Herb Jefferson Jr.
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| Portrays: | Lt. Boomer (TOS) Lt./Col. Boomer | ||||
| Date of Birth: | September 28, 1946 | ||||
| Date of Death: | Missing required parameter 1=month! , | ||||
| Age: | 79 | ||||
| Nationality: |  USA
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| @ BW Media | |||||
[{{{site}}} Official Site]
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Herbert Jefferson, Jr. (born September 28, 1946) played Lieutenant Boomer in the Original Series and Colonel Boomer in the spin-off series, Galactica 1980.
Early life and education
editHerb Jefferson Jr. was born in Sandersville, Georgia and was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. While he did theater production and sang in a choir with his father when he was growing up, Jefferson states he never wanted to be an actor until he worked for ABC television in New York (as the late Peter Jennings' mail assistant.) While working for ABC he came into contact with the production of various live television shows. This inspired him to take acting classes at the Herbert Berghof Studios at night while he continued to work at ABC during the day. Eventually Jefferson landed roles in off Broadway productions. He enrolled in the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduated with honors in 1969. He latter studied with renowned acting teacher Lee Strasberg (whose students included Marilyn Monroe, Robert DeNiro, Steve McQueen and Jack Nicholson) at The Actors Studio.
Casting and Role Development
editJefferson was chosen to play Lieutenant Boomer from a field of fifty performers who auditioned for the role.[1] The role had originally been given to Terry Carter, later cast as Colonel Tigh, who broke his ankle before shooting began, which led to the role being re-cast to Jefferson.
According to series creator Glen A. Larson, Boomer was designed as one of the core group of Colonial Warriors, serving as "the third musketeer" alongside Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict). When Ronald D. Moore reimagined the series, he identified Boomer as one of the "essential elements of Battlestar Galactica" that needed to be retained, explaining: "I kept all the essential elements... their friend, 'Boomer'... Those were the main things I knew I had to keep — it wouldn't have been Battlestar Galactica without them."[2]
As Boomer
editJefferson played Lieutenant Boomer on the original Battlestar Galactica during the show's single season run. Boomer was in many ways the third musketeer, tagging along with Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), making up the core group of Colonial Warriors showcased during the series. In the spinoff series, "Galactica 1980," Boomer is shown as holding the rank of Colonel, succeeding Colonel Tigh.
On-Set Relationships
editJefferson developed a particularly close relationship with series star Lorne Greene during production. Jefferson affectionately called Greene "Poppa," describing him as a calming presence during the often chaotic production schedule.[3] This familial atmosphere on set reflected the close-knit nature of the show's core cast and Greene's paternal leadership both on and off screen.
Character Legacy and Reimagining
editWhen the series was reimagined in 2003, the character of Boomer underwent one of the most radical transformations in the remake. Ronald D. Moore and David Eick not only transformed Boomer "from a heroic male Viper pilot into a woman — Lieutenant Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii" but also made the character a Cylon, following a suggestion by Eick.[4]
Moore explained the character's evolution: "In the original draft of the miniseries, Sharon was just a young pilot who I gave the call sign Boomer. She was supposed to be the rookie pilot and I was most interested in the illicit love affair she was having with the chief of the deck. It was David Eick's idea to make her a Cylon, and it was perfect because Sharon was already portrayed as a very human, very likeable character without there being any hint that she was hiding something."[5]
After Galactica
editAfter the cancellation of Battlestar Galactica, Jefferson made guest appearances on popular television series such as "The Dukes of Hazzard," "T.J. Hooker," "Knight Rider" and "ER." His more recent movie credits include the Ron Howard film Apollo 13 and Wolfgang Peterson's Outbreak.
In a 1998 Starlog interview, Jefferson expressed a willingness to participate in a revival of the original BSG if he were approached. The aborted revival of Battlestar Galactica, set to be produced by Bryan Singer and Tom DeSanto for the Fox Network, reportedly planned to feature Jefferson as Boomer in the pilot and as a recurring character.
Jefferson lives in southern California, has a daughter and appears at comic and game conventions. He has been involved with the California Special Olympics for over 25 years, the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program and the California Paralyzed Veterans Association.
Connection to the Re-imagined Series
editPrior to the debut of the Miniseries in 2003, Jefferson met with Grace Park, the actress cast as the re-imagined version of his character, Sharon "Boomer" Valerii. This meeting took place at a time when some fans were questioning the value of remaking the original series.
Park recalled the encounter with deep appreciation: "He was very kind and very supportive. When we first met, it was around the time when some people were questioning the value of us doing a remake, and he told me not to let anyone's negativity or criticism phase me, and said that I should just be myself. That was nice."[6]
Jefferson's gracious and encouraging attitude toward the remake stood in contrast to some fan reactions, demonstrating his professionalism and genuine support for the franchise's continuation. Park noted that although her Sharon Valerii takes the call sign from Jefferson's character, "her Boomer has little in common with the male, human Viper pilot featured in the original."[7]
This meeting between the original and reimagined Boomer actors symbolized the passing of the torch between different generations of Battlestar Galactica, with Jefferson's blessing helping to legitimize the radical reimagining of his character for a new era.
References
edit- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 11.
- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 13.
- ↑ Altman, Mark A.; Gross, Edward (2018). So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica. Tor Books. ISBN 9781250128942, p. 57.
- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 15.
- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 15.
- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 125.
- ↑ David Bassom (2005). Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion. Titan Books, p. 125.