As a maitre d' at Paolo's restaurant, Jalil Samavarchian pretty much knew what to expect from his day. That was until his old friend Ralph Wikkie called Samavarchian and offered him a part on an episode of a TV show.

Wikkie has been in the television business for a long time—working on such shows as Unsolved Mysteries and Survivor—and Samavarchian asking Wikkie to put him in a show had become a joke between the two men.

"Every time I saw him or talked to him on the phone I would tell him, 'Put me in one of your shows. Even if it's just a walk-on part,'" Samavarchian said. "I never really expected it to happen, but it was always a dream I had."

Wikkie has helped Samavarchian realize his dream. While working on a TV program for the Discovery Channel—Covert Action—a character part developed that Wikkie thought would be perfect for Samavarchian.

"I play a double agent for the CIA," Samavarchian said. "Since I am from Iran, I fit the part pretty well. In the show my partner and I are to intercept a ship coming from Pakistan that is supposed to have plutonium on it."

The part was much more than the walk-on role Samavarchian had hoped for. According to the first-time actor, there were about 10 pages of dialogue that he had to learn for the episode.

"It was much more difficult than I imagined it would be." he said.

He and his wife, Carolyn Allen, went to Burbank, Calif., where the program was filmed.

"We worked long days, mostly because they have to shoot the same scene from many different angles," Samavarchian said.

The director told Samavarchian he was a natural and that they would call him if another opportunity came up.

"I had a wonderful time doing this. It was much better than I had expected, and I hope to do it again soon. We may be having some friends over to watch the premiere. I think that would be fun," Samavarchian said.

"Now I'm going to go home and take some acting lessons."

The air date for Covert Action, which is to be a series on the Discovery Channel, has not been set yet but is expected to air in January.