Robert Picardo, born October 27, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an American actor best known for portraying The Doctor, the Emergency Medical Hologram, in Star Trek: Voyager. He has also starred in China Beach, The Wonder Years, and the Stargate franchise. He will be reprising his role of The Doctor in the upcoming Starfleet Academy show.

     Picardo grew up in Philadelphia and initially pursued pre-medical studies at Yale University before switching to drama. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Drama and trained at the Circle in the Square Professional Theater Workshop in New York City. His early career included Broadway performances, such as Gemini (1977) and Tribute (1978).

      His television career began with guest roles in Kojak, Taxi, and Alice. He gained recognition as Coach Cutlip in The Wonder Years (1988–1991) and Dr. Dick Richard in China Beach (1988–1991). In 1995, he was cast as The Doctor, a holographic physician, in Voyager, a role he played for seven seasons. He later reprised the character in Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Lower Decks (2023).

      Beyond Star Trek, Picardo starred as Richard Woolsey in Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. He has also appeared in Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Small Soldiers, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action. He is an accomplished singer, incorporating music into his Star Trek performances.

     Picardo was married to Linda Pawlik (1984–2014) and has two children. He is a board member of The Planetary Society, advocating for space exploration.