Donnelly Rhodes

Donnelly Rhodes
PerformerRDM
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Portrays:	Dr. Cottle
Date of Birth:	December 4, 1937
Date of Death:	January 8, 2018
Age at Death:	80
Nationality:	CAN
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		@ BW Media
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Donnelly Rhodes Henry (December 4, 1937 – January 8, 2018) was a distinguished Canadian actor who portrayed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sherman Cottle in the Re-imagined Series of Battlestar Galactica. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Rhodes became one of Canada's most recognizable character actors over a career spanning more than five decades.

Early Life and Training

Rhodes was born Donnelly Rhodes Henry on December 4, 1937, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the son of Ann Henry. His mother later became a celebrated journalist and playwright, but after her husband left, she struggled to support three young children, including Rhodes and his siblings Tim Henry (who also became an actor) and Loa Henry. The family's frequent moves during Rhodes' childhood contributed to his developing a sense of wanderlust that led him to work various jobs as a teenager, including as a cowboy in California, a stevedore in Vancouver, and an oil rig worker in Manitoba.

In the late 1950s, Rhodes joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as an airman-mechanic at RCAF Station Winnipeg. His involvement with the base's drama group in 1957 sparked his interest in theater and led him to pursue acting as a career. Rhodes later reflected that theater provided him with a sense of stability he had never known, saying he realized his "itchy feet" were gone and he wanted to stay in the theater.

Professional Training and Early Career

After leaving the Royal Canadian Air Force, Rhodes studied at the Manitoba Theatre Centre under director John Hirsch, who gave him a job as assistant stage manager with Theatre 77 despite his lack of experience. Hirsch's mentorship proved influential throughout Rhodes' career. Rhodes made his professional stage debut in Theatre 77's March 1958 production of Death of a Salesman, playing Stanley the bartender alongside Gordon Pinsent. In his 2006 Earle Grey Award acceptance speech, Rhodes acknowledged Hirsch as someone "who watched over me like a brother."

National Theatre School and Early Television Work

When the Manitoba Theatre Centre was formally created in the fall of 1959 through the merger of Hirsch's Theatre 77 and Tom Hendry's Winnipeg Little Theatre, Rhodes became the company's first stage apprentice, appearing in early productions including Solid Gold Cadillac (1959) and Tea and Sympathy (1959). Despite his busy theater schedule, Rhodes found time to travel to Los Angeles in fall 1960, where he appeared on television shows such as Maverick, Cheyenne, and two episodes of Bonanza. These would be his final acting credits under the name Donnelly Henry, as he soon opted to drop his last name professionally.

At Hirsch's urging, Rhodes auditioned for the newly founded National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal and was the only Manitoban accepted into the school's inaugural year in 1960. To help offset the $700 tuition, Rhodes received a $350 scholarship from the Manitoba Theatre Centre. He left Winnipeg on November 2, 1960, to begin three years of intensive theater study, dividing his time between school, summers at the Stratford Festival, and part of the winter theater season back at MTC.

It was at the National Theatre School that he met his first wife Martha Henry (née Buhs), who adopted the stage name Henry after their marriage. A significant breakthrough came in late 1962 when Rhodes was cast in the CBC television drama David, Chapter Two, written by fellow Winnipegger M. Charles Cohen. When the original lead actor withdrew shortly before filming, Rhodes was recast in the starring role. The show aired in January 1963 to positive reviews and put Rhodes before a national audience, marking a crucial step in his career development.

Hollywood Contract and Early Film Career

Hollywood took notice of the young Winnipegger, and in early 1964 Rhodes signed a multi-year contract with Review Pictures (the short-lived rebranding of Universal Studios). His first work for the studio was the lead role in an episode of NBC's Alfred Hitchcock Presents called "Ten Minutes from Now," which aired in the U.S. and Canada in May 1964. Rhodes was then lent out to the UCLA Theater Group for their April 1964 touring production of P.S. 139, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring James Whitmore and Cloris Leachman. Los Angeles-based theater critic Samuel Boyea called Rhodes "a director's dream."

After his first marriage ended, Rhodes married Virginia Haxall Harrison, a film and television actress and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Triplett Harrison Jr. of New York and Vermont, in April 1966. The announcement noted that Rhodes appeared professionally under the name Donnelly Rhodes rather than his birth name Donnelly Rhodes Henry.

In April 1966, Universal announced Rhodes was ready for the big screen and cast him in the western Gunfight in Abilene (1967) alongside fellow Canadians Michael Sarrazin and Leslie Nielsen.

Career Highlights

Film and Early Television Work

Rhodes made his film debut in Gunfight in Abilene (1967), followed by a memorable supporting role as Macon the saloon owner in the classic western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). He also appeared in the science fiction film Change of Mind (1969). Rhodes' American film career stalled in the 1970s, though he appeared in notable Canadian productions, most significantly earning critical acclaim for his lead performance in The Hard Part Begins (1973), in which he played a down-and-out country and western singer.

Notable Television Roles

Rhodes achieved significant recognition for his role as the suave Phillip Chancellor Sr. on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless from 1974 to 1975, though he deliberately left the show to avoid becoming typecast in a single role. Reflecting on that period, Rhodes later noted: "It was before soap operas became so respectable."

Perhaps his most beloved American television role was as the hapless escaped convict Dutch Leitner on the satirical series Soap from 1978 until the show's cancellation in 1981.

