Playing Dead Is Much More Than Just Lying Around on the Job

Now for a word in defense of corpse-portrayers on television.

You may recall I mentioned the fellow playing a dead body on “CSI: Miami” who fell asleep on the slab and began to snore, nearly prompting laughter from star David Caruso.

Well, actor Mitch Giannunzio counters, what about stiffs goaded by funny actors, such as the crew of “Reno 911,” the improvisational cop show on Comedy Central?

Giannunzio was playing a corpse in a coffin on the show when a character stole his watch off his wrist.

“And,” points out Giannunzio, “it was my watch!” Between takes, someone on the crew assured him that the grave robbery was only make-believe.

On another occasion on “Reno 911,” Giannunzio was a dead guy lying under a sheet when one of the characters began to tickle his feet with his toe tag. Luckily, someone else quickly brought that to an end by intoning: “Please do not play with the corpse.” Yes, even a stiff can have trouble keeping a straight face in Hollywood.

Chew on these: The holidays are here -- and sweets will be laid out everywhere, at the office and the homes of friends, not to mention every room in your house.

As a public service, Only in L.A. offers some reminders about the consequences of poor dental care (see photos). Good to know there’s apparently one specialist for those with a doughnut problem.

Name game: After returning from a trip to World Savings in West L.A., Joya Light wrote: “You’ll never guess the name of the banker who handled my money: Noel Fund.”

Family trees, Hollywood style: In the new movie “Alexander,” the Great’s mom is portrayed as overbearing, which is odd inasmuch as she doesn’t have much of an age advantage over him. Mom is played by 29-year-old Angelina Jolie, while 28-year-old Colin Farrell is her son, the world conqueror.

Such bizarre casting is not new. Sally Field (born in 1946) was the mother of Tom Hanks (b. 1956) in “Forrest Gump.” The 38-year-old Dick Van Dyke was the kid of 38-year-old Maureen Stapleton in “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Most ridiculous of all, Jessie Royce Landis played Cary Grant’s mother in “North by Northwest,” even though she was actually 11 months younger than Grant.

Getting it all together: On the 210 Freeway, James Rodriguez of Fontana spotted a placard on a big rig that said, “We drive with our head on for safety.”

Which was just as reassuring, if not more so, than the sign’s original reference to “headlights.”

miscelLAny: As for my recent list of animal groupings, a La Canada reader wanted me to know that “bevy” of quail can also be “covey.”

It was a sensitive point with him, his children and his brother, he said.

The note was signed: Robert Covey.

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATimes, Ext. 77083; by fax at (213) 237-4712; by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012; and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.