So Say We All

by Mark A. Altman

  And more than anything, it’s that—speaking to all of those people—which has been the highlight of cowriting So Say We All with Mark A. Altman. Engaging in hour upon hour of conversation, gradually piecing the story together, and coming away from it all with not only a greater appreciation for the show, but a true understanding that when everyone who worked on it refers to each other as a family, you absolutely believe it.

  Prior to this we’ve written three oral histories: the two volumes of The Fifty-Year Mission, which chronicle the first half century of Star Trek, and Slayers & Vampires, which takes on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that there was something extra special about this book, the enthusiastic cooperation of everyone we reached out to bringing us into the fold in a way that the others haven’t quite done. We’ve relived the entire journey in a way that few outsiders have, feeling as though we’ve stepped onto the CIC of the battlestar Galactica, fought for survival on Caprica and against Cylon occupation on New Caprica, experienced the sense of hopelessness upon discovering the nuclear wasteland that was Earth, fearing the loss of everything as mutiny threatened to tear the remnants of society apart, and, of course, settling on a new Earth to begin the saga anew.

  It’s been one frak of a journey and we’d be happy to do it all over again.

  So say we both.

  October 11, 2017

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  FÉLIX ENRIQUEZ ALCALÁ is a director who has worked on such series as ER, The Good Wife, Agent X, The Defenders, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  PETER ANDERSON is a visual effects cinematographer and supervisor who helped create the theme park attractions King Kong 360 3-D, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time, and Captain Eo. He was awarded an honorary Oscar for his technological contributions to the industry. In addition, he was visual effects supervisor for Cosmos and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  MICHAEL ANGELI is a writer/producer who worked on such series as Monk and Touching Evil, and was co–executive producer of Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JAMIE BAMBER is an actor. He played Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  DONALD BELLISARIO is a writer/producer/director who created such hit TV series as Quantum Leap, JAG, and NCIS. He is a former supervising producer of the original Battlestar Galactica.

  DIRK BENEDICT is an actor. He played Lieutenant Starbuck on the original Battlestar Galactica. He also starred as Face on NBC’s hit series The A-Team.

  PETER BERKOS is a sound effects editor whose work includes Slap Shot, Car Wars, The Hindenburg (1975), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  BRANNON BRAGA is a writer/producer for television and films who was an executive producer of Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise. He is currently executive producer of The Orville. Along with Ronald D. Moore, Braga wrote the screenplays to Star Trek: Generations and First Contact.

  JAMES CALLIS is the actor who played Gaius Baltar in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JIM CARLSON was a story editor on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  TERRY CARTER is an actor and documentarian, best known for his roles as Sergeant Joe Broadhurst on McCloud and as Colonel Tigh on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  ERIC CHU is an art director at Enigma Studios who worked on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  ALLAN COLE is an author, journalist, and television writer who was a story editor on Galactica 1980 and wrote for such series as Quincy, M.E., The Rockford Files, The Incredible Hulk, and Werewolf. He is also author of the bestselling Sten sci-fi novels.

  JOHN COLICOS was an actor best known for playing Count Baltar in Battlestar Galactica. He also played Kor in Star Trek and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

  RICHARD COLLA was the director of the Battlestar Galactica three-hour premiere, “Saga of a Star World.” He also directed The Questor Tapes for Gene Roddenberry.

  STEVEN E. DE SOUZA is a writer/producer/director who wrote some of the most successful action films of all time, including 48 Hours, Commando, Die Hard, and Judge Dredd. While a story editor at Universal Television, he worked for producer Glen Larson on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

  TOM DESANTO is a producer of such films as Transformers and X-Men. He developed an unproduced Battlestar Galactica TV series for the Fox network to have been directed by Bryan Singer.

  JEAN-PIERRE DORLEAC was an Emmy Award–winning costume designer whose films and television series include Somewhere in Time, The Blue Lagoon, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Quantum Leap, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  AARON DOUGLAS is the actor who played Chief Galen Tyrol in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  ROBYN DOUGLASS is an actress who starred in Breaking Away and played Jamie Hamilton in Galactica 1980.

  JOHN DYKSTRA is a legendary special effects artist and recipient of three Academy Awards. He is well known for his groundbreaking visual effects work on Star Wars. He later founded his own visual effects company, Apogee, which worked on Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the original Battlestar Galactica, for which he was also a producer.

  RICHARD EDLUND is a visual effects supervisor and cameraman who worked with John Dykstra on Star Wars and the original Battlestar Galactica before starting his own visual effects company, Boss Films, whose credits include Big Trouble in Little China, Die Hard, Ghostbusters, and Air Force One.

  VINCE EDWARDS was an actor and director who played Ben Casey on the TV series of the same name before becoming a television director for such series as Police Story, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy, the original Battlestar Galactica, and Galactica 1980.

  DAVID EICK is a former television executive and writer/producer for such series as the NBC remake of The Bionic Woman and TNT’s Falling Skies. He was executive producer and cocreator of Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JANE ESPENSON is a writer/producer who has worked on numerous TV series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Battlestar Galactica (2004), and was an executive producer on Caprica.

