# Least likely ethnic characterization **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412 "2014-08-13T03:09:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/21 "2014-08-13T15:19:15Z")
Fisher Stevens in _Short Circuit_. [![](https://jonstruestories.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/stevens21.jpg) ](https://jonstruestories.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/stevens21.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/22 "2014-08-13T15:19:27Z")
The extremely Aryan Casper Van Dien played Filipino Johnny Rico in _Starship Troopers_. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/23 "2014-08-13T15:19:42Z")
I think Michael Ansara has played every ethnicity except his own (Syrian) - various Mexican and Hispanic, Native American, Egyptian, Sikh, Chinese, Babylonian, Hawaiian, Samoan, Albanian, Italian, generic Arabian, plus generic Caucasian. And, of course, Klingon (boney and non-boney). ---
**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:** [August 13, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/24 "2014-08-13T15:39:49Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Mickey Rooney in _Breakfast At Tiffany’s_. > > [/thread] Maybe. I just saw that as comic relief, playing an Oriental Stereotype, not a Japanese American, but I’m probably in the minority. Also, I think Khigh Dhiegh (Kenneth Dickerson) aqcuitted himself rather well playing Yellow Peril characters. Looking back at the old “Hawaii Five-O” series, [many of the Oriental characters were played by Jews,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=576762) some OK, some not so OK. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/25 "2014-08-13T16:19:23Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > The extremely Aryan Casper Van Dien played Filipino Johnny Rico in _Starship Troopers_. Nah, they cut the reference to the Philippines from the film – Rico is an Argentine from Buenos Aires . . . and there are a **lot** of Aryans in Argentina! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/26 "2014-08-13T16:21:14Z")
Swede [Warner Oland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Oland) as Charlie Chan. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/27 "2014-08-13T17:01:31Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > I was watching the unreleased pilot episode of “That Girl” recently, and in it the Ted Bessell character was a Cherokee Indian called Donald Blue Sky. They even did a firewater joke! [Because this guy you’d totally buy as a Native American.](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/789/ThatG219.jpg) What other characters had totally unconvincing racial/ethnic backrounds? Actually, I would buy him as part _Cherokee_. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/28 "2014-08-13T17:14:41Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Looking back at the old “Hawaii Five-O” series, [many of the Oriental characters were played by Jews,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=576762) some OK, some not so OK. Raj’s dad on Big Bang Theory is Jewish. Did I miss anyone mentioning Sean Connery as Japanese? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/29 "2014-08-13T17:23:36Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Actually, I would buy him as part _Cherokee_. Bob Barker is 1/8 Sioux: [![](http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140102040416/gameshows/images/2/20/Bob-barker-1975.png) ](http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140102040416/gameshows/images/2/20/Bob-barker-1975.png) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/30 "2014-08-13T17:25:57Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Did I miss anyone mentioning Sean Connery as Japanese? If you’re referring to _ **You Only Live Twice** _, that was clearly a disguise, but yeah, I’d think he would have had considerable trouble blending in with the inhabitants of a Japanese fishing village. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/31 "2014-08-13T17:28:41Z")
All of the Italian actors who were portrayed in westerns as Indians, including Sal Mineo, for god’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/32 "2014-08-13T17:29:16Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Raj’s dad on Big Bang Theory is Jewish. **[Voice of Raj]:** NO! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/33 "2014-08-13T17:31:10Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > All of the Italian actors who were portrayed in westerns as Indians, including Sal Mineo, for god’s sake. Mineo’s portrayal of an ape in “Escape From the Planet of the Apes” was so offensive a real ape killed him. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/34 "2014-08-13T17:31:48Z")
Does Barbara Eden as a Middle Eastern jinn count? :dubious: [![](https://www.geni.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/barbara-eden.jpg) ](https://www.geni.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/barbara-eden.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/35 "2014-08-13T17:32:30Z")
Dick van Dyke as a cockney I am now about to win the internets with this [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KoYOraDt1_k/hqdefault.jpg "The Black & White Minstrel Show 1978 - Part 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoYOraDt1_k) ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/36 "2014-08-13T17:35:12Z")
[quote=“casdave, post:35, topic:695412”] Dick van Dyke as a cockney I am now about to win the internets with this [/QUOTE] Holy crap, those white women don’t even remotely look Brazilian. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/37 "2014-08-13T17:35:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > All of the Italian actors who were portrayed in westerns as Indians, including Sal Mineo, for god’s sake. Sal Mineo and Hector Elizondo also once played men from a fictional Middle Eastern country in an episode of Columbo. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/38 "2014-08-13T17:45:34Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Holy crap, those white women don’t even remotely look Brazilian. More, uhm, makeup was obviously needed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/39 "2014-08-13T17:53:39Z")
Charlton Heston in “A Touch of Evil” as a Mexican narcotics officer. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412/40 "2014-08-13T18:11:40Z")
Slovakian Jew Peter Lorre as the Japanese [Mr. Moto](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Moto). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-likely-ethnic-characterization/695412.md?page=3)