--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My early days in Broadway were all…" description: "\"My early days in Broadway were all comedies. I never did a straight play on Broadway.\" — Gene Hackman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/gene-hackman-19434_broadway_my-early-days-in-broadway-were-all-comed_1807199.jpg" --- # My early days in Broadway were all comedies. I never did a… ![“My early days in Broadway were all comedies. I never did a straight play on Broadway.” quote by Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/gene-hackman-19434_broadway_my-early-days-in-broadway-were-all-comed_1807199.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/gene-hackman-19434_broadway_my-early-days-in-broadway-were-all-comed_1807199.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/gene-hackman-19434_broadway_my-early-days-in-broadway-were-all-comed_1807199.jpg) > “My early days in Broadway were all comedies. I never did a straight play on Broadway.” [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He performed only comedic roles on Broadway, avoiding serious drama. **In simple terms:** Only did comedies on stage. Key Takeaway Explore diverse genres. Themes career comedy theatre typecasting artistic choices Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational career When to use this quote - audition preparation - role selection - career planning - avoiding typecasting Key Concepts genre specialization career trajectory Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer comedy over drama? - How does genre choice shape an actor’s legacy? A Different Perspective May limit artistic growth and audience perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broadway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadway/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I've played villains on stage - you know, the Iagos and so on - but I think of myself as a funny person. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-ve-played-villains-on-stage-you-know-the-iagos-and-so-on-but-i/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I made four comedies, and all did well, but I always wanted to do an action film. When I saw 'Singham,' I thought this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-shetty/i-made-four-comedies-and-all-did-well-but-i-always-wanted-to-do-an/) [Rohit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-shetty/) > [I think I am the first person of color to direct a major white play on Broadway. In 1993? That's astounding to me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-think-i-am-the-first-person-of-color-to-direct-a-major-white-play/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I was modeling since I was four and acting in commercials since I was five- this was when I was in New York. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-masterson/i-was-modeling-since-i-was-four-and-acting-in-commercials-since-i-was/) [Danny Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-masterson/) > [I'd like to one day be able to say, 'I was in more than one play on Broadway.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriane-lenox/i-d-like-to-one-day-be-able-to-say-i-was-in-more-than-one-play-on/) [Adriane Lenox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriane-lenox/) > [I just love the idea of doing an all-female play on Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-marvel/i-just-love-the-idea-of-doing-an-all-female-play-on-broadway/) [Elizabeth Marvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-marvel/) > [I spent four months once doing a play on Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/i-spent-four-months-once-doing-a-play-on-broadway/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [I then moved to LA when I was 16... but before that I had done a play on Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-masterson/i-then-moved-to-la-when-i-was-16-but-before-that-i-had-done-a-play-on/) [Danny Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-masterson/) > [I would like to play Broadway!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-roger/i-would-like-to-play-broadway/) [Elena Roger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-roger/) > [Writing a play to get to Broadway and have a national tour is a sure way to write a terrible, terrible play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/writing-a-play-to-get-to-broadway-and-have-a-national-tour-is-a-sure/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) > [Even if you're lucky to have a play on Broadway like 'Chinglish,' you don't necessarily earn enough off it to support the years it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/even-if-you-re-lucky-to-have-a-play-on-broadway-like-chinglish-you/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [An actor can do a play on Broadway for three years. Every night he's expressing the same emotion in exactly the same way. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-estes/an-actor-can-do-a-play-on-broadway-for-three-years-every-night-he-s/) Richard Estes > [I've just been more interested in doing film right now and I don't want to go away from my family for six months, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/i-ve-just-been-more-interested-in-doing-film-right-now-and-i-don-t/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I did The Seagull, the Chekhov play, on Broadway, a couple of years ago, and I had done it in London, and I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mulligan/i-did-the-seagull-the-chekhov-play-on-broadway-a-couple-of-years-ago/) [Carey Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mulligan/) > [I've done about everything in show business except to play on Broadway. I always hoped that I would one day. It's the World Series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-ve-done-about-everything-in-show-business-except-to-play-on/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) ## More by Gene Hackman > [My grandfather had been a newspaper reporter, as was my uncle. They were pretty good writers and so I thought maybe somewhere down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/my-grandfather-had-been-a-newspaper-reporter-as-was-my-uncle-they/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [It really costs me a lot emotionally to watch myself on-screen. I think of myself, and feel like I'm quite young, and then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/it-really-costs-me-a-lot-emotionally-to-watch-myself-on-screen-i/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I went in the Marines when I was 16. I spent four and a half years in the Marines and then came