john audley

Some time ago our great Michael Caine was being interviewed on Parkinson (he is hilarious for interviews) and spoke about some film he had just completed where he (Michael) had to speak 'American' as he put it and had to have voice training
They then showed a clip of the film where Michael is speaking 'American' with a distinct Cockney accent

'You should be kind to us normals, there are not many of us left you know'!

CaptainWaggett

It makes any discussion a bit pointless if nobody is allowed to question an opinion. I am genuinely interested in why someone wouldn't want a talented actor to demonstrate an ability with accents. Am I not allowed to ask davidb why he thinks actors should stick to one accent? Or is it only some actors who should stick to their native accent (something James Mason, who he mentioned, certainly didn't do)

I might well say that it isn't for you to question my right to ask questions. But then I'd just get confused...

Dame Starry

Of course you are allowed to question him - but unfortunately you often give the impression that yours is the only valid opinion and you appear to go on the defensive - even if it is not your intention to do so.

davidb actually gave you his reasons for his opinion:

....and, personally, I agree with him.

Don't they have any English people living and working in America?

GRAEME

They certainly do!

Law and Order and CSI regularly feature people with English accents as they move through their investigations - waiters, visitors, doctors, actors, etc. Their Englishness is almost never remarked upon which suggests it is no big deal.

All men leak.

Dame Starry

Precisely, GRAEME - which begs the question: why couldn't House have been an English doctor working in an American hospital?
After all, Holby City has had American doctors - David Soul for one; now, I'd love to see HIM doing an English accent!

DS x.

Steve Crook

David Soul has been living in London since the 1990s. So it wouldn't surprise me if he does a reasonable British accent. He is now often the "resident American" that they call on for West End stage shows that need an American, like Jerry Springer in Jerry Springer, the Opera or Mack Sennett in Mack and Mabel

Steve

Dame Starry

To be fair, I remember that I have heard him do an English accent - but it wasn't that good and I don't think he can keep it up for very long!

My point is that both he and David Bedella (who won an award for Jerry Springer, the Opera) are Americans who have played American doctors in Holby City but, IMHO, it would be an insult to British actors if they brought over an American actor to play an Englishman.

What would have been the problem of House being an eccentric English doctor working in an American hospital?

DS x.

davidb

yo britmovie dudes ! can we take a raincheck on this one ?..........ive no idea what ive just said there [ not for the first time i hear some people saying ] but you quite often hear the yanks saying it in that context and yank wannabees ,what does it mean ?

rskershaw

Hey, I'm good today.

And what's all this about me having me leg off?

Dame Starry

I've always thought it meant to put something aside for the time being; forget about it.

DS x.

batman

A 'raincheck' was given to ticket holders at US sporting events (mainly baseball) which had to be cancelled due to rain. They could use it at the re-arranged event. Hence it meaning a postponement.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Steve Crook

Aren't you usually good?

Steve

bhowells

Thanks Rustywhite, I would be very pleased if you could recommend some places should I go to Memphis.

Thanks

ShirlGirl

It's the Australian equivalent of the English " Know wha' I mean?" - but we are too lazy to say that so we simply use the rising terminal instead!

No, it's a modern thing and peculiar to the younger generation. We oldies just grit our teeth and hope they'll grow out of it. Personally, I'm quite sure it originated in New Zealand - but we Aussies get the blame for all the sins of the Kiwis!

"Alrighty" is American. "Blue" and "sport" are obsolete and have been for at least the last two generations - I've never heard either in my lifetime and I'm ancient. "Mate" is still very common and so is "g'day".

"Yers" or "yous" is ugly and horrible and unfortunately is very widespread, but only amongst the poorly educated. Sadly, it is being picked up by non-English speaking immigrants who simply don't know that it is a non-word. They hear it all the time, so that's what they learn.

SirOllyBolly

I hate all Americanisms.

Period.

SirOllyBolly

"What fresh lunacy is this?"