Biography

The leader of the first stargate missin to Abydos, Colonel Jack O'Neill retired from the military. When a new threat attacked through the stargate, Jack was  brought out of retirement to return to Abydos and investigate. But, it was quickly discovered that there was a vast network of stargates throughout the galaxy, and there was a powerful threat that now knew of the about Earth. A new Stargate Command was established, and Jack O'Neill became the leader of its premier exploration team, SG-1. For seven years, Jack led SG-1 exploring the galaxy and defending Earth against the goa'uld and other hostile powers. Numerous times, SG-1 and Colonel O'Neill were responsible for saving Earth against certain defeat. After General George Hammond was promoted to head the new Department of Homeworld Security, and his successor, Doctor Elizabeth Weir was reassigned to Atlantis, Jack O'Neill (now a Brigadier General) became the head of Stargate Command. During his one year tenure as the SGC's commander, the SGC and Earth's allies finally reduced the prime threat, the Goa'uld, to near impotence, and effectively wiped out the even more dangerous Replicators. After that one year, General O'Neill replaced the retiring General Hammond as the head of Homeworld Security. Jack handpicked General Hank Landry as his successor.

BEFORE THE STARGATE

Born in Chicago, IL, Jack O'Neill fought a drug abuse problem in his youth. His grandfather brought him to Minnesota and helped Jack overcome his problem, and Jack went on to become an officer of the United States Air Force. Though trained as a combat pilot, Jack went to work for the USAF Special Operations Command wher he found his true niche. Working mostly with the US Joint Special Operations Command, Jack's missions were of the most covert nature, and he worked with special forces units from the other service branches, as well as the CIA. While working with USAF SOC, Jack met and married Sara, and they had one son, Charlie. Just before he was assigned to the first stargate mission, Charlie accidentally shot himself with Jack's personal handgun and died. It was carrying this grief that Jack went on his first stargate mission. After Jack returned from the mission, he and Sara proved unable to cope with the loss of their son together. They separated and divorced, and Jack retired some time before rejoining the stargate program.

PORTRAYALS

Kurt Russel portrayed Jack In the movie Stargate, and the last was spelled O'Neil, with only one L.

John Cassino was the character's stunt double in the movie Stargate.

Richard Dean Anderson took over the role as a regular for the series Stargate SG-1 through season 8. Over this period, Jack's character was only absent from Nightwalkers, Resurrection, New Order Part 1, and Moebius Part 1, and the character appeared only in archive footage for Disclosure and Innauguration. It should be noted that Richard Dean Anderson portrayed alternative versions of the character in Moebius Part 1, in which the regular character was absent. Since season 8, Richard Dean Anderson has made several guest appearances in Stargate SG-1 as Jack.. He has also made guest appearances in the series Stargate Atlantis, and will appear in the TV movie Stargate: Continuum.

Dan Shea doubled for Jack in some scenes of the Stargate SG-1 episode Tin Man.

Both Christopher Judge and Michael Shanks portrayed Jack in the Stargate SG-1 episode Holiday, when their characters swapped bodies with Jack.

RANK/SALUTATION

Jack O'Neill was a full colonel in the USAF in the movie Stargate. He remained a colonel in the series Stargate SG-1 until he was promoted to brigadier general in New Order Part 2. He held this rank through the rest of season 8 and for his guest appearance in the Stargate Atlantis episode Rising Part 1. He was later shown to be promoted to major general as of his guest appearance in the Stargate SG-1 episode Origin. And, he held this rank for his guest appearance for the Stargate Atlantis episodes The Return Part 1 and The Return Part 2. In the Stargate SG-1 episode The Gamekeeper, there is a flashback/illusion to a time when he was still a captain.

Episode appearances

Gallery

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  Publicity photo of Jack O'Neill
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  Kurt Russel as Jack O'Neil in the movie Stargate (stunt double - John Casino)
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  Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O'Neill in the series (credited double - Dan Shea)
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  Richard Dean Anderson as an artificially aged Jack O'Neill
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  Richard Dean Anderson as an artificially aged Jack O'Neill

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  Richard Dean Anderson as an artificially aged Jack O'Neill
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  Christopher Judge as Jack O'Neill in the body of Teal'c
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  Michael Shanks as Jack O'Neill in the body of Daniel Jackson