right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-went-in-the-marines-when-i-was-16-i-spent-four-and-a-half-years-in/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [Hollywood loves to typecast, and I guess they saw me as a violent guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/hollywood-loves-to-typecast-and-i-guess-they-saw-me-as-a-violent-guy/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [You go through stages in your career that you feel very good about yourself. Then you feel awful, like, 'Why didn't I choose something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/you-go-through-stages-in-your-career-that-you-feel-very-good-about/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [Honesty isn't enough for me. That becomes very boring. If you can convince people what you're doing is real and it's also bigger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/honesty-isn-t-enough-for-me-that-becomes-very-boring-if-you-can/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/the-difference-between-a-hero-and-a-coward-is-one-step-sideways/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [Nothing counts so much as family, the rest are just strangers. (as Nicholas Earpp in Wyatt Earp, 1994)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/nothing-counts-so-much-as-family-the-rest-are-just-strangers-as/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I'm not a sentimental guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-m-not-a-sentimental-guy/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I don't like to talk about myself that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-don-t-like-to-talk-about-myself-that-much/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/don-t-piss-in-my-ear-and-tell-me-it-s-raining/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I have trouble with direction, because I have trouble with authority. I was not a good Marine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-have-trouble-with-direction-because-i-have-trouble-with-authority-i/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [If I start to become a star, I'll lose contact with the normal guys I play best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/if-i-start-to-become-a-star-i-ll-lose-contact-with-the-normal-guys-i/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I don't see myself as a violent guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-violent-guy/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [The worst job I ever had was working nights in the Chrysler Building. I was part of a team of about five guys, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/the-worst-job-i-ever-had-was-working-nights-in-the-chrysler-building/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) [Explore all 32 Gene Hackman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) ## More Broadway quotes > [When somebody mentions that I did a play with George C. Scott, I'm like, it can't have happened. What was I doing on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-somebody-mentions-that-i-did-a-play-with-george-c-scott-i-m-like/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [A lot of Broadway has that immigrant narrative of America as a place where you can become something else against all odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-kass/a-lot-of-broadway-has-that-immigrant-narrative-of-america-as-a-place/) [Deborah Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-kass/) > [I would love to go back to Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-finneran/i-would-love-to-go-back-to-broadway/) [Katie Finneran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-finneran/) > [“On Broadway it was still bright afternoon and the gassy air was almost motionless under the leaden spokes of sunlight, and sawdust footprints lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/on-broadway-it-was-still-bright-afternoon-and-the-gassy-air-was/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [That's why I had to leave Hair on Broadway, because I did it for about a year, and one night I was doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/that-s-why-i-had-to-leave-hair-on-broadway-because-i-did-it-for-about/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/i-starred-in-a-broadway-play-that-was-sidney-poitier-s-first/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [All of a sudden, I was a young kid in my early 20s, and I had a couple of Broadway shows to my credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tenney/all-of-a-sudden-i-was-a-young-kid-in-my-early-20s-and-i-had-a-couple/) [Jon Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tenney/) > [When I was little, I saw the play 'Les Miserables' on Broadway, I thought it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/when-i-was-little-i-saw-the-play-les-miserables-on-broadway-i-thought/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) > [I never thought my life's path would take me to Broadway, but when I heard they were creating a musical based on one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/i-never-thought-my-life-s-path-would-take-me-to-broadway-but-when-i/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [I aspired from early on to write a novel, to be in the 'New Yorker,' to be on Broadway, and at least in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-donnell/i-aspired-from-early-on-to-write-a-novel-to-be-in-the-new-yorker-to/) [Mark O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-o-donnell/) > [The Beatles have a deeper appreciation of all music. There's a humor, there's a Broadway sense, and later on, the Indian stuff came in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-vivino/the-beatles-have-a-deeper-appreciation-of-all-music-there-s-a-humor/) Jimmy Vivino > [I remember going onstage on Broadway in this Leigh Bowery thing for a track like "Ich Bin Kunst." I've got breasts, this latex dripping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-remember-going-onstage-on-broadway-in-this-leigh-bowery-thing-for-a/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [I am an off-Broadway, nonprofit kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-am-an-off-broadway-nonprofit-kind-of-guy/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I never wanted to just be on Broadway, I wanted to be Simba.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/i-never-wanted-to-just-be-on-broadway-i-wanted-to-be-simba/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) [Browse all 1,139 Broadway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadway/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My early days in Broadway were all comedies. 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