--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor…" description: "\"I worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor, and when I moved to New York, a lot of my friends were on the first staff of that show. I started doing bit part..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a01/h-jon-benjamin-19641_actor_i-worked-a-lot-on-conan-as-an-actor-and_2152274.jpg" --- # I worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor, and when I moved to… ![“I worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor, and when I moved to New York, a lot of my friends were on the first staff of that show. I started doing bit parts, which was the first thing I'd done on camera in front of a live audience.” quote by H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a01/h-jon-benjamin-19641_actor_i-worked-a-lot-on-conan-as-an-actor-and_2152274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a01/h-jon-benjamin-19641_actor_i-worked-a-lot-on-conan-as-an-actor-and_2152274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a01/h-jon-benjamin-19641_actor_i-worked-a-lot-on-conan-as-an-actor-and_2152274.jpg) > “I worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor, and when I moved to New York, a lot of my friends were on the first staff of that show. I started doing bit parts, which was the first thing I'd done on camera in front of a live audience.” [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career involved small roles and live audiences; humble beginnings build foundation for later success. **In simple terms:** Small roles teach fundamentals. Key Takeaway Embrace humble starts. Themes career growth humility performance Mood reflective encouraging Type career inspirational When to use this quote - theater - television - stand‑up Key Concepts Skill development networking Questions to Reflect On - What early experience shaped you most? - How can you leverage small roles? A Different Perspective May undervalue later achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-moved-304220/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camera/) [Conan Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conan-actor-4529944/) [Doing Bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-bit-4529945/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Started Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-doing/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I came into the industry as an actor. And moved on to become a star with the help of my dancing skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithun-chakraborty/i-came-into-the-industry-as-an-actor-and-moved-on-to-become-a-star/) [Mithun Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithun-chakraborty/) > [My dad has always been very proud of me but I think I have exceeded his expectations. When I told him I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-tyler-ferguson/my-dad-has-always-been-very-proud-of-me-but-i-think-i-have-exceeded/) [Jesse Tyler Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-tyler-ferguson/) > [I thought I was going to be a theater actor. I moved to New York after college and did some plays and worked a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-knighton/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-theater-actor-i-moved-to-new-york-after/) [Zachary Knighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-knighton/) > [For two consecutive Broadway seasons, I had probably the best juvenile roles there were for an actor. Then I moved to California to recreate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/for-two-consecutive-broadway-seasons-i-had-probably-the-best-juvenile/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [I started doing comedy with no plan to do voice work. Voice work came as a function of doing comedy and meeting people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-started-doing-comedy-with-no-plan-to-do-voice-work-voice-work-came/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I went to theatre school for four years and just wanted to do theatre. I had no ambition to be on TV or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-roiz/i-went-to-theatre-school-for-four-years-and-just-wanted-to-do-theatre/) [Sasha Roiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-roiz/) > [When I quit my internship and started doing standup to pursue my dreams and do that full time - I feel like that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-i-quit-my-internship-and-started-doing-standup-to-pursue-my/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [As an actor I kind of do. I started out doing voice overs in the mid 80s when I was in grad school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/as-an-actor-i-kind-of-do-i-started-out-doing-voice-overs-in-the-mid/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [I've definitely become smuttier. When I first started out, I had these aspirations: 'I'm not going to do jokes about anything crude because I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-whitehall/i-ve-definitely-become-smuttier-when-i-first-started-out-i-had-these/) [Jack Whitehall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-whitehall/) > [I couldn't even speak in front of a group of students when I was in high school. I could barely do that sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-bryan/i-couldn-t-even-speak-in-front-of-a-group-of-students-when-i-was-in/) [Daniel Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-bryan/) > [I first started doing theatre, as my sister did it, so I wanted to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid/i-first-started-doing-theatre-as-my-sister-did-it-so-i-wanted-to-do/) [Sigrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid/) > [A friend puts body moisturiser on every day because it makes her feel desirable. I have started doing it, too, and it really works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-garraway/a-friend-puts-body-moisturiser-on-every-day-because-it-makes-her-feel/) [Kate Garraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-garraway/) > [I would say when I got on tour and started doing well in doubles and my ranking started going up, I realized that No.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-gauff/i-would-say-when-i-got-on-tour-and-started-doing-well-in-doubles-and/) [Coco Gauff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-gauff/) > [Me and my cousin started doing CrossFit in my barn; I haven't looked back since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-froning-jr/me-and-my-cousin-started-doing-crossfit-in-my-barn-i-haven-t-looked/) [Rich Froning Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-froning-jr/) > [Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/before-i-started-doing-the-film-and-when-i-found-out-i-was-going-to/) [Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/) ## More by H. Jon Benjamin > [It feels like animation has a little more independence than traditional sitcoms ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/it-feels-like-animation-has-a-little-more-independence-than/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I'm something of a foodie, I guess, and I'm a big Chinese food fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-m-something-of-a-foodie-i-guess-and-i-m-a-big-chinese-food-fan/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I wasn't classically trained as an actor; I wasn't pursuing standup comedy. I really came into it through the back door. And there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-wasn-t-classically-trained-as-an-actor-i-wasn-t-pursuing-standup/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I don't consider myself a very good actor. I'm not bad, but there's not a lot of range in characterizations for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-very-good-actor-i-m-not-bad-but-there-s-not/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [It's mainly been the case where I do very few live action roles - not out of choice but more out of not getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/it-s-mainly-been-the-case-where-i-do-very-few-live-action-roles-not/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I started doing comedy with no plan to do voice work. Voice work came as a function of doing comedy and meeting people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-started-doing-comedy-with-no-plan-to-do-voice-work-voice-work-came/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [Incompetent and relentless are the worst combination of qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/incompetent-and-relentless-are-the-worst-combination-of-qualities/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [Voice actors I used to know who were starting out in comedy were guys who did a lot of voices. They were usually comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/voice-actors-i-used-to-know-who-were-starting-out-in-comedy-were-guys/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [For me, performing isn't really particularly difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/for-me-performing-isn-t-really-particularly-difficult/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [It's physically hard for me to work. I start to break down, physically. My joints start. I get weepy eyes. I don't sleep well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/it-s-physically-hard-for-me-to-work-i-start-to-break-down-physically/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I'm not opposed to putting myself in danger for meaningless comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-m-not-opposed-to-putting-myself-in-danger-for-meaningless-comedy/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I remember on 'Dr. Katz,' there was no script really at all. There were just scene outlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-remember-on-dr-katz-there-was-no-script-really-at-all-there-were/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I had no intention of ever doing voice-overs. I wasn't opposed to them; I just didn't have any particular knowledge of how or why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-had-no-intention-of-ever-doing-voice-overs-i-wasn-t-opposed-to-them/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I think, to a degree, I'm maybe more suited for voice work. And I don't just mean my face and body. Because maybe there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-think-to-a-degree-i-m-maybe-more-suited-for-voice-work-and-i-don-t/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [I've learned to wait 'til an idea is worth making. That's not really a lesson I've learned; I sort of always did it that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/i-ve-learned-to-wait-til-an-idea-is-worth-making-that-s-not-really-a/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) [Explore all 32 H. Jon Benjamin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) ## 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. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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. 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! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. 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 worked a lot on 'Conan' as an actor, and when I moved to New York, a lot of my friends were on the first staff of that show. I started doing bit parts, which was the first thing I'd done on camera in front of a live audience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. 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