Scott Bakula came from a musical family. In the fourth grade he started a rock band and wrote songs for them. Later he sang with the St. Louis Symphony. He studied Law at the University of Kansas. In 1976 he was first hired professionally in the role of Sam in "Shenandoah", and went to New York. After several small roles in TV he made _Quantum Leap (1989) (TV)_ in 1987.

He won a Golden Globe in 1992 for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV series - Drama for Quantum Leap and was nominated for a Tony award in 1988. Today he lives in Los Angeles and has a farm in upstate New York.
Children: Chelsy Bakula (b. 1984), Cody (b. 1991 - adopted) with Neumann; Wil (b. 1995) and Owen (b. 1999), with Field. Appeared on the cover of the March 1995 issue of Playgirl Magazine. In the interview inside, illustrated with several photos of Scott baring his hairy chest, he stated that he wouldn't have a problem doing a nude scene in a movie. The white streak in his hair appeared when he was four years old. He had been helping a neighbor paint, and his mother thought he had gotten paint in his hair. His daughter Chelsy appeared in the Quantum Leap episode "Memphis Melody." Last name means "flower". Member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Has speculated (half jokingly) that Jonathan Archer's middle name is Beckett. This is in reference to Dr. Sam Beckett, the character Bakula portrayed on Quantum Leap. The only actor to have two roles included in TV Guide's "25 Legends of Sci-Fi". One entry noted the character of Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap, while the other entry noted all of the Captains from the various Star Trek series, which would of course include his role of Jonathan Archer from Enterprise. The song "Somewhere in the Night", which appeared in an episode of Quantam Leap, was sung by Bakula and can be found in a CD single format. His 1988 Tony nomination was as Best Actor (Musical) for "Romance/Romance", written by Barry Harman. The winner in that category that year was Michael Crawford for "Phantom of the Opera". Scott was not the producers' first choice for the role, but was chosen after Armand Assante turned it down. When Scott left "Romance/Romance" to do Quantum Leap, he was replaced by Barry Williams for the remainder of the show's Broadway run. Ran the Los Angeles Marathon on March 6, 2005 in 4 hrs 10 mins 41 secs. Has starred in five different series which were cancelled: Gung Ho, Eisenhower & Lutz, Quantum Leap, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Star Trek: Enterprise. Has been directed by James Whitmore Jr. in episodes of three different series: Quantum Leap, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Star Trek: Enterprise. His second wife Chelsea Field auditioned for the role of Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager. His father-in-law (Chelsea Field's father) once sold a horse to William Shatner. Coincidentally, his fictional character name Capt. Jonathan Archer is similar to real-life Star Trek:Voyager novelist Nathan Archer.