--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After I graduated college, I moved to…" description: "\"After I graduated college, I moved to L.A. I started working for the Garry Marshall Theatre in Toluca Lake and did theater at the Hudson Theatre in San..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/rory-o-malley-14799_hotel_after-i-graduated-college-i-moved-to-l-a_2491352.jpg" --- # After I graduated college, I moved to L.A. I started… ![“After I graduated college, I moved to L.A. I started working for the Garry Marshall Theatre in Toluca Lake and did theater at the Hudson Theatre in Santa Monica. I paid my dues by working at every single restaurant in the Grove until they fired me. I worked an overnight shift at the Mondrian Hotel.” quote by Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/rory-o-malley-14799_hotel_after-i-graduated-college-i-moved-to-l-a_2491352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/rory-o-malley-14799_hotel_after-i-graduated-college-i-moved-to-l-a_2491352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/rory-o-malley-14799_hotel_after-i-graduated-college-i-moved-to-l-a_2491352.jpg) > “After I graduated college, I moved to L.A. I started working for the Garry Marshall Theatre in Toluca Lake and did theater at the Hudson Theatre in Santa Monica. I paid my dues by working at every single restaurant in the Grove until they fired me. I worked an overnight shift at the Mondrian Hotel.” [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) ## 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 low‑pay jobs and relentless hustle to break into theater and film. **In simple terms:** He worked many jobs before acting success. Key Takeaway Persistence and hard work open doors. Themes career perseverance entertainment industry Mood determined hopeful Type motivational realistic When to use this quote - audition preparation - restaurant work - night shifts Key Concepts networking skill development financial instability Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are worth making for a dream? - How can aspiring artists balance survival and ambition? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Not all hustle leads to success; systemic barriers exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Did Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-theater-265216/) [Fired Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fired-worked-967769/) [Hotel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hotel/) [Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) [Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved/) [Moved Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved-started-967770/) [Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant/) [Santa monica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/santa-monica/) [Shift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shift/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Working Garry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-garry-967771/) ## Related quotes > [I struggled and I did theater for 10 years, for 15 years, I tried to get little parts here and there in TV shows.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tupper/i-struggled-and-i-did-theater-for-10-years-for-15-years-i-tried-to/) [James Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tupper/) > [I did theater at Carnegie, and in Pittsburgh and New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-san-giacomo/i-did-theater-at-carnegie-and-in-pittsburgh-and-new-york/) [Laura San Giacomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-san-giacomo/) > [I did theater for fun, and I didn't really think it was anything serious. I met a lot of kids through it, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lambert/i-did-theater-for-fun-and-i-didn-t-really-think-it-was-anything/) [David Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lambert/) > [I did theater as a kid, more of an after-school program. But every night I would put on a movie and fall asleep to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scoot-mcnairy/i-did-theater-as-a-kid-more-of-an-after-school-program-but-every/) [Scoot McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scoot-mcnairy/) > [I acted when I was young, but at 19, I had my own theater company where I acted but also directed. I also did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/i-acted-when-i-was-young-but-at-19-i-had-my-own-theater-company-where/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [I did nothing but theater until, I guess, '99. I was all the way through college the first time that I had stepped in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-roday/i-did-nothing-but-theater-until-i-guess-99-i-was-all-the-way-through/) [James Roday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-roday/) > [I did theater before I got into TV and everything I did was serious, so it was definitely fun for me to pull out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bynes/i-did-theater-before-i-got-into-tv-and-everything-i-did-was-serious/) [Amanda Bynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-bynes/) > [I started in theater; I did theater in New York for 14 years before I even thought about doing movies - I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-shaye/i-started-in-theater-i-did-theater-in-new-york-for-14-years-before-i/) [Lin Shaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-shaye/) > [I did theater for 15 years, and I spent a lot of time as an understudy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mitchell/i-did-theater-for-15-years-and-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-as-an-understudy/) [Elizabeth Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mitchell/) > [I did some theater as a kid for fun. But it was really by chance that I landed into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspard-ulliel/i-did-some-theater-as-a-kid-for-fun-but-it-was-really-by-chance-that/) [Gaspard Ulliel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspard-ulliel/) > [I've never done theater professionally. But I went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, so I did some theater there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-grimes/i-ve-never-done-theater-professionally-but-i-went-to-the-american/) [Luke Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-grimes/) > [I really only did theater in school in college. I did summer stock a couple of times in the summer, and plays that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-really-only-did-theater-in-school-in-college-i-did-summer-stock-a/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I never did improv professionally, but that was certainly in my training as an actor. I like it. 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I worked at a theme park and a Bible theater and a community theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cailee-spaeny/i-did-as-much-theater-as-i-could-i-worked-at-a-theme-park-and-a-bible/) [Cailee Spaeny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cailee-spaeny/) ## More by Rory O'Malley > [As someone who was once in the closet, I can tell you it is the most sad, dark, awful, depressing place to ever be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/as-someone-who-was-once-in-the-closet-i-can-tell-you-it-is-the-most/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [We cannot give up on working toward that more perfect union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/we-cannot-give-up-on-working-toward-that-more-perfect-union/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [I spent a lot of my time, growing up, at the Beck Center. 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I realized I was more scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/i-always-thought-i-would-move-to-new-york-after-graduation-but/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [As a kid, I had nightmares about Freddy Krueger just from the trailers on TV!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/as-a-kid-i-had-nightmares-about-freddy-krueger-just-from-the-trailers/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [Being a kid and growing up in Cleveland, the Tonys were how you saw Broadway shows: you got to hear from each show, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/being-a-kid-and-growing-up-in-cleveland-the-tonys-were-how-you-saw/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [There comes a point when you have to be more than an actor, and doing something else that means a lot to me has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/there-comes-a-point-when-you-have-to-be-more-than-an-actor-and-doing/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [I love how passionate Elder McKinley is about his faith, but he's a perfectionist in a bad way... to the point he denies his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/i-love-how-passionate-elder-mckinley-is-about-his-faith-but-he-s-a/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) > [You put me in the room with my family and everyone I grew up with, and I'd be the last person that you'd say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-o-malley/you-put-me-in-the-room-with-my-family-and-everyone-i-grew-up-with-and/) [Rory O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) [Explore all 45 Rory O'Malley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-o-malley/) ## More Hotel quotes > [I went to a slumber party in a hotel. 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When I was a judge on 'America's Next Top Model,' they had to put me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-can-t-live-without-my-cup-of-tea-when-i-was-a-judge-on-america-s/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) [Browse all 1,687 Hotel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hotel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After I graduated college, I moved to L.A. I started working for the Garry Marshall Theatre in Toluca Lake and did theater at the Hudson Theatre in Santa Monica. I paid my dues by working at every single restaurant in the Grove until they fired me. 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