Rhodes' other major television success in the 1970s came from Canada with the CBC series Sidestreet, where he was cast as Detective Nick Raitt alongside Jonathan Welsh as a pair of Toronto-based detectives fighting organized crime. The show ran for four seasons from 1975 to 1978.

Rhodes found himself back in Vancouver in 1985, taking on a leading dramatic role as Dr. Grant Roberts in Danger Bay. The CBC/Disney Channel co-production ran for six seasons and marked a significant achievement in his career. It was in Vancouver that Rhodes found some of his greatest later success, taking advantage of the city's burgeoning film and television industry to appear in numerous productions including The X-Files, The Romeo Section, and Da Vinci's Inquest.

His most acclaimed Canadian television role was Detective Leo Shannon in the critically praised CBC crime drama Da Vinci's Inquest from 1998 to 2005. His portrayal of Shannon evolved throughout the series' seven seasons, developing from a grizzled veteran detective into a more complex character dealing with personal challenges, including his wife's struggle with dementia. Co-star Nicholas Campbell praised Rhodes as "a consummate pro" and noted that his presence was "a huge enhancement" to the show.

Battlestar Galactica

Rhodes joined the cast of the Re-imagined Battlestar Galactica as Dr. Sherman Cottle, the chain-smoking Chief Medical Officer aboard the battlestar Galactica. Notably, Rhodes was originally one of three finalists for the role of Colonel Saul Tigh, but when that role went to Michael Hogan, the impressed producers created the recurring role of Dr. Cottle specifically for Rhodes.

The role of Dr. Cottle was, as Rhodes described it, "one of those happy accidents" in his career. Originally slated to appear in only a single episode, the producers liked his performance and expanded the character throughout the series. Dr. Cottle's defining characteristic—his constant cigarette smoking, even during surgery—evolved from Rhodes' creative interpretation of minimal script direction that simply noted "He smokes." Rhodes decided to take this to an extreme, creating one of the character's most memorable traits.

Colleagues from Battlestar Galactica remembered Rhodes fondly. Nicki Clyne described him as "a joy to work with" and "a lovely, talented and caring soul," while Aaron Douglas noted his storytelling ability and humor.

Acting Philosophy and Approach

Throughout his career, Rhodes maintained a distinctive philosophy about his craft, describing himself as a "journeyman actor" who preferred versatility over stardom. In a 1988 interview, he explained: "I've always been kind of a hidden actor. Not that I'd turn down the high profile of a mega-bucks hit, but I think it's much healthier to be a chameleon." Rhodes consistently emphasized the collaborative nature of acting, noting that "the best actors are the best listeners" and that acting was "about being helpful to other people."

Professional Work Ethic and Mentorship

Rhodes was consistently praised by colleagues for his professionalism and dedication to his craft. John Cassini, who worked with Rhodes on Da Vinci's Inquest, noted that Rhodes "never phoned it in," while Ian Tracey emphasized his "old-school work ethic that is unmatched these days." Producer Chris Haddock praised Rhodes as "a very generous man" who "could do comedy, he could do anything," describing him as the kind of veteran presence who made everyone feel secure.

Ocean Hellman, who played his daughter on Danger Bay, recalled that Rhodes "took me under his wing completely," reflecting his reputation for mentoring younger actors.

Awards and Recognition

Rhodes received numerous accolades throughout his distinguished career. In 2002, he won the Gemini Award for Best Actor in a Leading Dramatic Role for his performance as Detective Leo Shannon in Da Vinci's Inquest. In 2006, he was honored with the prestigious Gemini Earle Grey Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 21st annual Gemini Awards ceremony in Vancouver, recognizing his 50 years of film and television work. In his acceptance speech, Rhodes gratefully acknowledged

In February 2009, the Union of British Columbia Performers honored Rhodes with the Sam Payne Award for Lifetime Achievement, which he received alongside fellow actor Babz Chula. Rhodes was characteristically humble about sharing the recognition, reflecting his lifelong philosophy about collaboration in the entertainment industry.

Personal Life

Throughout his life, Rhodes maintained diverse interests beyond acting, with a particular passion for boats and a longstanding joke that if he hadn't succeeded as an actor, he would have pursued a career as a naval architect. Rhodes was married four times and had two children, including daughter Seana Henry and son Westerly Henry. His final marriage was to Sarah Wilson in 2011, and they remained together until his death.

Rhodes felt fortunate to have earned a living working close to home in his later years, particularly after Danger Bay enabled him to return to Vancouver permanently. Near the end of his career, he maintained his characteristic optimism, saying he was "just waiting for the next one to come along."

Final Years and Death

In his later career, Rhodes continued working steadily, making guest appearances on series such as The X-Files (appearing in two different roles), Smallville, Psych, Supernatural, and the CW's Arrowverse shows including The Flash and DC's Legends of Tomorrow.

Donnelly Rhodes died of cancer on January 8, 2018, at the Baillie House Hospice in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, at the age of 80. His death prompted tributes from colleagues across the entertainment industry, with Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore writing: "Very sad. He was a lovely man and I so enjoyed writing for him."

Rhodes made guest appearances on more than 100 television series throughout his career, establishing himself as one of Canada's most prolific and respected character actors. His legacy encompasses not only his memorable performances but also his dedication to his craft and his generous mentorship of younger actors throughout his distinguished career.

References