Robert Duncan McNeill
Encyclopedia
Robert Duncan McNeill (born November 9, 1964) is an American
actor
, producer
, movie director, and television director
who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris
on the television
show Star Trek: Voyager
.
. He enjoyed early success as a professional actor, winning the role of Charlie Brent on All My Children
and starring in the feature film Masters of the Universe
. He also starred in an acclaimed episode of the 1980s version of The Twilight Zone
, A Message From Charity
. He then appeared with Stockard Channing
in the Broadway production of Six Degrees of Separation before returning to Los Angeles to pursue roles on television. He appeared in featured guest roles on numerous TV series, including Homefront, "Dexter (Season 1 Episode 3)", L.A. Law
, Quantum Leap, and Murder, She Wrote
. He was a featured cast member on the short-lived 1992 series Going to Extremes, Another guest role that same year was in "The First Duty", an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
, in which he played Nick Locarno, a Starfleet Academy cadet and squad leader who pressures fellow cadet Wesley Crusher
into covering up their wrongdoings. He would later become a Star Trek regular in 1995 on Star Trek: Voyager
, on which he played Tom Paris
, a Starfleet officer with a backstory similar to Locarno's.
and Crossing Jordan
, McNeill is now focusing on his directing career, helming episodes of Dawson's Creek
, Everwood
, Star Trek: Enterprise
, Dead Like Me
, The O.C.
, One Tree Hill
, Las Vegas
, Summerland
, and Supernatural
. His directing credits for 2006–2007 include episodes of Desperate Housewives
, Medium
, Standoff
, The Nine
, The Knights of Prosperity
, In Case of Emergency
, What About Brian
and My Boys
. In 2007, he directed the season 5 premiere of Las Vegas
, the pilot of Samantha Who?
(which features his Star Trek: Voyager
co-star Tim Russ
) and then signed on as a producer-director of the new NBC show Chuck
, helming numerous episodes, including the first episode of a TV show to be broadcast entirely in 3D
. In 2010, McNeill directed an episode of V
, an ABC science fiction television series produced by Scott Rosenbaum, a former writer and executive producer on Chuck
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, movie director, and television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris
Tom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
on the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
.
Acting
McNeill grew up in Atlanta, and began his career acting in local and regional productions before becoming a student at The Juilliard School in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He enjoyed early success as a professional actor, winning the role of Charlie Brent on All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
and starring in the feature film Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe (film)
Masters of the Universe is a 1987 science-fiction fantasy film based on the toy line by the same name. The movie stars Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor...
. He also starred in an acclaimed episode of the 1980s version of 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...
, A Message From Charity
A Message From Charity
"A Message From Charity" is the second segment of the sixth episode of the first season from the television series The New Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:...
. He then appeared with Stockard Channing
Stockard Channing
Stockard Channing is an American stage, film and television actress. She is known for her portrayal of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing; for playing Betty Rizzo in the film Grease; and for her role as Ouisa Kittredge in the play Six Degrees of Separation and its...
in the Broadway production of Six Degrees of Separation before returning to Los Angeles to pursue roles on television. He appeared in featured guest roles on numerous TV series, including Homefront, "Dexter (Season 1 Episode 3)", L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
, Quantum Leap, and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
. He was a featured cast member on the short-lived 1992 series Going to Extremes, Another guest role that same year was in "The First Duty", an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, in which he played Nick Locarno, a Starfleet Academy cadet and squad leader who pressures fellow cadet Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
into covering up their wrongdoings. He would later become a Star Trek regular in 1995 on Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, on which he played Tom Paris
Tom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
, a Starfleet officer with a backstory similar to Locarno's.
Directing
McNeill began his directing career with several episodes of Voyager. He then wrote, produced, and directed two award-winning short films, The Battery and 9 mm of Love, and began to direct other episodic television. While he has since performed as a guest star on television shows like The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
and Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
, McNeill is now focusing on his directing career, helming episodes of Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
, Everwood
Everwood
Everwood is an American drama television series that initially aired in the United States on The WB. The series is set in the fictional small town of Everwood, Colorado, and was filmed in Ogden, South Salt Lake, and Draper, Utah, except the series pilot which was filmed in Canmore, Alberta,...
, Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
, Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me was an American-Canadian comedy-drama television series starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who reside and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons...
, The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
, One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, Summerland
Summerland (TV series)
Summerland is an American drama television series created by Stephen Tolkin and Lori Loughlin. It is centered on a clothing designer in her 30s, Ava Gregory , raising her niece and nephews after their parents die in a tragic accident...
, and 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...
. His directing credits for 2006–2007 include episodes of Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
, Medium
Medium (TV series)
Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
, Standoff
Standoff (TV series)
Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television...
, The Nine
The Nine (TV series)
The Nine is an American television serial drama that premiered October 4, 2006 on ABC and aired only one season. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Television.- Plot :...
, The Knights of Prosperity
The Knights of Prosperity
The Knights of Prosperity was a short-lived comedy series that premiered on ABC in the United States on Wednesday, January 3, 2007. It was created by Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman, who also created the NBC comedy-drama Ed...
, In Case of Emergency
In Case of Emergency (TV series)
In Case of Emergency was a half-hour comedy television series shown on ABC in the United States. The series follows a group of high school acquaintances whose lives have not turned out as they hoped...
, What About Brian
What About Brian
What About Brian is an American comedy-drama television series created by Dana Stevens and co-produced by J.J. Abrams' company Bad Robot Productions. The series premiered on April 16, 2006, on ABC, as a midseason replacement and concluded on March 26, 2007...
and My Boys
My Boys
My Boys is an American television sitcom that debuted on November 28, 2006, on TBS. The show deals with a female sports columnist in Chicago, Illinois and the men in her life including her brother and her best friend...
. In 2007, he directed the season 5 premiere of Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, the pilot of Samantha Who?
Samantha Who?
Samantha Who? is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from October 15, 2007 to July 23, 2009. The series was created by Cecelia Ahern and Don Todd, who also served as producers...
(which features his Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
co-star Tim Russ
Tim Russ
Timothy Darrell "Tim" Russ is an American actor, film director, screenwriter and musician. He is known for his roles on Star Trek: Voyager, as Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Samantha Who?, as Frank, and on the Nickelodeon live-action teen sitcom iCarly, as Principal Franklin, a recurring...
) and then signed on as a producer-director of the new NBC show Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
, helming numerous episodes, including the first episode of a TV show to be broadcast entirely in 3D
3D television
A 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
. In 2010, McNeill directed an episode of V
V (2009 TV series)
V is an American science fiction television series that ran for two seasons on ABC, from November 3, 2009 to March 15, 2011. A remake of the 1983 miniseries created by Kenneth Johnson, the new series chronicles the arrival on Earth of a technologically advanced alien species which ostensibly comes...
, an ABC science fiction television series produced by Scott Rosenbaum, a former writer and executive producer on Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
.