ActingA Hollywood director once sent out word that he was looking for an actor to play the role of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The actor was to be over six feet tall, young and vigorous and have an excellent command of the language. On the day of the casting call, many fine tall young men showed up, but
among them was a little old Jewish man with a heavy Yiddish accent. The
director picked him out immediately and asked, “What do you want ?”
The man answered “I vant to be an hector. I vant to play Hemlet!”
“Are you kidding or just crazy?” the director asked. “You are only five feet
tall and you have an accent so thick I could cut it with a knife. What can you possibly do?”
The little man said, ”I vant to hect. Giff me a chance.”
Finally the director gave in. “Get up on stage and try it.”
The little man stepped out
onto the stage. Somehow he looked much taller and full of energy. He began to speak with a
booming voice and in perfect queen’s English: "To be or not to be…"
When he was finished, there was a hush. Everyone was amazed. The director
said, “That’s unbelievable.” The other actors said, “That’s wonderful.” The little
Jew shrugged his shoulders and said, “Dat’s hecting!”
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