Paul McGillion explained

Paul McGillion
Birth Date:5 January 1969
Birth Place:Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1994–present
Children:1

Paul McGillion (born January 5, 1969) is a Scottish-Canadian actor, who has worked in television, film and theatre. He is best known for his role on the television series Stargate Atlantis as Dr. Carson Beckett.

Early life

McGillion was born on January 5, 1969[1] in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. His family moved to Canada when he was two years old. McGillion returned to Scotland with his family during his early teens, for a few years, while his father worked on the Shetland oil rigs. He is the sixth of seven children. He has a degree in teaching and while studying at Brock University, was part of their national championship-winning wrestling team. After graduating, McGillion began his career teaching theatre in Toronto, squeezing in time to attend auditions. He finally made the move to Vancouver, where he has worked extensively in film, TV and theatre.[2]

Career

McGillion taught scene study at the Vancouver Film School in 1998 and 1999. McGillion played young Ernest Littlefield in Stargate SG-1s first season, in the episode "The Torment of Tantalus", the first Tau'ri to have passed through the Stargate after its burial. In 2004, McGillion was cast in the science fiction series Stargate Atlantis 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, he was promoted to main character for seasons two and three. Dr. Beckett went back to a recurring character for seasons four and five, where he appears as the clone of the now-deceased Beckett.

McGillion has appeared in films, The Traveler with Val Kilmer, Confined with Emma Caulfield, and The Deal with Christian Slater. And has starred in the 2003 multi-award-winning film See Grace Fly. He stars in the short film A Fine Young Man, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews and won the Leo Awards for Best Short Film and Lead Actor for McGillion.

McGillion expressed great interest in auditioning for the role of Montgomery Scott in the 2009 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," McGillion said. He had the endorsement of Chris Doohan, the son of original Scotty actor James Doohan, to play the role of Scotty in the film.[3] Though the part ultimately went to Simon Pegg, McGillion still appeared in the film in a different role.[4]

McGillion appeared in season 7 on the TV series 24 as Dr. Levinson, a doctor who tried to extract a dangerous pathogen from Jack Bauer's bloodstream.

