There’s certainly no business like show business. But with all the glitz and the glamor, it can be easy to forget that for many in the industry, performing is a living, just like with any other job. Actors are performing because they need money to survive in this world, just like the rest of us.

Of course, most of us are not presented to the world in the same way that film and television stars tend to be. For many actors, suddenly starring in their own television series can be instantly overwhelming. At least, that’s how it seemed ot be for an actor like George Reeves, who became known to audiences everywhere as Superman.

Reeves starred as the Man of Steel in the popular television series, Adventures of Superman, as well as various films following the adventures of the superhero. Despite his fame and talent, many accused Reeves of “selling out” as an actor, trading his backbone for a pair of spandex tights.

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Well, like Superman himself, Reeves wouldn’t allow such slanderous talk and knew how to defend himself against such villains. “How can a starving actor sell himself out?” asked Reeves during an interview with The Sacramento Union. “I wasn’t doing anything when this chance came along.”

Reeves understood that while many believed there was merit in suffering for one’s craft, those who thrived in television also deserved to be celebrated, not shunned. “The way I look at it, a working actor is a good actor, no matter what he’s doing,” said Reeves.