--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A ham is simply any actor who has not…" description: "\"A ham is simply any actor who has not been successful in repressing his natural instincts.\" — George Jean Nathan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/george-jean-nathan-10206_actor_a-ham-is-simply-any-actor-who-has-not-be_3168027.jpg" --- # A ham is simply any actor who has not been successful in… ![“A ham is simply any actor who has not been successful in repressing his natural instincts.” quote by George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/george-jean-nathan-10206_actor_a-ham-is-simply-any-actor-who-has-not-be_3168027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/george-jean-nathan-10206_actor_a-ham-is-simply-any-actor-who-has-not-be_3168027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/george-jean-nathan-10206_actor_a-ham-is-simply-any-actor-who-has-not-be_3168027.jpg) > “A ham is simply any actor who has not been successful in repressing his natural instincts.” [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A performer who cannot control his innate drives is merely a ham. **In simple terms:** An actor lacking self‑control is a ham. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline. Themes theatre performance self‑control Mood anxious reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - auditions - rehearsals - live performance - career development Key Concepts psychology ego instincts Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when instinct overrides skill? - What strategies help maintain composure on stage? A Different Perspective Even disciplined actors can slip; pressure may provoke instinctual behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-successful-334278/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ham/) [Ham Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ham-simply-5754327/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-instinct/) [Natural Instincts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-instincts-238371/) [Repressing Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repressing-natural-5541106/) [Simply Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simply-actor-1672805/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes my natural instincts take over and I just go overboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/sometimes-my-natural-instincts-take-over-and-i-just-go-overboard/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [Sexual behavior is not, as is too often assumed, a superimposition of, on the one hand, desires which derive from natural instincts, and, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/sexual-behavior-is-not-as-is-too-often-assumed-a-superimposition-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [“Repressing is a natural instinct, but it doesn't allow for healing. 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Nonsense is the privilege of the aristocracy. The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [An optimist is a fellow who believes a housefly is looking for a way to get out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/an-optimist-is-a-fellow-who-believes-a-housefly-is-looking-for-a-way/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [In the theatre, a hero is one who believes that all women are ladies, a villain one who believes that all ladies are women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/in-the-theatre-a-hero-is-one-who-believes-that-all-women-are-ladies-a/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-life-spent-in-constant-labor-is-a-life-wasted-save-a-man-be-such-a/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Hollywood is ten million dollars worth of intricate and high ingenious machinery functioning elaborately to put skin on baloney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/hollywood-is-ten-million-dollars-worth-of-intricate-and-high/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [The notion that as a man grows older his illusions leave him is not quite true. What is true is that his early illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-notion-that-as-a-man-grows-older-his-illusions-leave-him-is-not/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [I drink to make other people interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/i-drink-to-make-other-people-interesting/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [A man may be said to love most truly that woman in whose company he can feel drowsy in comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-man-may-be-said-to-love-most-truly-that-woman-in-whose-company-he/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/bad-officials-are-elected-by-good-citizens-who-do-not-vote/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [The Russian dramatist is one who, walking through a cemetery, does not see the flowers on the graves. The American dramatist . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-russian-dramatist-is-one-who-walking-through-a-cemetery-does-not/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Drama - what literature does at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/drama-what-literature-does-at-night/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [The triumph of sugar over diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-triumph-of-sugar-over-diabetes/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [The sweetest memory is that which involves something which one should not have done; the bitterest, that which involves something which one should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-sweetest-memory-is-that-which-involves-something-which-one-should/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) [Explore all 67 George Jean Nathan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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