Do not laugh but I actually thought for years that Paul Benedict from The Jeffersons was English. It's not just because he sounded English but because he had the type of facial features that you tend to see in English people that you don't see in North America.

I also didn't know that Gino Conforti was Italian-American. I really thought he was latino. :lol:

I learned years ago that the Crying Indian was an Italian American (https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-indian-crying-environment-ads-pollution-1123-20171113-story.html). :eek:

Father Knows Best - season 5 episode 10, Rita Moreno, a Puerto Rican actress, played an Indian foreign exchange student. I did not know her nationality until I just checked, but I did not think she was from India.

I always thought Carmine from Laverne and Shirley was Italian American ! A few years ago I found out the actor Eddie Mecca is Armenian American !;)

I learned years ago that the Crying Indian was an Italian American (https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-indian-crying-environment-ads-pollution-1123-20171113-story.html). :eek:

I know ! Wow, isn't that I trip ? ;)That blew me away when I found that out ! :eek:He really looks Native American ! ;)

Do not laugh but I actually thought for years that Paul Benedict from The Jeffersons was English. It's not just because he sounded English but because he had the type of facial features that you tend to see in English people that you don't see in North America.

I also didn't know that Gino Conforti was Italian-American. I really thought he was latino. :lol:

Yeah I thought for a long time too that Paul Benedict was totally British.

Ed.

I was genuinely surprised to learn that Lois Maxwell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Maxwell), who was the original Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films (from the Sean Connery era on through the end of Roger Moore's tenure in 1985) was actually Canadian. I naturally assumed that she was British like the other actresses who would play Miss Moneypenny (Caroline Bliss, Samantha Bond, Naomi Harris).

I thought Michael Dorn was actually a Klingon. ;)

I know ! Wow, isn't that I trip ? ;)That blew me away when I found that out ! :eek:He really looks Native American ! ;)

Definitely! :lol:

I thought Michael Dorn was actually a Klingon. ;)

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I thought Michael Dorn was actually a Klingon. ;)

I thought Mark Lenard was a Romulan.

I thought Tiffany Brissette was a robot.

I thought Tiffany Brissette was a robot.

:brent

I always thought Carmine from Laverne and Shirley was Italian American ! A few years ago I found out the actor Eddie Mecca is Armenian American !;)

Armenians are very good passing for Italian, the most famous of all being John Belushi.

BTW, that reminds me! How could I forget Henry Winkler? He had the Italian-American thing down pat but in reality was a total nebbish! :lol:

Father Knows Best - season 5 episode 10, Rita Moreno, a Puerto Rican actress, played an Indian foreign exchange student. I did not know her nationality until I just checked, but I did not think she was from India.


They always had Rita Moreno passing for something in her early days. She played a Thai in The King and I (which is ridiculous!). :lol:

You just reminded me of Yul Brynner. Brynner always tried passing himself off as some exotic mutt but he was just a Russian guy with some Swiss and German ancestry.

You just reminded me of Yul Brynner. Brynner always tried passing himself off as some exotic mutt.I have never heard Yul Brynner being referred to as an exotic mutt before. :lol: :D

I have never heard Yul Brynner being referred to as an exotic mutt before. :lol: :D

Eh, I calls 'em as I sees 'em. :lol:

For more than 20 years I thought Walter Koenig (Chekov) was Russian.

Naturally I knew that Leonard Nimoy wasn't a Vulcan because who ever heard of a Jewish Vulcan?

For more than 20 years I thought Walter Koenig (Chekov) was Russian.

Naturally I knew that Leonard Nimoy wasn't a Vulcan because who ever heard of a Jewish Vulcan?

Not Walter Koenig but James Doohan, for a long time I really believed he was Scottish.

Ed.

For more than 20 years I thought Walter Koenig (Chekov) was Russian.

Yes, I thought the same for years until I actually heard him speak in his natural voice. Of course, the last name was a dead giveaway, but still...

John Hillerman, who was Jonathan Quayle Higgins III (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Higgins) on the original Magnum, P.I. with Tom Selleck was actually an American from Denison, Texas. He did such a terrific job (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hillerman#Television) at playing a stuffy Englishman, that you wouldn't be foolish to believe that he was actually from the UK.

Not Walter Koenig but James Doohan, for a long time I really believed he was Scottish.

Ed.
I thought so too, for years until I saw an interview with him once.

For more than 20 years I thought Walter Koenig (Chekov) was Russian.

Naturally I knew that Leonard Nimoy wasn't a Vulcan because who ever heard of a Jewish Vulcan?

I used to think the same thing,

I used to think Nick Turturro was Mexican, like his NYPD Blue character, Det. James Martinez. He’s Italian.

I used to think that Gregory Sierra who played Chano on BARNEY MILLER was really puerto-rican. I found out he's not when I saw him on ALL IN THE FAMILY once.

I used to think that Gregory Sierra who played Chano on BARNEY MILLER was really puerto-rican. I found out he's not when I saw him on ALL IN THE FAMILY once.
NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/arts/television/gregory-sierra-dead.html

Gregory Sierra, a character actor who navigated easily between comedy and drama but was best known for his supporting roles on the sitcoms “Sanford and Son” and “Barney Miller,” died on Jan. 4 at his home in Laguna Woods, Calif. He was 83.

His wife, Helene Sierra, said the cause was stomach and liver cancer.

Lanky and balding, Mr. Sierra started out in Hollywood in the late 1960s and early ’70s taking modest parts — including on the sitcom “The Flying Nun” and the secret agent series “Mission Impossible,” as well in as the 1970 film sequel “Beneath the Planet of the Apes.”

With his Puerto Rican background, Mr. Sierra was often cast in ethnic roles, including Latinos, Italians and Native Americans.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/cbs46.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/9f/79f6f8aa-1153-5162-a500-050bfe0b9eed/600cdbfe21a17.image.jpg?resize=700%2C483