--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The casting couch? There's only one of us…" description: "\"The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it to stardom without it, and that was Bette Davis.\" — Claudette Colbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png" --- # The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it… ![“The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it to stardom without it, and that was Bette Davis.” quote by Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png) > “The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it to stardom without it, and that was Bette Davis.” [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only one person reached fame without exploiting sexual favors, highlighting systemic exploitation in the industry. **In simple terms:** Bette Davis succeeded without a casting couch. Key Takeaway Recognize industry abuse. Themes gender power exploitation Mood determined angry Type social critical When to use this quote - career planning - advocacy - industry reform Key Concepts feminist theory media studies Questions to Reflect On - How to change industry norms? - What alternatives exist for success? A Different Perspective Not all success avoids compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couches/) [Stardom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stardom/) ## Related quotes > [You know, I have never had a casting couch proposition in my life. I thought there was something wrong with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/you-know-i-have-never-had-a-casting-couch-proposition-in-my-life-i/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I am affirming that the casting couch for men exists in the modeling world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-rampal/i-am-affirming-that-the-casting-couch-for-men-exists-in-the-modeling/) [Arjun Rampal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-rampal/) > [The casting couch exists in every business where there is power dynamics and manipulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tisca-chopra/the-casting-couch-exists-in-every-business-where-there-is-power/) [Tisca Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tisca-chopra/) > [Casting couch is not just a man's fault. It is important to say this because we blame the other side always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jeremiah/casting-couch-is-not-just-a-man-s-fault-it-is-important-to-say-this/) [Andrea Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jeremiah/) > [I haven't faced a casting couch in the South or Bollywood. But yes, I have faced my share of harassment in both industries. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/i-haven-t-faced-a-casting-couch-in-the-south-or-bollywood-but-yes-i/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [There is casting couch in the Malayalam industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/there-is-casting-couch-in-the-malayalam-industry/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Casting couch exists as far as smaller films are concerned... B and C grade types.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/casting-couch-exists-as-far-as-smaller-films-are-concerned-b-and-c/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) > [Casting couch is a demon of the world! It is just that in the industry just because people know them, it is just talked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/casting-couch-is-a-demon-of-the-world-it-is-just-that-in-the-industry/) [Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/) > [I can honestly, and proudly, say that I never was on the casting couch. Oh, of course there have been advances from certain men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-stratten/i-can-honestly-and-proudly-say-that-i-never-was-on-the-casting-couch/) [Dorothy Stratten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-stratten/) > [I did face the casting couch when I had gone to sign a film; but I don't want to name the person. Most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrapali-gupta/i-did-face-the-casting-couch-when-i-had-gone-to-sign-a-film-but-i-don/) [Amrapali Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrapali-gupta/) > [For me, talking about the casting couch in the Malayalam film industry was like calling the sky blue. There is nothing new about calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/for-me-talking-about-the-casting-couch-in-the-malayalam-film-industry/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [I used Vamps as a casting couch! I pretty much did, because I was casting 'L!fe Happens' while I was on the set of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/i-used-vamps-as-a-casting-couch-i-pretty-much-did-because-i-was/) [Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/) > [I work with big directors. I work with good actors. I act in female-centric films. And I do all this without ever indulging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jeremiah/i-work-with-big-directors-i-work-with-good-actors-i-act-in-female/) [Andrea Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jeremiah/) > [Obviously, I did a couple of things right on the old casting couch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bateman/obviously-i-did-a-couple-of-things-right-on-the-old-casting-couch/) [Jason Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bateman/) > [I was dating someone and wanted to get married to him. But just because casting couch exists in TFI and I work here, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tejaswi-madivada/i-was-dating-someone-and-wanted-to-get-married-to-him-but-just/) [Tejaswi Madivada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tejaswi-madivada/) ## More by Claudette Colbert > [Audiences always sound like they're glad to see me, and I'm damned glad to see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/audiences-always-sound-like-they-re-glad-to-see-me-and-i-m-damned/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [I bet you think an egg is something you casually order for breakfast when you can't think of anything else. Well, so did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/i-bet-you-think-an-egg-is-something-you-casually-order-for-breakfast/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [If I couldn't laugh, I'd rather die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/if-i-couldn-t-laugh-i-d-rather-die/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [Men don't get smarter when they grow older. They just lose their hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/men-don-t-get-smarter-when-they-grow-older-they-just-lose-their-hair/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [I know what's best for me, after all I have been in the Claudette Colbert business longer than anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/i-know-what-s-best-for-me-after-all-i-have-been-in-the-claudette/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [I've always believed that acting is instinct to start with; you either have it or you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/i-ve-always-believed-that-acting-is-instinct-to-start-with-you-either/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [I