The Retired High-School English Teacher With 45 IMDb Credits

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After teaching high school English in Queens for almost three decades, Robert Gold retired in 2016 with a few plans. He’d hoped to hit the gym more and volunteer at an animal shelter, but didn’t get around to those. Instead, he decided to pursue a childhood dream of being in movies. He signed up with Central Casting and Grant Wilfley Casting, the main agencies for finding extras in New York City, and hoped for the best.

He chose a perfect moment to restart his show business career. With the rise of streaming services, there was a lot more TV and film production happening in the city, which meant a greater need for extras. Many of these extras are local retirees, like Gold, who appreciate the small paycheck, the free meal, and having a reason to get out of the house.

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Gold started working in movies in 2018, at the age of 57, on a film initially known as Romeo. On his first day at Steiner Studios, a staff member gave him a sticker labeled ‘JP’ and told him he’d understand later. He soon found himself seated in the audience of a talk show set. He noticed a handsome man behind him who was suddenly replaced by a thin, unusual-looking man – it was Joaquin Phoenix, already in character as Arthur Fleck. He later discovered that Romeo was actually the working title for Joker.

Since then, Gold has appeared in over 40 minor TV roles, playing various New Yorkers. He’s been a pedestrian on Mr. Robot, a diner in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, a hospital visitor on Fleishman Is in Trouble, a customer on The Deuce, a parent on You, and a guest on Hunters, to name a few. People often comment on his distinctive, classic New York look – the kind of face you’d expect to see at a fancy restaurant or the opera. This made him a valuable asset on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, where he was hired eight times because he fit the mid-century Manhattan vibe so perfectly. His biggest moment came when he sat behind Rachel Brosnahan at a Broadway show, having a conversation and looking through a Playbill. He considers that his lucky break.

Gold was thrilled to be on the Sex and the City sequel, And Just Like That…, because he was a fan of the original show. He played a mourner at Mr. Big’s funeral, but surprisingly, he didn’t realize who the funeral was for at the time. The show kept it a secret from extras to avoid spoilers. “When I first saw the coffin, I assumed they had killed off Samantha,” Gold explained. “I didn’t find out it was Big until I watched the episode on television.”

He carefully tracks every acting job in a Word document, noting details like his call time (often as early as 6 a.m.), his outfit (usually his own suits), transportation costs with Lyft, and his earnings. While Gold generally makes less than the standard union rate, he isn’t motivated by the money. He receives a monthly pension, so he’s financially secure, and enjoys the work as a way to stay active and get out of the house. He shares his home in Whitestone with two dogs and two cats – a house he initially purchased for his parents.

Earlier this year, actor Gold went through a period of not getting any work at all. He began to worry that his career in Hollywood was over. Then, someone in a Facebook group for extras pointed out that his required online sexual harassment prevention training might be outdated. After he updated his certification, he immediately started receiving job offers again.

While work was slow, Gold stayed busy doing community theater. However, the demanding rehearsal schedule is now making it hard for him to take on film and television roles.

As soon as he started looking for work, he got a break. In mid-November, he emailed me excitedly, saying he’d gotten a small role on Law & Order: SVU as a customer in a fancy restaurant.

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2025-12-15 14:54