Becker (1998-2004)
Major Character with a Disability: Jake Malinak (played by Alex Desert)
Actors with Disabilities: none
Short Description
Becker is a dedicated and talented physician who’s extremely devoted to his medical practice in Bronx, N.Y but he has no qualms about saying anything that comes to mind.
First Broadcast on CBS (US Network) in November, 1998
Main Cast:
Ted Danson - Dr. John Becker
Alex Desert - Jake Malinak
Terry Farrell - Regina Costa
Saverio Guerra - Bob
Shawnee Smith - Linda
Hattie Winston - Margaret Wyborn
Creator and Executive Producer: Dave Hackel
Long Description
The Cast of Becker
Ted Danson (Cheers) starred as Dr. John Becker, a dedicated and talented physician with a gruff exterior. Unfortunately, his interior wasn’t all that warm and fuzzy either. While he offended those around who try to get close to him, he was extremely dedicated to his medical practice in the Bronx where he always went the extra mile to help those in need.
Becker looked at the world around him and saw a society gone mad, full of incongruities and just plain wrong thinking and had no qualms about saying anything that came to mind. Becker often unleashed his views at the local diner run by Reggie (Terry Farrell, Star Trek Deep Space Nine) and later by Chris (Nancy Travis, Work With Me). Jake (Alex Desert, The Heights) was the blind proprietor of the local newsstand. He was used to John and did his best to explain the “Becker phenomenon” to others, including Bob (Saverio Guerra, Temporarily Yours) and later Jake’s friend’s brother, Hector (Jorge Garcia, Lost), who immediately becomes friends with Jake.
Dr. Becker’s waiting room was usually teeming with patients from his ethnically diverse neighborhood. His head nurse, Margaret (Hattie Winston, Homefront), made order out of this chaos with ease, also dealing with Becker and Linda (Shawnee Smith, Arsenio), the “space-cadet” who doubled as the nurses’ aide.
Dealing with John Becker was quite an experience. Even though he seemed to be insulting them at every turn, the people in his life persisted in trying to connect with him and find the nice guy they knew was in there somewhere.
from tv.com