--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 1950s, when there was nothing else…" description: "\"In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television but the United Nations, I would sit down and imitate every darned thing they said.\" — James Doohan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg" --- # In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television… ![“In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television but the United Nations, I would sit down and imitate every darned thing they said.” quote by James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg) > “In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television but the United Nations, I would sit down and imitate every darned thing they said.” [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He mimicked UN broadcasts, reflecting his fascination with global affairs and humor. **In simple terms:** He copied UN speeches for fun. Key Takeaway Observe and learn from diverse sources. Themes humor media global awareness Mood playful reflective Type anecdotal inspirational When to use this quote - television watching - public speaking - creative writing Key Concepts imitation communication culture Questions to Reflect On - How does imitation shape personal voice? - What can we learn from global news? A Different Perspective May limit depth of original thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [United nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-nations/) ## Related quotes > [Fred Rogers was a children's-TV host, but he was not Captain Kangaroo or Officer Joe Bolton. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/fred-rogers-was-a-children-s-tv-host-but-he-was-not-captain-kangaroo/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Governments and nations should sit together and resolve issues. Reforms must be reached through understanding. But others should not interfere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/governments-and-nations-should-sit-together-and-resolve-issues/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [I started with very tonal 19th-century music because I wanted to be a violinist as a child. So this was my first music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-started-with-very-tonal-19th-century-music-because-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [The whole 1950s notion was find the right girl, get married, move to the suburbs and then hang out with the guys while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/the-whole-1950s-notion-was-find-the-right-girl-get-married-move-to/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [“In the 1950s at least less was expected of women. Now we're supposed to build a career, build a home, be the supermum that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/in-the-1950s-at-least-less-was-expected-of-women-now-we-re-supposed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“When they reached their ship, Ed gazed out at the bay. It was black. The sky was black, but the bay was even blacker.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-zlotchew/when-they-reached-their-ship-ed-gazed-out-at-the-bay-it-was-black-the/) [Clark Zlotchew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-zlotchew/) > [“Disneyland was one perfect answer. It provided, an almost sacred space where it is permissible and safe to let one's guard down, take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-le-mon/disneyland-was-one-perfect-answer-it-provided-an-almost-sacred-space/) [Leslie Le Mon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-le-mon/) > [“Nixon had sought the treatment of a psychiatrist throughout the 1950s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colapietro-roger-stone/nixon-had-sought-the-treatment-of-a-psychiatrist-throughout-the-1950s/) Mike Colapietro Roger Stone > [We had a very upwardly mobile economy, and that peaked around the 1950s when the typical middle-class American family consisted of a father with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/we-had-a-very-upwardly-mobile-economy-and-that-peaked-around-the/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [I am a product of the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-jo-rupp/i-am-a-product-of-the-1950s/) Debra Jo Rupp > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [In the early 1950s, during the near avalanche of discoveries, rediscoveries, and redefinitions of subcellular components made possible by electron microscopy, those prospecting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-emil-palade/in-the-early-1950s-during-the-near-avalanche-of-discoveries/) [George Emil Palade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-emil-palade/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“The 1950s witnessed especially rapid expansion of electronic and electrical firms, of tobacco, soft drink, and food-processing companies, and of the chemical, plastics, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/the-1950s-witnessed-especially-rapid-expansion-of-electronic-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [Unless you're of a certain age, you may not know my name, but you can Google it - I was a pretty big movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/unless-you-re-of-a-certain-age-you-may-not-know-my-name-but-you-can/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) ## More by James Doohan > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [The fans like that I'm a good father figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/the-fans-like-that-i-m-a-good-father-figure/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I have enjoyed some of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' but I saw the first 14 or 15 of them and all they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-have-enjoyed-some-of-star-trek-the-next-generation-but-i-saw-the/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [It used to really bug me when they'd send down Mr. Spock to engineering to help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/it-used-to-really-bug-me-when-they-d-send-down-mr-spock-to/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [To me, when you create a character, you create a total human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/to-me-when-you-create-a-character-you-create-a-total-human-being/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [What a lot of people don't know about me is that I'm a pilot myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/what-a-lot-of-people-don-t-know-about-me-is-that-i-m-a-pilot-myself/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I'm a grandfather nine times over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-m-a-grandfather-nine-times-over/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [Hollywood has decided I'm a Scottish character actor, even though I'm not Scottish. And there is no sense in even talking to them about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/hollywood-has-decided-i-m-a-scottish-character-actor-even-though-i-m/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [The more scientists I talk to, the less I believe in UFOs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/the-more-scientists-i-talk-to-the-less-i-believe-in-ufos/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I love to see good movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-love-to-see-good-movies/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [Fathering kids in old age runs in the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/fathering-kids-in-old-age-runs-in-the-family/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I like Captain Kirk, but I sure don't like Bill. He's so insecure that all he can think about is himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-like-captain-kirk-but-i-sure-don-t-like-bill-he-s-so-insecure-that/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [Well, I was always... I used to get 100% in physics and chemistry and mathematics (well, maybe a couple of points off in mathematics),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/well-i-was-always-i-used-to-get-100-in-physics-and-chemistry-and/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I can do any accent in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-can-do-any-accent-in-the-world/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [I think Patrick Stewart is a fabulous actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-think-patrick-stewart-is-a-fabulous-actor/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) [Explore all 44 James Doohan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) ## More 1950s quotes > [Unless you're of a certain age, you may not know my name, but you can Google it - I was a pretty big movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/unless-you-re-of-a-certain-age-you-may-not-know-my-name-but-you-can/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“The 1950s witnessed especially rapid expansion of electronic and electrical firms, of tobacco, soft drink, and food-processing companies, and of the chemical, plastics, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/the-1950s-witnessed-especially-rapid-expansion-of-electronic-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [In the early 1950s, during the near avalanche of discoveries, rediscoveries, and redefinitions of subcellular components made possible by electron microscopy, those prospecting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-emil-palade/in-the-early-1950s-during-the-near-avalanche-of-discoveries/) [George Emil Palade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-emil-palade/) > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I am a product of the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-jo-rupp/i-am-a-product-of-the-1950s/) Debra Jo Rupp > [We had a very upwardly mobile economy, and that peaked around the 1950s when the typical middle-class American family consisted of a father with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/we-had-a-very-upwardly-mobile-economy-and-that-peaked-around-the/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [“Nixon had sought the treatment of a psychiatrist throughout the 1950s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colapietro-roger-stone/nixon-had-sought-the-treatment-of-a-psychiatrist-throughout-the-1950s/) Mike Colapietro Roger Stone > [“Disneyland was one perfect answer. It provided, an almost sacred space where it is permissible and safe to let one's guard down, take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-le-mon/disneyland-was-one-perfect-answer-it-provided-an-almost-sacred-space/) [Leslie Le Mon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-le-mon/) > [“When they reached their ship, Ed gazed out at the bay. It was black. The sky was black, but the bay was even blacker.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-zlotchew/when-they-reached-their-ship-ed-gazed-out-at-the-bay-it-was-black-the/) [Clark Zlotchew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-zlotchew/) > [“In the 1950s at least less was expected of women. Now we're supposed to build a career, build a home, be the supermum that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/in-the-1950s-at-least-less-was-expected-of-women-now-we-re-supposed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [The whole 1950s notion was find the right girl, get married, move to the suburbs and then hang out with the guys while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/the-whole-1950s-notion-was-find-the-right-girl-get-married-move-to/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [I started with very tonal 19th-century music because I wanted to be a violinist as a child. So this was my first music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-started-with-very-tonal-19th-century-music-because-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [“The country is like a great sponge—it finally absorbs you. Eventually you will get malaria or you will get dysentery and whatever you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-country-is-like-a-great-sponge-it-finally-absorbs-you-eventually/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [“Don't make a career out of underestimating me." — Claire de Haven”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/don-t-make-a-career-out-of-underestimating-me-claire-de-haven/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) Browse all 123 1950s quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television but the United Nations, I would sit down and imitate every darned thing they said.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Doohan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else-on-television-but-the-united/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "1950s" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else-on-television-but-the-united/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/james-doohan-15003_1950s_in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else_622051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the 1950s, when there was nothing else on television but the United Nations, I would sit down and imitate…” — James Doohan", "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": "James Doohan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the 1950s, when there was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else-on-television-but-the-united/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/in-the-1950s-when-there-was-nothing-else-on-television-but-the-united/#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 } } ] } ```