Celebrity Section

29 August 1998 (estimated date)

Fan-mail: Will take the time to respond to mail forwarded to his address.

Exposure to Star Trek before his role on Star Trek: Voyager--Did some research before auditioning for the part. According to Mr. Beltran, his audition "went better than expected." He joked that he does not care to watch it if Janeway and he "aren't getting it on."

Helpful to be a bi-lingual actor: Yes. However, do not be discouraged from acting if unable to speak Spanish.

Shakespeare: Likes classical theater and wants to perform in MacBeth.

Other ST: Voyager notes: When Kate Mulgrew (CAPT Janeway) protested about something on the set, she would invoke the name of Beltran, Robert Picardo (The Doctor) and/or Robert Duncan MacNeill (LT Paris). She never bothered to ask him for his opinion about the thorny subject ahead of time.

CDR Riker vs. CDR Chakotay: "I'd kick his ass!"

Racism: The bottom line in Hollywood explains the lack of blacks and Latinos in roles. This is a controversial issue and too important an issue. Stuff that is not fair in the entertainment business. Won't see shows or movies that trash other races.

4 October 1998

Number of plugs for his book: at least five

Views: At 54, he feels he is "an adult by now." A single dad at the time of this presentation and he lived in Montana with his family. Mr. Benedict preferred to be at home to raise his kids and finds it rewarding. Ranted about women leaving the home. "Actors can be as boring as anyone," said Mr. Benedict.
Acting is fun and there is so much goes with it.
Books are "personal." One story is about a college sweetheart that dumped him two weeks before a wedding in 1969. She called him 30 years later to tell him about their child that she her up for adoption. He finally met his son, then 28 years old, who wanted to know who his biological father was. Ironically, his son was a big fan of Mr. Benedict's work. Felt it was the weirdest thing "like he raised him," voice is the same and so is the diet.

Actors that inspired him: He was drunk when he auditioned for Showboat as a freshman in college. He was scared to go in there and majored in music at that time. Loved theater, minored in it and went on to acting school.

Cancer survivor: Got the diagnosis for cancer t 34, while filming Battlestar Galactica. He survived by changing his diet to whole grain, vegetables and tofu.

Battlestar: Galactica Days: Had a "great time." He got the Starbuck part through a connection. Did a Broadway show at the time and met Gloria Swanson. He visited with her and she arranged an interview with Glen Larson, the show's producer. They met in August 1977 and got along with him. He auditioned and passed five tests, yet ABC said no. ABC considered him as "not old enough, not tough enough and not sexy." Heated exchanges between Universal Studios and ABC led to "bad blood."
There were objections to the cigar-smoking. Then it worked and "women really loved it." Starbuck is a "reluctant hero."
Cassiopeia: The show had turned a sociolator into a nurse. This was the "network mentality." She was supposed to be "bumped off." She was more romantic as a sociolator, more interesting....an opposite. Mr. Benedict also called the Cassiopeia character as "angelic."

Preferred opportunity: Wants to direct a festival film, such as a "sick, twisted comedy."

A-Team Actors memories: "Mr. T, Dwight and I laughed a lot." George Peppard had "sobered up by 1981." He was a complicated guy and smart.

Character comparison of Starbuck and Faceman: Better than Faceman. Starbuck is "more complete, more interesting." He was a paradox, a ladies man, a gambler, serious, and loyal. Faceman is a "cartoon character."

About his sons: Doesn't care what they do. He believes in nuturing his kids and they are great at math.

4 October 1998

Inspiration to go into show business: her own mother, June Lockhart. "Genetically programmed," said Ms. Lockhart. June Lockhart had appeared in 500 films. Anne Lockhart also liked Susan Hayward who was a "wonderful actress."

Acting in childhood: First started at four years old when she was in T is for Tumbleweed. Nominated for an Oscar and also worked as an extra in Lassie. First words in one acting job was Yes, Mrs. Jones. Her mother insisted that she go to school. Later appeared in commercials with her mother for Crest toothpaste and Campbell's soup.

She grew up in a famous household: Lived in the same house when she was from five to 15. Her mother never took jobs that required her to leave home and got home late. A working Mom in those days was "unusual." Had some best friends, no bad incidents or wild parties and her school friends treated her like normal people. Ms. Lockhart went to school with Cindy Bridges.

Family in the entertainment business: Her father was John Maloney who was a mix of Scotch-Irish. Sadly, he passed away in 1986. Her husband, Adam Taylor was the Assistant Director for Tombstone and was a great help to the movie because he worked so well with the horses.

Battlestar: Galactica (Classic Series)
Thoughts: Viewed herself as the "toughest Viper pilot (in the) fleet." Talked about her notable episodes, such as when she found the crashed ship that was Count Ibley&'s vessel that also had evil minion in there. Count Ibley&'s form was a skeleton with cloven hooves. Favorite episode: The Hand of God. Regarding the Battlestar Pegasus, it was left up in the air. She was hopeful about plans to find the ship in a later season. Uniforms were tight and not comfortable.
Costumes did win an Emmy. Sheba was brought in as a love interest for Apollo, to fill a void because Apollo's wife Serena had left him. Sheba and Apollo's relationship featured lot of arguing with each other. On the gag reel, Ms. Lockhart and Laurette Spang teased the guys over the team sport with the really tight uniform that gave the men a wedgie. Shooting time per episode was 9-10 days, but the usual shoot for an episode was seven days. She had to use a glossary of words on the show, like krelp for the "stupidest person in the universe."

Thoughts on a Battlestar: Galactica Re-make: Yes, she would do it. Loved her character Sheba for the frailties, and she reported to work. Richard Hatch planned to do a revival and she felt there was more to explore. Ms. Lockhart would have liked to find out what happens...

CHiPS: Ms Lockhart had a guest appearance as a love interest for Larry Wilcox. She had to provide her own clothes during the shoot where her character got out of a speeding ticket.

Career Highlights Since Battlestar: Galactica: appeared in three to four episodes of Murder She Wrote, Buck Rogers, Airwolf, Simon & Simon (two to three episodes), and Bionic Ever After (TV movie), Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Walker: Texas Ranger, Promised Land. There are turkeys she "would like to forget." Voice over work performances even before Battlestar: Galactica.
Some voice over work was unbilled. Also did voices for E.T., Demolition Man, Gattaca and the Prince of Egypt. Improvised for a chimpanzee voice-over audition and got the work done over a two week period that was exhausting. Performed a voice part "into oblivion" for the Little Mermaid as "worm things" yet got "sick of it."
Set to appear in a stage production of Love Letters. May be part of the live production broadcast of War of the Worlds.

A guest appearance on a Star Trek series? According to Ms. Lockhart, it is fine to call them up and have them hire her.

Lost in Space re-make: Her mom was glad to be in it.