O Captain! My Captain! Remembering the Performing Legacy of Sir Patrick Stewart
Every single day, no matter how early I have to get up, I begin with a cup of tea and a book, not a script, not emails, a book.
From the Shakespearean Stage to the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, very few actors have enjoyed the epic career of the late Sir Patrick Stewart, who passed away on Oct 28, 2026.
Born on July 13, 1940, in Yorkshire, a rural and industrial region of northern England, Stewart overcame an impoverished and difficult early life with an abusive father. Stewart would study acting after a short career as a journalist, eventually earning a place in the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company. Stewart excelled on stage in roles ranging from the wise Eunobarbus in the tragic Antony and Cleopatra to Oberon, King of the Fairies, in the comedic play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
But the actor was best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on seven seasons of television’s Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), followed by four feature-length Star Trek films. Stewart brought a distinguished and dignified presence to the role, which was very different from William Shatner’s Captain Kirk on the original Star Trek series. Stewart’s Picard had a strong sense of ethics but was a maverick, breaking away from following Starfleet directives to do the right thing in galactic plotlines. Stewart’s charismatic presence on the bridge of the Enterprise was best captured in episodes such as "The Best of Both Worlds," in which Picard was captured and assimilated by the machine-like menace known as the Borg, and Chain of Command, in which Picard endured systematic torture designed to break his spirit.
Stewart’s charisma as Captain Picard earned him the title of the Sexiest Man on Television by readers of TV Guide in 1992.
Stewart would bring the same charisma and distinguished presence to the role of Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the mutant superhero team the X-Men in film adaptations of the popular Marvel graphic novel series.
Formerly knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, Stewart delighted Star Trek fans by arranging for the Queen herself to wield a Klingon sword (known as a bat’leth in Star Trek lore) at his knighting ceremony.
Stewart’s presence shines in virtually every role he tackled, and here are some of the actor’s best works found in the LAPL catalog.
