# Who is that guy in the Kodak ad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659 "2005-11-18T16:35:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/1 "2005-11-18T16:35:23Z")
Who is that guy in the brown hat and suit who’s in that TV ad for Kodak digital cameras? I’m talking about the ad that’s set in an art museum where the young woman says “action” and the guy says that it’s not a video camera, so you don’t say action. And then she says it’s a digital camera that takes video images as well as still images, etc. He looks like a real cool dude, and I swear I’ve seen him before … but I just can’t place him. I’m figuring that he might be a modern artist, or maybe a character actor. I know I’ve seen him before … in **something** , but I don’t know what and it’s bugging the hell out of me! Can anyone help me out? I debated whether to post this in General Questions, because there is a answer to it, but because it involves a TV ad and (I hope) a famous or somewhat famous personality, I posted it here in Cafe Society. But if mods want to move it, I’m down with that. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/2 "2005-11-18T16:47:09Z")
He looks like any of a thousand bit part actors from cop shows from the 60’s and 70’s. I think that’s kind of the idea… ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/3 "2005-11-18T19:19:50Z")
Considering that the guy in one of the OTHER Kodak digital camera commercials is a failry well-known photogrpaher (best known for his Ali in ring pictures), I also assumed our fedora wearing guy was someone I should be smart enough to recognize. And the joke about it being “his first movie” (or whatever the line was) made me assume he was an actor or director. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/4 "2005-11-21T20:09:50Z")
I sent my question to the Kodak company, via the Kodak Web site. I’m interested to see what kind of reply I’ll get. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/5 "2005-11-21T20:31:25Z")
Isn’t it James Woods? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/6 "2005-11-21T21:02:08Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > Isn’t it James Woods? …no. Could the guy be an author? Maybe a writer who has had some book adapted for film? ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-that-guy-in-the-kodak-ad/331659/7 "2005-11-22T13:49:18Z")
Here’s the reply I got from Kodak: > [@](#): > > As a > matter of policy and due to contract clauses, we are not in a position > to identify the person in the ad. However, while he is an actor, he is > not a celebrity. The mystery deepens…