Tuned In

The Evolution of Don Knotts

The euphemism "character actor" is elegantly condescending. Every actor plays characters. Most often, the term simply means an actor who has managed to have a career despite certain physical defects or peculiarities. (It’s a blind-date phrase. "Is she cute?" "Um, she’s got a great, uh, character.") But for a few notable actors it means more: [...]