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I'd Rather Eat Pants
Cast Bios
 Return to the main I'd Rather Eat Pants page.
Illustration: Melissa Gray, NPR News |
December 2002 -- I'd Rather Eat Pants, the five-act radio comedy airing on Morning Edition, stars Edward Asner and Anne Meara and includes cameos by NPR's Bob Edwards and Susan Stamberg. Below is a cast list and brief biographies of the performers and other key players in the production as they appeared in the play's "Radiobill."
Written by Peter Ackerman
Produced by Susan Albert Loewenberg for L.A. Theatre Works
Directed by Gordon Hunt
CAST
(In Alphabetical Order)
Edward Asner............................Abe Pepperstein
Jonathan Banks.........................Jimmy Jimmy
Ed Begley, Jr..............................The Cop
Emily Bergl.................................Pleasant Voice/Grunge Girl/Becky
Dan Castellaneta.......................Barney Kikkle/Manager
Derek Cecil.................................Wisdom
Bob Edwards..............................Himself
Clea Lewis..................................Melbaleine
Anne Meara................................Mabel Pepperstein
Kendall Schmidt..........................Seymour
Susan Stamberg.........................Herself
Edward Asner (Abe Pepperstein)
Versatile, committed, eloquent and talented are all adjectives that describe Edward Asner. Perhaps best known for his comedic and dramatic crossover as the gruff but soft-hearted journalist Lou Grant, the role he originated on the landmark TV newsroom comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant, which earned him five Emmys and three Golden Globe Awards. Mr. Asner has received a total of seven Emmy Awards and 16 nominations and five Golden Globe Awards. He has served two terms as national president of the Screen Actors Guild, was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1996 and, in 2002, was honored by the Screen Actors Guild as the 38th recipient of the prestigious Life Achievement Award. Asner has consistently served and committed himself to the rights of the working performer, and advocated for human rights, world peace, environmental preservation and political freedom. Mr. Asner is a frequent speaker on labor issues and an ally for the acting industry's older artists. He has received the Anne Frank Human Rights Award, the Eugene Debs Award, the Organized Labor Publications Humanitarian Award, the American Civil Liberties Union's Worker's Rights Committee Award and the National Emergency Civil Liberties Award. Mr. Asner's television credits include starring in the series Off the Rack, The Bronx Zoo and Thunder Alley, as well as guest appearances on Dharma & Greg, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Ellen Show and The Simpsons. Film credits include They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!, Fort Apache, The Bronx, Daniel, JFK, The Bachelor and Missing Brendan. Most recently, he co-starred with actor Jason Alexander in the CBS movie of the week The Man Who Saved Christmas. Mr. Asner is a founding member of L.A. Theatre Works and has performed in many plays for the group.
Jonathan Banks (Jimmy Jimmy)
Jonathan Banks has a distinguished career in film and television. His screen credits include Dark Blue, Sticks and Stones, Crocodile Dundee in L.A., Proximity, Boiling Point, Flipper, Freejack, Beverly Hills Cop, Gremlins, 48 Hours, Frances, Stir Crazy and Foolish. On television, his movie credits include Outlaw Justice, Dollar for the Dead, 1000 Men and a Baby, Melanie Darrow, Harvey, Wiseguy, Unwanted Attentions, Bobby & Marilyn: Her Final Affair, Blind Side, Don't Touch My Daughter, Who is Julia, The Assassin, The Gold Crew and Dressed to Kill. He was a regular in the television series Astronauts, Fired Up, Wiseguy, Rowdies, Abel, Otherworld, The Gangster Chronicles, G.I.'s, and Women of the House.
Ed Begley, Jr. (The Cop)
Inspired by the work of his Academy Award-winning father, Ed Begley, Jr. became an actor. He came to audiences' attention for his portrayal of Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the long-running hit television series St. Elsewhere, for which he received six Emmy nominations. Since then, Mr. Begley has moved easily between feature, television and theater projects. Mr. Begley was most recently in the American Comedy Award-winning film, Best In Show, which was nominated for a Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award. His other feature film credits include Get Over It, I'm Losing You, Batman Forever, Renaissance Man, Greedy, The Accidental Tourist and The In-Laws. On television Mr. Begley has been seen in recurring roles in the series Six Feet Under and 7th Heaven. He also guest starred in The West Wing, The Practice, The Drew Carey Show, Touched By an Angel, Gideon's Crossing and Providence. His motion pictures for television credits are Homicide: The Movie; Not in This Town; World War II: When Lions Roared, Running Mates; The Disney Channel's Hounded; Cooperstownand Story Lady. Mr. Begley also completed the run of the West Coast premiere of David Mamet's Cryptogram, at the Geffen Playhouse, in the role that he originated in Boston and then in New York. Mr. Begley is a founding member of L.A. Theatre Works and has recorded many shows for the group.
