# Patrick Stewart dead at 86 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [October 29, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245 "2026-10-29T19:49:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/121 "2026-10-31T15:38:54Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Definitely a double kiss in Season 4, Episode 2, however not with the relative who hates his guts: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMQEbBsxC-U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMQEbBsxC-U) So if it was Picard he didn’t see anything wrong with it, but if it was Stewart he took it with grace 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/122 "2026-10-31T16:13:35Z")
Was there ever an explanation in the show of why the character had a French name and came from a French village but spoke with an English accent? Or do we just accept that’s not so odd given the time period? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/123 "2026-10-31T16:15:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Or do we just accept that’s not so odd given the time period? Pretty much this. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/124 "2026-10-31T17:21:36Z")
The recent series established that the Picard family fled France for Britain during WWII and didn’t return until after Jean-Luc was born. In rehearsals for TNG, Stewart tried a French accent but it sounded like a bad Inspector Clouseau impersonation, so Roddenberry rationalized that French was an obsolete language by the 24th Century. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/125 "2026-10-31T17:55:47Z")
Better to have the actor speak with a neutral accent (English, in this case) and leave it at that rather than try for a goofy fake accent. You would not, I predict, recognize the accent or vocabulary however many years in the future, anyway. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Roddenberry rationalized that French was an obsolete language by the 24th Century. ? I wonder, though, _could_ Stewart pull off speaking French with a reasonable Metropolitan accent? I have mainly seen him doing Shakespeare, but has he been in any French plays? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/126 "2026-10-31T18:10:21Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > When Stewart came to Hollywood, he was so unsure of the show’s prospects that he didn’t even want to buy a car. When the show proved successful, he decided to “make it so.” He bought a Honda! Other people on the show teased him about buying such an ordinary vehicle, as opposed to something more flashy and expensive. He calmly explained that as an actor, you can never tell when your fortunes are going to turn, and he simply thought buying something modest (with good gas mileage) was more practical! In the recent episode of Frakes and Spiner’s “Dropping Names” podcast with Wil Wheaton as guest, they talk about this a little at the end of the episode. Wheaton and Stewart bought the same car - a Honda Prelude Si something or other. Wheaton bragged a little that he bought a slightly better version than Stewart did. It would have been nice if they’d been able to get Stewart on the show, but I’m guessing his health was already deteriorating by the time they got the podcast up and running. ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/127 "2026-10-31T19:44:12Z")
He also had a small role in _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy_ as Karla, the Soviet spymaster. This was the 70’s mini-series, not the Gary Oldman movie. Then he played the same character in the sequel, _Smiley’s People._ He had no lines and only appeared briefly. But, the first time I saw him and _remembered_ him was on the old ARTS network, now A & E. It was a look at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s rehearsal for a performance of _Troilus & Cressida._ He played the part of Ulysses, and they were doing the scene where Hector meets the Greek commanders for some reason. It was very interesting. All of the actors, including Ian McKellen, would recite their lines, then the director would ask them to make a few changes, and they would recite the lines again with the director’s suggestions. I don’t remember anyone except for Stewart and McKellen, but I’ll bet several of them are prominent actors today, at least in Britain. ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/128 "2026-10-31T19:53:40Z")
I remember 2016 as a notable year as well. For me, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake was a blow, because I was a big ELP fan. Also, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds died on consecutive days. Then, Mary Tyler left us in January 2017. It felt like 2016 was trying to last 13 months. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/129 "2026-10-31T19:53:59Z")
Conan O’Brien bought a 1992 Ford Taurus when he got the late night gig, assuming there was a very real chance it wouldn’t last. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/130 "2026-10-31T19:56:25Z")
Tribute from [Buckingham Palace](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kewtf1F0isA&) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/131 "2026-10-31T20:10:06Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > > Roddenberry rationalized that French was an obsolete language by the 24th Century. > > ? From the fourth episode of TNG season one. Data: “_For example, what Lutan did is similar to what certain American Indians once did, called ‘counting coup’. That is from an obscure language known as French. ‘Counting coup’…_” I wonder who had to field all the angry letters from Quebec. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/132 "2026-10-31T20:20:46Z")
Forget the letters from Quebec. Imagine how upset the Académie Française must have been. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/133 "2026-10-31T20:22:29Z")
The show wasn’t shown in France until the 1990s. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/134 "2026-10-31T22:38:59Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > As great as he was in serious roles, he had a great sense of comedy as well. Indeed: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hA7lv1SDzno/hqdefault.jpg "Sesame Street: Patrick Stewart Soliloquy on B") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA7lv1SDzno) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/135 "2026-11-01T07:39:00Z")
He sure got around. I bet it’s a fun bit of enlightenment when kids grow up and realize it’s Shakespeare. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/136 "2026-11-01T15:21:02Z")
This final 2 minute scene with Picard and the cast means so much more now. Season 3 of Picard is such a wonderful treat for the fans. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tBtGhGyKXJk/maxresdefault.jpg "One Last Time | Picard's final farewell on the Enterprise-D (fan tribute) #shorts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBtGhGyKXJk) ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/137 "2026-11-01T15:30:48Z")
I called 2016 The Year the Music Died. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/138 "2026-11-01T16:37:14Z")
He had a role in a BBC production of Shaw’s _The Devil’s Disciple._ Although the DVD packaging bigs it up, it’s actually quite a small part, and he only appears at the beginning and the end. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/139 "2026-11-01T19:03:10Z")
There were plans to cast him as Oliver Warbucks in a series of sequels to the 1982 film adaptation of _Annie_. (To this day, some viewers still swear they remember him playing the role, when it was actually a bald Albert Finney.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245/140 "2026-11-01T19:11:42Z")
Series of sequels? How many orphan stories were there? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patrick-stewart-dead-at-86/1034245.md?page=8)