--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started out on the stage, then I had a…" description: "\"I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a TV series is that they give you a cert..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_bad-news_i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a_381085.jpg" --- # I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in… ![“I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a TV series is that they give you a certain amount of fame and money. The bad news is that you're in people's living rooms every week and get associated with a particular character.” quote by Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_bad-news_i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a_381085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_bad-news_i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a_381085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_bad-news_i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a_381085.jpg) > “I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a TV series is that they give you a certain amount of fame and money. The bad news is that you're in people's living rooms every week and get associated with a particular character.” [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A performer reflects on early stage work leading to TV fame, noting both benefits of visibility and the risk of typecasting. **In simple terms:** Stage work led to TV fame, but can cause typecasting. Key Takeaway Balance visibility with diverse roles. Themes career fame typecasting media identity Mood reflective cautious Type advice career media. When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - media training - public image management Key Concepts branding public perception role diversification Questions to Reflect On - How can actors avoid being pigeonholed? - What strategies protect long‑term career flexibility? A Different Perspective TV exposure can limit future artistic choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-news/) [Career Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-television-862262/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-career/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Started Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-stage-2403092/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Tv series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-series/) ## Related quotes > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I first started stage acting at the age of four when I joined a local Stagecoach group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-ramsey/i-first-started-stage-acting-at-the-age-of-four-when-i-joined-a-local/) [Bella Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-ramsey/) > [I was always directing; even back when I started on stage. I was always throwing out ideas. I just love creating stories and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mayhall/i-was-always-directing-even-back-when-i-started-on-stage-i-was-always/) [Mike Mayhall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mayhall/) > [I started off on stage because it was the only work I could get. I haven't been back for 11 years. I think any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/i-started-off-on-stage-because-it-was-the-only-work-i-could-get-i/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [Film, theater and television always kind of scared me. I don't ever seriously think of myself as an actor at all, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/film-theater-and-television-always-kind-of-scared-me-i-don-t-ever/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [I started on the stage with my mom in Denmark doing political revues in a small, small town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-nielsen/i-started-on-the-stage-with-my-mom-in-denmark-doing-political-revues/) [Connie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-nielsen/) > [After getting the job at MTV, the challenge was, 'How do I start my career as a television host without people holding my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/after-getting-the-job-at-mtv-the-challenge-was-how-do-i-start-my/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [I was very fortunate in all of my career in television to have a lot of things that received a lot of awards recognition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wells/i-was-very-fortunate-in-all-of-my-career-in-television-to-have-a-lot/) [John Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wells/) > [I started my career with television, and whatever work I did was keeping the content as my topmost priority. Same goes with the movies:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yami-gautam/i-started-my-career-with-television-and-whatever-work-i-did-was/) [Yami Gautam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yami-gautam/) > [I went to university, became an architect and - almost by accident - fell into a career in television, starting on Channel 5's 'Build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clarke/i-went-to-university-became-an-architect-and-almost-by-accident-fell/) [George Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clarke/) > [I've started to get more stage fright the older I get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-ve-started-to-get-more-stage-fright-the-older-i-get/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [I studied broadcast journalism at Pepperdine University. After a short career in television with MTV and later on at FX Network, I found my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/i-studied-broadcast-journalism-at-pepperdine-university-after-a-short/) [Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/) > [I'm grateful that I have a theater career because television isn't kind to you when you're over forty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-m-grateful-that-i-have-a-theater-career-because-television-isn-t/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I guess I'm lucky in that I started working very young in all three of the mediums. I started in stage first, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/i-guess-i-m-lucky-in-that-i-started-working-very-young-in-all-three/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [I started on the stage when I was 13 and I consider the stage my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-dewitt/i-started-on-the-stage-when-i-was-13-and-i-consider-the-stage-my-home/) [Joyce DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-dewitt/) ## More by Brian Stokes Mitchell > [Stay as connected as you can. Sometimes that means you're going to do a job that may not pay you much but may give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/stay-as-connected-as-you-can-sometimes-that-means-you-re-going-to-do/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Cabaret presents different challenges, as it is all on me. I love having the freedom to say anything you want - do