Emily Bergl (Pleasant Voice/Grunge Girl/Becky)
Emily Bergl has appeared in L.A. Theatre Works' The Grapes of Wrath, Agnes of God and The Rose Tattoo. She debuted on Broadway in The Lion in Winter at the Roundabout Theatre, for which she received a Friends of New York Theatre People's Choice award. At Lincoln Center she appeared in the premiere of Wendy Wasserstein's Old Money. She has also performed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Old Globe Theatres, La Jolla Playhouse, NY Stage and Film, and South Coast Rep. Her film credits include The Rage: Carrie 2, Chasing Sleep, Happy Campers and Final Draft. On television she has appeared in ER, NYPD Blue, Gilmore Girls, Providence, Wild Thornberries and the Steven Spielberg production, Taken.
Dan Castellaneta (Barney Kikkle/Manager)
Dan Castellaneta co-starred on the Emmy-winning Tracey Ullman Show. Following that, he co-starred with Marsha Mason on the ABC series Sibs. He received two Emmys for his voice work as Homer, Krusty, Grandpa and others, on The Simpsons. His other television work includes Murphy Brown, Grace Under Fire, NYPD Blue, Friends, Wings, Everybody Loves Raymond, Mad About You, The Grubbs, Reba and Yes, Dear. His feature work includes The Client, Forget Paris, Love Affair, War of the Roses, Nothing in Common and Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor for Showtime. In Chicago, he performed with famed improvisational comedy troupe Second City. In Los Angeles, Mr. Castellaneta won a Dramalogue Award for his performance in Tom and Jerry, as part of Showtime's Act One Series. He also performed and co-wrote the acclaimed comedy show Deb & Dan's Show at The Improvisation. Mr. Castellaneta made his New York debut in the title role of The Alchemist and also performed his one-man show Where Did Vincent Van Gogh? in LA, New York, Chicago and at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival and the Aspen HBO Comedy Festival, soon be released on CD. For L.A. Theatre Works, he has appeared in Lost in Yonkers, The Odd Couple and J Edgar.
Derek Cecil (Wisdom)
Derek Cecil became a household name as the star of ABC's drama series Push, Nevada. Produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Push, Nevada centered on Cecil, who played mild-mannered IRS agent, who traveled to a remote desert town in search of missing money and stumbled onto a place where mystery, danger and peculiar characters lurked around every off-kilter corner. Additional television credits include Pasadena, The Street, Law & Order: SVU and The Beat. A founding member of The Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company, Mr. Cecil has recently been appointed it's associate artistic director and will help guide the company's artistic output. With RMTC, Mr. Cecil appeared in Dennis Trainor's play Plug and also directed Vaclav Havel's Largo Desolato. In addition, Mr. Cecil has appeared onstage in How I Fell in Love, Aloha Say the Pretty Girls, The Lorca Play, Man and Superman, 1918 and Equus. Born and raised in Texas, Mr. Cecil graduated from the University of Houston as well as the American Conservatory Theatre's Advanced Training Program in San Francisco.
Bob Edwards (Himself)
For 34 years Bob Edwards has interviewed the most outrageous performers in all of comedy and tragedy. But enough about Congress--Bob's favorite interviews explore the creative process with actors, writers and musicians. He knows many of them through his long service to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He is currently AFTRA's 1st vice president.
Clea Lewis (Melbaleine)
Clea Lewis is best known as the nosy, negative neighbor Audrey in the hit TV series Ellen. Her other television credits include Madigan Men, Mad About You, Flying Blind, Double Rush, Martin Short Show, Friends, Something's Gotta Give, Doogie Howser M.D., Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Maggie Winters and My Big Fat Greek Family. In the theatre, she appeared in Pandora, Fuddy Meers, An Experiment with an Airpump, Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight, All in the Timing, Pterodactyls, The My House Play, Moonlight Daring Us to Go Insane and Othello. Ms. Lewis' screen credits include Scotch and Milk, The Rich Man's Wife, Diabolique and Hero. A Cleveland native, she received her degree from Brown and spent three years with the famed Second City improvisational troupe. She has recorded Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight for L.A. Theatre Works.
Anne Meara (Mabel Pepperstein)
Anne Meara is known as half of the comedy team Stiller and Meara, but also boasts an impressive solo career. After studying acting with Alfred Linder and Uta Hagen, Ms. Meara appeared with Zero Mostel in Ulysses in Nighttown and in the first season of the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park for Joe Papp. Off Broadway, she created the role of Bunny in John Guare's House of Blue Leaves and starred in Harvey Fierstein's Spookhouse. She played the 83-year-old mother in Guare's Bosom and Neglect and appeared as the nurse in The Public Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet. On Broadway, Ms. Meara appeared in Richard Greenberg's Eastern Standard and in the Roundabout's production of Anna Christie, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. As Stiller and Meara, she and her husband Jerry Stiller gained nationwide fame as a comedy team on The Ed Sullivan Show. Ms. Meara has been featured in the films The Out of Towners, Fame, The Boys from Brazil, Lovers and Other Strangers and Awakenings. She recently completed the feature film Like Mike for 20th Century Fox. Her work in independent films includes The Search for One Eyed Jimmy, MIA, An Open Window, Judy Berlin and The Daytrippers. On television, Ms. Meara appeared in the title role in the CBS series Kate McShane, and recurring roles on Rhoda, Archie Bunker's Place and Alf. She was also featured in the American Playhouse presentation of The Sunset Gang, and the Lifetime network films Jitters and What Makes A Family. She recently completed a pilot for CBS entitled Two Families. Ms. Meara has received five Emmy nominations for her television work, including a 1997 nomination for Homicide.
