Paul McGillion
Encyclopedia
Paul McGillion is a Vancouver
-based actor
who has worked in television
, film
and theatre
since 1990. He is best known for his role on the television series Stargate Atlantis
as Dr. Carson Beckett
.
, Scotland
. His family moved to Canada
when he was only 2. When Paul was 11 the family moved back to Scotland for three years while his father worked on the Shetland oil rig
s. He is the sixth of seven children.
as the Scottish medical doctor, Carson Beckett
. He was initially cast as a recurring guest, but his character appeared so frequently in the show's first season that he was promoted to main character for seasons two and three, and reverts back to a recurring character for seasons 4 and 5 where he appears as the clone of the now-deceased Beckett. McGillion also played the part of young Ernest Littlefield in Stargate SG-1
s first season episode "The Torment of Tantalus", the first Tau'ri to have passed through the Stargate
after its burial.
He expressed great interest in auditioning for the role of Montgomery Scott
in the eleventh Star Trek film. “I grew up watching Star Trek and Scotty was my favourite character. It would be a great honour to follow in James Doohan’s footsteps," he said. McGillion also had the endorsement of Chris Doohan, the son of original Scotty actor James Doohan
, to play the role of Scotty in the film.
Though the part ultimately went to Simon Pegg
, McGillion still appeared in the film in a different role.
He appeared in Season 7
of 24
as Dr. Levinson, a doctor who tried to extract a dangerous pathogen from Jack Bauer's
bloodstream after all the canisters containing pathogen had either been destroyed or secured by FBI, but died when Bauer was being moved to another location and Bauer broke free, killing Levinson and his orderlies.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
-based actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who has worked in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
since 1990. He is best known for his role on the television series Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
as Dr. Carson Beckett
Carson Beckett
Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
.
Early life
McGillion was born in PaisleyPaisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His family moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
when he was only 2. When Paul was 11 the family moved back to Scotland for three years while his father worked on the Shetland oil rig
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
s. He is the sixth of seven children.
Acting career
He taught scene study at the Vancouver Film School in 1998 and 1999. In 2004, McGillion took a role on the science fiction series Stargate AtlantisStargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
as the Scottish medical doctor, Carson Beckett
Carson Beckett
Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
. He was initially cast as a recurring guest, but his character appeared so frequently in the show's first season that he was promoted to main character for seasons two and three, and reverts back to a recurring character for seasons 4 and 5 where he appears as the clone of the now-deceased Beckett. McGillion also played the part of young Ernest Littlefield in Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
s first season episode "The Torment of Tantalus", the first Tau'ri to have passed through the Stargate
Stargate (device)
A Stargate is a portal device within the Stargate fictional universe that allows practical, rapid travel between two distant locations. The devices first appear in the 1994 Roland Emmerich film Stargate, and thereafter in the television series Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs...
after its burial.
He expressed great interest in auditioning for the role of Montgomery Scott
Montgomery Scott
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a Scottish engineer in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original Star Trek series, Scotty also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics", and in numerous...
in the eleventh Star Trek film. “I grew up watching Star Trek and Scotty was my favourite character. It would be a great honour to follow in James Doohan’s footsteps," he said. McGillion also had the endorsement of Chris Doohan, the son of original Scotty actor James Doohan
James Doohan
James Montgomery "Jimmy" Doohan was a Canadian character and voice actor best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series Star Trek...
, to play the role of Scotty in the film.
Though the part ultimately went to Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
, McGillion still appeared in the film in a different role.
He appeared in Season 7
24 (season 7)
Season Seven, also known as Day 7 of the American serial television series 24, was to premiere on January 13, 2008, but was delayed for one year due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. On November 23, 2008, Fox aired 24: Redemption, a two-hour TV movie set between seasons. Season...
of 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
as Dr. Levinson, a doctor who tried to extract a dangerous pathogen from Jack Bauer's
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
bloodstream after all the canisters containing pathogen had either been destroyed or secured by FBI, but died when Bauer was being moved to another location and Bauer broke free, killing Levinson and his orderlies.
