I know that thread shitting is frowned upon, but I can’t help myself with this one. David Spade is the only person in the entertainment business (reality stars and Paris Hilton types not included) who I actually hate. In fact, I hate David Spade as much as it’s possible for a human being to hate. His only shtick was going out there and insulting other celebrities. He’s a tiny, disgusting man. And he makes Chevy Chase look like Richard Pryor in terms of comedic talent.
I’m not an actor! I’m a movie star! - My Favorite Year
Getting cast has very little to do with actual acting talent. Parts go to actors that look like what the director/casting agent envision for the character.
Chase has a certain… reputation as well. Neither is an Andy Dick, so there’s that…?
That’s who I thought of when I saw the thread title. I remember another interview he did (with Charlie Rose, I think, somewhat late in his life), and was talking about some role that would have called for him to be more hard-edged than his usual characters. He said that he’d been in the business long enough to know what he could bring to a role, and that wasn’t it.
You…saw a very different Spin City from the rest of us. 
Yes, I realise this is about Bright Lights, Big City. It’s a joke.
Katherine Hepburn used to say that acting is not a special talent, Shirley Temple was doing it when she was six. She also said she never had kids because she knew if the kid didn’t do what she wanted, she would kill it (language of 35 years ago). And after having one brief, failed marriage (she and Luddy remained friends) she said men and women shouldn’t get married, but live next door and visit occasionally.
[.
Quoted in Craig Modderno, “Newman remains animated at 81,” Reuters (2006-06-12)"]I)](I started my career giving a clinic in bad acting in the film, “The Silver Chalice,” and now I’m playing a crusty old man who’s an animated automobile [in "Cars)
I started my career giving a clinic in bad acting in the film, “The Silver Chalice,” and now I’m playing a crusty old man who’s an animated automobile [in “Cars”]. That’s a creative arc for you, isn’t it? -Paul Newman
Whoa…
I can’t find a site, but I remember once Slim Pickins was asked how long he’d been an actor, he replied something like “Well, I’ve been in 47 movies, but so far, nobody’s ever accused me of ‘acting’ before.”
Given that Chase is/was very talented…you’re saying Spade is?
It’s all very well for a star to joke modestly that acting isn’t so hard, if Rin Tin Tin or little Shirley Temple could do it.
But could anybody off the street have been as effectively menacing as Robert Mitchum was in ***Cape Fear ***or Night of the Hunter? Could I have done it? I don’t think so, and despite his jokes, I’m sure Robert Mitchum didn’t really think so either.
Roger Moore does seem to have a realistic handle on his acting range:
“I only had three expressions as Bond: right eyebrow raised, left eyebrow raised and eyebrows crossed when grabbed by Jaws.”
To confirm my memory, I looked up the story and found Moore had dropped out of the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s*** Aspects of Love.***
I don’t know if Moore has any background in musical theater, but apparently he found the songs beyond his vocal ability.