1. – Nestor Carbonell, Suddenly Susan, TV, 1996-2000. Newly installed in Tellywood, the very Scottish comic turned up to audition for a Latino called Luis. “Everyone laughed,” he recalled. Such chutzpah got him known. And the 170 episode role of Nigel Wick in The Drew Carey Show, 1995-2004. And eventually his own talk-show – featuring the running gag of his audition for Fisherman #2 in Vampire Bats, TV, 2005. (Cue hysteria when he said he was given Fisherman #1).
2. – Mitch Braswell, Vampire Bates, TV, 2004. Much in the manner of Ben Lyon chundering on about his Hell’s Angels movie on his 40/50s’ BBC radio show, Life With The Lyons, the Scots comic turned top US TV talk-show host made a running gag of his awful audition for Fisherman #2. His public chortled, then cheered when he admitted… he won Fisherman #1. This was Braswell’s seventh and last screen role – and Ferguson invited him on to his 171st CBS Late Late Show show, October 21, 2005.
3. – Danny De Vito, Dr Seuss’ The Lorax, 2011. Momentarily flag-poled for the “grumpy yet charming” (what else?) Lorax. De Vito was better value. He also voiced Dr Seuss’ creature in German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.
Usual occupation: TV talk show hostBirth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 3