Joe Flanigan
The charming, wisecracking actor who piloted the Stargate Atlantis expedition as the effortlessly cool Colonel John Sheppard.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American actor and writer·Birthday: January 5·Generation X
Biography
Joe Flanigan brought a specific brand of American cool to the far reaches of the Pegasus galaxy. Before becoming the face of Stargate Atlantis, the Los Angeles native studied history at the University of Colorado and took a winding path into acting, including a stint as a journalist in France. His breakthrough role was pure serendipity: originally auditioning for a different part in the Stargate universe, he was instead cast as Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, a gifted pilot with a laid-back attitude and a mysterious gene that let him operate Ancient technology. For five seasons, Flanigan anchored the series, balancing Sheppard's sarcastic humor with a deep sense of loyalty and military duty, becoming a fan-favorite leader. His career beyond the gate has included independent films, television guest spots, and a foray into writing and producing, but he remains indelibly linked to the adventurous spirit of the Atlantis expedition.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Joe was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Joe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as the lead character, Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, for the entire five-season run of Stargate Atlantis.
- Co-wrote the episode "The Lost Tribe" for Stargate Atlantis's fifth season.
- Portrayed the character Mayor Jack Manson on the television series The Divide.
Did You Know?
He worked as a freelance journalist in Paris for a period before pursuing acting full-time.
He is a distant relative of the famous explorer John Charles Frémont.
He was considered for the role of Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine early in his career.
“I'd rather be a working actor than wait around for the perfect role.”