anything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/cabaret-presents-different-challenges-as-it-is-all-on-me-i-love/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love doing theater. It's what I grew up in and is my roots. I get a huge fulfillment from it. But if my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-doing-theater-it-s-what-i-grew-up-in-and-is-my-roots-i-get-a/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > ['Kiss Me, Kate' was my 'Ragtime' Tony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/kiss-me-kate-was-my-ragtime-tony/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I've always felt that my career was in wiser hands than mine. Whatever, in its good time, is supposed to happen will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-ve-always-felt-that-my-career-was-in-wiser-hands-than-mine-whatever/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [My favorite music is jazz, actually. It's what I listen to, it's what I was raised on, and it's what I prefer to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/my-favorite-music-is-jazz-actually-it-s-what-i-listen-to-it-s-what-i/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love the theater, and I just don't love television like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-the-theater-and-i-just-don-t-love-television-like-that/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [You need raw talent to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/you-need-raw-talent-to-be-successful/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Oddly enough, I almost never listen to show tunes. But there are some shows I love, like Adam Guettel's 'Floyd Collins.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/oddly-enough-i-almost-never-listen-to-show-tunes-but-there-are-some/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I like being different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-like-being-different-people/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I kind of feel the career chose me. My motto has always been, 'Go where I'm wanted.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-kind-of-feel-the-career-chose-me-my-motto-has-always-been-go-where/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I'm one of the few lucky actors in the world. I've never waited tables. I never pumped gas. I've always earned a living. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-m-one-of-the-few-lucky-actors-in-the-world-i-ve-never-waited-tables/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Through most of my life, music has been like a radio that plays and plays in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/through-most-of-my-life-music-has-been-like-a-radio-that-plays-and/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [The thing about doing concerts is that it's doing a live show. It's on my schedule. It's songs I want to sing. It's saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/the-thing-about-doing-concerts-is-that-it-s-doing-a-live-show-it-s-on/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) [Explore all 100 Brian Stokes Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## More Bad news quotes > [In the wake of such bad news, it was heartening to know that what 'Sense8' stood for meant so much to so many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-j-smith/in-the-wake-of-such-bad-news-it-was-heartening-to-know-that-what/) [Brian J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-j-smith/) > [“I remember a man, a very lonely man, coming up to me at the end of a reading and looking into my face and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/i-remember-a-man-a-very-lonely-man-coming-up-to-me-at-the-end-of-a/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [In the business world, bad news is usually good news - for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-business-world-bad-news-is-usually-good-news-for-somebody-else/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [You never want to have to give your child bad news of any kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/you-never-want-to-have-to-give-your-child-bad-news-of-any-kind/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [If there's one thing you should know about me it's that I'm utterly unsuited for bureaucracy. I don't know my passwords to anything. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/if-there-s-one-thing-you-should-know-about-me-it-s-that-i-m-utterly/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [I seem to thrive by destroying the last thing I did, in a kind of cartoon Nietzsche way. Emerson says in "Experience" something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chiasson/i-seem-to-thrive-by-destroying-the-last-thing-i-did-in-a-kind-of/) [Dan Chiasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chiasson/) > [“The bad news is that, measured in terms of geologic time, if the Earth’s history is an accurate guide, glaciers will soon return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/the-bad-news-is-that-measured-in-terms-of-geologic-time-if-the-earth/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [I love an underdog. No, I don't necessarily mean the cartoon. I mean like David, as in Goliath, or the Bears, as in The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/i-love-an-underdog-no-i-don-t-necessarily-mean-the-cartoon-i-mean/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [The good news is that economists are intelligent, engaging and often charming folks. The bad news is their work is often of little use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/the-good-news-is-that-economists-are-intelligent-engaging-and-often/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-flatter-the-corporate-hierarchy-the-more-likely-it-is-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“Shifting from a superior/inferior paradigm to a strength-in-difference paradigm was kind of a good news/bad news situation. On the downside, I had to admit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debby-irving/shifting-from-a-superior-inferior-paradigm-to-a-strength-in/) [Debby Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debby-irving/) > [“The best way to mess with the head of your reader is to strategize the delivery of bad news.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-percy/the-best-way-to-mess-with-the-head-of-your-reader-is-to-strategize/) [Benjamin Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-percy/) > [“The real secret, though, is that nobody belongs, whether they are natives or not. After expulsion from paradise all humans are in exile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/the-real-secret-though-is-that-nobody-belongs-whether-they-are/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) [Browse all 691 Bad news quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-news/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a TV series is that they give you a certain amount of fame and money. 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