--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If actors could actually make a living…" description: "\"If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in front of an audi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg" --- # If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that… ![“If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in front of an audience.” quote by Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg) > “If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in front of an audience.” [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prefers theater work over TV, seeing sitcoms as a limited stand‑in for live performance. **In simple terms:** Theater is ideal; sitcoms are a compromise. Key Takeaway Pursue live theater if possible. Themes theater career choice performance media audience Mood reflective ambivalent Type career advice When to use this quote - auditioning for stage roles - writing a one‑person show - teaching acting - joining a repertory company Key Concepts artistic fulfillment creative trade‑offs industry constraints Questions to Reflect On - Do you value artistic authenticity over income? - How can sitcoms better emulate stage energy? A Different Perspective Live theater offers less financial stability than TV. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sitcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcom/) [Sitcoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcoms/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my-2/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [30 Rock is a little different from other current sitcoms, in that it's fast-paced, but the pace comes from the actors, not the editing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/30-rock-is-a-little-different-from-other-current-sitcoms-in-that-it-s/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I don't think American family sitcoms are mean. I guess I really love 'Arrested Development.' I guess they are quite mean in that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bird/i-don-t-think-american-family-sitcoms-are-mean-i-guess-i-really-love/) [Simon Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bird/) > [It makes me a bit sad that, if anything, that people seem to want to go back to an old model of normality, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/it-makes-me-a-bit-sad-that-if-anything-that-people-seem-to-want-to-go/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [Television is a powerful medium that has to be used for something better than sitcoms and police shows. On the other hand, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roone-arledge/television-is-a-powerful-medium-that-has-to-be-used-for-something/) [Roone Arledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roone-arledge/) > [Definitely not a sitcom, that's my first condition. No sitcoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-elizondo/definitely-not-a-sitcom-that-s-my-first-condition-no-sitcoms/) [Hector Elizondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-elizondo/) > [I loved doing sitcoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-estes/i-loved-doing-sitcoms/) [Will Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-estes/) > [I love sitcoms, and I grew up on sitcoms. That's my tasty junk food. So I wanted to create a sitcom and have some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-day/i-love-sitcoms-and-i-grew-up-on-sitcoms-that-s-my-tasty-junk-food-so/) [Felicia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-day/) > [We kinda hated sitcoms when we sat down and talked about this. We wanted to do something that was in the sitcom vain but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/we-kinda-hated-sitcoms-when-we-sat-down-and-talked-about-this-we/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [There was a time when I couldn't watch sitcoms for a while because it was just cacophony, it was just noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phylicia-rashad/there-was-a-time-when-i-couldn-t-watch-sitcoms-for-a-while-because-it/) [Phylicia Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phylicia-rashad/) > [I like to say that I was raised by sitcoms, and that my personality is comprised of different characters. Darlene from Roseanne, Denise from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thao-nguyen/i-like-to-say-that-i-was-raised-by-sitcoms-and-that-my-personality-is/) [Thao Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thao-nguyen/) > [More teenagers go to movies or rent a tape of a movie than sit down and watch sitcoms on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-cohn/more-teenagers-go-to-movies-or-rent-a-tape-of-a-movie-than-sit-down/) [Mindy Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-cohn/) > [I grew up on network sitcoms. If those are gone when I'm 65 years old, I would never forgive myself for not stepping up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-grew-up-on-network-sitcoms-if-those-are-gone-when-i-m-65-years-old/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I mean, sitcoms shouldn't be doing 'Saturday Night Live.' You can't just do bit after bit after bit. You have to string it together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-dewitt/i-mean-sitcoms-shouldn-t-be-doing-saturday-night-live-you-can-t-just/) [Joyce DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-dewitt/) ## More by Enrico Colantoni > [School is very important; it was very important for me. It gave me an enormous amount of confidence, especially at Yale where we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/school-is-very-important-it-was-very-important-for-me-it-gave-me-an/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [Bringing humility to the material and to the world and to the talent that was present, that's the true formula for success. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/bringing-humility-to-the-material-and-to-the-world-and-to-the-talent/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [The truth is, my father stopped bothering me after Stigmata, because I got to play a priest. That fulfilled his dream. The cop thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/the-truth-is-my-father-stopped-bothering-me-after-stigmata-because-i/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [I'd make a lousy cop. I'd just wear it too close to my skin and wouldn't survive. I'll stick to acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/i-d-make-a-lousy-cop-i-d-just-wear-it-too-close-to-my-skin-and-wouldn/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [I'd love to teach theatre arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/i-d-love-to-teach-theatre-arts/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [My whole experience into the sitcom world, it was, like, "This is like theater, this is like film... This is a hybrid of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/my-whole-experience-into-the-sitcom-world-it-was-like-this-is-like/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [Everybody remembers 'Just Shoot Me,' and I'm very proud of that. It's still on TV, and people still catch it and laugh about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/everybody-remembers-just-shoot-me-and-i-m-very-proud-of-that-it-s/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [We watch so many TV shows and movies about jaded or corrupt policemen, we forget people join the police force to do good, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/we-watch-so-many-tv-shows-and-movies-about-jaded-or-corrupt-policemen/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [From Italy, I'd get calls from cousins and aunts saying, 'I don't think you should act. It's really tough. What are the chances?' This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/from-italy-i-d-get-calls-from-cousins-and-aunts-saying-i-don-t-think/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [You know what, I'm a big, big fan of 'Heroes,' but the day they told me that the end of the world was coming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/you-know-what-i-m-a-big-big-fan-of-heroes-but-the-day-they-told-me/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my-2/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [I believe that no one can teach you how to act, but schools do give you an environment to make mistakes, to learn techniques…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/i-believe-that-no-one-can-teach-you-how-to-act-but-schools-do-give/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [I'm a hockey fan; I watch hockey, and I listen to the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/i-m-a-hockey-fan-i-watch-hockey-and-i-listen-to-the-news/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [I know that any fan of 'Veronica Mars' is hardcore and loyal, so I give them the time; we spend time talking about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/i-know-that-any-fan-of-veronica-mars-is-hardcore-and-loyal-so-i-give/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) > [It's like watching a car accident, that reality TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/it-s-like-watching-a-car-accident-that-reality-tv/) [Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) [Explore all 23 Enrico Colantoni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest thing to being onstage in front of an audience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Enrico Colantoni" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/enrico-colantoni-25443_actors_if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-d_446596.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If actors could actually make a living doing theater, that would be my first choice. Sitcoms are the closest…” — Enrico Colantoni", "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": "Enrico Colantoni", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If actors could actually make a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/if-actors-could-actually-make-a-living-doing-theater-that-would-be-my/#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 } } ] } ```