married a wonderful doctor, and I was very happy - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/i-married-a-wonderful-doctor-and-i-was-very-happy-period/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [Most of us don't know about happiness until it's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/most-of-us-don-t-know-about-happiness-until-it-s-over/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [You have no idea what a long-legged gal can do without doing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/you-have-no-idea-what-a-long-legged-gal-can-do-without-doing-anything/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [It matters more what's in a woman's face than what's on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/it-matters-more-what-s-in-a-woman-s-face-than-what-s-on-it/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [“Well, I proved once and for all that the limb is mightier than the thumb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/well-i-proved-once-and-for-all-that-the-limb-is-mightier-than-the/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? They have the same enemy - the mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/why-do-grandparents-and-grandchildren-get-along-so-well-they-have-the/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? The mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/why-do-grandparents-and-grandchildren-get-along-so-well-the-mother/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) > [It took me years to figure out that you don't fall into a tub of butter, you jump for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/it-took-me-years-to-figure-out-that-you-don-t-fall-into-a-tub-of/) [Claudette Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) [Explore all 15 Claudette Colbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/) ## More Bette davis quotes > [I was supposedly named after the Bette Davis character in 'The Letter' by my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/i-was-supposedly-named-after-the-bette-davis-character-in-the-letter/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [I adore Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh, but more because they were good actresses. That's what makes me interested in them, that they didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/i-adore-bette-davis-and-vivien-leigh-but-more-because-they-were-good/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [I could never understand the attraction of Bette Davis. I always preferred Jane Russell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-griffiths/i-could-never-understand-the-attraction-of-bette-davis-i-always/) [Richard Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-griffiths/) > [I think that the work that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford did was truly extraordinary, and that's their legacy. Not the other petty stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/i-think-that-the-work-that-bette-davis-and-joan-crawford-did-was/) [Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/) > [Bette davis was one tough bitch!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/bette-davis-was-one-tough-bitch/) [Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/) > [Even as a kid, I was more enchanted watching Bette Davis than Errol Flynn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/even-as-a-kid-i-was-more-enchanted-watching-bette-davis-than-errol/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [ “We worked so hard,” \[Joan Blondell\] said, “and hardly ever had a day off . . . Saturday was a working day and we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-golden/we-worked-so-hard-joan-blondell-said-and-hardly-ever-had-a-day-off/) [Eve Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-golden/) > [Oh, yes, we were on location with Another Man's Poison, which I wrote for Bette Davis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/oh-yes-we-were-on-location-with-another-man-s-poison-which-i-wrote/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [I'd love to play a femme fatale in a film noir. I'm thinking of one of those roles that Lauren Bacall or Bette Davis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-quick/i-d-love-to-play-a-femme-fatale-in-a-film-noir-i-m-thinking-of-one-of/) [Diana Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-quick/) > [ “\[joan crawford\] slept with every male star at MGM, except lassie. \[joan crawford\] ha dormito con ogni star maschile della MGM, eccetto lassie.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/joan-crawford-slept-with-every-male-star-at-mgm-except-lassie-joan/) [bette davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I mean, I see the old interviews with Bette Davis or Joan Crawford, these characters clawed their way up - what stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-carr/i-mean-i-see-the-old-interviews-with-bette-davis-or-joan-crawford/) [Alan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-carr/) > [Look, you're either loved or hated. Which is a good thing, as Bette Davis used to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cantone/look-you-re-either-loved-or-hated-which-is-a-good-thing-as-bette/) [Mario Cantone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cantone/) > [It's more interesting to put yourself in the place of Bette Davis than Irene Dunne, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-busch/it-s-more-interesting-to-put-yourself-in-the-place-of-bette-davis/) [Charles Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-busch/) > [She's got Greta Garbo's standoff sighs, she's got Bette Davis eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-carnes/she-s-got-greta-garbo-s-standoff-sighs-she-s-got-bette-davis-eyes/) [Kim Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-carnes/) > [“When I heard the gunshots, though, I knew - knew beyond the shadow of a doubt - that somewhere in Los Angeles Bette Davis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-valley/when-i-heard-the-gunshots-though-i-knew-knew-beyond-the-shadow-of-a/) Richard Valley Browse all 63 Bette davis quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it to stardom without it, and that was Bette Davis.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claudette Colbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us-who-ever-made-it-to-stardom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bette davis" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us-who-ever-made-it-to-stardom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/claudette-colbert-33300_bette-davis_the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us_3001347.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The casting couch? There's only one of us who ever made it to stardom without it, and that was Bette Davis.” — Claudette Colbert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Claudette Colbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The casting couch? There's only one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us-who-ever-made-it-to-stardom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colbert/the-casting-couch-there-s-only-one-of-us-who-ever-made-it-to-stardom/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```