Don S. Davis: 1942-2008

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For those of you who do not know :( :( :(

With great sadness we must report that veteran actor Don S. Davis passed away on June 29, 2008. He was 65 years old.

Don co-starred on Stargate SG-1 for the show's first seven years, helping to launch the enduring science fiction franchise. Davis played Major General George Hammond, base commander and a father figure to many of the show's characters.

He is also well-known for his portrayal of Major Garland Briggs in Twin Peaks.

Off-screen, Don was beloved by the show's cast and crew. He departed the show in 2003 due to a medical condition that restricted his workload, but returned for several guest appearances on SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis in the following years. Don worked hard to improve his health, and continued to work both on screen and off until his death.

The following message was provided by Don's representative and his wife, Ruby Fleming-Davis:

Dear Fans and Friends of Don S. Davis,

So many of you have been touched by not only the work and art of Don S. Davis, but by the man himself, who always took the time to be with you at the appearances he loved, that it is with a tremendous sense of loss I must share with you that Don passed away from a massive heart attack on Sunday morning, June 29th.

On behalf of his family and wife, Ruby, we thank you for your prayers and condolences. A family memorial where Don's ashes will be scattered in the ocean will take place in a few weeks, and should you wish to, please make a donation to the American Heart Association in Don's memory.

Born August 4, 1942 in Aurora, Missouri and raised there, Don received a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in theater and art from Southwest Missouri State College in 1965. He then served three years on active duty in the United States Army, entering as a Second Lieutenant. He rose to the rank of Captain and was stationed in Korea before completing his required tour of active duty.

Upon leaving the army, Don began working toward a Master's degree in theater at Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale, Illinois, and received his Master's degree in 1970. He taught at the University of British Columbia for a decade before returning to SIU to complete his coursework for a PhD in theater, receiving the degree in 1982.

Don's list of film and television credits is lengthy, dating back to 1982. He met Stargate co-star Richard Dean Anderson on the set of MacGyver, where Don worked as a stunt double for actor Dana Elcar.

When production on Stargate SG-1 began in 1997, the producers tapped Davis to play the base commander -- originally written to be a by-the-book antagonist, but quickly softened by Don's own personality and experience.

In 2003 Don married his soul mate and the great love of his life, Ruby Fleming-Davis. The two have resided in British Columbia with their three dogs, Teto, Ming and Charley.

Don's off-screen career as an artist blossomed especially in the years since he left Stargate. A look at his Web site, DonSDavisArt.com, reveals his tremendous gifts in painting, drawing, and woodcarving.

Don's final Stargate appearance is in Stargate: Continuum, the SG-1 DVD movie that will be released July 29 in North America and August 18 in the United Kingdom. He will also appear in the forthcoming films "Vipers," "Woodshop," and "Far Cry," according to the Internet Movie Database.

Many fans of Don's work have had the opportunity to meet him in person, as he was also a regular face at fan conventions around the world. Fans learned that behind General Hammond was a Southern gentleman with a big heart, a no-nonsense attitude, and all the love and respect one could imagine.

GateWorld's editors visited with Don in 2006, where he talked at length about his career, his time on Stargate, and his feelings about his fellow cast members. That two-part video interview, "Intimate Portrait," may be found in the Interviews archive.

Services for Don S. Davis will be small and private, in both Vancouver and Los Angeles. His Web sites will be updated this week, and his obituary has been published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association in Don's memory.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN GENERAL HAMMOND!!

:(
 
Sad, I enjoyed his acting. Didn't think he was that old though.

Fly free Don.
 
Just watched a episode of SG-1 and saw him, I felt really sad, knowing that, he will never appear in another episode of any form of Stargate again... I mean, I can't remember a episode when he wasn't in it... sucks in every form! :(
 
"I've never met anyone who liked doing what they do more
than you. And you were good at it -- great."

