a hilarious turn as a flamboyant, acid-tongued interior decorator in Jeffrey, while in 1997 he tried his hand at intrigue with a part in The Conspiracy Theory. The following year, he appeared on the small screen, giving a terrific portrayal of the obsessive Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. Though a new Star Trek film every few years may not have been quite enough to keep the legions of sci-fi addicts satisfied, Stewart scored brownie points among fans by taking an impressive turn as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). On the stage, Stewart enjoyed acclaim for a number of productions, particularly a one-man production of A Christmas Carol, which he performed in numerous theatrical venues around the world, winning numerous awards for his portrayal. He also earned extensive praise for his portrayal of Prospero in the Broadway production of The Tempest in 1996.
Interestingly, Stewart, though appreciative of his star status, has repeatedly bristled at the notion that his lack of hair is "sexy," à la Yul Brynner. In regards to his reluctant sex symbol status, he has stated that he would much rather be judged on the basis of his acting ability rather than his appearance. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- 2005
The title of this episode refers to actor James Woods, whom Peter Griffin befriends under unusual circumstances (what, exactly, would the USUAL circumstances be?). Before long, however, Peter regrets making the acquaintance of Woods, who refuses to leave the Griffin home despite all manner of provocation. Elsewhere, Brian the dog attends a PTA meeting, where he falls in love with a teacher named Shauna (voiced by Gabrielle Union). For reasons best known to producer Seth MacFarlane, this episode also features caricatured cameos by three actors in the Star Trek franchise: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes and Michael Dorn. And if nothing else, "Peter's Got Woods" proves that James Woods is a sucker for Reese's Pieces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Andy (Ricky Gervais) and Maggie (Ashley Jensen) are extras on the set of a very serious Patrick Stewart film. Andy's nemesis, Greg (Shaun Pye), is also there, and he has a line, much to Andy's chagrin. Andy drops by Patrick Stewart's trailer in a desperate effort to further his career. Stewart understands the challenge faced by struggling actors and is quite welcoming. When Andy tells Stewart about his sitcom script, Stewart goes into great detail about the screenplay he's working on, about a man (to be played by Stewart) who can control the world with his mind, and mainly uses that power to make women's clothes fall off. Later, Andy's agent (Stephen Merchant) calls him in, and tells him that the BBC is interested in his sitcom. The agent tries to get Andy to consider his client Shaun Williamson, now working as a handyman at the agency, for the lead role, instead of Andy playing it himself as intended. Despite the agent's ineptitude, Andy's meeting with producer Iain (Guy Henry) and flamboyantly gay script editor Damon (Martin Savage) goes quite well, and Andy starts working with Damon to tighten up the pilot script. First, of course, he has to drop by the set to tell Maggie the good news, and rub it in the faces of his fellow extras, particularly Greg. While Damon is out on a coffee break, Maggie visits, and Andy jokingly complains about his writing partner. "No one needs to be that gay." Maggie runs into Damon on her way out, and suggests he "might want to tone it down a bit," which leads to all kinds of problems. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart
- 2004
The animated family-oriented adventure The Snurks concerns Boo and Zoo, a pair of would-be heroes attempting to reclaim their world's Charmed Stone after it disappears. The twosome must lean to work with their enemies, the Snurks, in order for everyone to save the world. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Emily Watson, (more)
An elderly king must come to terms with his past as he plots his nation's future in this historical drama. In 1183, aging monarch King Henry II (Patrick Stewart) decides it is time to pick an heir to his throne, and he must choose one of his three sons -- John (Rafe Spall), Geoffrey (John Light), or Richard (Andrew Howard) -- to rule the British empire. Henry wants to announce his successor at a Christmas gathering of his court a few weeks hence, and in time for the event, he has decided to free his headstrong wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Glenn Close), who has been held in captivity for attempting to overthrow her husband's rule and expressing her displeasure with his mistress, Alais (Yuliya Vysotskaya). As Henry and Eleanor become re-acquainted, they are reminded of the love they share as well as the strife that drives them apart, and while Henry finds himself favoring his youngest son, John, for his post, Eleanor makes a strong case for her first-born, Richard, with Geoffrey attempting to consolidate influence in a bid for power. However, as the king looks back at his long past and short future, he comes to the sad realization that none of his sons are truly fit to rule. James Goldman wrote the screenplay for this, the second screen adaptation of his award-winning play, which finally came to fruition 5 years after Goldman's death. Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn starred in the Oscar-winning 1968 version. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Close, Patrick Stewart, (more)
Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear is transplanted to 19th century Texas in this made-for-cable drama. Patrick Stewart stars as John Lear, the wealthiest and most powerful rancher in the territory. Failing in body and mind, Lear decides to divide his vast property among his three daughters -- Suzannah (Marcia Gay Harden), Rebecca (Lauren Holly), and Claudia (Julie Cox) -- giving the most land to the girl who most persuasively professes her love and loyalty. While her mercenary sisters fawn all over John, the headstrong Claudia refuses to feed false compliments to her father, and as a result, she is banished from his ranch. But when Lear's spread is threatened by usurpers and landgrabbers, the enfeebled patriarch realizes that Claudia is the only one of his offspring truly worthy of his affection. All of the Shakespearean highlights are intact, albeit retranslated within the genre expectations of the Western. For example, Lear's blinding is done with a branding iron. An uneasy mixture of British theatricality and John Ford-like cinematic spectacle, King of Texas (filmed in Mexico despite its title) originally aired June 2, 2002, on the TNT cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart
