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When he was a professor, Richard Boone told his students not to become actors
Boone gave some strongly worded advice.
Everyone has a television character that they idolize, one they wish could offer them advice and guidance when they need it most. Well, if your hero is Paladin from Have Gun – Will Travel, we have great news. The character's actor has one golden nugget of advice that you can take straight to the bank: Don't become an actor.
According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Richard Boone had spent time as a professor at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. It was during this interview that he explained what would surely be the first lesson. Boone stated, "I tell everybody that asks me to get the hell out of acting and I'll tell me class that."
It seems strange that one of the greatest actors of our time would tell people to steer away from the craft, but Boone was able to offer some brief insight into his logic. He explained, "It's just too hard to dodge– unless you have to, don't be an actor. When I say have to, I don't mean because of money, I mean it's a compulsive necessity."
He continued, "It's a completely mature existence – grown people going around pretending they're somebody else. They lock people up for that!"
Playing pretend is quite a different thing from being a serious actor, and Boone was willing to acknowledge that. He stated, "To do it professionally, though, is quite another thing, and most people fold up trying."
So if you're venturing out into the workforce and want to bet your time and energy on becoming an actor, we don't want to deter you from your dreams. It'll take hard work and dedication, but if you've got those qualities, you're sure to succeed... Maybe just keep Boone's advice in mind and always have a backup plan.
8 Comments
Going beyond that, am pretty tired of the professionals who got their's. And want to preach to the minority. Which says more about the smug than the uplifting, That single quote is probably taken out of context just to make a good story. But why ding somebody's idol just to make copy. Meaning which of you Readers out there would like to be maligned for no real purpose? Except to deny dreams. Life can be miserable unless people are doing (or trying out) what they love.