Robert Picardo – or "Bob", as he likes to be called – was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended William Penn Charter School, graduating in 1971, after which he attended Yale University. Coincidentally, he entered Yale aiming towards a career as a doctor, having graduated from Penn Charter as a pre-med major. However, while there, he was hit with the acting bug after performing in several university productions and graduated with a BA in Drama in 1975. Little did he know that he would portray a doctor in numerous projects in the future.

In 1977, Picardo made his Broadway debut in a production of Gemini. Since then, he has had a long career on stage, in film and on television. He has also established himself as a singer and an author in recent years.

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Linda, and their two daughters, Nicollette Arianna (born 14 March 1989) and Gina Emira (born 3 November 1991).