--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know how it is now but the…" description: "\"I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go on at any time if the actor could..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/glenn-ford-24876_actor_i-don-t-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assis_41300.jpg" --- # I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager… ![“I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go on at any time if the actor couldn't make it to the play. I didn't think anything of it.” quote by Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/glenn-ford-24876_actor_i-don-t-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assis_41300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/glenn-ford-24876_actor_i-don-t-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assis_41300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/glenn-ford-24876_actor_i-don-t-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assis_41300.jpg) > “I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go on at any time if the actor couldn't make it to the play. I didn't think anything of it.” [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the unpredictability of live theater, where understudies must be prepared to step in instantly, reflecting the industry's reliance on flexibility and readiness. **In simple terms:** Theater demands constant backup readiness. Key Takeaway Preparedness is essential in performance arts. Themes flexibility preparedness theatrical production role substitution contingency planning Mood anticipatory pragmatic respectful Type observational anecdotal When to use this quote - rehearsal emergencies - last‑minute cast changes - touring productions - small theater companies Key Concepts understudy role stage management live performance dynamics Practical Applications - training programs for understudies - scheduling protocols for backup actors Questions to Reflect On - How does this readiness affect an actor's confidence? - What systems can improve understudy integration? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-couldn-456871/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Assistant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assistant/) [Assistant Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assistant-stage-456873/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Manager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manager/) [Manager Understudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manager-understudy-456872/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parts/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Several](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/several/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Manager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-manager/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I dont know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-dont-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assistant-stage-manager-had-to/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [I went to drama school but it was very hard to get work until I was made assistant stage manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/i-went-to-drama-school-but-it-was-very-hard-to-get-work-until-i-was/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [I went to film school, worked as an assistant, and wrote several scripts that haven't gotten made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-miller/i-went-to-film-school-worked-as-an-assistant-and-wrote-several/) [Lauren Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-miller/) > [There's things that I can do as an actor that I couldn't do in any other form of life and I've got a strange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/there-s-things-that-i-can-do-as-an-actor-that-i-couldn-t-do-in-any/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [In the 60s, if you wanted to be an actor, you couldn't do just one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bostwick/in-the-60s-if-you-wanted-to-be-an-actor-you-couldn-t-do-just-one-thing/) [Barry Bostwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bostwick/) > [I wouldn't be the same actor if I couldn't do theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-wouldn-t-be-the-same-actor-if-i-couldn-t-do-theater/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [When I finished my A-levels, I assumed I'd be able to get work as an actor. But I couldn't. I didn't get an audition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-whishaw/when-i-finished-my-a-levels-i-assumed-i-d-be-able-to-get-work-as-an/) [Ben Whishaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-whishaw/) > [ I'll just be the first to say that Ken \[Watanabe\] should be a national treasure in Japan, because he is an unbelievably talented actor.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ll-just-be-the-first-to-say-that-ken-watanabe-should-be-a-national/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I was 25 when I'd told my parents that I was giving up steady work as an electrician to become an actor. 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It's a really expensive, creative medium. And people allow me to do it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-crowe/i-ve-always-found-it-to-be-a-privilege-to-make-movies-it-s-a-really/) [Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-crowe/) > [I love Charles Bronson. He didn't have a lot of range, and he wasn't a great actor, but you couldn't take your eyes off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-grillo/i-love-charles-bronson-he-didn-t-have-a-lot-of-range-and-he-wasn-t-a/) [Frank Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-grillo/) > [“With one finger, Yang Wen-li was capable of mobilizing a giant fleet of tens of thousands of ships in battlespaces all across the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshiki-tanaka/with-one-finger-yang-wen-li-was-capable-of-mobilizing-a-giant-fleet/) [Yoshiki Tanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshiki-tanaka/) ## More by Glenn Ford > [It really doesn't matter whether it's the villain or the hero. Sometimes the villain is the most colorful. But I prefer a part where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/it-really-doesn-t-matter-whether-it-s-the-villain-or-the-hero/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [I think the director is becoming more important. To work under rushed conditions, you need to have an extremely professional director. If the director's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-think-the-director-is-becoming-more-important-to-work-under-rushed/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [I can't frankly see much difference in the film industry at all. The only difference might be that they don't take as much time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-can-t-frankly-see-much-difference-in-the-film-industry-at-all-the/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [It feels good. 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So I thought, 'this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-suddenly-realized-that-the-fellow-who-didn-t-show-up-was-getting/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [When I'm on camera, I have to do things pretty much the way I do things in everyday life. It gives the audience someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/when-i-m-on-camera-i-have-to-do-things-pretty-much-the-way-i-do/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [If they try to rush me, I always say, I've only got one other speed and it's slower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/if-they-try-to-rush-me-i-always-say-i-ve-only-got-one-other-speed-and/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [We have allowed corporations to decide the fate of the cities. We hardly speak of democratic development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/we-have-allowed-corporations-to-decide-the-fate-of-the-cities-we/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [Nothing ever changes as far as Westerns are concerned. They are the same today as they were years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/nothing-ever-changes-as-far-as-westerns-are-concerned-they-are-the/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) > [One thing led to another and I didn't have to take tickets any more because I now worked for Mr. Rogers. 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I try to see how many lines I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/some-actors-count-their-lines-as-soon-as-they-receive-a-script-i-m/) [Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) [Explore all 23 Glenn Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. 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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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go on at any time if the actor couldn't make it to the play. 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