• The casting process

    From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun Sep 6 18:44:47 2026
    "Casting is not a talent process."

    This somewhat failed actor who became a casting director uses the James
    Bond audition process as an example. You can probably skip the Lazenby
    stuff if you know the stories. I wish he'd spent more time on Casino
    Royale. But there's the James Brolin screen test for Octopussy, and he's
    good.

    He points out that the process is really about getting you remembered
    for future opportunities.

    He emphasizes the aura of confidence, how a man enters a room, so the
    audition begins before the line reading.

    They don't discuss a famous "blown audition" -- Stephen Furst for Vir on Babylon 5. He got hired because he was so nervous and upset, he'd unintentionally walked into the room in character. When I first saw him,
    I thought Vir was written with Flounder in mind, but they had no idea
    who he was.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssmrueQW7rM

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Rhino@3:633/10 to All on Sun Sep 6 15:30:12 2026
    On 2026-09-06 2:44 p.m., Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    "Casting is not a talent process."

    This somewhat failed actor who became a casting director uses the James
    Bond audition process as an example. You can probably skip the Lazenby
    stuff if you know the stories. I wish he'd spent more time on Casino
    Royale. But there's the James Brolin screen test for Octopussy, and he's good.

    He points out that the process is really about getting you remembered
    for future opportunities.

    He emphasizes the aura of confidence, how a man enters a room, so the audition begins before the line reading.

    They don't discuss a famous "blown audition" -- Stephen Furst for Vir on Babylon 5. He got hired because he was so nervous and upset, he'd unintentionally walked into the room in character. When I first saw him,
    I thought Vir was written with Flounder in mind, but they had no idea
    who he was.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssmrueQW7rM

    Stephen Furst played an intern, Elliot Axelrod, who was frequently
    nervous and upset in St. Elsewhere back in the day. Weirdly, it isn't
    listed in IMDB although he was in the show at least a couple of seasons.
    Does anyone else remember that? I see Wikipedia lists St. Elsewhere as
    one of his TV roles.

    I didn't realize he'd died in 2017, still relatively young.
    Complications of diabetes, according to Wikipedia.

    --
    Rhino

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun Sep 6 19:57:22 2026
    Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:

    Stephen Furst played an intern, Elliot Axelrod, who was frequently
    nervous and upset in St. Elsewhere back in the day. Weirdly, it isn't
    listed in IMDB although he was in the show at least a couple of seasons. >Does anyone else remember that? I see Wikipedia lists St. Elsewhere as
    one of his TV roles.

    He was main cast in later seasons.

    I didn't realize he'd died in 2017, still relatively young.
    Complications of diabetes, according to Wikipedia.

    He had Type 1 and was facing dialysis. This became known in the fan
    community and a suitable kidney donor was found. But the disease still
    killed him a few years later.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From anim8rfsk@3:633/10 to All on Sun Sep 6 18:57:08 2026
    Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
    On 2026-09-06 2:44 p.m., Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    "Casting is not a talent process."

    This somewhat failed actor who became a casting director uses the James
    Bond audition process as an example. You can probably skip the Lazenby
    stuff if you know the stories. I wish he'd spent more time on Casino
    Royale. But there's the James Brolin screen test for Octopussy, and he's
    good.

    He points out that the process is really about getting you remembered
    for future opportunities.

    He emphasizes the aura of confidence, how a man enters a room, so the
    audition begins before the line reading.

    They don't discuss a famous "blown audition" -- Stephen Furst for Vir on
    Babylon 5. He got hired because he was so nervous and upset, he'd
    unintentionally walked into the room in character. When I first saw him,
    I thought Vir was written with Flounder in mind, but they had no idea
    who he was.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssmrueQW7rM

    Stephen Furst played an intern, Elliot Axelrod, who was frequently
    nervous and upset in St. Elsewhere back in the day. Weirdly, it isn't
    listed in IMDB although he was in the show at least a couple of seasons. Does anyone else remember that? I see Wikipedia lists St. Elsewhere as
    one of his TV roles.

    I didn't realize he'd died in 2017, still relatively young.
    Complications of diabetes, according to Wikipedia.


    Furst is listed on IMDb as number 10 in all cast, which is in order of how
    many episodes they appeared in. Furst appeared in 67 out of 137 episodes.

    --
    The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Rhino@3:633/10 to All on Sun Sep 6 22:14:44 2026
    On 2026-09-06 9:57 p.m., anim8rfsk wrote:
    Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
    On 2026-09-06 2:44 p.m., Adam H. Kerman wrote:
    "Casting is not a talent process."

    This somewhat failed actor who became a casting director uses the James
    Bond audition process as an example. You can probably skip the Lazenby
    stuff if you know the stories. I wish he'd spent more time on Casino
    Royale. But there's the James Brolin screen test for Octopussy, and he's >>> good.

    He points out that the process is really about getting you remembered
    for future opportunities.

    He emphasizes the aura of confidence, how a man enters a room, so the
    audition begins before the line reading.

    They don't discuss a famous "blown audition" -- Stephen Furst for Vir on >>> Babylon 5. He got hired because he was so nervous and upset, he'd
    unintentionally walked into the room in character. When I first saw him, >>> I thought Vir was written with Flounder in mind, but they had no idea
    who he was.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssmrueQW7rM

    Stephen Furst played an intern, Elliot Axelrod, who was frequently
    nervous and upset in St. Elsewhere back in the day. Weirdly, it isn't
    listed in IMDB although he was in the show at least a couple of seasons.
    Does anyone else remember that? I see Wikipedia lists St. Elsewhere as
    one of his TV roles.

    I didn't realize he'd died in 2017, still relatively young.
    Complications of diabetes, according to Wikipedia.


    Furst is listed on IMDb as number 10 in all cast, which is in order of how many episodes they appeared in. Furst appeared in 67 out of 137 episodes.

    Sorry, you're right. Somehow, I missed it the first time. St. Elsewhere definitely IS listed on his personal page when you click the "see all"
    button under "Actor".

    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0299122/

    --
    Rhino

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)