Joss as an actor? by serenityrising

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Joss as an actor?

POSTED BY: SERENITYRISING
UPDATED: Tuesday, September 6, 2005 06:24
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Thursday, June 9, 2005 11:43 AM

I was watching the Serenity episode of Firefly for what must have been the fifth time, but this time with the commentary on. I noticed that Josh Whedon said in the commentary that he had originally wanted to play the role of Badger, the low-life crime boss. Which made me wonder, has Joss ever actually appeared in any of the shows he's been involved with over the years? I've never heard anything about it.

Which brings up the question of why any director without acting experience, even a director as great as Joss, would contemplate putting himself in a recurring role in his own show. It just seems kinda odd.

So, has anyone heard about Joss acting? I'd be interested to know.

"Let's be bad guys"

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 11:57 AM

HEB

You absolutely have to watch one of the Angel episodes towards the end of season 2 with Joss's marvelous cameo as Numfar.

I know him and his friends do Shakespeare readings round at his house so he must at least have some shakespeare voice acting experience.

Maybe Badger wasn't meant to be recurring initially?

...................
Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 12:08 PM

MANWITHPEZ

Important people don't do field work.

Who is Josh Whedon?

Sorry...just a joke...

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 1:25 PM

the movie is not the Series. Only the facts have been changed, to irritate the innocent; the names of the actors and characters remain the same

Quote:
Originally posted by serenityrising:
Which brings up the question of why any director without acting experience, even a director as great as Joss, would contemplate putting himself in a recurring role in his own show.

1) It was neither a big role, nor an every week role. Joss prolly reckoned on a few times a year.
2) It's a cool role.
3) He didn't do it. Either he met Mark Sheppard coincidentally & knew he was perfect for the role, or he was looking for an actor. Joss's comment may have been no more than an idle phant'sy while he was writing the script.

Keep the Shiny Side Up . . . (wutzon) Stones, "Rip This Joint", from "Exile On Main Street"

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 3:14 PM

GTMAN8503

Numfar! Do the dance of joy!

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 3:27 PM

LISSA

no longer do the dance of joy numfar!

numfar, do the dance of shame!

~lissa, spwhore

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 3:59 PM

PUMAMANREDUX

According to imdb.com Joss' acting roles on TV are:

"Firefly" playing "Man at Funeral" (uncredited) in episode: "The Message" (episode # 1.15) 28 July 2003

"Angel" playing "Numfar" in episode: "Through the Looking Glass" (episode # 2.21) 15 May 2001

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" playing "News Caster" (voice) in episode: "I, Robot--You, Jane" (episode # 1.8) 28 April 1997

also according to imdb Joss played Joss Whedon in a movie called Bandwagon .... see this link http://imdb.com/title/tt0385534/

***************
'Trust me - I know what I'm doing!' - Sledge Hammer
**************
http://www.freewebs.com/mjspages/tempfireflypage.htm

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 4:08 PM

DIETCOKE

Quote:
Originally posted by PumamanRedux:
According to imdb.com Joss' acting roles on TV are:

"Firefly" playing "Man at Funeral" (uncredited) in episode: "The Message" (episode # 1.15) 28 July 2003

"Angel" playing "Numfar" in episode: "Through the Looking Glass" (episode # 2.21) 15 May 2001

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" playing "News Caster" (voice) in episode: "I, Robot--You, Jane" (episode # 1.8) 28 April 1997

also according to imdb Joss played Joss Whedon in a movie called Bandwagon .... see this link http://imdb.com/title/tt0385534/

***************
'Trust me - I know what I'm doing!' - Sledge Hammer
**************
http://www.freewebs.com/mjspages/tempfireflypage.htm

Am I the only person in the 'verse who missed Joss in the Message? I have got to watch it tonight! I never saw this!!!!

Thank you!

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 4:08 PM

BIKISDAD

Quote:
Originally posted by lissa:
no longer do the dance of joy numfar!

numfar, do the dance of shame!

~lissa, spwhore

That was sooo incredibly funny.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 4:24 PM

WORKEROFEVIL

I heard Joss was in The Message at the end so I watched the scene again. I could not find him. It's entirely possible I just missed him (and likely too), but his being listed as appearing might be a mistake.

Now we have to be married. I'm in the family way.

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 6:31 PM

the movie is not the Series. Only the facts have been changed, to irritate the innocent; the names of the actors and characters remain the same

Quote:
Originally posted by dietcoke:
Am I the only person in the 'verse who missed Joss in the Message?

Nope, & I've gone through the funeral scene on more than one occasion, @half speed, just looking for him. I don't think he's on screen.

Keep the Shiny Side Up . . . (wutzon) Clapton & McCartney, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", from "Concert for George"

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Friday, June 10, 2005 6:06 AM

MRSEMBASSY

Quote:
Originally posted by lissa:
no longer do the dance of joy numfar!

numfar, do the dance of shame!

