RIP Michael O’Hare, Babylon 5’s Commander Sinclair

[StarFuryG7]

This sucks --I grew to like O'Hare as Sinclair in "Babylon 5" by the end of the first season. Those of us that pay attention have known for a while that something was very wrong and that he wasn't doing well.

Condolences to friends, family, and fans of Mr. O'Hare.

Over at io9:

Goodbye to Michael O’Hare, Babylon 5’s Commander Sinclair

Article Link: io9.com/5947574/goodbye-to-michael-ohare-babylon-5s-commander-sinclair

[Mel]

RIP Michael O'Hare.

Hmm. More and more people who are younger than me are dying. Kinda scary.

I liked Sheridan best. Then again, the first episode I saw of B5 was Chrysalis, the last episode of season one. I missed most of O'Hare's episodes as Sinclair until I saw it in reruns.

[StarFuryG7]

Oct 12, 2012 12:09:53 GMT -5 Mel said:

I liked Sheridan best. Then again, the first episode I saw of B5 was Chrysalis, the last episode of season one. I missed most of O'Hare's episodes as Sinclair until I saw it in reruns.

I had just grown to really like him by the end of season one, only to then learn that they were pulling the rug out from under him. I felt JMS wanted a lead that was stoic, very much along the same lines as Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard in TNG. I really had come to believe that that was why he had been cast in the role of Sinclair, so I was very surprised to see him replaced. I had no idea what the real reason was as to why it was being done. I wasn't aware of there having been troubles on the set back then. They kept it all very hush-hush.

[Mel]

I had just grown to really like him by the end of season one, only to then learn that they were pulling the rug out from under him. I felt JMS wanted a lead that was stoic, very much along the same lines as Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard in TNG. I really had come to believe that that was why he had been cast in the role of Sinclair, so I was very surprised to see him replaced. I had no idea what the real reason was as to why it was being done. I wasn't aware of there having been troubles on the set back then. They kept it all very hush-hush.

I don't know why O'Hare was replaced. Want to share? If you don't, that's okay.

[StarFuryG7]

Oct 30, 2012 14:23:10 GMT -5 Mel said:

I don't know why O'Hare was replaced. Want to share? If you don't, that's okay.

Jerry Doyle has made certain allegations, claiming O'Hare was a nut and that if he didn't go Doyle would have walked off the show himself instead. (In fact, I heard Doyle trashing O'Hare on his radio show a mere week or so before the man died, even though he didn't mention him specifically by name, but the circumstances and description he gave made it abundantly clear he was referring to O'Hare at the time.) To what extent O'Hare was a screwball I can't really say however, but what I think did it was a sexual harassment suit that was settled, but which may well have resulted in O'Hare being given his walking papers. Apparently he came on to a young intern or something and she then sued, even though the name of whomever the perpetrator was had never been officially released.

[captainbasil]

Wow this "Trouble on the Set" thing is all news to me. I had always assumed that the decision to replace O'Hare was made by the network PTENN because of ratings. Shows what I know. ;D

[Mel]

Jerry Doyle has made certain allegations, claiming O'Hare was a nut and that if he didn't go Doyle would have walked off the show himself instead. (In fact, I heard Doyle trashing O'Hare on his radio show a mere week or so before the man died, even though he didn't mention him specifically by name, but the circumstances and description he gave made it abundantly clear he was referring to O'Hare at the time.) To what extent O'Hare was a screwball I can't really say however, but what I think did it was a sexual harassment suit that was settled, but which may well have resulted in O'Hare being given his walking papers. Apparently he came on to a young intern or something and she then sued, even though the name of whomever the perpetrator was had never been officially released.

I just read this. It's my first time back to this board since I asked for the info. I'm surprised! Like CaptainBasil, I thought he was replaced to raise ratings.

[StarFuryG7]

Nov 14, 2012 20:31:00 GMT -5 Mel said:

I just read this. It's my first time back to this board since I asked for the info. I'm surprised! Like CaptainBasil, I thought he was replaced to raise ratings.

Yes, apparently the late Mr. O'Hare had some issues of which we were unaware of back then. We may never find out what they were specifically, but I suspect drugs, although it may have been a combination of things, such as drugs and perhaps some mental illness. Doyle really has made the man sound very unbalanced.