Lewis Zimmerman

Species:	Human
Affiliation:	Federation Starfleet
Occupation:	Scientist
Status:	Active (2377)
Born:	2320
Father:	Gregory Zimmerman
Mother:	Sandra Fritz
Played by:	Robert Picardo

"Why is everyone so worried about holograms taking over the universe?"

- Dr. Zimmerman (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")

Doctor Lewis Zimmerman was a noted 24th century Human scientist, responsible for the creation and development of the Emergency Medical Hologram, or "EMH" and considered to be the father of modern holography. He was also the model for the image of the EMH Mark I, a fact that he found to be a great source of embarrassment when wide scale use of the Mark I was discontinued and the holograms later re utilized to perform menial tasks.

Biography

He was born in New Jersey on Earth to Gregory Zimmerman and Sandra Fritz in the year 2320. He graduated Starfleet Academy in 2342.

He was assigned to the holo-programming center at Jupiter Station in 2361 and by 2373, Dr. Zimmerman was Director of Holographic Imaging and Programming at Jupiter Station.

Long-Term Medical Hologram Research

In an attempt to further the capabilities of the EMH, Zimmerman sought to create a new Long-term Medical Holographic program, and selected Julian Bashir as the template. Zimmerman traveled to Deep Space 9 to begin his work. He interviewed many residents of the station, to get a complete picture of Bashir.

Working with Julian Bashir in 2373

In Quark's, Bashir asked Zimmerman to not invite his parents to the station. Zimmerman did the opposite and asked Richard and Amsha Bashir to come to the station immediately. Zimmerman later stumbled across the fact that Bashir had been genetically engineered as a child, and had to withdraw Bashir from consideration as a suitable template.

Zimmerman dated Leeta for a short time and asked her to work in the bar on Jupiter Station. They were on their way to a transport when Rom appeared and told Leeta he loved her. Zimmerman was initially disappointed until he met a female passenger. He asked her if she was familiar with the Earth text, the Kama Sutra. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")

Reunion

Dr. Zimmerman lived and worked at Jupiter Station constantly, and rarely left. His only companions were holographic figures, including a fly named Roy, an iguana called Leonard, and his personal assistant Haley (who was the first sentient hologram Zimmerman programmed). He was especially close to Haley and considered her more than a hologram.

File:Deanna Troi with the Doctor and Lewis Zimmerman.jpg

Zimmerman with Voyager's EMH and Deanna Troi

In 2376, Dr. Zimmerman was terminally ill and only expected to live a few more months.

In preparation, he began dictating his last will and testament, leaving his entire collection of holographic art, including the 21st century masterpiece "Woman in Four Dimensions", to Reginald Barclay, as well as his holographic research about miniature holograms for espionage purposes, on the grounds that Barclay was the only person who appreciated them.

In an attempt to find a cure, Barclay contacted the USS Voyager via the Pathfinder Project. Voyager carried a Mark I EMH, The Doctor, whose unique knowledge and abilities Barclay hoped would help. Zimmerman initially refused to be treated by The Doctor, whom he saw as inferior to the later Mark III and Mark IV EMHs, to the point of expressingly incredulity when informed that Voyager wouldn't accept a Mark IV EMH in the Doctor's place as they would simply want their friend back as he believed that a Mark I was incapable of making that kind of impact on others.

Lieutenant Barclay recruited Counselor Deanna Troi to mediate between the EMH and Dr. Zimmerman and try to resolve their differences. Eventually- after the others created a fake glitch in the Doctor's program to encourage the two to work together-, Dr. Zimmerman and the EMH came to an understanding which made it possible for the EMH to come up with a cure for Zimmerman's disease. Indeed, shortly before The Doctor's departure, the two had established an almost father/son relationship, with The Doctor confessing that he'd hoped Zimmerman would be proud of his achievements if the two of them ever met, and Zimmerman admitting that, for all his anger about the fate of the other Mark Is, he was grateful that at least one of them was still doing what Zimmerman had designed them for. Before the Doctor departed, Zimmerman slightly grudgingly posed for a photograph with his 'son', and said that the Doctor could drop them a communication the next time his ship got the chance to do so. (VOY: "Life Line")

Appendices

Appearances

• DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume"
• VOY:
  • "Projections" (hologram)
  • "The Swarm" (hologram)
  • "Life Line"

Background

Lewis Zimmerman was played by actor Robert Picardo. In the pre-production of Star Trek: Voyager, "Doc Zimmerman" was intended to be the name of The Doctor. An early, British ad promoting the series still referred to him by this name, as well as the TV Guide article promoting the new series. He was named for Herman Zimmerman, a production designer for TNG, DS9, and the four TNG movies.

Zimmerman's first name was spelled "Louis" in the script for DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume", though the spelling "Lewis" was seen on-screen in VOY: "Projections".

Ronald D. Moore commented on Zimmerman's lack of rank insignia in "Doctor Bashir, I Presume", despite wearing a Starfleet uniform: "This is a mistake, but an understandable one. Dr. Zimmerman's appearance was guided by his appearance on the Voyager episode in which he was recreated on the holodeck. In that episode, he didn't wear a rank insignia either, and our costumers simply followed that choice in doing our episode. Why he didn't have one on Voyager is a good question." (AOL chat, 1997)