From: mcohen@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: Patrick Stewart's messages from Prodigy
Organization: Clark University
Date: 23 JAN 93 19:09:19 GMT

Patrick Stewart answered a few notes on Prodigy recently.
As with Avery Brooks, only a few were answered, and gave
no great insight to TNG.  A few interesting items.  No major
spoilers.  Enjoy.
============================================

PRODIGY(R) interactive personal service         01/22/93         8:13 PM
SUBJECT: "PATRICK INFLUENCES"

Gerry,
The biggest influence initially was a teacher named Ruth
Wynn Owen, who worked with me from the ages of 12 to 17. She
was the first person to introduce me to Shakespeare. The
next influence was the director of my training school,
Duncan Ross. Then, in 1966, I was very fortunate to join the
Royal Shakespeare Company, working for John Barton, the
director. He was a big influence.
As for who have I admired? The first names that come to mind
are several classical English actors--David Warner, with
whom I did an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ian
Holm and Ian Richardson.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON BARD"

Kate,
You asked me to recommend a Shakespeare book or poem.
I chose A Midsummer's Night Dream, because a 15 year old
will very readily identify with the four young lovers in the
play, with their particular predictament, and through the
experience of the lovers you will have an understanding of
some of the adults in the play. And at 15, you're still
close enough to Fairyland to have an appreciation of that
aspect of the play.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON CLINTON"

Jeffrey,
What advice would I give to President Clinton?
I would tell him to follow his own personal instincts and
the instructions of his heart. The presidency is made by
what an individual brings to it. I don't believe in a
committee presidency.
I have great confidence in this man, which I think will be
satisfied, if he goes his own way.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON DS9"

Chris,
I think Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is superb. I like the
complexity of it's cental characters and the uncompromising
nature of the relationships shown in the pilot. I enjoyed
the humor in it too. As far as future DS9 appearances by
Capt. Picard, all I can tell you is that the Enterprise will
visit Deep Space Nine again, but that's on an upcoming
TNG episode instead of DS9.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON HISTORY"

Virginia,
You asked whether I enjoyed history and classic literature
as much as Capt. Picard. Unquestionably.
I came quite late to the classics, but my major hobby is
reading modern literature. In terms of drama, I try to see
as much classical drama as possible in Los Angeles.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON PICARD"

Craig,
The question was whether I and Capt. Picard are alike.
Unquestionably.
He reflects a great deal of me. It's quite difficult to
define where he begins and where he leaves off. The
foundation was laid down by Gene Roddenberry in the pilot
episode. But since then, a lot of Patrick Stewart's own
ideas, beliefs and philosophies have been incorporated into
the role. For instance, I beliebe in diplomacy and
negotiations, I'm opposed to violence whenever possible and
I share Picard's determination to see all creatures as
equals.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON PLAYS"

Brent,
For my next theatrical project, I am preparing to re-direct
production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a play by Tom
Stoppard, with music by Andre Previn. We did it last year
with the Orange County Symphony Orchestra. We plan to do the
production later this year with the Chicago, Minneapolis and
Atlanta symphony orchestras. I play a character named The
Doctor, a senior physician in a Soviet Union mental
hospital, which contains lunatics and dissidents who are
prisoners. The Doctor tries to cure not only one man's
mental illness but another man's political beliefs. It's a
critical satire on the abuse of psyciatric medicine in the
Soviet Union.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON ROLES"

Debbie,
I have two favorite roles. First up would be Leontes from
The Winter's Tale by Shakespeare; the other would be George
from Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON TNG"

Barbara,
I'm currently in negotiations with the studio for a seventh
season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as are every
other member of the cast.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON TNG"

Ben,
I have no knowledge of any plans to cancel Star Trek: The
Next Generation, nor do I have any knowledge of firm plans
for TNG movies in the immediate future. Because the original
cast made movies, everyone has assumed we will do the same,
but so far, no formal negotiations have ever been initiated.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON UNIFORM"

Jeff,
You asked about why Picard always tugs at his uniform when
he stands up. I call it "The Picard Manuever."
In the first two seasons, we wore one piece spandex
uniforms, and there was a problem. When we sat down, they
wrinkled in front, and the producers wanted a rumple free
group of officers. The only way to smooth it was to tug
at the uniform when we stood up. I developed a way of doing
this, it caught on, and other members of the cast picked it
up.

SUBJECT: "PATRICK ON USA"

Janice,
You asked about my forthcoming USA Cable TV movie Death
Train.
The film concerns three members of a fictious United Nations
anti-crime organization called UNARCO. I play the director
of this group. Death Train is a nail biting story about a
renegade Russian general who is unhappy with detente in
Europe, and seeks to set up a situation whereby the hawks
gain control again. We filmed it in Coratia, right in the
middle of U.N. operations, last May.
The film was extraordinary good fun to make.

Patrick Stewart



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