Jack O'Neill to George Hammond, "Chain Reaction"​

All Stargate fans, came to know Don Davis as Major General George Hammond, the leader and father figure to SG-1 and Stargate Command. While the SG-1 team got all the storylines and fan attention, Don reported for duty each day to put in a steady and vital performance as the General -- the man who sent good people on dangerous missions, always wishing that he himself did not have to stay behind.

In celebration of the life and work of Don S. Davis, we present our favorite General Hammond moments from more than a decade of Stargate history:

#12 - PRISONERS
SG-1 Season Two, Episode 3
When SG-1 is banished to a prison planet by an alien race, Hammond himself travels to the judgment planet to plea the case of his people and try to bring them home.

#11 - POINT OF VIEW
SG-1 Season Three, Episode 6
After Carter and Kawalsky arrive from an alternate reality, General Hammond sends the team through the quantum mirror to save another Earth from the Goa'uld. There they find Hammond himself, tortured by Apophis -- but revived by the Asgard. Sam gives him a hug and a kiss upon his miraculous return.

#10 - PROMETHEUS UNBOUND
SG-1 Season Eight, Episode 12
Commanding the Prometheus on a trip to Atlantis, Hammond and his crew find themselves stuck on a crippled Goa'uld ship when the Earth cruiser is hijacked. The General transports to a cargo ship with almost no life support, risking his life to retrieve the control crystals they need to get home.

#9 - 200
SG-1 Season Ten, Episode 6
A puppet General Hammond assembles a crack team of specialists in the hilarious marionette spoof of Stargate SG-1, celebrating the show's two hundredth episode.

#8 - UPGRADES
SG-1 Season Four, Episode 3
The General must deal with a difficult situation when a Tok'ra experiment gives Jack, Sam, and Daniel superpowers. Best line: "Jack, get the hell out of my office!"

#7 - MENACE
SG-1 Season Five, Episode 19
General Hammond joins SG-1 in defending the base when it is overrun by Replicators. Coolest moment: Hammond and Carter access and defend the base's self-destruct mechanism.

#6 - DISCLOSURE
SG-1 Season Six, Episode 17
The U.S. government decides to reveal the existence of the Stargate program to Britain, France, and China, and it's up to Hammond and Major Davis to conduct the highly charged meeting. Best moment: Hammond has a little grey ace up his sleeve.

#5 - CHAIN REACTION
SG-1 Season Four, Episode 15
Blackmailed by the N.I.D., Hammond must resign his command. Jack visits the General to learn the truth, giving us our first (and only) look at Hammond's home and two grandchildren, Tessa and Keyla. We also see what a man of integrity is willing to do to protect his loved-ones.

#4 - LOST CITY, PART 2
SG-1 Season Seven, Episode 22
Hammond to the rescue! As SG-1 and Bra'tac try and access the Ancient outpost in Antarctica, Hammond (recently relieved of duty at the S.G.C.) takes command of the Prometheus and engages Anubis's attack fleet.

#3 - 48 HOURS
SG-1 Season Five, Episode 14
Teal'c is stuck in the Stargate, and dialing out will kill him -- but his superiors have ordered Hammond to resume normal operations anyway. He tells Carter, "My only other choice is to resign. If I resign now, I will have no control over who will be running this facility an hour from now. Is that enough time?" Hammond is willing to sacrifice his career for even a chance at saving Teal'c, showing exactly what he is made of.

#2 - HEROES, PART 2
SG-1 Season Seven, Episode 18
The S.G.C. experiences a very personal loss when Dr. Janet Fraiser is killed in the line of duty. Their leader reflects on the dangers of the job, and the difficulty of sending good people into the line of fire. This quiet and emotional performance is truly one of Don Davis's best.

#1 - INTO THE FIRE
SG-1 Season Three, Episode 1
"Yee-hawww!" After SG-1 goes missing and Teal'c returns home, Hammond appeals to his superiors for the resources to mount a full-scale rescue op ... and is denied. Dedicated to rescuing the team, Hammond visits Chulak to get help from Teal'c and the Jaffa, flying into battle to save SG-1 from Hathor.
 
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