Kendall Schmidt (Seymour)
Kendall Schmidt is happy to return to L.A. Theatre Works after having had the opportunity to work with such great people and talent in the production of Marvin's Room. Mr. Schmidt hails from Wichita, Kansas, and is the third in a trio of talented brothers. Mr. Schmidt worked in film with Steven Spielberg on A.I., Minority Report and the to-be-released feature Catch Me If You Can. Though he was most recently seen as a recurring guest on the WB's Gilmore Girls, Kendall will be seen next playing young Frasier in an upcoming episode of NBC's Frasier. His other credits include Raising Dad, Titus and General Hospital. He plays football for the Burbank Vikings, as a tight end. His down-to-earth existence is made easier by ultra-supportive parents and his shared menagerie of animals that includes three cockatoos, two cats, two dogs, two tortoises, one gecko, one rat and his Grandma's miniature horses. He is also a gifted chicken hypnotist.
Susan Stamberg (Herself)
Susan Stamberg is a Founding Mother of NPR -- a member of the network's very first staff. So as longtime host of NPR's All Things Considered, then Weekend Edition, she's gone from megaphones through string and tin cans, hi fidelity, stereo, to digital. She prefers spaghetti. Especially as cooked by her husband Lou -- retired State Department honcho. Their son Josh is an actor. Josh has starred in a number of L.A. Theatre Works productions.
Peter Ackerman (Playwright)
Peter Ackerman wrote Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight, which ran off-Broadway at The Promenade Theatre for six months. It was published by Broadway Play Publishing, staged at various theaters around the country, recorded by L.A. Theatre Works and will be performed in London this season at Soho Rep. He is also co-author of the animated movie Ice Age, and is currently writing Jumanji 2 for Sony. As an actor, he appeared off-Broadway in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and Visiting Mr. Green (with Eli Wallach). He grew up in Pittsburgh, City of Champions.
Gordon Hunt (Director)
Gordon Hunt was nominated twice for the Directors Guild of America Award as best director of a comedy, and won the award for "The Alan Brady Show" episode of Mad About You. Mr. Hunt also directed episodes of Frasier, Coach, Ladies Man and many other sitcoms. He has directed plays and musicals in L.A. and N.Y., including Stand Up Opera starring BJ Ward (nominated for three Ovation awards). This year he also directed the L.A. premiere of Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins, and The Music Man at the Hollywood Bowl starring Eric McCormack and Kristin Chenoweth. For L.A. Theatre Works and NPR, he has directed a number of programs including Dinah Was and Black Water, an opera with libretto by Joyce Carol Oates, as well as the award-winning 14-hour production of Babbitt featuring Edward Asner and an all-star cast. He is the author of the best-selling theatre book How to Audition, and as a lyricist, he won the MAC (Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets) Award for the song "Errol Flynn," which he wrote with Amanda McBroom.
Susan Albert Loewenberg (Producing Director)
Susan Albert Loewenberg is the founder and producing director of L.A. Theatre Works. Ms. Loewenberg has been producing award-winning radio dramas, plays and films in Los Angeles, New York and London since 1976. L.A. Theatre Works has garnered numerous awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Writers Guild and others. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, she has served on innumerable boards and panels, including the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council, and was co-chair of the League of Producers and Theatres of Greater Los Angeles. In 1996, Ms. Loewenberg was appointed by President Clinton to the board of directors of Federal Prison Industries for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C. Ms. Loewenberg is the author of a number of articles that have appeared in American Theatre Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and various professional journals.
John Lovick (Stage Manager and Foley Artist)
John Lovick is a theater director and writer. In his spare time, he invents card tricks.
Morning Edition's Radio Drama Team:
Executive Producer -- Ellen McDonnell
Senior Editor -- Susan Feeney
Overseeing Producer -- Barry Gordemer
Cover Artist and Producer -- Melissa Gray
Engineer -- Leo Del Aguila
L.A. Theatre Works:
Managing Director -- Janne Hammel
Artistic Associate -- Sabian Trout
Publicist -- Lucy Pollak
Other Resources
• L.A. Theatre Works
• The Museum of Television & Radio
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