# Movies with a Jewish hero or tough-guy character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343 "2008-07-05T01:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/141 "2008-07-08T17:43:11Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] Heh, this reminds me of one of the more annoying literary “rules” I’ve come across: Chekov’s Rifle. Basically, the idea is, if Chekov walks into the room in a scene and hangs his rifle on the wall, then the rifle has to serve some purpose in the story or else it has no reason to be there. One of my goals in life is to right a story where a guy named Chekov walks in, hangs his gun on the wall, and does absolutely nothing with it for the rest of the story. Maybe even grabbing a different gun if he needs a firearm later on. [/QUOTE] Nitpick: Chekhov isn’t the character on the stage, [he’s the guy writing the play.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Chekhov) ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/142 "2008-07-08T18:14:25Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Nitpick: Chekhov isn’t the character on the stage, [he’s the guy writing the play.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Chekhov) [/QUOTE] Well, there was a short lived show on Comedy Central in the 90’s (I think) that was about a bunch of weird Europeans doing a variety show. Anyway, they had Walter Koenig on as their guest star one episode and did a bit “Chekhov does Chekhov!” I don’t remember what play it was from, but they were doing a scene and the other cast members kept coming on as aliens while Koenig played it straight. I looked on IMDB but can’t find it listed in his credits. Anyway, sometimes it’s both. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/143 "2008-07-08T18:22:01Z")
[QUOTE=Tenebras] Well, there was a short lived show on Comedy Central in the 90’s (I think) that was about a bunch of weird Europeans doing a variety show. [/QUOTE] Viva Variety, from the same troupe that does Reno 911 now. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/144 "2008-07-08T18:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Viva Variety, from the same troupe that does Reno 911 now. [/QUOTE] Ah ha! Is the skinny cop on Reno 911 the guy who played the son in Viva Variety? I always feel like he looks familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/145 "2008-07-08T18:55:11Z")
[QUOTE=Tenebras] Ah ha! Is the skinny cop on Reno 911 the guy who played the son in Viva Variety? I always feel like he looks familiar. [/QUOTE] I don’t actually watch Reno 911, so if you mean [this guy](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0085438/), then probably. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/146 "2008-07-08T18:57:08Z")
[QUOTE=Tenebras] Well, there was a short lived show on Comedy Central in the 90’s (I think) that was about a bunch of weird Europeans doing a variety show. Anyway, they had Walter Koenig on as their guest star one episode and did a bit “Chekhov does Chekhov!” I don’t remember what play it was from, but they were doing a scene and the other cast members kept coming on as aliens while Koenig played it straight. I looked on IMDB but can’t find it listed in his credits. Anyway, sometimes it’s both. [/QUOTE] Yes, Walter Koenig beating up a Klingon while quoting _Uncle Vanya_ is one of the high points of television history. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/147 "2008-07-08T21:16:31Z")
Nobody’s brought up The Believer? Rob ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/148 "2008-07-09T00:34:38Z")
_Raid on Entebbe_ has a whole load of tough Jewish guys in it. And then there’s _Gentlemen’s Agreement_ - oh, wait, Peck’s character was just fronting. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/149 "2008-07-10T05:31:03Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Speaking of, when’s the last time you saw a gay character who was a tough kickass kinda guy? Captain Jack Harkness of _Doctor Who_ and _Torchwood_ comes to mind. Though I guess he’s bisexual. Or really trisexual, as in he’ll tri anything. As is the fashion in the 51st century, apparently ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/150 "2008-07-10T06:20:06Z")
[QUOTE=sweeteviljesus] Nobody’s brought up The Believer? Rob [/QUOTE] A self-hating, morally corrupt Jewish Neo-Nazi? He’s an interesting character, and certainly a “tough” guy, but I don’t really think he’s what I’m looking for here. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/151 "2008-07-10T07:20:15Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Yes, Walter Koenig beating up a Klingon while quoting _Uncle Vanya_ is one of the high points of television history. [/QUOTE] And, Walter Koenig was… Wait for it. Wait for it. JEWISH! Friends, we have a winner. According to Wikipedia, which I swear on an abridged Moby Dick I did not just go and edit for this purpose, Walter Koenig was [jewish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Koenig). > [@](#): > > Koenig’s parents were Jewish immigrants from Russia; his family lived in Lithuania when they emigrated and shortened their surname from “Koenigsberg” to “Koenig”. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/152 "2008-07-10T11:09:06Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I might be mistaken but isn’t Magneto from X-Men supposed to be Jewish? I mean, he is a bad guy, but at least he’s one with principals, you know? [/QUOTE] Xavier too. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343/153 "2008-07-10T12:41:55Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] Xavier too. [/QUOTE] Name gives it away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-a-jewish-hero-or-tough-guy-character/455343.md?page=7)