Don S. Davis

Don Sinclair Davis, Ph.D. (August 4, 1942 – June 29, 2008) was an American character actor,  theatre professor, painter  and captain in the United States Army.

Career
He was perhaps best known for playing General George S. Hammond in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007), and earlier for playing Major Garland Briggs on the television series Twin Peaks (1990–91). In the TV show MacGyver, he was the stunt/photography double for Dana Elcar. He was often mistaken for Elcar, and vice-versa. Davis did appear in two episodes of MacGyver, as a different character each time. His first appearance was as a cement truck driver in the episode "Blow Out", and his second appearance was as the poacher Wyatt Porter in "The Endangered". He also played Dana Scully's father in the series The X-Files. Canadian audiences may also be familiar with Davis thanks to his appearance in one of the famous Heritage Minutes, in which he played an arrogant American gold prospector who pulls a gun on Mountie Sam Steele. He also played the role of the Racine Belles' manager in the movie A League of Their Own. He also had a guest starring role in the pilot episode of the comedy-drama television series Psych, playing the character of Mr. McCallum.

Personal life
Davis was born in Aurora, Missouri, a town in the Ozark Mountains. He earned a B.S. degree in theater and art from Southwest Missouri State College. In 1970 he received a Master's Degree, in Theatre, from the Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a thesis entitled Design and Construction of Stage Settings for Black Comedy and The Two Executioners. He taught for several years before returning to SIU to complete a Ph.D., in Theatre, with a dissertation entitled The Evolution of Scenography in the Western Theater. He began working in the film industry in the 1980s, while teaching at the University of British Columbia. In 1987 he stopped teaching in order to pursue acting full-time.

Not satisfied with just acting, he was also a visual artist, spending most of his free time painting or carving. Davis grew up painting, sculpting and drawing. He continued to pursue these crafts his entire life, supplementing his income with design commissions and art sales.

Davis died on June 29, 2008. The cause of death was reported to be a massive heart attack. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the Davis family requested that donations be made to the American Heart Association in his memory. The writers of Stargate Atlantis paid him homage by mentioning the death of his character in the same manner, even naming a starship after him, in the final episode of Stargate: Atlantis, which aired on January 9, 2009. He was again honored in October 2009, with the appearance of the starship Hammond in the pilot episode of Stargate Universe.

On the DVD commentary track for Stargate SG1 season 6 episode 17 ("Disclosure"), Davis said he once worked carving wooden "cigar store Indians" [sic] that were sold at Silver Dollar City. He also said his PhD is in "dramatic theory and criticism."

Filmography

 * Woodshop (2010) — Principal Jamison
 * Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods - Final Cut (2009) — Maj. Gen. George Hammond (dedicated to Davis)
 * The Uninvited (2009)
 * Wyvern (2008) as the Colonel (dedicated to Davis)
 * Burn Up (2008)
 * Beyond Loch Ness  (2008) — Neil Chapman
 * Far Cry (2008) — General Roderick
 * Stargate: Continuum (2008) — Lt. Gen. George Hammond
 * The Unquiet (2008) — Bud Rollins
 * Flash Gordon (TV series) (2007) — Mr. Mitchell
 * Supernatural (2007) — Trotter
 * Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007) — Maj. Gen./Lt. Gen. George Hammond
 * Psych (2006)
 * The West Wing — Reverend Don Butler
 * G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom (2004) — Wild Bill (voice)
 * Meltdown (2004) — NRC Carl Mansfield
 * Miracle (2004) — Bob Fleming
 * NCIS (2004) — MTAC Control Officer
 * Andromeda (2004) — Avineri
 * Stargate Atlantis (2004) — Maj. Gen. George Hammond
 * Savage Island (2003) — Keith Young
 * G.I. Joe: Spy Troops — The Movie (2003) — Wild Bill (voice)
 * The Twilight Zone (2003) — Dr. Tate
 * The Chris Isaak Show (2002) — Del
 * Just Cause (2002) — Thornton
 * Deadly Little Secrets (2001) — The Chief
 * Hostage Negotiator (2001) — Alexander Daniels
 * The 6th Day (2000) — Cardinal de la Jolla
 * Best in Show (2000) — Mayflower Best in Show Judge Everett Bainbridge
 * Suspicious River (2000) — Golf shirt man
 * Atomic Train (1999) — General Harlan Ford
 * The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1998) — Harbor Dispatcher (uncredited)
 * Con Air (1997) — Man driving Volvo hit by falling body from plane
 * Dad's Week Off (1997) — Hank
 * Viper (1996) — Lloyd
 * Prisoner of Zenda, Inc. (1996) — Colonel Zapf
 * The Fan (1996) — Stook
 * Alaska (1996) — Sergeant Grazer
 * Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996) — Harold Taggart
 * The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky (1995) — Mr. Smith
 * The Outer Limits (1995) — Army General
 * The Outer Limits (1995) — Detective
 * The X-Files (1994) — Captain William Scully
 * Needful Things (1993) — Reverend Willie Rose
 * Cliffhanger (1993) — Stuart
 * Highlander: The Series (1993) — Palance
 * Columbo: A Bird in the Hand (1992) — Bertie
 * A League of Their Own (1992) — Charlie Collins (Racine coach)
 * Hook (1991) — Dr. Fields
 * Mystery Date (1991) - Doheny
 * The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991) — Rodeo announcer
 * Omen IV: The Awakening (1991) — Jake Madison
 * Look Who's Talking Too (1990) — Dr. Fleischer
 * Twin Peaks (1990–91) — Major Garland Briggs
 * Cadence (1990) — Haig
 * Look Who's Talking (1989) — Dr. Fleischer
 * MacGyver (1985–91) — Stunt Double for Dana Elcar
 * Joanie Loves Chachi (1982) — Benny