--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to an acting class for 3 years…" description: "\"I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured out that, since there were already 26,000 actors in SAG (Screen Actors Guild), I could make a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg" --- # I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured… ![“I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured out that, since there were already 26,000 actors in SAG (Screen Actors Guild), I could make a better living as a stunt man.” quote by Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg) > “I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured out that, since there were already 26,000 actors in SAG (Screen Actors Guild), I could make a better living as a stunt man.” [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized that with many actors, stunt work offered better earnings and stability. **In simple terms:** Stunt work can be more profitable than acting. Key Takeaway Consider alternative paths in crowded fields. Themes career finance choice Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice career When to use this quote - film industry - career planning - financial stability Key Concepts risk assessment industry saturation skill diversification Questions to Reflect On - What niche can you exploit where competition is lower? - How do you balance passion vs. practicality? A Different Perspective Stunt work also carries higher physical risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-actors-1461771/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-class/) [Actors Guild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-guild-496031/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Went Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-acting/) ## Related quotes > [There are 100,000 actors in the Screen Actors Guild. Only 2,000 of them make more than $75,000 a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-guttenberg/there-are-100-000-actors-in-the-screen-actors-guild-only-2-000-of/) [Steve Guttenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-guttenberg/) > [When I was in college, it was on the recommendation of a friend of mine. He recommended that I take an acting class, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/when-i-was-in-college-it-was-on-the-recommendation-of-a-friend-of/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [Hamlet has been played by 5,000 actors, no wonder he is crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/hamlet-has-been-played-by-5-000-actors-no-wonder-he-is-crazy/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [It's tough to make it as an actor, tougher still to make it as an actress - the Screen Actors Guild is eager to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/persis-khambatta/it-s-tough-to-make-it-as-an-actor-tougher-still-to-make-it-as-an/) [Persis Khambatta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/persis-khambatta/) > [I think there is something like 90% unemployment in the Screen Actors Guild, so we are the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/i-think-there-is-something-like-90-unemployment-in-the-screen-actors/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [Filming in Cloak & Dagger I was trying to get my Screen Actors Guild card. Everybody tries to get their SAG card if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-anderson/filming-in-cloak-dagger-i-was-trying-to-get-my-screen-actors-guild/) [Louie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-anderson/) > [From 1980 to 1990, I shot more films than any other actor in the Screen Actors Guild, apart from Gene Hackman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-guttenberg/from-1980-to-1990-i-shot-more-films-than-any-other-actor-in-the/) [Steve Guttenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-guttenberg/) > [It's one thing in this business to actually work. 5 percent of the Screen Actors' Guild works. It's another thing to do work that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/it-s-one-thing-in-this-business-to-actually-work-5-percent-of-the/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [Being an actor: that's a pretty big net. That's a big playing field. The Screen Actors' Guild is filled with many, many, many, many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/being-an-actor-that-s-a-pretty-big-net-that-s-a-big-playing-field-the/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [You can't stop being a citizen just because you have a Screen Actors' Guild card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/you-can-t-stop-being-a-citizen-just-because-you-have-a-screen-actors/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [When I was 18, I joined the Screen Actors Guild, and after college I came to New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-maples/when-i-was-18-i-joined-the-screen-actors-guild-and-after-college-i/) [Marla Maples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-maples/) > [As a kid, I was really into performing. I would do choruses, I would do musicals, whatever it was. And then, as a teenager,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/as-a-kid-i-was-really-into-performing-i-would-do-choruses-i-would-do/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [If you want to play the good roles, spend more time in in college and in acting class than you do in the gym,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-mclendon-covey/if-you-want-to-play-the-good-roles-spend-more-time-in-in-college-and/) [Wendi McLendon-Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-mclendon-covey/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [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/) ## More by Hal Needham > [If you read books forever and ever, they will never replace what really counts - that's practical experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/if-you-read-books-forever-and-ever-they-will-never-replace-what/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [Audiences want Burt, John Wayne and others to go on doing the same thing forever. It's critics and the actors themselves who want actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/audiences-want-burt-john-wayne-and-others-to-go-on-doing-the-same/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [There's a standard pay scale for stunts. The more difficult the stunt, the more money involved. But if I'm the only stuntman who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/there-s-a-standard-pay-scale-for-stunts-the-more-difficult-the-stunt/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [Trying to get it together with me as a director was impossible. No one wanted to work with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/trying-to-get-it-together-with-me-as-a-director-was-impossible-no-one/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > ['Death Car' was shot on a freeway that's under construction. It's called 'Chips' Freeway' because it's where they shoot the NBC series. We bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/death-car-was-shot-on-a-freeway-that-s-under-construction-it-s-called/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [Hell, if I didn't do stunts, I'd have had to be a bartender, or something else that didn't pay well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/hell-if-i-didn-t-do-stunts-i-d-have-had-to-be-a-bartender-or/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [As far as I know, there is only one other director who was a stuntman - guy named Chuck Bail who directed 'Gumball Rally.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/as-far-as-i-know-there-is-only-one-other-director-who-was-a-stuntman/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [I could jump out of this window feet first, which would be the safe way. But the way I'd do it would be to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-could-jump-out-of-this-window-feet-first-which-would-be-the-safe/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [We try to reduce the danger to a minimum, of course. And then we prepare for accidents with alternate plans. For instance, if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/we-try-to-reduce-the-danger-to-a-minimum-of-course-and-then-we/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [You've gotta be careful. People don't want to be reminded of Vietnam and Korea. We lost thousands of fine young men and didn't win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/you-ve-gotta-be-careful-people-don-t-want-to-be-reminded-of-vietnam/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [I just knew it would get a big laugh when people saw the 'Flying Nun' throwing the bird to a highway patrolman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-just-knew-it-would-get-a-big-laugh-when-people-saw-the-flying-nun/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [The critics gave me bad reviews on every movie I made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/the-critics-gave-me-bad-reviews-on-every-movie-i-made/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [I have a country-boy sense of humor. I come from a poor family, and I have no education. But I am Middle America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-have-a-country-boy-sense-of-humor-i-come-from-a-poor-family-and-i/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [Here's the thing that I think really pushed me, was my versatility. Because when I came in to the movie business, all the stunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/here-s-the-thing-that-i-think-really-pushed-me-was-my-versatility/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [I hate sequels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-hate-sequels/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) [Explore all 96 Hal Needham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured out that, since there were already 26,000 actors in SAG (Screen Actors Guild), I could make a better living as a stunt man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hal Needham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-but-then-i-figured-out-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-but-then-i-figured-out-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b27/hal-needham-6893_acting_i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-bu_2890300.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I went to an acting class for 3 years. But then I figured out that, since there were already 26,000 actors…” — Hal Needham", "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": "Hal Needham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I went to an acting class...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-but-then-i-figured-out-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-went-to-an-acting-class-for-3-years-but-then-i-figured-out-that/#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 } } ] } ```