~lissa, spwhore

When we met Joss at LA Comicon last year, I told him that the dances of Numfar have become a family tradition in our household. "Do the dance of shame!" is a common reprimand when one of the kids does something objectionable. He told me, "I was always disappointed that we didn't do more with that character. I think there was a lot of potential there." (kidding, of course!)

The funniest thing is that the kids have come up with their own rejoinder, which is "Do the dance of respect!" and they wave their rear ends at their parents in a startlingly DISrespectful display. Never fails to crack us all up.

Thank God we live in a fannish family. :-)

-Mrs. Embassy

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Friday, June 10, 2005 6:31 AM

BLINKER

Joss is also said to have read the introductory narration for a rough cut of the Firefly pilot, using a cheesy Southern drawl. Not sure if that was ever intended to see air.

_________
Sliders: Gate Haven - http://slidersweb.net/blinker

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Friday, June 10, 2005 6:58 AM

SIMONWHO

Quote:
Originally posted by YT:
He didn't do it. Either he met Mark Sheppard coincidentally & knew he was perfect for the role, or he was looking for an actor. Joss's comment may have been no more than an idle phant'sy while he was writing the script.

Mark said at the Serenity convention that he came in to read for the part and that it was him who pitched Badger as being English (not just so he could get the role, his American accent is apparently perfect anyway).

My guess is that Joss asked himself "Hmm, I've got three TV shows on the air and I'm writing, producing and directing for them all. Do I have time to be on set to introduce the McGuffin every few weeks?" Then he came up with the answer "No. No, I do not."

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Saturday, June 11, 2005 4:52 PM

SERENITYRISING

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonWho

Mark said at the Serenity convention that he came in to read for the part and that it was him who pitched Badger as being English (not just so he could get the role, his American accent is apparently perfect anyway).

My guess is that Joss asked himself "Hmm, I've got three TV shows on the air and I'm writing, producing and directing for them all. Do I have time to be on set to introduce the McGuffin every few weeks?" Then he came up with the answer "No. No, I do not."

Thanks for the all the input guys. I will have to get my hands on that Angel episode, it sounds quite amusing. I believe a friend of my owns several of the Angel season's. I confess that while I am a great Buffy fan, I did not follow Angel very closely while it was on the air.
Also, the point about Joss realizing his own limitations makes sense to me. He clearly has an incredible creative / work drive, but acting regularly might have actually seemed like a bit much even to him. In any case, I can definitely see Joss's particular sense of dry humor in all the characters, perhaps most especially Wash. So he doesn't real need to be in front of the camera to be felt.

Well, this was my first discussion thread, and it's great feeling involved in the community here. I shall be back for more.

"Well, I believe the Bible is a little fuzzy when it comes to kneecaps."

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Sunday, June 12, 2005 12:39 PM

SHINYMOM

Joss is wearing a floppy tan hat and a tan jacket with fur on it. There are three clear shots of him. My assumption is that he is playing Tracy's father because Kaylee hands him the recorder with Tracy's message on it.

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Sunday, June 12, 2005 1:10 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

Quote:
Originally posted by YT:
Quote:
Originally posted by dietcoke:
Am I the only person in the 'verse who missed Joss in the Message?

Nope, & I've gone through the funeral scene on more than one occasion, @half speed, just looking for him. I don't think he's on screen.

Keep the Shiny Side Up . . . (wutzon) Clapton & McCartney, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", from "Concert for George"

Look really carefully at the woman is the black dress...........

" Looking for a place to happen
Making stops along the way "

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Sunday, June 12, 2005 2:41 PM

VLAD

The man that Kaylee hands the recorder to is NOT Joss Whedon.

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Thursday, June 16, 2005 8:35 AM

MRSEMBASSY

For anyone interested in more on Numfar, my daughter informs me there is a webpage devoted to him at:

http://www.idol-atry.net/numfar/

Which just goes to show you that you can find ANYTHING on the net.

-Mrs. Embassy

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Tuesday, September 6, 2005 6:24 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Serenity rising wrote:

Quote:
Which brings up the question of why any director without acting experience, even a director as great as Joss, would contemplate putting himself in a recurring role in his own show. It just seems kinda odd.

Ok well you know about Joss now, but hes not the only one. Directors often appear in their own productions.

Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Jow Dante, more famously Alfred Hitchcock, even John Carpenter. Why they would do it is another matter. Could be various reasons... from ego to genuine sentiment for that character. I think the oddest one though was Stephen J Cannell who cast himself as some kinda bad heavy corupt cop in that series "Renegade" about some bike riding cop.. Remember that!?? Really dreadful, well at least for me anyway, but he'd often show up in episodes giving a disdainful glance at the do-gooders' proceedings... Curious really?

As for Joss, I guess it's just a love for hijinx! Imagine what fun you could have if you wrote and created your own show, and then got to star in an episode. It'd be so much fun. I imagine it's just another aspect of the craft that you become so close to that you wish to see how well you'd cope.

I mean he writes, directs, produces, and even writes music for his shows so acting would seem to be just a natural extension of his creative expression.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

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