Stephen Joseph Bartowski is a recurring character on the television series
''Chuck'' portrayed by actor
Scott Bakula
Scott Stewart Bakula (; born October 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in two science-fiction television series: as Sam Beckett on ''Quantum Leap'' and as Captain Jonathan Archer on ''Star Trek: Enterprise''. For ''Quantum L ...
. Stephen is the estranged father of
Chuck
Chuck is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to:
People
Arts and entertainment
* Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet
* Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV producer
* C ...
and
Ellie Bartowski
Eleanor Faye Bartowski Woodcomb, MD, PhD, is the older sister of title character Chuck Bartowski on the television series ''Chuck''. She is portrayed by actress Sarah Lancaster.
Biography
Eleanor Faye Bartowski was born to Stephen and Mary B ...
, and under the government codename "Orion" was the chief designer of the Intersect.
Biography
Few details about Stephen Bartowski's life have been revealed on the show. His wife, Mary Elizabeth Bartowski, left him under unknown circumstances when Chuck was in the fifth grade
["]Chuck Versus the Best Friend
"Chuck Versus the Best Friend" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of ''Chuck''. It originally aired on February 23, 2009. When Chuck Bartowski flashes on Anna Wu's new boyfriend, Chuck is ordered to befriend Jason Wang (Jack Yang) to ...
" and although he loved his children, Chuck describes him in "
Chuck Versus the Sizzling Shrimp
The first season of ''Chuck (TV series), Chuck'' originally aired between September 24, 2007 and January 24, 2008. The season, cut short by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, Writers' Strike, contains thirteen episodes. It introduced ...
" as "never really there." Stephen is a computer and software genius who attended graduate
school
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
with
Ted Roark, whom Bartowski would later allege stole all of his best ideas.
Sometime after the end of his association with Roark, he went to work for the government. He worked with Dr. Jonas Zarnow
[" Chuck Versus the Helicopter"] and
Howard Busgang
Howard Busgang is a Canadian comedian and television producer."A comic with chutzpah: He opens a Montreal-style deli in B.C". ''Montreal Gazette'', August 25, 2018.
Comedy career
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, he studied political science at Mc ...
["]Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon
"Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon" is the sixteenth episode of the Chuck (season 2), second season of ''Chuck (TV Series), Chuck''. It originally aired on March 9, 2009. When Cole Barker (Jonathan Cake) escapes after being tortured by Fulcrum (Chuck ...
" on the Intersect computer database, where he was the head of the project under the codename "Orion." Stephen would tell Chuck in "
Chuck Versus the Dream Job
"Chuck Versus the Dream Job" aired on April 6, 2009. It is the 19th episode of the ''Chuck'' series' second season. The protagonist Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, interviews for a job at Roark Industries with the goal of hiring on to investigate ...
," regarding the Intersect, he designed "just the really cool parts." He would later reveal to Chuck that he tested the Intersect on himself, and thus possesses an older version of it himself.
["]Chuck Versus the Ring
"Chuck Versus the Ring" is the second season finale of ''Chuck'', which aired on April 27, 2009. The day of Ellie and Devon's wedding arrives, but Chuck finds himself forced to protect both his sister and the event from a vengeful Ted Roark.
...
"
Stephen left his children eighteen years before the events of "
Chuck Versus the Dream Job
"Chuck Versus the Dream Job" aired on April 6, 2009. It is the 19th episode of the ''Chuck'' series' second season. The protagonist Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, interviews for a job at Roark Industries with the goal of hiring on to investigate ...
" after promising to make his children pancakes for dinner. This number seems to vary: in the second season, Chuck says that their father abandoned them ten years ago, but at the end of the third season, Chuck indicates that father was distant for much longer, as Ellie had to raise Chuck and manage the family finances when she was twelve due to the fact that their father was too busy with his work after their mother left; their mother supposedly left within days of Chuck breaking Mary's necklace.
At some point, Stephen learned what the government intended to do with the Intersect and knew that others would want it too, whereas he wanted to use it to help people as a learning device. Stephen decided then that he had to go on the run, and stay away from his children in order to protect them. It was also mentioned by Stephen and Bryce, that he requested Bryce keep an eye out for Chuck while at Stanford and was a key reason Bryce had Chuck expelled, so the CIA wouldn't 'ruin' him.
After completing the original Cipher, Stephen purged his personal records and disappeared. Ever since, he has been the target of a major global manhunt by the NSA. According to the "Spy Dossiers" at NBC.com, the manhunt has continued for "over five years,"
[''NBC.com'']
''Spy Dossiers''
and
General Beckman claims to have "had an army of analysts and spies hunting for Orion since before
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"Chuck_Versus_the_Dream_Job_
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"_which_if_taken_at_all_literally_would_indicate_a_much_longer_manhunt_given_that_Walker_is_roughly_26_when_Beckman_makes_the_claim.
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"Chuck_Versus_the_Dream_Job_
"Chuck_Versus_the_Dream_Job"_aired_on_April_6,_2009._It_is_the_19th_episode_of_the__''Chuck''_series'_second_season._The_protagonist_Chuck,_played_by_Zachary_Levi,_interviews_for_a_job_at_Roark_Industries_with_the_goal_of_hiring_on_to_investigate__...
"_which_if_taken_at_all_literally_would_indicate_a_much_longer_manhunt_given_that_Walker_is_roughly_26_when_Beckman_makes_the_claim.
With_only_his_codename_to_go_on,_Stephen_was_targeted_by_both_the_government_and_Fulcrum_(Chuck)">Fulcrum_
A_fulcrum_is_the_support_about_which_a_lever_pivots.
Fulcrum_may_also_refer_to:
_Companies_and_organizations
*_Fulcrum_(Anglican_think_tank),_a_Church_of_England_think_tank
*_Fulcrum_Press,_a_British_publisher_of_poetry
*_Fulcrum_Wheels,_a_bicycle_...
._Fulcrum_assigned_Fulcrum_(Chuck)#Vincent.html" "title="Fulcrum_(Chuck).html" "title="Sarah Walker (Chuck)">Sarah Walker was">Sarah_Walker_(Chuck).html" ;"title="/nowiki>Sarah Walker (Chuck)">Sarah Walker wasin a training bra,"
which if taken at all literally would indicate a much longer manhunt given that Walker is roughly 26 when Beckman makes the claim.
With only his codename to go on, Stephen was targeted by both the government and Fulcrum (Chuck)">Fulcrum