Parttime Help Wanted: Must Know Austen From Dickens

Life can be tough for an actor. All those auditions and no callbacks. Even when you get a job, you never know when or if the next one will come. Networking helps, of course. So I thought I'd pass along a lead on a job that just opened up.

"Masterpiece Theatre" on PBS is looking for a host. The series has been on the air since 1971, so there's likely to be pretty good job security. In fact, once he got picked for the job when the series started, Alistair Cooke kept it for 21 years and never broke a sweat.

Russell Baker was host for 12 years and practically phoned it in.

The show has been without a host since 2004 and, truth be told, hardly anyone has noticed.

The job opening was disclosed during the PBS portion of the TCA press tour. Rebecca Eaton, exec producer of the series, announced there would be a new look, a new open and a new host, starting in January. Eaton has been exec producer since 1985 so, once again, you see how long you can keep this job if you don't screw up.

She did not give a salary range or spell out benefits but, regardless, think of the potential for wide exposure. This is, after all, the series that put "David Copperfield" and "Bleak House" on the map. Think of what it could do for you.

To be honest, I'm not sure what they're looking for. My guess is that visible tattoos might be a deal-breaker. Same with body piercings. If you have or can fake a British accent, that's a plus. A nodding acquaintance with classical literature might help but, when you're reading off a TelePromTer, it won't matter much if you can tell Chaucer from Shinola.

It's worth thinking about it. At least until next pilot season.

Posted by Barry Garron