Star Trek: The Next Generation : Maurice Hurley

Maurice Hurley

I read off the TRIVIA Board that Maurice Hurley had problems with Gates McFadden's acting. I tend to side with Hurley. I've never seen the big deal with McFadden! She was there. To borrow from John Luvitz's Master Thespian.

Re: Maurice Hurley

I completely agree. Dr. Crusher was by far the dullest character on the show and I don't think you can blame it on the writing or direction.
"OK Gates, I want you to play Dr. Crusher like your dog just died and your moments away from suicide"
"NO NO NO... be more monotone, stop showing any kind of emotion... and be sure to stick with that same dumb expression throughout the series, regardless of what your line is or what's happening in the scene"

I mean the janitor that swept up the set at night could have done a better job. I am guessing the casting director that hired her was really stoned during her audition.... or sleeping with her and she could suck a golf ball through a garden house.


GlobalWarmer
I can teach you how to shoot so close to a raccoon that he craps himself.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Thanks for the support Global. Being a Custodian I appreciate the fact that you think me and my Janitorial brethren could do a better job than Gates. BTW, we do more than just sweep, we clean bathrooms as well.

We live as we dream - alone.

Re: Maurice Hurley

You're a man of many talents, cind5!

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Maria, I've got game. I've got mad-phat-deaf-dope-skills. Or whatever passes for groovy these days. I'm a hip-happen-cat. Ya dig? As you can tell I'm a little rusty on my ebonics.

We live as we dream - alone.

Re: Maurice Hurley

You're understandable in any language!

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Get a room you two. Lol.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley

They have rooms on the IMDb Star Trek The Next Generation Board? Besides, cind5 is a happily married man.

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night.

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Re: Maurice Hurley


BTW, we do more than just sweep, we clean bathrooms as well.


Yes I am aware there is far more to custodial work than sweeping but I wasn't going to list all their activities, my brother is a custodian and I know how hard he works. 😁

GlobalWarmer
I can teach you how to shoot so close to a raccoon that he craps himself.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Thanks Global. I was just kidding around as well.

We live as we dream - alone.

Re: Maurice Hurley

My dad was a custodian.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley

Global Warmer 1914; If she can suck a golf ball thru a garden-hose I'd sure like to know!

Re: Maurice Hurley

Rumour has it it was not her acting that got her written out but that Hurley was harassing McFadden and that McFadden was pretty vocal about it on stage.Also McFadden coming from a theatre background had wanted to put some elements in her acting herself giving the character more depth,but that was not appreciated by Roddenberry and Co,and she was told to stick with the script.Mcfadden initially didn't get much support on both (apart from Stewart)and it was Stewart who insited for her to return in season three.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Mmmm.....
Classical actor?
She hid it well.

No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed

Re: Maurice Hurley

I agree with the OP. Muldaur should've stayed, and McFadden should've stayed away.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley

cjh8504; Rem',Wilder, Christopher and Vaughn were all in their mid 80's. As was Reynolds.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Doesn't make it any sadder, Timmy.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley

Nakitaakita; I read in her bio that she trained and lived in France 4 along time. Maybe it's a French method of acting?

Re: Maurice Hurley

Well then like most French things, it sucks and thinks it's much better than it really is.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Nexus 71; I read that part too. And I was thinking, even if Hurley made unwanted advancements toward her, his criticism stands-up, in my opinion. I've always thought that of McFadden! Long before I read this on Hurley.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Muldaur > Mcfadden

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley

Excerpt from William Shatner's 'Chaos On The Bridge" documentary that briefly discusses Dr.Crusher leaving after the first season. Funny Hurley has nothing to say about it but he features heavily in the segment before and after this one.


WS: Tell me the story of Gates McFadden. She's let go at the end of the first season and then she's re-hired. Tell me how that happens.

RB: At the end of the first season, Hurley became the successor to all of the other writers and was going to be coming back as the Head Writer. He felt very insistent about a new doctor.

GM: Coming out of academia, having done a lot of stage direction, and being in New York theatre, I was used to you can sort of say what you think about something and you're respected. You fight your argument and then you either win or lose.

RB: He just didn't like the way the character of Dr.Crusher was working out.

PS: There'd been a few issues over that first season about Dr.Crusher's character and I think they thought at times that Gates was a little bit high handed and, you know, maybe being a little demanding. I never experienced that.

GM: I had heard that somebody said "It's either her or me. One of us has to go."

PS: She was adored. And suddenly she was gone.

RB: We ended up casting Diana Muldar, who was a pretty well known TV actress at the time. That never quite worked.

WS: Why?

RB: Just didn't get on with the cast that well and the character of Dr.Pulaski just never really quite solidified.

PS: It was awkward a lot of the time.

DM: They were not that interested in renewing me and I was certainly not that interested. When I worked with you [speaking to William Shatner] we had scenes, it was all actors, but by the time you got to Star Trek The Next Generation it was a vast technical world that had some characters placed in it.

WS = William Shatner
RB = Rick Berman
GM = Gates McFadden
PS = Patrick Stewart
DM = Diana Muldar


TBH most of this comes across as BS, like they're all attempting to cover something up. And as much as I like Dr.Pulaski, Muldar's attempt at explaining why she left just really does not sound legit.

I think the story that Gates left because of Hurley and after Hurley left at the end of season 2, Stewart was able to convince her to come back so they no longer needed Muldar makes more sense. And considering Muldar's name always appeared as a "Guest Starring" credit, someone knew she wasn't going to be a permanent fixture.

I have a brain and good taste, so no, I'm not part of the target demographic.

Re: Maurice Hurley

Too bad. She was exquisite.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley


RB: Just didn't get on with the cast that well

so, they never liked her. Am i reading that right?

"He's dusted, busted and disgusted, but he's ok"

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Re: Maurice Hurley

I saw that AATA interview as well. She did say all those things. Conflicting reports indeed.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

Re: Maurice Hurley


There have been conflicting reports, one coming from Diana Muldaur herself.


That is strange. The difference between what Berman said and what Muldar said (whether or not Muldar got on well with the cast) I could almost over look because it's two different people. But for Muldar to contradict herself, that's just odd. Maybe she had more than one reason for leaving and gave different ones for each interview.

I have a brain and good taste, so no, I'm not part of the target demographic.

Re: Maurice Hurley

From season 3 onwards, suffering from ill health, Roddenberry decided to stay behind, still overseeing the show, but not involving himself in the daily tasks of production. Rick Berman took over as the new executive in charge of the series (and later the whole franchise).

When Hurley left, he invited his friend, Michael Piller to be the new showrunner.

So, from season 3, TNG basically became the domain of Berman & Piller, who took it to new directions.



"A voice from behind me reminds me. Spread out your wings you are an angel."

Re: Maurice Hurley


so, they never liked her. Am i reading that right?


I think that is probably closer to to the truth. Berman's response tries to make it look like it was Muldar who was the problem but I think it was probably certain members of the cast who had the problem with Muldar. Or at least with the fact that McFadden was replaced.

I have a brain and good taste, so no, I'm not part of the target demographic.

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Re: Maurice Hurley

Muldaur herself said she got on well with Dorn and Burton. So, at least they liked her.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!
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