#casperprod

((This interview was taken off of Joe Nipote's Facebook page. Enjoy!!))

I've gotten a few requests for the Spielberg story of how I "actually" landed the role of "UNCLE STRETCH" in his movie "CASPER"....so here you go!

At that time it was December 1993 and I was already on my first year of "VIPER" being shot right in L.A. at PARAMOUNT STUDIOS. I was also doing stand-up, talk shows and voice-over playing the second lead on an show called "What A Mess" as the tough junkyard dog "TRASH."

So my feeling at the time was....I really don't need the job and that's the attitude I went in with...not really caring if I get it or not because I WAS WORKING!!! It was that attitude however that gave the confidence and "attitude" that was inherent for the part of "Stretch." However when I went to the audition--most of my confidence went out the window when I saw who the other actors also auditioning for the part--major actor/STARS from film and t.v. from singer BARRY WHITE (who was there for "Fatso" (which Brad Garrett eventually won) to Robert Patrick (Liquid Man from Terminator) who has never stopped working and is now on "True Blood" and who wouldn't stop asking me questions because he had never read for a voice over part like this.

After my third audition, I got the call for a FOURTH audition. The stress of landing this part was really getting to me and even though I was elated to still be included in the running. On the fourth audition they paired us up with various other actors-brought us into the room with all the executives sitting there, except for Spielberg, and put our audition on camera for Spielberg to watch later. They also asked us to "IMPROV" our parts and forget what was written on the page.

Here's how I got the part...one of the other actors, a nice guy who I don't remember his name, but he was a semi-regular on NYPD BLUE and he was auditioning for the part of "STINKY." So as we were auditioning and by this time, I believe it was my third pairing on this day- this NYPD actor just kept ad-libbing, mostly rambling, not saying anything funny, and I was afraid he was taking up valuable audition time, and I had the next line which I couldn't say because he wouldn't stop, (I mean Michael Phelps couldn't hold his breath longer this guy) so I waited for the right moment and burst in as my character and yelled at him, "SHUT THE F#%K UP!" which he instantly did. Thank the LORD everyone in the room laughed, (I'm sure they were feeling what I was feeling) which gave me the confidence to continue. I went on with my lines and eventually we finished the audition, without the NYPD actor ad-libbing another line, by the way.

A week later I was told, no ordered, by my manager at the time to meet him at a very popular and expensive restaurant on La Cienga because he had something very important to discuss and couldn't do it over the phone and his tone was NOT friendly or happy. I had all kinds of horrific thoughts going through my head from VIPER not getting picked up to I offended Spielberg with my audition and he was kicking me out of SHOW BUSINESS for good (because he did have that kind of power.)

At the dinner I was ready for the worst when I saw my agent walk in with a bottle of Champagne and big smile on her face. I was dumbfounded when they announced, "Congratulations, you got the part, you're Uncle Stretch!" I couldn't believe it, my manager was screwing with me and he started laughing and saying stuff like, "See you're not the only one who can act." All the stress and pain and worry just evaporated out of my body and then they went on to inform me that, "And they want you to read for "Dibs" the sidekick to Cathy Moriarty's "Carrigan". This was too much...I was literally going crazy with happiness!

A few day later right before CASPER was supposed to begin, the Northridge earthquake hit, January 17, 1994 and production was postponed a couple of weeks. First day of work was the last week of January 1994 and I was asked to read "Dibs" at the table reading with everyone, except Spielberg who hadn't shown up yet. I read the part but obviously I didn't get it. The director and producers told me that I wasn't nerdy enough, that I was too manly and too buff looking for the part. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I was the fat weakling from Michigan who was bullied all through elementary school and now I WAS TOO MUCH OF A GUY!" "NO....It's a mistake! I'm not manly...I'm a wimp please give me another chance."

Anyway on the first day of shooting, I'm sitting there at the craft service table when I hear, "Hello, I'm Steven" and I turn to find myself face to face with Steven Spielberg. And for those of you who know me, you know I'm never at a loss for words, but I was then. I just looked at him and said something like, "Really?" (Like he was impersonating Steven Spielberg with the beard and glasses) So he looks at me and says, "I really enjoyed your audition for this part." I was so worried he was kidding and going to fire me right on the spot for swearing, I began apologizing for my audition when he cut me off and said, "That's the reason you got the part. I want that attitude for Stretch." He went on to ask me if I knew who the "Bowery Boys" were and I was a HUGE fan. Next to the Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello, the Bowery Boys were my next favorite comedy team. He went on to say, "You're the Slip Mahoney of the this group, so just keep that attitude for Stretch and you'll be fine." Then I watched him peel a hardboiled egg, which he did regularly on set, and one day I told him, "You really should have someone do that for you." He politely smiled.

And that's how I won the part of Uncle Stretch in Casper, by telling another human being to, "SHUT THE F#%K UP!" So the next time you find yourself up for that big promotion or a new life-changing job, remember me and you might want to do what I did, and then again, YOU MIGHT NOT!

(The pic is from when we were on news magazine show EXTRA)