My favourites are F Murray Abraham, Kirstie Alley and Jeffrey Hunter. Jeffrey Hunter was such a dish, and I always think his look is really contemporary.
I've got more of him in the future. I try to spread out when I use his photos, as they are fairly finite, IMHO, since he passed away so long ago.
I always felt it was a loss for Siddig El-Fadil to change his onscreen name to Alexander Siddig. It shows we have a long way to go to achieve the future depicted in Star Trek.
I'm not 100% on this, but, I recall Sid explaining the name change at a convention I met him at as not being because of anything racial, simply being for convenience.
IE, it was a mouthful to say, difficult for casting directors or such to say, and in truth, Siddig El-Fadil is already a short-hand approximation of his family name, which goes on and on with El-this and El-that a few dozen more times.
He doesn't even really use Alexander, either. Everyone calls him "Sid" - even most people who just meat him, as it's strange to call him "Mr. Siddig" when that's actually his first name. It'd be like saying "Hi, Mr. Bob" or "Hi, Mr. John" et cetera.
He's Simply Sid.
This all reminds me of a few good Sid + Race stories...
I can't do them justice in retelling, but I'll try...
One time, he and Colm where both in Ireland (can't recall why) and so they got together for a drink at a local pub. Sid goes to get the drinks, and the barkeep replies with a surly "we don't serve your kind here" which takes Sid aback a bit, obviously. Heading back to the table, he suggests Colm go and get the drinks. Colm asks why, and so Sid relates the story of the brusque behavior by the barkeep. Colm breaks out laughing. Sid doesn't see what's so funny -- until Colm explains "It's not because of how you look -- it's because you're BRITISH!"
The other, which is less funny to some, but hysterical in the right light, is his recollection of a flight from the UK back to the states right after 9/11. In which, because of how he looks and the name on his passport (Siddig El-Fadil) he's being overly-scrutinized by everyone else, especially with being in first class. Now I can't recall of he actually did this, or just WANTED to do this, but, the idea was to have some fun with everyone, and pretend like he's asleep right before landing, only to 'wake up' upon landing and shout out something to the effect of "damn, we landed?" as if he had forgotten something.
I know, I know, not too funny from one POV - but if you come at it from his, it's hysterical. I'm guessing he didn't actually do it, just wanted to, but who knows?
