--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, they just don't know anything else…" description: "\"Well, they just don't know anything else except that one form of their business, acting, and they don't really want to learn any other part of it, or t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/jackie-cooper-22229_acting_well-they-just-don-t-know-anything-else_2494220.jpg" --- # Well, they just don't know anything else except that one… ![“Well, they just don't know anything else except that one form of their business, acting, and they don't really want to learn any other part of it, or they would. Directing and producing and putting a show together is very creative, for me.” quote by Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/jackie-cooper-22229_acting_well-they-just-don-t-know-anything-else_2494220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/jackie-cooper-22229_acting_well-they-just-don-t-know-anything-else_2494220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/jackie-cooper-22229_acting_well-they-just-don-t-know-anything-else_2494220.jpg) > “Well, they just don't know anything else except that one form of their business, acting, and they don't really want to learn any other part of it, or they would. Directing and producing and putting a show together is very creative, for me.” [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes professionals who specialize only in acting, missing the broader creative process of directing and producing, which he finds fulfilling. **In simple terms:** Actors often ignore other filmmaking roles; directing/producing is creative. Key Takeaway Explore multiple film roles to broaden creative impact. Themes film industry career development creative control Mood inspirational practical Type advice career guidance When to use this quote - directing workshops - producing collaborations - film project leadership Key Concepts specialization holistic filmmaking creative fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from learning multiple film disciplines? - How can you encourage peers to diversify skills? A Different Perspective Specializing can limit creative growth and opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-acting-365275/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Producing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-producing-439298/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Learn Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-directing-996520/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Searching out directors you respect and that you can learn from that's always the dream. That's the goal. That's hopefully where this whole thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/searching-out-directors-you-respect-and-that-you-can-learn-from-that/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [If I'm directing actors, I learn about acting that way. If I'm acting, I learn about directing that way. Producing is just something that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/if-i-m-directing-actors-i-learn-about-acting-that-way-if-i-m-acting-i/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [I feel like I could be good at directing or producing, but I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-mann/i-feel-like-i-could-be-good-at-directing-or-producing-but-i-don-t-know/) [Leslie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-mann/) > [I have no interest in writing, directing or producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-have-no-interest-in-writing-directing-or-producing/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [I prefer directing to producing as it is far more satisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikramaditya-motwane/i-prefer-directing-to-producing-as-it-is-far-more-satisfying/) [Vikramaditya Motwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikramaditya-motwane/) > [When I started out in the '90s, there were not many people of color writing, directing and producing - hence, the roles for people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-panjabi/when-i-started-out-in-the-90s-there-were-not-many-people-of-color/) [Archie Panjabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-panjabi/) > [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [I learn a new thing every single day about acting, about directing, about producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/i-learn-a-new-thing-every-single-day-about-acting-about-directing/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [When I'm directing or producing, I like to do different kinds of stories. But you have to know what you really like, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-devito/when-i-m-directing-or-producing-i-like-to-do-different-kinds-of/) [Danny DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-devito/) > [I'm not really a director or producer for hire. There's lots of big gigs out there, but I'm not looking to do that. Usually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/i-m-not-really-a-director-or-producer-for-hire-there-s-lots-of-big/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [ I love the chameleon nature of this business \[acting\]. I always have. Sometimes I'm not as recognizable as somebody else and I may not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-love-the-chameleon-nature-of-this-business-acting-i-always-have/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [It seems to me the big weakness in most films is the writing. You can learn directing, but you can't learn writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/it-seems-to-me-the-big-weakness-in-most-films-is-the-writing-you-can/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [The thing that you learn in directing is that when you're on the floor, no matter how complex the shooting is...you have to remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-kershner/the-thing-that-you-learn-in-directing-is-that-when-you-re-on-the/) [Irvin Kershner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-kershner/) > [ If you want to be in this business \[acting\], do it for the right reasons. Don't be in it because you want to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockmond-dunbar/if-you-want-to-be-in-this-business-acting-do-it-for-the-right-reasons/) [Rockmond Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockmond-dunbar/) > [I always knew I was going to do something with music, but with my whole family being in the business, acting was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrie-sellers/i-always-knew-i-was-going-to-do-something-with-music-but-with-my/) [Aubrie Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrie-sellers/) ## More by Jackie Cooper > [I would also like to act, once in a while, but not get up every morning at 5:30 or six o'clock and pound into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-would-also-like-to-act-once-in-a-while-but-not-get-up-every-morning/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [To me, the series was the end of the actor, when the series ended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/to-me-the-series-was-the-end-of-the-actor-when-the-series-ended/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [I hope this series is good work, but it is in the half-hour medium, which is limited to a kind of mediocrity that sponsors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-hope-this-series-is-good-work-but-it-is-in-the-half-hour-medium/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [A lot of people like to run in plays because it's a nice, steady job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/a-lot-of-people-like-to-run-in-plays-because-it-s-a-nice-steady-job/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [So then you have to say to yourself: Do I want to be rich, or do I want to do good work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/so-then-you-have-to-say-to-yourself-do-i-want-to-be-rich-or-do-i-want/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [They thought in terms of: whatever you had that started you at the box office, this was it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/they-thought-in-terms-of-whatever-you-had-that-started-you-at-the-box/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [Keep doing what you've been doing and you will keep getting what you've been getting!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/keep-doing-what-you-ve-been-doing-and-you-will-keep-getting-what-you/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [So I felt, well, I'll make the money and, with the money, do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/so-i-felt-well-i-ll-make-the-money-and-with-the-money-do-what-i-want/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [But the working I would always want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/but-the-working-i-would-always-want-to-do/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [They had to start shaving my chin when I was 12 years old because light started to pick it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/they-had-to-start-shaving-my-chin-when-i-was-12-years-old-because/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [I remember Mr. Mayer very well. He sort of liked to be the father - no, he liked to be treated like you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-remember-mr-mayer-very-well-he-sort-of-liked-to-be-the-father-no-he/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [So whatever I might have started to learn at that age was all undone by the next director and next crew in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/so-whatever-i-might-have-started-to-learn-at-that-age-was-all-undone/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [From that, I became very anxious to produce something of my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/from-that-i-became-very-anxious-to-produce-something-of-my-own/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [I just knew how to do the one thing I did, and whether I did it well or not depended on who the director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-just-knew-how-to-do-the-one-thing-i-did-and-whether-i-did-it-well/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [I never say too much about that in public interviews, because it disappoints the public to tell them you're not that crazy about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-never-say-too-much-about-that-in-public-interviews-because-it/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) [Explore all 28 Jackie Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) ## 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": "Well, they just don't know anything else except that one form of their business, acting, and they don't really want to learn any other part of it, or they would. 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