Review - Dial G For Greenberg

They say you can get a lot of things on Craig's List; a date... a job... arrested... But actor and stand-up comic Bob Greenberg got the title of Best Alfred Hitchcock Look-A-Like of 2008. BroadwayWorld was on hand for photo coverage of that prestigious competition when it was held a couple of weeks ago on the Cort Theatre stage after a performance of The 39 Steps, but let's hear the story from the winner himself.

"An actor friend emailed me a notice for the competition from Craig's List, but I kinda laughed it off. I don't think of myself as an old-fat-bald Englishman, but I can do his profile easy when I take a deep breath, puff up my cheeks, bring-up my shoulders, make my double-chin a quadruple chin, lose my neck, and close my eyes! I also do his voice by doing my 'Stan Laurel with asthma.' I did nothing at the time, but another performer emailed the same notice with the query, 'Don't you do a Hitchcock Impression?' I do, in my stand-up, when I think the audience is old enough or hip enough to get it."

"So at the last hour of the deadline for online photo submissions, my wife, Theresa Della Valle Greenberg, quickly shot three pics of me in our lobby. I was unshaven, with long hair, and a t-shirt under my suit jacket, but I did my Hitch face all-out. She emailed them to the judges and two days later heard back from one who asked, 'Does your husband really look like this?!'"

"She explained my 'skill' and he said he especially liked that I closed my eyes. As a finalist, my family and I got to see The 39 Steps (it was great) for free and was treated to an after party with the cast and producers at Tony DiNapoli's Restaurant (wonderful food)."

"On the night of the contest the two other finalists and I were brought on stage after the show to be judged winner by the audience's applause. Well, the other gents were natural Hitch look-a-likes but I got into character before I hit the stage (deep breathe inhale, puff out chubby cheeks, protrude bottom lip, bring up shoulders, lose neck, stick out stomach and close eyes!). While the other two stood there I walked the walk and talked the talk and in short, it was talent over beauty!"

You can check out a video Bob's pageant-winning performance, and find out where you can catch his stand-up appearances around town, on his MySpace page.

What's next for this talented guy?

"My latest Film is Sad Sack Sally, where I play a transvestite named Marty who's a super-by-day/Liza Minnelli impersonator-by-night."

Hitchcock and Liza? Talk about the man who knew too much!

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