An Actor Succeeds is a very special collection containing all the best
trade secrets of the biggest and most successful film and theater
professionals. Presented in an informative format, An Actor Succeeds is
a useful yet entertaining how-to, tips-and-advice book comprising nearly
900 quotes mostly from actors but also directors, writers, casting
directors, and more. The book is conveniently divided into five
chapters: Acting, Auditioning, Connecting, Working, and Coping. Here's a
sampling of quotes from each section: Acting Of course we all learn that
acting is basically reacting. The least acting you ever have to do is in
a close-up. The close-up may require an actor's reaction, but a small,
subtle one. Generally speaking, the less you 'act' in a close-up, the
better. - Sir John Gielgud Connecting Acting, especially in motion
pictures, is very hierarchical, like a caste system. The stars are
royalty, the other actors are serfs-okay, commoners... If you're not a
big shot, you gotta be careful not to push or intrude. You gotta watch
what you say, how you say it, and, especially, when you say it. - Bruce
Dern Working Acting in front of a camera or a live audience requires
intense concentration, to shut out the real world and create the
character's reality. Focus is just as important for an actor as for a
cinematographer. - Keira Knightley Coping Partly I got into show
business to become rich and famous and thus show up anyone who'd treated
me badly growing up. But doesn't one evolve with maturity? My focus
ultimately changed from negative to positive, as I found that I enjoyed
the work, even the struggle, for its own sake. - Michael Landon
