A hairy audition

I enjoy reading Jay Johnson's blog "The World's Is A Stage". He tells wonderful show business stories. Recently he told us about his final audition at ABC that won him the famous part on "Soap". He also published a copy of the Variety ad for the first casting (cattle) call for ventriloquists, which was held at CBS in LA.

I was at the initial casting call at CBS. My aunt, who was an acting teacher in LA, told me about it. At the time, I didn't use a figure or puppet, but rather sang a tune without moving my lips as a closing bit of my singer-songwriter act. (It was the same bit I did as part our street act in San Francisco when Harry Anderson and I were partners.)

I'd never seen so many ventriloquists and vent figures in one room as I saw that day in that Rehearsal Hall at CBS. A sea of ventriloquists! I recall the ad asked for someone 20-30 years old, but I saw vents much older and much younger than that. I remember one older guy with a Greecian Formula-dyed butch haircut and loud plaid jacket was saying how much younger he'd look on TV.

Eventually I was called in to a small room or curtained-off area (I don't recall which) to audition, which didn't last long. I had hair down to my butt and no dummy. Right away they eliminated me and I didn't even get to show 'em my act. But they were very polite, which I appreciated because I was also very nervous.

And of course, we all know who won the part. Obviously those casting directors knew what they were doing.