- 2001
Actor Patrick Stewart narrates this Discovery Channel video about what scientists have learned about the Earth and moon during recent decades. As the 11 segments unfold, experts discuss such topics as Mount Everest's geological history, the 18,000 meteorites that annually hit the Earth, and what's been learned from our trips to the Moon. Time is also spent exploring how damaging one earthquake can be, and what's been learned from studying lava pouring out of the Earth's volcanoes. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
Patrick Stewart stars as Ebeneezer Scrooge in this made-for-TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic holiday fable. Scrooge is a skinflint businessman who loathes the Christmas season and begrudges having to give time off to his best employee, Bob Cratchit (Richard E. Grant). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his late friend and partner, Jacob Marley (Bernard Lloyd), who in the afterlife has come to see the error of his ways. Marley arranges for Scrooge to be visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Joel Grey), Christmas Present (Desmond Barrit), and Christmas Yet to Come (Tim Potter) in hopes of teaching Scrooge of the importance of embracing the joy of the holiday season. A Christmas Carol was produced for the TNT cable television network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, (more)
- 1999
Wayfinding is the art of guiding a canoe across long passages using only natural clues and signs, such as the sun, the moon, the stars, and the sea. Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey profiles Nainoa Thompson, the first Hawaiian in centuries to master this rare art. The documentary also observes several Pacific island crews as they prepare for a voyage from the Marquesas Islands to Hawaii. Via interviews and archival footage, viewers come to understand how the legacy of this art has been kept alive. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
George Orwell's political fable about corruption and betrayal in post-revolutionary Russia gets a new look in this version that employs a cast of real animals alongside digitally manipulated critters and lifelike beasts crafted by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. At the Manor Farm, the alcoholic master Mr. Jones (Pete Postlethwaite) is cruel to his animals and has horribly mismanaged the property. One night, the wise but elderly pig Old Major (voice of Peter Ustinov) gathers the animals and speaks of a remarkable dream, in which the animals throw off their tyrannical human masters and learn to reap the fruits of their own labors. After Old Major's death, two other pigs, Snowball (voice of Kelsey Grammer) and Napoleon (voice of Patrick Stewart) lead a revolution that drives Jones from his land and leaves the animals in charge of their own destiny. After their revolt, Snowball and Napoleon rule side by side, but Napoleon soon becomes drunk with power and squeezes Snowball out of authority, eventually turning the other animals against him. With Boxer (voice of Paul Scofield), a simple-minded but loyal and physically powerful horse, as a role model, Napoleon leads the animals on a campaign of self-denial and hard work that will bring them security and freedom; however, it soon becomes obvious that Napoleon is growing fat while the other animals are starving, and he is quickly becoming the sort of creature he once waged war against. Animal Farm received its American premiere on the TNT cable TV network in October 1999; it opened as a theatrical release in several other countries shortly afterward. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pete Postlethwaite, Kelsey Grammer, (more)
Patrick Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a retired government operative who possesses damaging information about a presidential hopeful, and holes himself up inside his secure compound because he fears reprisal. In order to protect himself, Sowell has designed a system whereby the information will be released to the public if he is not there to type in a password at regular intervals. This he believes will keep him from being assassinated, but just in case, he stages elaborate self-defense drills with unwitting servants, and tries to convince his family that the explanation he gave them about his career was a cover story to hide his true military affiliations. The problem is, Sowell is also suffering the early stages of Alzheimer's, so his daughter (Joy Kilpatrick) considers his paranoid stories to be delusional ravings. She hires a psychiatrist (Kimberly Williams) to analyze her father and watch over him, in the hopes of easing his dementia. Sowell initially distrusts his new companion, but begins to lower his guard and care for her deeply. Meanwhile, his disease is advancing, and if he can't remember the password, his critical information will be released prematurely and he'll be hunted down by his enemies. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Kimberly Williams, (more)
- 1998
