July 24, 2006

Indians needed...call Italians

If You Want a Mobster Role, You Need to Go to TempleYears ago, I had an actor friend, John, who happened to be a Native American. We were having lunch one day when he said: "Howie, things are OK with me now. But when I first came out here back in the '40s, I couldn't get a job. I went over to Republic studios. They were doing hundreds of westerns then. I figured I'm a cinch to get an Indian part.

"Sorry," the casting director tells me. "You don't look Indian enough."

"I don't look Indian enough? I happen to be a full-blooded Sioux!"

"So what? You still don't look Indian enough."

"So if I don't look Indian enough, who does?"

"Italians."

"What?"

"You heard me. We only use Italians for Indian parts. They look more Indian than the Indians."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I, for one, look forward to HBO taking advantage of the rich casting opportunities opened up when "The Sopranos" finally is cancelled, so they can quickly fill all roles in a new drama about Native Americans.

Rob said...

I trust you know that "The Sopranos" did an episode about an Indian casino. See http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stype2a2.htm for details.

Anonymous said...

heard a rumor once that Iron Eyes Cody pictured above was actualy jewish,Some How i doubt the rumor is true, but who knows Maybe sitting bull was realy a Rabbi!amd perhaps jay. silver heels AkA "Tanto" got his name because he was a Creole Tapdancer at the Cotten Club!