Filmography
| Actor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
The Final Goal | Jeff Conway | |
| Crying Freeman Crying Freeman is a manga by Kazuo Koike & Ryoichi Ikegami about an assassin who sheds tears after he kills his targets. Crying Freeman follows the title assassin, a Japanese man hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia to serve as its agent, and covered in a vast and complex dragon tattoo... |
Detective Andrews | ||
| 1996 1996 in film Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:... |
Have You Seen My Son | Mr. McQuinn | |
| She Woke Up Pregnant | Marshall | ||
| 1997 1997 in film -Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*... |
NightScream | Deputy Nance | |
| 1998 1998 in film -Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:... |
Saving Grace | Gene | |
| Sploosh | Angus | ||
| 1999 1999 in film The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep... |
A Cooler Climate | Young Police Officer | |
| Something More | Andrew | ||
| 2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor .... |
Skullduggery | Marlon Carlson | |
| Dangerous Attraction | Phillip Broger | ||
| My 5 Wives | Paul the Waiter/Danny | ||
| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 | Joe | |
| Love and Treason | Richard Keith | ||
| Replicant | Hal the Captain | ||
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... |
A Guy Thing | Curt | |
| Lonesome Joe | Coffee Shop Man | ||
| See Grace Fly See Grace Fly See Grace Fly is an independent film directed and written by Pete McCormack and starring Gina Chiarelli and Paul McGillion. Its dramatic and often heartwrenching plot revolve around siblings, Grace and Dominic McKinley as they struggle to cope with their mother's death and Grace's mental... |
Dominic McKinley | ||
| Thanksgiving Family Reunion National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion is a 2003 TV movie about a Thanksgiving family reunion of the Sniders, starring Bryan Cranston as Woodrow Snider, Judge Reinhold as Dr. Mitch Snider and Penelope Ann Miller as Jill Snider. The film was released as National Lampoon's Holiday Reunion in... |
Sheriff Kirkland | ||
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Romeo! Romeo! Romeo! is an American/Canadian television series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2003 to 2006, totaling 53 episodes. The filming was done in Vancouver, British Columbia, while the show takes place in Seattle, Washington.... |
The Director | |
| Jack | Bob | ||
| 2005 2005 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005... |
Stargate: Atlantis | Dr. Carson Beckett Carson Beckett Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of... |
(2005–2009) |
| The Deal | Richard Kester | ||
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
Engaged to Kill | Lester Denton | (Television) |
| A Dog's Breakfast A Dog's Breakfast A Dog's Breakfast is a Canadian comedy independent film produced in 2006. It was the first film to be written and directed by David Hewlett, who is best known for his role in the TV series Stargate Atlantis. Hewlett created the film as a private off-season project and stars alongside his real-life... |
Ryan | ||
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... |
Beyond Loch Ness | Michael Marshall | (Television) |
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... |
Mom, Dad and Her | Ben | TV film |
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Star Trek | Barracks Officer | |
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
The Traveler The Traveler (2010 film) The Traveler is a horror film released in 2010, starring Val Kilmer and Dylan Neal. Val Kilmer plays a stranger , who is interrogated for murder at a small town's police station by Dylan Neal, who plays a police detective Alexander Black.... |
Deputy Jerry Pine | |
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Iron Invader Iron Invader Iron Invader is a 2011 science fiction television film directed by Paul Ziller. The drama features Kavan Smith and Nicole de Boer. The film premiered on the Syfy channel on February 12, 2011.-Plot:... |
Sheriff | |
| Guest-starring roles | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 1994 in television The year 1994 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
The Commish The Commish The Commish is a television series that aired on ABC in the United States from 1991 to 1996. The series focused on the work and home life of a suburban police commissioner in upstate New York.... |
Officer Lee Burnett | episode Ghost |
| 1996 1996 in television The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:... |
Sliders Sliders Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé... |
First Officer | |
| Viper Viper (TV series) Viper is an action-adventure TV series about a special task force set up by the federal government to fight crime in the fictional city of Metro City, California that is perpetually under siege from one crime wave after another. The weapon used by this task force is an assault vehicle that... |
John Kane | ||
| 1997 1997 in television The year 1997 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1997.- Events :-Debuts:-Miniseries:*Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, a reunion of the 1979–93 series*The Last Don... |