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No matter if it's the blue, the humpback, or the orca, whales are a favorite of man. It may be their quiet demeanor that captivates us, or the grace with which they move their massive bodies, whichever, we love to watch and learn all we can about these oceanic mammoths. Whales: An Unforgettable Journey is a film that will definitely please all those who have a fondness for the whale. This 52-minute thrill ride was originally filmed in the IMAX format, with the intent to make the viewer feel as if they were in the water actually touching a great blue whale. Directors David Clark, Al Giddings, and Roger Payne have competently put together some of the most stunning footage ever taken of these behemoths. Famed actor Patrick Stewart provides narration for this stunning documentary. The DVD version (from Slingshot Entertainment) is equipped with Internet links and a behind the scenes look at the making of Whales: An Unforgettable Journey. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Director Franc Roddam and co-scripter Anton Diether adapted Herman Melville's 1851 classic for this four-hour TV miniseries sea adventure. Ishmael (Henry Thomas) ignores the warnings of dockside prophet Elijah (Bruce Spence) and joins the crew of the whaling ship Pequod. Ismael befriends Polynesian harpooner Queequeg (Maori actor Piripi Waretini), hears a sermon by Father Mapple (Gregory Peck, star of the 1956 Moby Dick), and meets the obsessed Captain Ahab (Patrick Stewart), who lost his leg to the great white whale Moby Dick and now seeks vengeance on the looming leviathan. For effects, Roddam used a three-sectioned Moby Dick, added computer graphics, and shot Pequod footage in a tank at an Australian military base. TV Guide described Stewart's performance as "mesmerizing and passionate." The $20 million production aired March 15-16, 1998 on the USA Network. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Henry Thomas, (more)
- 1998
Betsan Morris Evans made his directorial debut with this British heist drama. Sav (Jake Wood) and H (Kevin McKidd) work for Sav's father, tulip farmer Dad Savage (Patrick Stewart). H brings in others, and a scheme develops to rob Dad Savage of his hidden money. Filmed in the flat landscapes of England's Fenlands. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Kevin McKidd, (more)
- 1997
The excitement surrounding the birth of a child is the focus of Reading Rainbow: On the Day You Were Born, as viewers can follow the progress of a pregnant couple two weeks before the delivery date. As the anticipation builds, the Estes family makes preparations to welcome a baby into their world, which includes three daughters. This special production of the series shows the birth of the fourth Estes daughters. The young reviewers of the show discuss A Teeny Tiny Baby, How You Were Born, and One Round Moon and a Star for Me. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- LeVar Burton
- 1995
This desert war adventure is set during WWII and is a remake of Zoltan Korda's 1943 version. The tale chronicles the courage of an American sergeant and his few men who attempt to escape approaching German forces in their tank. As they cruise southward, they pick up a stranded British medical officer and band of ragged fighters that include an Australian, a Frenchman and a Sudanese officer. Eventually, water becomes a major issue and they end up at a lonely oasis where they decide to make one final brave stand against the Nazi invaders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Volume 4: Invasion of the Coast - The First English Settlements portrays America's original inhabitants before and after the Europeans arrived. The film begins in the Arctic where the Inuit culture -- during the search for the Northwest Passage -- is examined. Also featured in the film are the stories of Pocahontas, the Pilgrims, Samoset, Captain John Smith, and the Powhatans. Other episodes in the 500 Nations series include 500 Nations: Removal, 500 Nations: Clash of Cultures, 500 Nations: Attack on Culture, 500 Nations: Cauldron of War, 500 Nations: Roads Across the Plains, and 500 Nations: Mexico. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Next Generation's final one-hour episode originally aired May 21, 1994. Newly promoted to Lieutenant, Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) returns to the Enterprise, where she is immediately recruited to infiltrate a band of renegade colonists known as the Maquis. Unfortunately, the assignment requires her to defend her mortal enemies, the Cardassians, leading to yet another of the series' many crises of conscience. "Pre-emptive Strike" was scripted by Rene Echevarria from a story by Naren Shankar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This documentary effectively focuses on the Allied war effort and in particular how it related to the liberation of Jews immured in concentration camps. It is narrated by some well known and popular actors (including Patrick Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg), and seeks to answer the question "Who knew about the killings, and when, and what did they do about them?" In addition to archival footage, vivid anecdotes by people who lived during the period are recounted, including one telling about an British matron who, after extending an invitation to American soldiers to come to lunch at her house, saw fit to add "no Jews, please." In response to her offer of hospitality, she was horrified to find that on the day in question six black servicemen were her guests. Protesting that there surely had been a mistake, the servicemen responded: "Colonel Cohen doesn't make mistakes." ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
A young boy overcomes his obsessive fears by discovering a love for books in this animated fantasy adventure. In a live action wraparound, Macaulay Culkin stars as Richard Tyler, an easily bullied, nervous wreck of a kid who's an expert on safety statistics. His mother and father (Mel Harris and Ed Begley, Jr.) don't know how to inspire their son to embrace life boldly. Barely able to leave the house, Richard ventures out one day, but he gets lost in a storm and ends up at a mysterious library. Inside, he slips, knocks himself unconscious and finds himself in a cartoon realm where books come to life. Guided by Adventure (Patrick Stewart), Fantasy (Whoopi Goldberg) and Horror (Frank Welker), Tyler experiences the adventures of classic novels such as Moby Dick and Treasure Island, and he even meets some famed fictional characters, such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Leonard Nimoy). Through his experiences in the pages of the legendary books, Richard confronts his phobias and learns to face life more courageously. The Pagemaster was directed by Joe Johnston, a former special effects supervisor and production designer who later directed Jumanji (1995) and October Sky (1999). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, (more)
- 1994
This 1994 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Patrick Stewart and features musical guest Salt-N-Pepa. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Salt-N-Pepa, (more)
