Scott Bakula
I've always been a big fan of time travel, and I'm very into the notion that some day we'll be able to do it. Beam me up!Collection: Travel
I am very much against weapons in space. And I wish we could be spearheading that program to come to some kind of international agreement so that doesn't happen. That is my only - fear - in further space exploration like always, we hope it doesn't get abused.Collection: Space
I've always had an affinity for lawyers. My dad is a lawyer. He's retired now. My brother is a lawyer. It's always been easy, the legalese.Collection: Dad
I love 'White Christmas.' That's one of my favorites just because I love the music. I love the story, Bing Crosby. It's just one of my all time favorites. And it's hard to have a Christmas without seeing a little bit of Jimmy Stewart and angels running around town.Collection: Christmas
My oldest son started to like 'South Park' and 'Family Guy,' so we'd watch together so I could spend time with him.
Ideally, people find mates with whom they can express both their masculine and feminine sides.
Well, I'm... first and foremost I'm a theater guy and everything that I know comes from the theater.
'Behind The Candelabra' is an HBO movie. It's the Liberace story. Michael Douglass and Matt Damon. I play a small part in it. I play a choreographer who introduces, brings Matt Damon to Las Vegas for the first time.
I get nervous even guesting on other people's shows.
I was actually cut out of 'L.A. Story'... and rightfully so.
I like pop, rock n' roll, big band, Broadway - I like all those elements.
The biggest challenge for everybody to realize out there is that we're in a very complicated business world and that were all under one umbrella and it's very challenging for everybody to figure out where the priorities lie and where the loyalties lie.
By all standards, except for 'Star Trek' standards, 98 episodes of any television show is a wildly successful run.
I've done great theatre, great films and had a lot of opportunities in television. I also love to sing, and I've been able to do that once or twice in the television shows.
'Certainly Men of a Certain Age' was different for me and allowed people to see me in a different light. Maybe that opened up minds a little bit.
'Quantum Leap' gave me a huge opportunity as an actor. The nature of the role and it's demands allowed people to perceive me as a versatile actor, and the wide success of the show around the planet gave me a certain notoriety that helped me get other work.
For actors, we always feel like there shouldn't be any divide for anybody. The industry is the one that kind of creates the idea that if you're such-and-such an actor, you can't be on the big screen.
I think the challenge in hour television or half-hour television is that the more it's around, certainly on commercial television, the less time you have to tell stories these days, because the more commercials they're putting in.
One of the hardest things to do is to be present and open and clear about who you are and what you stand for. We all have issues with that.
If I can avoid looking at myself, I will. I don't care to examine myself or see much of what I do. I never care how I look.
For a long-running TV show, you're looking for a character who is interesting and vibrant and you can imagine going into all kinds of different areas.
If you're a fan of Shirley MacLaine just like I am, I'd kinda go anywhere to work with her.
After 'Quantum Leap,' a lot of sci-fi things came my way, and I had to say, 'I can't do that right now.'
Sunday night was such a big night for television when I was growing up - you know, 'The Wonderful World of Disney.'
I've shot a lot of places, and I've produced. I always thought, 'Gosh, when you shoot in a big city, it's so difficult.' And New York, I always think, 'Where are you going to park the trucks? How are you going to stop the traffic?'
Liberace was a miracle. You talk about who he was and what he did, and then you look at who he inspired, from Elton John to Cher to Michael Jackson to Bette Midler. There are so many people that came to see him. Elvis was there, watching his shows.
I'd really like to play bad guys or guys that have something a little bit off about them. And I get to do that periodically.
Clive Barker is just genius, and he's incredibly gifted in so many different ways. He can write and direct and paint and do all these different things, and he can do them all extremely well.
I've composed a fair amount in my life, and some of them have made it on to the screen, some compositions that I've done, a few. And I like doing that. I had never really considered doing a full-length thing. I've worked with other people creating full-length pieces.
I've done a lot of work other than sci-fi, and between half-hour comedy, stage, and various movie roles, I've really tried to avoid being typecast.
Years ago, I did a CBS audition. I was nervous. They introduced me as 'Scott Bakoola.' Not a good sign. I also didn't get the show.
My favorite thing about running is running when it's as hot as it can be, which is a little odd.
To be quite honest, I find that it's easier to do parts that are wrapped up in different hair and wardrobe and eras, and different period behavior, than it is to play closer to the present.
The guy that picked me up at the airport in 1985 when I was out in L.A. for my first audition was selling a script. I was a nobody coming off a plane to read for a new show.
I don't think that a company should own a studio and the network, and program for their own network. It hurts the creativity - it is not a level playing field.
I went into show business because I love to work with people, and what I enjoy most about acting is rehearsing and getting to know people and their talents, forming relationships. Working in this business, barriers drop and you get into people real quickly.
On the whole, show business is a hard business in which to be married.
The great thing about show business is that there's no mandatory retirement age.
I was a huge fan of the original 'Star Trek,' and I'd never even dreamed that I would someday be captain of a starship.
I like fantasy. I've always been the kind of kid who likes to dream about other things I could be and exotic situations I could be in.
A lot of people don't know that I'm a singer - that's my thing, really.
You want to try and bring a character to life in an honest a way as you possibly can. It doesn't matter whether he's a doctor, an actor, a car salesman or a captain of a starship. If you can bring truth and honesty to that character, then your audience will believe you.
In the fantasy, sci-fi world, the fans are so discerning and they're so tough and they're so intelligent, and they're so critical.
I'm constantly involved in theater, looking at theater, trying to do work in theater, support theater. And that's kind of my creative passion.
I've always had an affinity for lawyers. My dad is a lawyer. He's retired now. My brother is a lawyer.
And I've always felt comfortable certainly in a courtroom because you're just performing. And there was a time in my life when I thought when I grew up I'd be a trial lawyer myself.
What we are as actors, for better and for worse, is visible.
To do something for other people when they need it most just feels good.
The longest show I've ever done was four and a half years, so I can only imagine what ending an eight year show is like.
The end of shows are a nightmare for everybody because there is so much pressure to satisfy everyone, which of course you can't do.