McGillion appeared as the husband of a dying patient, in a season 3 episode of The Good Doctor.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995data-sort-value="Final Goal, The" The Final GoalJeff Conway
Crying FreemanDetective Andrews
1998SplooshAngusShort film
1999Something MoreAndrew
2000SkullduggeryMarlon Carlson
Dangerous AttractionPhillip Broger
My 5 WivesPaul the Waiter / Danny
2001ReplicantHal the Captain
2002Lonesome JoeCoffee Shop ManShort film
2003data-sort-value="Guy Thing, A" A Guy ThingCurt
See Grace FlyDominic McKinley
2005data-sort-value="Deal, The" The DealRichard Kester
2007data-sort-value="Dog's Breakfast, A" A Dog's BreakfastRyan
2009Star TrekBarracks Leader
2010data-sort-value="Traveler, The" The TravelerDeputy Jerry Pine
ConfinedDetective Chris Cornell
A Fine Young ManMr. GrantShort film
2012Hit 'n StrumChristopher
2013YellowheadInspectorShort film
2015TomorrowlandEnglish Teacher
NumbPete
Mr. Richard FrancisMr. Richard FrancisShort film
2016data-sort-value="Assignment, The" The AssignmentPaul Wincott
Hello DestroyerRon Burr
2017Death NotePrincipal
Bigger Fatter LiarTom Shepherd
HeartbeatsRichard Andrews
Joe Finds GraceGuitar Gene
2018Midnight SunBlake Davis
Before the DayRayShort film
Tom and GrantCop 1Short film
SkyscraperOn Scene Commander
O.I.Det. DirkShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994data-sort-value="Commish, The" The CommishOfficer Lee BurnettEpisode: "Ghost"
1994, 1997data-sort-value="X-Files, The" The X-FilesAgent Comox / Fred NeimanEpisodes: "Duane Barry" & "Small Potatoes"
1995Robin's HoodsGeorge CranshawEpisode: "Rock and a Hard Place"
1996SlidersFirst OfficerEpisode: "Obsession"
Have You Seen My SonMr. McQuinnTV movie
She Woke Up PregnantMarshallTV movie
1997Stargate SG-1Young Ernest LittlefieldEpisode: "The Torment of Tantalus"
NightScreamDeputy NanceTV movie
1998data-sort-value="Sentinel, The" The SentinelBoz TateEpisode: "Love Kills"
Mercy PointPrivate BaneEpisode: "New Arrivals"
First WaveRaphaelEpisode: "Lungfish"
1998, 2002,
2004
Cold SquadConrad / Neil Cranston /
Constable Bacon
4 episodes
1999ViperJohn KaneEpisode: "Seminar from Hell"
data-sort-value="Cooler Climate, A" A Cooler ClimateYoung Police OfficerTV movie
2000Seven DaysBrandonEpisode: "Playmates and Presidents"
Higher GroundEpisode: "Our Strongest Link"
Strange WorldFrankEpisode: "Food"
2001Da Vinci's InquestConstable KozakEpisode: "The Sparkle Tour"
Love and TreasonRichard KeithTV movie
2002Just CauseEarl WenkEpisode: "Code of Silence"
2003SmallvilleLex's LackeyEpisode: "Insurgence"
data-sort-value="Twilight Zone, The" The Twilight ZoneGeorgeEpisode: "It's Still a Good Life"
Jake 2.0Earl WenkEpisode: "The Prince and the Revolution"
Thanksgiving Family ReunionSheriff KirklandTV movie
2004Romeo!The DirectorEpisode: "Hack Came, Hacksaw, Hack Conquered"
NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323JoeTV movie
JackBobTV movie
The LifeJerryTV movie
2004–2009Carson Beckett62 episodes
2006Engaged to KillLester DentonTV movie
2007, 2010SanctuaryTerrance Wexford5 episodes
2008Beyond Loch NessMichael MarshallTV movie
Mom, Dad and HerBenTV movie
200924Dr. LevinsonEpisode: "Day 7: 6:00 a.m.–7:00 a.m."
2009, 2015SupernaturalJim Grossman / Peter HarperEpisodes: "Fallen Idols" & "There's No Place Like Home"
2010VLawrence ParkerEpisode: "Fruition"
ShatteredVictor HugoEpisode: "She Had You Fooled"
A Trace of DangerMikeTV movie
2011EndgameSebastian WilksEpisode: "Deadman Talking"
Against the WallSam BurnsEpisode: "Boys Are Back"
Metal ShiftersSheriffTV movie
Magic Beyond WordsPete RowlingTV movie
Finding a FamilyJim BanteTV movie
Christmas MagicScottTV movie
2012AlcatrazAlan Sylvane Jr.Episode: "Pilot"
True JusticeMagellan / Magellion2 episodes
FringeEdwin MasseyEpisode: "The Recordist"
Once Upon a TimeKnave of Hearts2 episodes
Witchslayer GretlHanselTV movie
2012, 2014R.L. Stine's The Haunting HourDad2 episodes
2013CultGlen NashEpisode: "The Prophecy of St. Clare"
The KillingAndrew ClarkeEpisode: "Eminent Domain"
DeleteRaymond Vince2 episodes
Baby SellersSpecial Agent HolmesTV movie
2014SpooksvilleCommodore WhalepanzEpisode: "Shell Shock"
Signed, Sealed, DeliveredHenry BarrettEpisode: "The Masterpiece"
Far from HomeGraham WestlakeTV movie
2015data-sort-value="Whispers, The" The WhispersPaul WheelerEpisode: "Meltdown"
When Calls the HeartFloyd ConklinEpisode: "Heart and Soul"
All of My HeartChef OliverTV movie
Reluctant WitnessWarren CooperTV movie
Ice Sculpture ChristmasFrank ShawTV movie
2015–2016Girlfriends' Guide to DivorceGil3 episodes
2016Rescue MeLarryTV movie
UnclaimedPeter RitchieTV movie
2018Howard Williams2 episodes
Darrow & DarrowCoach Reed2 episodes
FrontierMajor Vinnicombe3 episodes
Time for Me to Come Home for ChristmasLionelTV movie
2018–2019data-sort-value="Flash, The" The FlashEarl Cox3 episodes
2019UnspeakableJ.C.W. Weber2 episodes
data-sort-value="Good Doctor, The" The Good DoctorLeo AdanEpisode: "Moonshot"
2019–2020Picture Perfect MysteriesNick Carlin3 episodes
2021A Million Little ThingsDr. AntonEpisode: "Not Alone"
Ann Rule's Circle of DeceptionRussell DouglasTV movie
An Unexpected ChristmasTomTV movie
Christmas in TahoeArchie DonaldsonTV movie
2021–2023Firefly LaneBud12 episodes
2022So Help Me ToddTrevor RappEpisode: "Second Second Chance"
2022–2024Family LawChip Crombie6 episodes
2023FargoCaptain Muscavage2 episodes
2025Happy FaceWilliamPost-production

Notes and References

  1. News: Jan. 5 Celebrity Birthdays. Orange County Register. January 5, 2013. January 5, 2024.
  2. Web site: Bio. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131112125937/http://paulmcgillion.com/about/. 2013-11-12. 2020-01-11. Paul McGillion.
  3. Web site: Read. David. 2007-10-01. McGillion up for 'Star Trek' role. 2021-01-11. GateWorld. en-US.
  4. Web site: Read. David. 2007-12-14. McGillion to appear in Star Trek XI. 2021-01-11. GateWorld. en-US.