--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on…" description: "\"Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on a wall. You can't throw it off. And you can't bring it out of a closet. It's there one night and it's gone th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/charles-durning-27973_acting_acting-is-ephemeral-you-can-t-hang-it-on_505843.png" --- # Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on a wall. You… ![“Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on a wall. You can't throw it off. And you can't bring it out of a closet. It's there one night and it's gone the next, at least with stage acting anyhow.” quote by Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/charles-durning-27973_acting_acting-is-ephemeral-you-can-t-hang-it-on_505843.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/charles-durning-27973_acting_acting-is-ephemeral-you-can-t-hang-it-on_505843.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/011/charles-durning-27973_acting_acting-is-ephemeral-you-can-t-hang-it-on_505843.png) > “Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on a wall. You can't throw it off. And you can't bring it out of a closet. It's there one night and it's gone the next, at least with stage acting anyhow.” [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes stage acting as fleeting, impossible to preserve or display like a physical object. **In simple terms:** Stage acting is temporary, cannot be hung on a wall. Key Takeaway Appreciate each performance fully. Themes theatre ephemerality art Mood reflective artistic Type theatrical philosophical When to use this quote - live shows - rehearsals - audience engagement - archiving Key Concepts impermanence performance art Questions to Reflect On - How does impermanence affect an actor’s craft? - What value does a fleeting performance hold? A Different Perspective Some may argue recordings capture moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-ephemeral-4298378/) [Closets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closets/) [Ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ephemeral/) [Ephemeral Hang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ephemeral-hang-4298379/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-acting/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [Acting is ephemeral. It's not like making a painting that lasts forever. You're doing something, and the very action which comes and goes, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ribisi/acting-is-ephemeral-it-s-not-like-making-a-painting-that-lasts/) [Giovanni Ribisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ribisi/) > [I feel like my home is stage acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/i-feel-like-my-home-is-stage-acting/) [Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/) > [I realized that a dancer's life is very short and I had so much of a creative energy in me that I needed outlets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-bell-calloway/i-realized-that-a-dancer-s-life-is-very-short-and-i-had-so-much-of-a/) [Vanessa Bell Calloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-bell-calloway/) > [“There is an element of peace in believing that we’re only players on a stage, acting out stories directed by someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-santopolo/there-is-an-element-of-peace-in-believing-that-we-re-only-players-on/) [Jill Santopolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-santopolo/) > [There's no doubt that I owe a lot to my training of stage acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lavant/there-s-no-doubt-that-i-owe-a-lot-to-my-training-of-stage-acting/) [Denis Lavant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lavant/) > [Stage acting is a very difficult thing - and I've learned a lot and have a long way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-strangis/stage-acting-is-a-very-difficult-thing-and-i-ve-learned-a-lot-and/) [Ralph Strangis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-strangis/) > [Stage acting is for me the basic form of acting. If you make films all the time, you have so few possibilities to rehearse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erland-josephson/stage-acting-is-for-me-the-basic-form-of-acting-if-you-make-films-all/) [Erland Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erland-josephson/) > [I would be an actress for the rest of my life just because it's really relaxing. Writing is hard work, and stand-up is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/i-would-be-an-actress-for-the-rest-of-my-life-just-because-it-s/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [In my career, I've had kind of a strange trajectory as an actor. I started out doing movies and theater and stuff, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/in-my-career-i-ve-had-kind-of-a-strange-trajectory-as-an-actor-i/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [All I have to do is be me on stage. 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In cinema, you should think the actor is playing himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/movie-acting-is-about-covering-the-machinery-stage-acting-is-about/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Acting is something I did when I was a kid. I do act sometimes in friends' projects, but when I do, it's just for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/acting-is-something-i-did-when-i-was-a-kid-i-do-act-sometimes-in/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [Though I acted in hundreds of productions, appeared at the Guthrie Theatre and on Broadway in Amadeus, I discovered in my thirties that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/though-i-acted-in-hundreds-of-productions-appeared-at-the-guthrie/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) ## More by Charles Durning > [Dancing came easy for me. Acting came hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/dancing-came-easy-for-me-acting-came-hard/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I'd like to have a decade of my life back. I dropped into a void for almost a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-d-like-to-have-a-decade-of-my-life-back-i-dropped-into-a-void-for/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [You're out there on a high wire without a net, and that's the way actors operate. They have to be fearless about how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/you-re-out-there-on-a-high-wire-without-a-net-and-that-s-the-way/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I was born looking older - and I've been aging since I was a teenager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-was-born-looking-older-and-i-ve-been-aging-since-i-was-a-teenager/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I was doing judo before anybody knew it existed in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-was-doing-judo-before-anybody-knew-it-existed-in-this-country/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/sometimes-you-succeed-and-sometimes-you-don-t/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's better not to be top dog, because you last longer. If a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/of-course-i-m-not-often-the-top-dog-but-sometimes-it-s-better-not-to/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [There's no nobility with war. It's tear-'em-up destruction that leaves you frustrated, bitter and angry... If you really knew what it was like for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/there-s-no-nobility-with-war-it-s-tear-em-up-destruction-that-leaves/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [You make the money in movies and TV so you can do theater. I do a play a year... somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/you-make-the-money-in-movies-and-tv-so-you-can-do-theater-i-do-a-play/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I would rather do a play because it's instantaneous. You go on the stage, and you know whether it's happening or not. Somebody asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-would-rather-do-a-play-because-it-s-instantaneous-you-go-on-the/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I can't count how many of my friends are in the cemetery at Normandy, the heroes are still there, the real heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-can-t-count-how-many-of-my-friends-are-in-the-cemetery-at-normandy/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I lack confidence as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-lack-confidence-as-an-actor/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I never turned down anything and never argued with any producer or director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-never-turned-down-anything-and-never-argued-with-any-producer-or/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I think I've done 200 plays and 125 movies, so I've been very lucky to have made a living at acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-think-i-ve-done-200-plays-and-125-movies-so-i-ve-been-very-lucky-to/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [That place that no one knows about - horrifying things we keep secret. A lot of that is released through acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/that-place-that-no-one-knows-about-horrifying-things-we-keep-secret-a/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) [Explore all 20 Charles Durning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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