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:

  1. Anonymous5:38 PM

    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.

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

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  3. Anonymous10:43 AM

    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!

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