--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once I had started film, I suddenly said…" description: "\"Once I had started film, I suddenly said, 'Wow, I love it.' I moved there from New York. But I've always gone back to the theater, and it is more satis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/jack-lemmon-15749_cinema_once-i-had-started-film-i-suddenly-said_342463.jpg" --- # Once I had started film, I suddenly said, 'Wow, I love… ![“Once I had started film, I suddenly said, 'Wow, I love it.' I moved there from New York. But I've always gone back to the theater, and it is more satisfying, really, because you get to give a continuous performance - no sequels.” quote by Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/jack-lemmon-15749_cinema_once-i-had-started-film-i-suddenly-said_342463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/jack-lemmon-15749_cinema_once-i-had-started-film-i-suddenly-said_342463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/jack-lemmon-15749_cinema_once-i-had-started-film-i-suddenly-said_342463.jpg) > “Once I had started film, I suddenly said, 'Wow, I love it.' I moved there from New York. But I've always gone back to the theater, and it is more satisfying, really, because you get to give a continuous performance - no sequels.” [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding joy in theater work over film because it offers continuous, immediate performance without sequels. **In simple terms:** Theater offers live, ongoing creative fulfillment. Key Takeaway Seek creative work that feels immediate and alive. Themes art career fulfillment performance creativity live vs recorded Mood enthusiastic thoughtful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - acting - live music - improv - public speaking - teaching Key Concepts flow state audience connection artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What creative outlet gives you immediate satisfaction? - How do you balance stability with artistic joy? A Different Perspective Live work can be less financially stable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [If I hadn't gone into the theater, I would be a painter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/if-i-hadn-t-gone-into-the-theater-i-would-be-a-painter/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I never wanted to go to the Old Vic and not have it survive long after I was gone. It's not about me; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-never-wanted-to-go-to-the-old-vic-and-not-have-it-survive-long/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [There's so many people that are interested in film and especially in terms of the technology side of film, that suddenly the fruits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-mccallum/there-s-so-many-people-that-are-interested-in-film-and-especially-in/) [Rick McCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-mccallum/) > [I think 'Sound of My Voice' was the first film where suddenly I could point to something I had done that I was proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-think-sound-of-my-voice-was-the-first-film-where-suddenly-i-could/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Once a Altman's film has been in a town, it kind of wrecks the town. 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Then when I finished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/when-i-started-i-did-not-know-i-wanted-to-be-a-filmmaker-i-started-i/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [I started my first film, 'Duniya Meri Jeb Main,' with my childhood friends, Shashi and Rishi Kapoor. My brother became the producer. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinnu-anand/i-started-my-first-film-duniya-meri-jeb-main-with-my-childhood/) [Tinnu Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinnu-anand/) > [When I started in film, I was living and working in Asia, and when we did films there, it was so fast. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/when-i-started-in-film-i-was-living-and-working-in-asia-and-when-we/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [ Alex \[Kendrick\] and I started out the whole film-making journey as a desire to reach people for Christ and try to impact their lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/alex-kendrick-and-i-started-out-the-whole-film-making-journey-as-a/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [I started my film career with cameos. I moved to playing the main villain. Then I reinvented my career as a leading man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatrughan-sinha/i-started-my-film-career-with-cameos-i-moved-to-playing-the-main/) [Shatrughan Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shatrughan-sinha/) ## More by Jack Lemmon > [Acting doesn't have anything to do with listening to the words. We never really listen, in general conversation, to what the other person is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/acting-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-listening-to-the-words-we/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I have been fortunate to be able to have a career playing comedy and drama. And it's awfully hard - it's like apples and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-have-been-fortunate-to-be-able-to-have-a-career-playing-comedy-and/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [how she moves. That's just like Jell-O on springs. She must have some sort of built-in motors. I tell you, it's a whole different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/how-she-moves-that-s-just-like-jell-o-on-springs-she-must-have-some/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [Anything truly worthwhile does not come easy. If it did, it would not be all that worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/anything-truly-worthwhile-does-not-come-easy-if-it-did-it-would-not/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [Everything that is truly worthwhile - I think passion is involved in your approach to it. No matter what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/everything-that-is-truly-worthwhile-i-think-passion-is-involved-in/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [People are probably correct when they see me as the so-called Everyman. I'm attracted primarily to contemporary characters. I understand them and their frustrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/people-are-probably-correct-when-they-see-me-as-the-so-called/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I think whatever you do, if you are going to do well or even if you don't do it well, you have to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-think-whatever-you-do-if-you-are-going-to-do-well-or-even-if-you/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I had no desire to be in the movies. All my training had been in the theater, thank God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-had-no-desire-to-be-in-the-movies-all-my-training-had-been-in-the/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [In general, I think comedy is more difficult to write, to direct, and to act successfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/in-general-i-think-comedy-is-more-difficult-to-write-to-direct-and-to/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [If I'd been bright, I'd have realized that I was horribly uncomfortable, amazingly frustrated, and like any sensible person, I'd have quit. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/if-i-d-been-bright-i-d-have-realized-that-i-was-horribly/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I have lost someone I loved as a brother, as a closest friend, and a remarkable human being. We have also lost one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-have-lost-someone-i-loved-as-a-brother-as-a-closest-friend-and-a/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I don't think Ed Horman could be dishonest if his life depended on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-don-t-think-ed-horman-could-be-dishonest-if-his-life-depended-on-it/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [I had already played a lead on Broadway before I ever did a film. I had had three, four seasons of stock with good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/i-had-already-played-a-lead-on-broadway-before-i-ever-did-a-film-i/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [Part of an actor's job is to actually adopt the world-view of the character she is playing and to tell the story from that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/part-of-an-actor-s-job-is-to-actually-adopt-the-world-view-of-the/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [Success is always somebody else's opinion of you; but it doesn't amount to a damn compared to your own opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/success-is-always-somebody-else-s-opinion-of-you-but-it-doesn-t/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) [Explore all 42 Jack Lemmon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. 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I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [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/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once I had started film, I suddenly said, 'Wow, I love it.' 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