Bernie Kopell

Known for his talent with dialects, his first three years of his career had him playing Latinos, including a three-month stint on The Brighter Day (1954) as a Cuban heavy.

[on Danny Kaye] We were in a sketch together on The Danny Kaye Show (1963). He was a hero coming down from the hills of Mexico to help the villagers and I played one of his helpers. I got a big laugh with my line at our first rehearsal in front of an audience. I did not know that it was against the law on "The Danny Kaye Show" for anyone to get a big laugh other than Danny Kaye. I felt something that seemed like an ice pick in my forearm. He was grabbing me. I said, "Danny, what the hell?" I looked at him and he had blood in his eyes. His idea was: "You set me up--and then I get the laugh." It continued that way until I was ultimately fired.