The X Files | Agent Comox, Fred Neiman | (1995, 1997) |
| Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich... |
Young Ernest Littlefield | Episode "The Torment of Tantalus" | |
| 1999 1999 in television The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
The Sentinel The Sentinel (TV series) The Sentinel is a Canadian-produced television series that aired on UPN in the United States from 1996 to 1999. It premiered on March 20, 1996, and ran for 65 episodes . The series later reaired on Syfy.-Plot and characters:... |
Boz Tate | |
| Mercy Point Mercy Point Mercy Point was a science fiction series that ran from the fall of 1998 to the midsummer of 1999 on UPN. The series, set in the mid-23rd century, took place on a deep-space medical space station that catered to the medical needs of both humans and aliens, and served as a crossroads for both human... |
Private Bane | ||
| First Wave | Raphael | ||
| 2000 2000 in television The year 2000 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2000.For the American TV schedule, see: 2000-01 United States network television schedule.-Event:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Seven Days | Brandon | episode "Playmates and Presidents" |
| Higher Ground Higher Ground (TV series) Higher Ground is an American-Canadian television show shot outside Vancouver, British Columbia, that aired in 2000. It starred Joe Lando, Hayden Christensen, A.J. Cook, Kandyse McClure and Jewel Staite.... |
|||
| 2001 2001 in television The year 2001 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2001.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:*Meet the Press .*Candid Camera .*CBS Evening News .... |
Da Vinci's Inquest Da Vinci's Inquest Da Vinci's Inquest is a Canadian dramatic television series that aired on CBC Television from 1998 to 2005. Seven seasons of thirteen episodes each were filmed for a total of ninety-one episodes.... |
Constable Kozak | |
| 2002 2002 in television The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Just Cause Just Cause (TV series) Just Cause is an award-winning Canadian legal drama television series produced by Mind's Eye Entertainment. Filming was done in Vancouver, British Columbia but the series is set in San Francisco, California.-Plot:... |
Earl Wenk | |
| 2003 2003 in television The year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Smallville Smallville (TV series) Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October... |
Lex's Lackey | episode "Insurgence" |
| The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist... |
George | It's Still a Good Life | |
| Jake 2.0 Jake 2.0 Jake 2.0 is an American science fiction television series originally broadcast on UPN in 2003. The series was canceled on January 14, 2004 due to low ratings, leaving four episodes unaired in the United States. In the United Kingdom, all the episodes aired on Sky1... |
Earl Wenk | ||
| 2004 2004 in television The year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Cold Squad Cold Squad Cold Squad is a Canadian police procedural television series first broadcast in 1998 that followed the investigations of a part of the Vancouver Police Department Homicide Division tasked with solving cold cases, the titular Cold Squad, as led by Sergeant Ali McCormick .The cast of Cold Squad was... |
Dwayne Douglas Smith, Neil Cranston | (1998, 2002, 2004) |
| 2007 2007 in television 2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television... |
Sanctuary | Terrance Wexford | episode 1.6 |
| Stargate: Atlantis | Dr. Carson Beckett Carson Beckett Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of... |
two episodes: "The Kindred Part 1" and "The Kindred Part 2" | |
| 2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... |
Stargate: Atlantis | Dr. Carson Beckett Carson Beckett Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of... |
four episodes: "The Seed," "Whispers," "Outsiders," "Identity" |
| 2009 | Stargate: Atlantis | Dr. Carson Beckett Carson Beckett Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of... |
episode "Enemy at the Gate" |
| 24 | Levinson | Day 7: 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m. | |
| 2009 | Supernatural Supernatural (TV series) Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they... |
Joe Grossman | episode "Fallen Idols" |
| 2010 2010 in American television The following is a list of events that affected American television in 2010, a year marked by the usual debuts, cancellations, and continuations of shows; the launches, closures, or rebrandings of channels; but also significant cable/satellite carriage disputes, as well as... |
Sanctuary | Terrance Wexford | episode "Kali" |
| V V (TV series) V is a science fiction franchise created by American writer, producer and director Kenneth Johnson about an invading alien race known as the "Visitors" – reptilian humanoids disguised as human beings – trying to take over Earth, and the human Resistance group attempting to stop them.It... |
Lawrence Parker | episode "Fruition" | |
External links
- Paul McGillion's Official Site
- Paul McGillion Interview www.sci-fi-online.com interview.
- Paul McGillion Interview at GateWorld GateWorld interview.