"The Actor" is an episode in the second season of The Golden Girls.
A famous actor (Lloyd Bochner) in town for a local play tries to carry on separate, clandestine affairs with Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche at the same time. Sophia takes a job in a pirate-themed seafood restaurant and clashes with her manager.
Tropes:
- All Gays Love Theatre: It's hinted that Patrick, the philandering actor who romances Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and every other woman in the cast may have been bisexual, as one of the people who raised a hand when Patrick asked who'd had "a good time" with him was a male actor.
- Earlier in the episode, Patrick also invokes this trope when Rose points out he'll be playing a tangerine in a television commercial.Blanche: How exciting. Have you ever been a fruit before?
Patrick: No, but having been in musical theatre for 30 years, I've had my share of offers.
- Earlier in the episode, Patrick also invokes this trope when Rose points out he'll be playing a tangerine in a television commercial.
- All Part of the Show: The audience applauds after Patrick is blasted by the ladies for his behavior and ordered to leave, obviously assuming this. To save face, Phyllis quickly grabs Blanche's hand and begins bowing, spurring everyone else to join in.
- Fake Boobs: Blanche does her audition with something in her bra making her breasts look far larger than they really are. Patrick ends up popping them when he and Blanche hug as part of their scene.
- Freudian Slip: Patrick has one during Blanche's audition, after Blanche unveils her inflated Fake Boobs:Patrick: The moon is hanging awful low in the sky tonight, isn't it, Busty-''Josie!''
- Shamed by a Mob: Once it's revealed - during the play - that Patrick's romanced not only Blanche, Rose, and Dorothy, but every other woman (and possibly one man) in the cast and crew, Blanche suggests a good old-fashioned Southern hangin'. It never gets that far, but Dorothy angrily tells Patrick off before throwing him off the stage. The audience responds with applause, having no idea that it wasn't part of the show.
- The Triple: After Patrick is exposed as a cad during the play, the Girls admit they'll miss him:Dorothy: He made me feel beautiful.Blanche: He made me feel young.Rose: He made me feel smart.
- We Were Rehearsing a Play: Two examples:
- Visiting actor Patrick Vaughn — who's seeing each of the Girls' behind the others' backs — is in the middle of a romantic moment with Blanche, with her laying across his lap, when Dorothy walks in. He promptly pushes Blanche to the floor and tells Dorothy they were rehearsing a new scene that had been added to his play.
- Later, when Blanche has left the room and Patrick has Dorothy in his arms, Rose walks in, and Patrick tosses Dorothy to the floor behind the couch. She "explains" to Rose that she was looking for Patrick's missing contact lens.