  ROBERT FEERO was an actor best known for his work on THX 1138 and Fade to Black. He played a Borellian Nomen, Bora, in two episodes of the original Battlestar Galactica.

  DOROTHY FONTANA is a writer/producer who was story editor on the original Star Trek TV series.

  JONATHAN FRAKES is an actor/director who played Commander William Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and was the director of Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection. He also was executive producer of Roswell.

  HARVEY FRAND was the line producer of Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JEFF FREILICH is a writer/producer who has worked on such series as The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team, and Halt and Catch Fire. He was a producer of Galactica 1980.

  BRYAN FULLER is a writer/producer in television, and the creator of such critically acclaimed series as Dead Like Me, Hannibal, Pushing Daisies, American Gods, and Star Trek: Discovery.

  MIKE GIBSON is a visual effects artist who was visual effects producer on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JACK GILL has been a stunt coordinator for numerous films and TV series, including Furious 7 and The Hangover Part III, as well as Knight Rider. He was a stunt double on the original Battlestar Galactica and on Galactica 1980.

  TONI GRAPHIA is a Peabody Award–winning writer/producer who has worked on such series as Grey’s Anatomy, Alcatraz, Roswell, Outlander, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  LORNE GREENE was an actor who starred as Ben Cartwright on Bonanza, in such films as Earthquake and Nevada Smith, and as John Reynolds on the hit ABC miniseries Roots. He played Commander Adama on the original Battlestar Galactica and on Galactica 1980.

  MARC GUGGENHEIM is a comic book writer and television showrunner who is the cocreator and executive producer of such series as Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. In addition to writing numerous comic books, he wrote the Galactica 1980 miniseries for Dynamite.

  RICHARD HATCH was an actor who starred as Captain A
pollo on the original Battlestar Galactica and Tom Zarek on Battlestar Galactica (2004). He also produced and starred in the fan film Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming.

  NOAH HATHAWAY is an actor who starred in The Neverending Story and played Boxey in the original Battlestar Galactica.

  TRICIA HELFER is an actress and model who starred as Number Six in Battlestar Galactica (2004). She currently stars on Lucifer for Fox.

  MICHAEL HOGAN is the actor who played Colonel Saul Tigh in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  ROD HOLCOMB is a director who has worked on such series as The Six Million Dollar Man, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero, ER, Wiseguy, Agent X, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  RICHARD HUDOLIN has been a production designer for such series as Stargate SG-1, Arrow, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  GARY HUTZEL was the visual effects supervisor for Battlestar Galactica (2004). Previously, he oversaw the visual effects for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, as well as Defiance.

  ALEX HYDE-WHITE is the actor who played Mr. Fantastic in Roger Corman’s infamous Fantastic Four movie. He is the son of actor Wilfrid Hyde-White and starred in such films and TV shows as Pretty Woman, Game Change, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  RICHARD JAMES is a production designer who worked on such series as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager and was an art director on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  HERBERT JEFFERSON, JR. is the actor who was Lieutenant Boomer in Battlestar Galactica and Colonel Boomer in Galactica 1980.

  MAREN JENSEN is the actress who played Athena in the original Battlestar Galactica.

  CLAUDE EARL JONES is an actor who has starred in such movies and TV series as I Want to Hold Your Hand, Miracle Mile, Dallas, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  ALESSANDRO JULIANI is the actor who played Lieutenant Felix Gaeta in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  ROB KLEIN is a movie memorabilia and prop collector and former archivist for the Walt Disney Company.

  WINRICH KOLBE was a producer and director of numerous TV series, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Knight Rider, Hunter, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  DAVID LARSON is the son of Battlestar Galactica creator Glen Larson. He also appeared in “Greetings from Earth” and as a Super Scout on Galactica 1980.

  GLEN A. LARSON was a legendary television writer and producer who created such series as Quincy, M.E., Magnum, P.I., The Fall Guy, Knight Rider, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Manimal, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  KEN LARSON is a set designer and visual effects model maker who created numerous miniatures for the original Battlestar Galactica and for Galactica 1980. He also worked on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and Airport ’79.

  PAUL LEONARD is a producer for television who has worked on such series as Warehouse 13, Alphas, Defiance, Caprica, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  ALAN J. LEVI is a director who has worked on such TV series and miniseries as The Incredible Hulk, The Bionic Woman, Scruples, Quantum Leap, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the original Battlestar Galactica, including his uncredited work directing the three-hour premiere, “Saga of a Star World.”

  ANNE LOCKHART is the actress who played Sheba on the original Battlestar Galactica. She is the daughter of Lost in Space actress June Lockhart.

  ANGELA MANCUSO is the former president of Universal Cable Entertainment, where she was involved in developing the remake of Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  SCOTT MANTZ is the chief film critic for Access Hollywood.

  RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON is the son of legendary author Richard Matheson and has been a writer/producer for such films and TV series as The A-Team, Hardcastle and McCormick, Three O’Clock High, Chemistry, and Galactica 1980.

  MARY MCDONNELL is an Oscar-nominated actress who has starred in such films as Donnie Darko, Independence Day, and Dances with Wolves, and in Battlestar Galactica (2004) as President Laura Roslin.

  TERRENCE MCDONNELL is a writer/producer and was a story editor on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  STEPHEN MCNUTT is a cinematographer for film and television who has worked on such series as The Dead Zone, Helix, Person of Interest, Outlander, Battlestar Galactica (2004), and Caprica.

  RONALD D. MOORE is a writer/producer who developed and was executive producer of the 2004 version of Battlestar Galactica. In addition, he was a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Roswell, and is executive producer of Outlander and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams.

  MICHAEL NANKIN is a Peabody Award–winning writer/producer and director who has worked on such series as Defiance, The Exorcist, Van Helsing, Battlestar Galactica (2004), and Caprica.

  BOONE NARR is an animal coordinator and trainer who founded Boone’s Animals for Hollywood and worked on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  CHRISTIAN I. NYBY II is a television director who has worked on such series as Diagnosis Murder, Emergency, Hill Street Blues, and the original Battlestar Galactica. He is the son of Christian Nyby, the director of The Thing from Another World.

  MICHAEL O’HALLORAN is an editor who has worked on such TV series as Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Banshee, Outlander, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  GLEN OLIVER is a pop-culture commentator who previously contributed to Ain’t It Cool News.

  EDWARD JAMES OLMOS is a writer, producer, and director who has starred in such films and TV series as Blade Runner, Miami Vice, American Family, and Narcos, and as Commander William Adama in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  GRACE PARK is an actress who recently starred on Hawaii Five-O. She played the role of Sharon “Boomer” Valerii on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  TAHMOH PENIKETT is the actor who played Karl “Helo” Agathon in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  H. JOHN PENNER was a director of photography on such TV series as Quincy, M.E., Knight Rider, and Salvage 1 as well as the original Battlestar Galactica.

  STU PHILLIPS is a composer for film and television whose scores include those for Knight Rider, The Fall Guy, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and the original Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980. He also composed the music for the Monkees TV series and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.

  ANDREW PROBERT is a production and conceptual illustrator who’s worked on such films and TV series as Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Back to the Future, SpaceCamp, Mask, Tron, and the original Battlestar Galactica. He also designed the Enterprise-D for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

  ROBBIE RIST is an actor and musician who played Dr. Zee in the three-hour premiere of Galactica 1980. He also played Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch.

  CARLA ROBINSON is a writer for television who was story editor on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  DAVID ROGERS is an Emmy Award–winning editor and director for such TV series as Seinfeld, The Mindy Project, and The Office.

  SARAH RUSH is the actress who played bridge officer Rigel on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  MICHAEL RYMER is a producer and director for such films and TV series as Queen of the Damned, In Too Deep, Hannibal, and Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  KATEE SACKHOFF is an actress whose projects for film and television include Longmire, Oculus, The Bionic Woman, 24, and Riddick, and who played Kara “Starbuck” Thrace in Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  JANE SEYMOUR is an actress who has starred in such films and TV series as Live and Let Die, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  REKHA SHARMA is an actress for such films and TV series as The Core, Star Trek: Discovery, and, as Tory Foster, Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  TODD SHARP was the executive in charge of production on Battlestar Galactica (2004) and Caprica.

  STEVEN SIMAK is a veteran journalist and Battlestar Galactica historian who has written extensively about both versions of the series.

  MICHAEL SLOAN was a producer on the original Battlest
ar Galactica.

  DOUG SMITH is a visual effects supervisor who has worked on such films and TV series as Independence Day, True Lies, and Spaceballs, and was a co–effects producer on the original Battlestar Galactica.

  EMILE SMITH is a visual effects artist who was the digital effects supervisor on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  WAYNE SMITH is a miniature effects and special effects photography supervisor who has worked on such series as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Galactica 1980, and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  DAVID SNYDER is a production designer for such films as Demolition Man and Soldier. He was also art director on such classic films as Brainstorm, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and Blade Runner, and swing art director on Galactica 1980.

  LAURETTE SPANG is the actress who played the role of Cassiopeia in the original Battlestar Galactica.

  MARK STERN is the former president of original content for the Sci-Fi Channel and is currently president of IM Global Television.

  DAVID STIPES is a visual effects supervisor who worked on such films and TV series as Night of the Creeps, Real Genius, V, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. He was part of the visual effects team on Galactica 1980 and the original Battlestar Galactica.

  LEE STRINGER is a visual effects artist who was CG supervisor for Zoic Studios on Battlestar Galactica (2004).

  MICHAEL TAYLOR is a TV writer/producer on such series as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Dead Zone, Defiance, Turn: Washington’s Spies, and Into the Badlands. He was a co–executive producer on Battlestar Galactica (2004) and wrote the telefilm Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome.