--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was 1976, and I was acting…" description: "\"It was 1976, and I was acting off-Broadway with a pair of Canadians: Victor Garber and Gale Garnett. The play was called 'Cracks,' and Martin Sherman, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/christopher-lloyd-8195_acting_it-was-1976-and-i-was-acting-off-broadwa_1969674.jpg" --- # It was 1976, and I was acting off-Broadway with a pair of… ![“It was 1976, and I was acting off-Broadway with a pair of Canadians: Victor Garber and Gale Garnett. The play was called 'Cracks,' and Martin Sherman, the man who wrote it, went on a few years later to have a giant hit with 'Bent.' But not this time around. Opening night was a disaster.” quote by Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/christopher-lloyd-8195_acting_it-was-1976-and-i-was-acting-off-broadwa_1969674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/christopher-lloyd-8195_acting_it-was-1976-and-i-was-acting-off-broadwa_1969674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/christopher-lloyd-8195_acting_it-was-1976-and-i-was-acting-off-broadwa_1969674.jpg) > “It was 1976, and I was acting off-Broadway with a pair of Canadians: Victor Garber and Gale Garnett. The play was called 'Cracks,' and Martin Sherman, the man who wrote it, went on a few years later to have a giant hit with 'Bent.' But not this time around. Opening night was a disaster.” [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The production of 'Cracks' failed despite talented cast and writer, illustrating that success isn’t guaranteed. **In simple terms:** Even good projects can flop. Key Takeaway Prepare for setbacks. Themes failure theatre career Mood candid reflective Type personal career. When to use this quote - stage productions - film projects - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts risk management creative collaboration Questions to Reflect On - What factors could have changed the outcome? - How do you recover from a public failure? A Different Perspective Success also depends on timing, audience, and marketing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Broadway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-broadway-1919609/) [Called Cracks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-cracks-3299578/) [Cracks Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cracks-martin-3299577/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Hit Bent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hit-bent-3299580/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Martin Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martin-sherman-3299579/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Opening night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening-night/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Acting on the stage is a luxury for me. I lose money. I make movies for financial reasons and this allows me the luxury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/acting-on-the-stage-is-a-luxury-for-me-i-lose-money-i-make-movies-for/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [A few years later, when I was still going to these meetings, I was also "second-acting" every Broadway show \[walking in with the crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/a-few-years-later-when-i-was-still-going-to-these-meetings-i-was-also/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Even now while I'm acting on Broadway, I find myself saying things like, 'Well I'm not REALLY an actor, I'm more of a writer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/even-now-while-i-m-acting-on-broadway-i-find-myself-saying-things/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [I was really looking forward to doing the thing that I do - I basically appear just at the beginning and at the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-was-really-looking-forward-to-doing-the-thing-that-i-do-i-basically/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [My junior year, I was in a play at school and five days before opening night, I still didn't know my lines. Opening night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-leclerc/my-junior-year-i-was-in-a-play-at-school-and-five-days-before-opening/) [Katie Leclerc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-leclerc/) > [I'm anxious to see what the atmosphere's going to be like, ... It was pretty wild for the preseason games, but I'm sure they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-paul/i-m-anxious-to-see-what-the-atmosphere-s-going-to-be-like-it-was/) [Chris Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-paul/) > [I was seventeen and the star of my high school play. I was supposed to kiss my leading man, but I couldn't stand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-mills/i-was-seventeen-and-the-star-of-my-high-school-play-i-was-supposed-to/) [Donna Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-mills/) > [Notwithstanding these setbacks, the dream of a beautiful American orchestra goes on, and I share Dr. King's faith that each year we move inexorably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/notwithstanding-these-setbacks-the-dream-of-a-beautiful-american/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) > [There's nothing like an opening night or like the curtain going up and having a full house, but also having weeks and weeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-turner/there-s-nothing-like-an-opening-night-or-like-the-curtain-going-up/) [Aidan Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-turner/) > [The earliest memories I have from my childhood are of my mum getting ready to go on stage. I must have been about five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/the-earliest-memories-i-have-from-my-childhood-are-of-my-mum-getting/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [But you certainly don't have perspective. And there's so much pressure going into that opening night because you know there's journalists, tons of acquisitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ponsoldt/but-you-certainly-don-t-have-perspective-and-there-s-so-much-pressure/) [James Ponsoldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ponsoldt/) > [If you ever watch me at theatre rehearsals, you will know what a bad actress I am. I am bad... bad... bad... and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarita-choudhury/if-you-ever-watch-me-at-theatre-rehearsals-you-will-know-what-a-bad/) [Sarita Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarita-choudhury/) > [I'm a total Twihard. I read all the books and saw every movie on opening night with my mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-scerbo/i-m-a-total-twihard-i-read-all-the-books-and-saw-every-movie-on/) [Cassie Scerbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-scerbo/) > [I went to see 'Listen to My Heart: The Songs of David Friedman.' I have been a fan of his music for years, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edward/i-went-to-see-listen-to-my-heart-the-songs-of-david-friedman-i-have/) [John Edward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edward/) > [Of course it does on opening night, but I've never had that devastating stage fright that some people get, but apparently, you can develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/of-course-it-does-on-opening-night-but-i-ve-never-had-that/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) ## More by Christopher Lloyd > [There were a couple times with close-ups where I tended to overact. I would use more of my face than I needed to. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/there-were-a-couple-times-with-close-ups-where-i-tended-to-overact-i/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [One of the things I like and appreciate a lot is when somebody will come up to me and tell me how much Judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/one-of-the-things-i-like-and-appreciate-a-lot-is-when-somebody-will/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I feel that I have been very fortunate and had the opportunity to play some wonderful roles and movies and worked with some great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-feel-that-i-have-been-very-fortunate-and-had-the-opportunity-to/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I sense from people that they get frustrated with me for not being out and about. But I guess I'm a shy boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-sense-from-people-that-they-get-frustrated-with-me-for-not-being/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I was a slow starter. I didn't really make any dazzling impressions. But I don't really regret that because I learned a lot along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-was-a-slow-starter-i-didn-t-really-make-any-dazzling-impressions/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [As long as I can keep remembering the lines and getting to the locations, I want to keep working as long as I can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/as-long-as-i-can-keep-remembering-the-lines-and-getting-to-the/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I was just very shy. I was never anxious to do talk shows, as I didn't know what to say. And I don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-was-just-very-shy-i-was-never-anxious-to-do-talk-shows-as-i-didn-t/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [“Many gardeners will agree that hand-weeding is not the terrible drudgery that it is often made out to be. Some people find in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/many-gardeners-will-agree-that-hand-weeding-is-not-the-terrible/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I really enjoy playing villains, whether they're realistic like Switchblade Sam or whether they're a bit more over-the-top like Kruge in 'Star Trek III'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-really-enjoy-playing-villains-whether-they-re-realistic-like/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > ['Hamlet' was the first movie I saw. In 1948, my mother said, 'I'm going to take you to see 'Hamlet' with Laurence Olivier.' She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/hamlet-was-the-first-movie-i-saw-in-1948-my-mother-said-i-m-going-to/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I love working with Bob Zemeckis. I think he's amazing and wonderful to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-love-working-with-bob-zemeckis-i-think-he-s-amazing-and-wonderful/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [Every role I get is always a challenge. I can read a script and say, 'Oh, I can do that!' and then when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/every-role-i-get-is-always-a-challenge-i-can-read-a-script-and-say-oh/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [I find it difficult to work if I don't know the lines, you know, and not just knowing - they're second nature to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/i-find-it-difficult-to-work-if-i-don-t-know-the-lines-you-know-and/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [Doc Brown had a feverous imagination. He was constantly coming up with new ways and solutions to various issues, and time travel was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/doc-brown-had-a-feverous-imagination-he-was-constantly-coming-up-with/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [Whether it's a very dramatic part or a comical role, I feel I need to create the same thing: a full-fledged, three-dimensional character that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/whether-it-s-a-very-dramatic-part-or-a-comical-role-i-feel-i-need-to/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) [Explore all 83 Christopher Lloyd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) ## 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. 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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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