how would you rate him? why didnt he quite make it?

Because he didn't want to.

who as an actor doesnt want to make it big in movies? its why you become an actor in the first place. I very much doubt RDA dreamt with becoming a tv actor solely

has he done any theatre?

He either didn't want to make it, and was happy where he was.

Or he did want to make it, and didn't try hard enough, which doesn't sound like RDA.

OR and this is what I think, he did want to make it, but the birth of his daughter changed that. She came before anything and everything else.

You couldn't be more wrong. The actors who become famous do it because they enjoy acting so much; and because they enjoy it they are good at it and so get hired more.

Also I think as a general rule TV actors don't (or didn't back in the 80's and 90's switch domains (from TV <> movie)

I think RDA wanted to do his own thing. After MacGyver he created his own western series (Legend) and then went on to StarGate which he stuck with because he enjoyed it.

So really to answer the question I think he didn't go to movies because he didn't want to.

Also TV series is a more consistent income, rather than a one off payment for 6 months of work and then nothing.

There's probably another very dominant reason RDA never went for movies. He doesn't like the attention. He's very private. Being in movies would make privacy pretty hard to get. He had enough trouble with it from MacGyver and SG:1.

Perhaps I didnt word it the best way or the most accurate way compared to what I was thinking. I think most actors dont consider tv as their only objective of their careers. Id be hard pressed to think of any well known actor who didnt want to have a bigger career in movies, unless it was a theater actor.

wait, legend? what is this? never heard before about it, its easily "getable"? any good?

I dont buy this at all. Every actor wants a crack at the movies, hollywood or independent filmmaking, unless hes a theater actor, which I dont think its RDA case.

to be honest tv nowadays gets more exposure than almost any movie.

Im not really convinced by your answer not that you had to convince me, dont get me wrong. For me still remains strange how few attempts he had at films

You don't buy it, that's fine, the reason stays the same: He didn't want to.

The gap between tv-actors and movie actors was very big during the '90s. You were either one or the other. Tom Selleck never made big movies after Magnum PI, Lucy Lawless never did anything after Xena Warrior Princess and mainly because of the same reason as RDA did. She didn't want to even though she is married to the show's producer. She can easily get big roles in movies but she doesn't want to, besides she has children to take care for just like RDA has.

Not everyone has the same dream as George Clooney and Will Smith to make it from TV to movies.

Just a little something RDA made on his own. 1 season only. Never saw it on dvd though.

Not everyone but is there any factual evidence for your categorical opening? I mean has he said that he definitely wasnt interested in movies?

Selleck definitely tried to have a career in movies. He was a failure because he isnt a good actor, but made plenty of attempts, and some pretty decent movies like Runaway. Lawless.. Im not sure. I ve been watching her in spartacus and shes a good actress, I seem to recall seeing her in a couple of famous movies, but I could be wrong.

Thanks, a friend lent me a copy of the pilot and the first episode, will give it a watch. Sounds very unusual

Here's a little comment from a question and answer season RDA did at the 2008 GateCon. It lends evidence to the fact that he has always done the work he wanted to do and ergo didn't do movies because he didn't want to.

interesting, he seems to be more comfortable outside the limelight, though I dont get how this fits with making hugely popular series like SG-1 or Mac, but yes he doesnt sound like he has any regrets. Good for him.

On another note, and linking up with that last quote, how do you think he'd fared in a sitcom? I reckon he'd been pretty good. His comedic timing, perhaps the most difficult thing to get about humour, is spot on. also unlike many other supposedly funny actors, he does seem to have his own brand of personal humour. I hate when people have a cliched sense of humour that goes into all the common places and jokes. Either you have your own sense of humour or you dont have it, but dont go around copying others.

Take a look at this interview with RDA. Towards the end of it they talk about this exact situation and you get quite a good insight into his approach and attitude about acting and fame.

nice , thanks

how about RDA as comedian, how do you see this Kiwi?