# A movie reference to the actor's real life. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730 "2009-03-17T07:58:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/1 "2009-03-17T07:58:54Z")
In a scene in \*How to Marry a Millionaire, \*Lauren Bacall is saying how she loves older men. She names a few, including “that old guy in _African Queen_.” The reference is to Humphrey Bogart, Bacall’s husband, 25 years her senior. What other examples are there? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/2 "2009-03-17T09:10:07Z")
In _ **Working Girl** _, Harrison Ford joked about how he received his trademark scar. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/3 "2009-03-17T13:01:53Z")
In **His Girl Friday** , Cary Grant refers to “Archie Leach” – his real name. Also, the actor played by Ralph Bellamy is described by Grant as looking like “the actor, Ralph Bellamy.” More seriously, in **Bend it Lick Beckham** , Parminder Nagra talks to her coach about the scarring on her leg. The scars are real and Nagra describes the actual incident, when some hot oil burned her. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/4 "2009-03-17T13:12:14Z")
In Ocean’s 12, when Julia Roberts is called upon to impersonate Julia Roberts, doesn’t she question her similarity to that woman? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/5 "2009-03-17T13:26:25Z")
In _Rosemary’s Baby_, when Rosemary meets Terry Gionoffrio in the laundry room, she says “I thought you were Angela Dorian,” the actress’s real name. In the book, Terry looked like Anna Marie Albergetti. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/6 "2009-03-17T13:38:23Z")
In **Tapeheads** , the FBI agent played by Jello (Dead Kennedys) Biafra suggested framing one of the protagonists for a crime, “Like we did to Jello Biafra.” Kind of weak, really. In **Spider-Man 2** , Spidey lands after a 30-floor drop and staggers around saying “My back! My back!” Tobey Maguire hurt his back in the first **Spider-Man** and whined about it just a bit too much for director Sam Raimi’s liking. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/7 "2009-03-17T13:40:15Z")
In _Spider-Man 2_ there’s a scene where Tobey Maguire tumbles to the ground and gets up complaining, “Oh, my back”. I’ve been told that’s a joke about the back problems that almost kept Maguire from signing on for the movie. I have no way of verifying that, so maybe someone can correct me. ETA: **Krokodiiiiil!** ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/8 "2009-03-17T14:50:48Z")
One year, there was a controversy at **CSI** when George Eads was late to the first day’s shooting; the producers thought this was a contract ploy and talked about firing him. Eads claimed he just overslept and was kept on. When the first episode of the season began, someone says to his character, Nick Stokes, “You’re late.” He replied something like “Me?” ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/9 "2009-03-17T15:03:15Z")
There was a outtake in Bruce Almighty where Jennifer Anniston is reading a supermarket tabloid and says “She’s such a good actress and all they talk about is her hair.” I really thought that should have made it in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/10 "2009-03-17T15:06:03Z")
“I can’t believe there’s some scum like that that would murder his wife” – OJ Simpson, some movie made in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/11 "2009-03-17T15:07:34Z")
In “Die Hard” Alan Rickman muses that his nemesis might be a bartender, Bruce Willis’s former day job. OK, a lot of actors wait tables and such, but I think that was deliberate. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/12 "2009-03-17T15:16:42Z")
After James Doohan had a heart attack, he appeared in _Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan_. During an inspection, Scotty says that Dr. McCoy recently pulled him through “a wee bout.” Kirk looks questioningly at him, and McCoy says, “Shore leave!” ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/13 "2009-03-17T15:21:58Z")
At the end of _Ocean’s 13_, George Clooney tells Brad Pitt to “settle down, have a few kids…” (An obvious reference to Pitt’s relationship and ever-growing family with Angelina Jolie.) And Brad Pitt tells George Clooney to “try to keep the weight off between jobs next time.” (A reference to Clooney gaining weight for _Syriana._) (Quotes are approximate…) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/14 "2009-03-17T15:23:50Z")
Sorta in reverse: In one of the Knight Rider (1992ish) made for TV movies, James Doohan appears as himself, I think trying to get money out of an ATM. He gets knocked on the head somehow, and starts mumbling something like, “Captain, I can’t give ya any more paairrrrr.” ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/15 "2009-03-17T15:28:35Z")
In “Take Her, She’s Mine,” Jimmy Stewart’s character was frequently confused for Jimmy Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/16 "2009-03-17T15:51:53Z")
Not a movie per se, but Boris Karlof was approached and offered the part of the evil brother in Arsendi and Old Lace on broadway by being quoted the line about the evil brother always being thought to look like Boris Karlof. I just wish he had done Jonathan in the movie as well. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/17 "2009-03-17T15:55:38Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > **Bend it Lick Beckham** , Parminder Nagra Paging Dr. Freud… ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/18 "2009-03-17T16:02:24Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > In “Die Hard” Alan Rickman muses that his nemesis might be a bartender, Bruce Willis’s former day job. OK, a lot of actors wait tables and such, but I think that was deliberate. May have been, but it was actually Paul Gleason as the chief of police who made that speculation, referring to the fact that McLane could recognize a fake I.D. In **Arsenic and Old Lace** , Johnny Brewster is referred to as looking like Boris Karloff. Raymond Massey played him in the movie, but Karloff actually played the role on Broadway, so it sort of qualifies in a second-hand way. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/19 "2009-03-17T17:56:00Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > Paging Dr. Freud… “She’s not Lebanese, she’s Punjabi!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-movie-reference-to-the-actors-real-life/489730/20 "2009-03-17T18:09:58Z")
I can’t remember the name of the movie, but there was a Rock Hudson flick where he was staying in a men-only hotel. His wife/girlfriend wanted to visit him, so she disguised herself as a man (with fake facial hair and everything). There’s a scene where he kisses her (while she’s still in her disguise), and some passerbys are shocked to see him apparently kissing a man. I always wondered if that was a deliberate wink to the fact that Rock Hudson was (“officially” closeted but really everyone knew) gay.