James Cagney on acting

[ericcoleman]

"Learn your lines... plant your feet... look the other actor in the eye... say the words... mean them".

Comments

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

I always liked Spencer Tracy's: "Learn your lines and try not to bump into the furniture."

[geekymary.livejournal.com]

That pretty much covers it.

[rose1thorn.livejournal.com]

To think people spend 4 years in college majoring in acting to learn little more than that.

[ericcoleman]

There is a lot more to a theatre degree than that ...

[rose1thorn.livejournal.com]

My focus in college was in acting. Most of my classes were in acting, voice and movement. I think if I went back now, I would be a lot more interested in the history and other, more technical, aspects.

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

And unfortunately, a career in theatre has little to do with what one learns getting a theatre degree - or, at least, what I learned getting mine.

[ericcoleman]

You should have gone to a good theatre school, like Drake

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

Wichita State was the best I could afford.

[tony-goldmark.livejournal.com]

Now that that's settled, how do you get any decent roles in Hollywood when you weigh 300 pounds, have shoulder-length hair and a full grown beard?

I mean, BESIDES the role as the drug dealer with the "really good shit."

[ericcoleman]

And you're about 10 years too young that that part ... my advice, wait for that remake of War Games ...