Profiles

Tom Braidwood

Born September 27, 1948, in British Columbia, Tom Braidwood holds degrees in theatre and film and has long worked in both media.

The majority of resume credits involve producing and directing - most recently and perhaps most successfully his association with the CBC series, "Da Vinci's Inquest". He was one of the producers for the series' second season and was rewarded with both a Leo and a Gemini award for Best Dramatic Series (shared with fellow producer Lynn Barr and Chris Haddock, the series creator and Executive Producer). Mr Braidwood has also directed or co-directed several episodes for the show and even appeared in one episode as a used-car lot owner, complete with cowboy hat and boots. 

Another producing success story is his work with Jack Darcus and thefilm, "Silence", which found its way to the 1999 Sundance Film Festival's Native Vision in Cinema Forum.

Earlier behind-the-scenes TV employment found Braidwood working for "Danger Bay" and "21 Jump Street". After the X-Files run in Vancouver, he worked on the third season of "Millennium". 

In a couple of movies in which he worked, "Harry Tracy" and "My American Cousin", he has momentarily appeared on screen, but it is his role of Melvin Frohike on "The X-Files" for which he is most recognized. Recruited at the last minute by episode director William Graham (who refers to Braidwood as 'extremely odd'), he uttered five words which has fueled the Frohike persona: She's hot. She *is* hot.

A recent project, the short film "Tilt", is currently in post-production. He plays the lead role of Sam Penzer, a salesman who has just lost his job and is trying to get home in the middle of a transit strike. Based upon "Don Quixote", the writer/director, producer, and many of the crew had previously worked on "The X-Files".

Braidwood is married with two daughters: Kate - who appeared as the usherette who met an untimely end in the XF episode The Pine Bluff Variant - and Jessica -- who appears to be following in her father's footsteps with her crew work on "Tilt" and "Lake Placid" and as a location scout for the third season of "Da Vinci's Inquest".

-- Martha 

Neepery:  Tom Braidwood is fairly computer-savvy -- he says that his first computer was one of the old dual disk drives (5 1/2") Radio Shack computers (early 1980's).  

Favorite music:  Beatles and blues

Interesting hobby: Origami

Melvin Frohike

A man of distinction and of an uncertain age, Melvin Frohike was introduced to the XF world as the proverbial dirty old man. He has evolved over the years to form a deep friendship and respect for the initial object of his lust - Special Agent Dana Scully - which shows when he pays her a late night visit in the wake of Mulder's 'death', informs her of her sister's hospitalization, brings her flowers while she is in a coma, and rescues her from Morris Fletcher's more evil intentions. He still has a weakness, however, for intelligent and pretty women, which probably won't endear him to Yves Harlow any time soon.

What *do* we know of Frohike's past? That he used to sell bootleg cable devices. That he and Langly had known of each other prior to that convention that introduced them to Byers and to Mulder. That he says that he was on the bus with Kesey in 1964. The others voluntarily eat his food and ask for more, and scotch is his drink of choice. And he presents himself as some authority in the affairs of the heart.

Almost a guarantee with any Frohike appearance is his eclectic wardrobe, which can vary from pajamas with a kevlar vest and bunny slippers to leather jacket, fingerless gloves, and combat boots to the range of 'vests which defy description'. That the Frohike 'look' is
patterned after that of his portrayer only leaves this fan shaking her head and hoping that his wife has made numerous trips to Goodwill over the years - to get *rid* of the outfits, not to find more.

Who is Melvin Frohike, really? Is his kung-fu the best of the three?  Or is he reinventing himself into a man of action and finally get the girl - *any* girl? 

Filmography

Television:  The X-Files

Seasons 1-5 - First Assistant Director
Frohike - Wetwired (1996)
Frohike - Apocrypha (1996)
Frohike - Nisei (1995)
Frohike - Paper Clip (1995)
Frohike - The Blessing Way (1995)
Frohike - Anasazi (1995)
Frohike - Fearful Symmetry (1995)
Frohike - One Breath (1994)
Frohike - Blood (1994)
Frohike - E.B.E. (1994)

Television:  Viper - 

Larry - Split Decision - Part 2

Television:  DaVinci's Inquest  

Used Car Salesman - The Capture
The Capture (Ep 13) - First Assistant Director
A Nice Home in the Country (Ep 20) - Co-Director
The Lottery (Ep 23) - Director
Reality (Ep 26)  - Co-director
Bring Back the Dead (Ep 28) - Director
All Tricked Up (Ep 34) - First Assistant Director
Season 2 - Producer

Television:  Mercy Point

New Arrivals (Pilot) - First Assistant Director

Movies

Harry Tracy (1982) - Aspen Storekeeper
My American Cousin - Wally
The Only Way Out - Court Official
The X-Files Movie - Melvin Frohike
Tilt (2001) - Sam Penzer
My American Cousin - Unit Production Manager
Silence - Producer

		Selected News Stories and Interviews Monitor Magazine interview (1997) The 11th Hour zine interview (1999)  ReelWest's article on BC film industry  The Vancouver Sun interview (2000)  Transcript of 1998 Q&A AOL Chat with Tom Braidwood and Dean Haglund  The National Post interview about the LGM series (Oct 2000)    Interview with TV Guide Online about the LGM series (Jan 2001)

		Related Articles  Interview with Lance Perverley, director and writer of Tilt   The 11th Hour zine Interview of Patrick Stark, producer of Tilt, about his work on the film and XF
Editors' Pick:  Photos FOX promotional picture  Pictures from Tilt Leo Awards Ceremony, May 2000, winners for Best Dramatic Series: Lynn Barr, Chris Haddock, and Tom Braidwood

Section Editor: Martha