Difference between revisions of "Jonathan Frakes"

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[[Image:Frakes.JPG|thumb|360px|Jonathan Frakes]]
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[[Image:JonathanFrakes.png|thumb|360px|Jonathan Frakes]]
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[[Image:Frakes3000.PNG|thumb|250px|Jonathan Frakes in the year 3000.]]
  
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'''Jonathan Frakes''' - Voice Actor for [[David Xanatos]].
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'''Jonathan Frakes''' is the voice actor who played [[David Xanatos]] on ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]''.
  
 
==Biography==
 
==Biography==
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Jonathan Frakes is best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in the television series ''[[Star Trek]]: The Next Generation''.  Early in his acting career, he became a member of The Impossible Ragtime Theater in [[New York City]] and did his first off-Broadway acting in Eugene O'Neill's ''The Hairy Ape''.  His first Broadway appearance was in ''Shenandoah''. At the same time, he landed a role in the NBC soap opera, ''The Doctors''.  When his character was dismissed from the soap, Frakes moved to Los Angeles, California and played guest spots in many of the top television shows of the 1970s and 1980s, including ''The Waltons'' and Steven Bochco's ''Hill Street Blues''.  He had recurring roles in ''Falcon Crest'' and the miniseries ''North and South'', where he played Stanley Hazard of Hazard Iron, a weak man easily manipulated by his mother and wife, a character in stark contrast to the strong Commander Riker role from ''Star Trek''.
  
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Jonathan Frakes was born August 19, 1952, in the small town of Bellefonte, in central Pennsylvania. His father, James, and his mother, Doris, soon moved with Jonathan and his younger brother Daniel to Bethlehem, in eastern Pennsylvania. There Dr. Frakes taught English at Lehigh University, where he held the Fairchild chair in American Literature until his death in 2002. While growing up, Jonathan was introduced to jazz by his father, and started playing the trombone when he was in fourth grade. As a child Jonathan was always friendly, funny and somewhat of an actor, according to a childhood friend.
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He has done animation voice acting, most notably voicing the recurring role of David Xanatos in the television series, ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]'', and he provided the voice of his own head in a jar in the ''Futurama'' episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before". He hosted ''Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction'' and had a small, uncredited role in the 1994 movie, ''Camp Nowhere''. Frakes also played the part of Charles Lindbergh in a 1983 episode of ''Voyagers!'' titled "An Arrow Pointing East".
  
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In high school he played in the band and ran track. He graduated from Liberty High in Bethlehem in 1970. The day after he graduated he started classes at Pennsylvania State University, enrolling as a psychology major. The next summer he worked as an usher for the local theater, and observed his peers thoroughly enjoying acting. He was motivated to switch his major to theater arts, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1974. He then moved to Boston to attain his masters degree from Harvard University by 1976.
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Frakes is also the only ''Star Trek'' regular besides Majel Barrett to appear on four different ''Star Trek'' series (''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', ''Star Trek: Voyager'', and ''Star Trek: Enterprise''). He has directed episodes in three of them (''The Next Generation'', ''Deep Space Nine'', and ''Voyager'') and was a popular and innovative director on the ''Star Trek'' set, often finding completely new ways to shoot the show's familiar sets.
  
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At this point he decided to move to New York City and try to make it as an actor. The roles didn't come easy, so he had to take side jobs, such as a waiter, a furniture mover (where he injured up his back), and a stint as Captain America for Marvel Comics. Meanwhile, he won roles in the Broadway musical "Shenandoah" and on the soap opera "The Doctors" (1969) as Vietnam vet Tom Carroll from 1977 to 1978.
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His talents are not limited to the acting arts. Frakes appears on the Phish album, ''Hoist'', playing trombone on "Riker's Mailbox". Indeed, Frakes occasionally performed on the trombone during his tenure as Commander Riker.
  
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At his agent's urging, Jonathan moved to Los Angeles in late 1978 to try his hand at television guest appearances. He guest-starred on several of the big primetime shows of the time, including "Charlie's Angels" (1976), "Fantasy Island" (1978), "Barnaby Jones" (1973), _"Quincy" (1976)_ , "Highway to Heaven" (1984), "The Waltons" (1972) and "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979).
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Frakes married soap opera actress Genie Francis on May 28, 1988. They live in Maine with their son, Jameson Ivor, born in 1994, and daughter, Elizabeth Francis, born in 1997. Frakes works with The Workshops, The Waterfall Arts Center, and The Saltwater Film Society, all located in Maine, where he teaches classes on film direction. He co-owns a home furnishings store with his wife in Belfast, Maine, called The Cherished Home.
  
