Sunset District resident, Amos Glick, the doltish George Bush impersonator for the San Francisco Mime Troupe, has not been assassinated or moved - he has just taken the summer off.

Amos (pronounced "Ah mose") Glick will be pursuing other artistic venues this summer instead of his usual performance schedule with the Mime Troupe. But he does plan to start performing again with the troupe next year.

"There is no feeling like standing on the stage July 4," Glick said in reference to the Mime Troupe's annual performance for Independence Day. "We are affirming our love for the country and we are part of the free speech movement. We honor that every year on July 4. Even on closing day, I can't believe that I am a member of the Mime Troupe."

Sitting in the SF Mime Troupe's Mission District office, Glick talked about living in San Francisco, modern theater performing and George Bush.

Glick has been performing with The Mime Troupe since 1991 and became a collective member in 1997. He has also performed with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Marin Shakespeare Company and The Pickle Family Circus. He has appeared in the movie "Around the Fire" and the television show Nash Bridges.

"He is just a great actor. He has really matured in his work with the Mime Troupe," said Charley McCue, producing artistic director for the SF Shakespeare Festival (which will be performing "Love's Labour Lost" in Golden Gate Park starting Labor Day weekend). "He found a niche that fits him very very well."

This summer, however, Glick will be traveling in Europe with two friends as part of an ensemble which will perform rock and Cuban songs in the streets. He is part of Tonal Chaos, a musical improvisational group.

"Tonal Chaos feeds a lot of what I like to do. We get on stage and we run with it," Glick said.

Humor has played a big part in his life.

"It has always been important to me. Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be the class clown," he said.

Glick was born in Texas and grew up in Massachusetts. He has been in the Bay Area since 1990. His biggest gripe with the City is the high cost of rents.

"There are a lot of us that are committed to be here," Glick said. "I hope people will be able to afford to stay here. It would be sad if we had to give up on a dream to perform political theater because we couldn't afford to live here."

Glick has patrons, a couple who rent him an inexpensive room in their home by Ocean Beach at the Great Highway near Noriega Street. Glick enjoys living in the Sunset District and hanging out at the Sea Biscuit Cafe.

"I love the quiet. I love the ocean. I love the availability of the park. I like the neighborhood," he said.

"This is my cultural home," Glick said. "I am proud to be a San Franciscan when the audience responds to movies. There are like-minded people even at the most corporate movie theater."

Glick has found problems with the modern theater productions, preferring more physical acting over some of the non-expressive theater he has seen recently.

"The stuff I have gone to see has not spoken to me. I do not see the vision," said Glick. "In mainstream theater, they are acting from the head up."

Glick said there is nothing better than good clowning.

"We need a highly entertaining piece," Glick said of the Mime Troupe's productions. "We can't be too preachy or dogmatic or the audience will be turned off."

The actor will not miss playing George Bush for the troupe this year.

"I need to take a break. It would have been the third year playing Bush," Glick said.

Since one definition of liberty and freedom is being able to comment about your elected leaders, Glick is exemplary, spouting some gripes about the United States Commander-in-Chief.

"I tried to figure out where he is coming from to play him as a dolt," said Glick. "It is a special and unique privilege. I say that with no respect for George Bush. I get to critique the one who is doing the damage.

"My time with George Bush is not over," Glick said.

Glick has also gotten gigs as George Bush at peace rallies and offers to play Bush at Washington D.C. Often he is accompanied by Mime Troupe actor Ed Holmes, who plays Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney.

Glick said his Bush character is likely to be reinstated next year, which is likely to be an election year play.

"That's an election year and typically we lampoon all the potential candidates," he said.