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During the 1980s Jonathan landed a starring role in a prime-time soap opera, "Bare Essence" (1983), which had spun off a successful miniseries of the same name. The show didn't take off with the viewers, however, and was soon canceled. He went back to guest appearances for two more years, until he got the part of Stanley Hazard in the Civil War epic "North and South" (1985) (mini). After spending more than six months filming all over the southern United States, he and his co-star, Genie Francis, fell in love (he had met her three years before when they co-starred in "Bare Essence"). During that time he and Genie didn't have much to do with each other, other than his making fun of her hair, according to her. Three years later, however, they were an item.
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==Roles on ''Gargoyles''==
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*[[David Xanatos]]
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In early 1987 Jonathan went to an audition for a new television series at the urging of his soon-to-be wife and her family. After six weeks, and seven auditions, he won the role that would bring him worldwide fame: that of Cmdr. William Riker on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987). It was at this time he and Genie announced their engagement. They would have to postpone their wedding twice because of his job, but were finally married in the first-season hiatus on May 28, 1988. All of his new co-stars attended the wedding, along with "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. During the seven years Frakes starred on ST: TNG, he not only acted but discovered that he had a talent for directing. He helmed eight episodes in all, and was invited to direct on the Next Generation spin-offs, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993) and "Star Trek: Voyager" (1995).
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*[[Coyote (robot)|Coyote]]
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*[[Alexander Fox Xanatos|Alexander Fox]] ''([[Future Tense|"Future Tense"]])''
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The day after his 42nd birthday, on August 20, his son, Jameson Ivor Frakes was born. Jameson is named after both his grandfathers, the late James Frakes, and the late actor Ivor Francis, Genie's father. During this time Jonathan actually turned down work, preferring to stay at home and raise his son with his wife. For the next two years, he did a few guest appearances on television.
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*[[Fang]] ''([[Metamorphosis|"Metamorphosis"]])'' [http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?rid=97]
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*[[Xanatos Computer Program]]
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*[[Xanatos Program]]
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*Himself (Behind the scenes featurette of the VHS ''[[Gargoyles The Movie: The Heroes Awaken]]''.)
  
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In 1996 it was announced that he was to be the director of the next Star Trek film, Star Trek: First Contact (1996). He received critical praise for his work on the film, and it became the highest-grossing entry of the franchise to date. He formed a production company, Goepp Circle Productions, named after the street he lived on in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Just two days after his ninth wedding anniversary in 1997, Elizabeth Francis Frakes was born. Sadly, just two weeks prior, Jonathan's brother, Daniel, passed away from pancreatic cancer.
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==See Also==
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*{{wikipedia|Jonathan_Frakes}}
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In 1998 he was asked to direct the ninth Star Trek film, Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). Following mixed reviews for this film, he continued to direct in movies and television, act in a few non-Star Trek roles, and starred in the tenth Star Trek film, Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).
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*{{imdb|0000408}}
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Jonathan's impressive filmography can be seen at [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000408// his IMDB listing].
 
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==Roles on "Gargoyles"==
 
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*David Xanatos
 
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*[[Coyote (robot)|Coyote]]
 
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*[[Xanatos, Alexander Fox|Alexander Fox Xanatos]]
 
  
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[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
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[[Category:Voice Actors|Frakes, Jonathan]]
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[[Category:Voice Actors]]
 

Latest revision as of 08:33, 2 September 2024

Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes in the year 3000.

Jonathan Frakes is the voice actor who played David Xanatos on Gargoyles.

Biography

Jonathan Frakes is best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Early in his acting career, he became a member of The Impossible Ragtime Theater in New York City and did his first off-Broadway acting in Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape. His first Broadway appearance was in Shenandoah. At the same time, he landed a role in the NBC soap opera, The Doctors. When his character was dismissed from the soap, Frakes moved to Los Angeles, California and played guest spots in many of the top television shows of the 1970s and 1980s, including The Waltons and Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues. He had recurring roles in Falcon Crest and the miniseries North and South, where he played Stanley Hazard of Hazard Iron, a weak man easily manipulated by his mother and wife, a character in stark contrast to the strong Commander Riker role from Star Trek.

He has done animation voice acting, most notably voicing the recurring role of David Xanatos in the television series, Gargoyles, and he provided the voice of his own head in a jar in the Futurama episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before". He hosted Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction and had a small, uncredited role in the 1994 movie, Camp Nowhere. Frakes also played the part of Charles Lindbergh in a 1983 episode of Voyagers! titled "An Arrow Pointing East".

Frakes is also the only Star Trek regular besides Majel Barrett to appear on four different Star Trek series (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise). He has directed episodes in three of them (The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager) and was a popular and innovative director on the Star Trek set, often finding completely new ways to shoot the show's familiar sets.

His talents are not limited to the acting arts. Frakes appears on the Phish album, Hoist, playing trombone on "Riker's Mailbox". Indeed, Frakes occasionally performed on the trombone during his tenure as Commander Riker.

Frakes married soap opera actress Genie Francis on May 28, 1988. They live in Maine with their son, Jameson Ivor, born in 1994, and daughter, Elizabeth Francis, born in 1997. Frakes works with The Workshops, The Waterfall Arts Center, and The Saltwater Film Society, all located in Maine, where he teaches classes on film direction. He co-owns a home furnishings store with his wife in Belfast, Maine, called The Cherished Home.

Roles on Gargoyles

See Also

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