# examples of well-known people who "bounced around" for years until they found just the right 'fit'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801 "2014-03-29T00:51:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/21 "2014-03-31T12:56:56Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Didn’t Madonna sing a song about him? You’re in trouble deep for that one. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/22 "2014-03-31T14:20:25Z")
I heard of one guy in the early 20th century who considered a career in architecture or painting before he found just the right fit in politics. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/23 "2014-03-31T16:07:46Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I heard of one guy in the early 20th century who considered a career in architecture or painting before he found just the right fit in politics. I was just a paper hanger No one more obscurer Got a phone call from the Reichstag Told me I was Fuhrer Germany was blue What, oh, what to do? Hitched up my pants And conquered France Now Deutschland’s smiling through! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/24 "2014-03-31T17:15:25Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I heard of one guy in the early 20th century who considered a career in architecture or painting before he found just the right fit in politics. He spent a bit exploring the careers possibilities of “bum” for a while. He then went into the army, was a highly decorated soldier, and as you mention, went into politics. The military was good for him. Dammit. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/25 "2014-03-31T17:23:11Z")
John Houseman was successful enough as a producer, but he didn’t turn to acting until he was 70, won an Oscar for his first role, and became a recognizable star. He made it the old fashioned way: he earned it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/26 "2014-03-31T18:38:56Z")
Harry Truman had a varied career until entering politics full time. He did get that introduction into politics as a teenager though as a page at the 1900 Democratic Convention. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/27 "2014-03-31T19:43:10Z")
[John Mahoney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mahoney) (probably best known for playing Martin Crane on Frasier) was a teacher and editor, before deciding that he wanted a different career, and going into acting full-time at age 37. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/28 "2014-03-31T20:02:06Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > [John Mahoney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mahoney) (probably best known for playing Martin Crane on Frasier) was a teacher and editor, before deciding that he wanted a different career, and going into acting full-time at age 37. And soldier. He lost his English accent because he was tired of getting teased about it while in the US Army. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/29 "2014-03-31T20:21:47Z")
He’s not all that old yet, but apparently Benedict Cumberbatch was slogging along doing workmanlike jobs in BBC period pieces until _Sherlock_, and then, boom, he was a star. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/30 "2014-04-01T01:13:08Z")
Harrison Ford was less than two months away from turning 35 when Star Wars came out. I couldn’t imagine being 34 and still not finding success in life. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/31 "2014-04-01T01:25:50Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Harrison Ford was less than two months away from turning 35 when Star Wars came out. > > I couldn’t imagine being 34 and still not finding success in life. Well la-di-da, because I’ve got a birthday coming this summer to mark just that occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/32 "2014-04-01T01:29:56Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Harrison Ford was less than two months away from turning 35 when Star Wars came out. > > I couldn’t imagine being 34 and still not finding success in life. And four years prior to that, he had a major role in _American Graffitti._ Granted, he worked as a carpenter for four years before that… Schwarzenegger is kind of the polar opposite of this phenomenon: put himself through college and started a company that supplied medical supplies to hospitals, self-made millionaire. Switched to bodybuilding, Mr. Universe. Switched to acting, Conan. Added restaurateur, Planet Hollywood. Married a Kennedy. Switched to politics, Governor of California. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/33 "2014-04-01T20:01:08Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > And four years prior to that, **he had a major role in _American Graffitti._** Granted, he worked as a carpenter for four years before that… > > Schwarzenegger is kind of the polar opposite of this phenomenon: **put himself through college and started a company that supplied medical supplies to hospitals, self-made millionaire.** Switched to bodybuilding, Mr. Universe. Switched to acting, Conan. Added restaurateur, Planet Hollywood. Married a Kennedy. Switched to politics, Governor of California. Wait, what (bolding the questionable parts)? 1. Ford’s role was in no way major in American Graffiti. You could argue that Star Wars made him, not AG. 2. I’ve read that Schwarzenegger got into bodybuilding as a boy and continued it until moving to movies. Then, after movies, he went into politics. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/34 "2014-04-01T20:23:00Z")
Thomas Paine, I mean who decides at 40 to become a prolific revolutionary author? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/35 "2014-04-01T21:51:02Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Wait, what (bolding the questionable parts)? Huh. My apologies; that’s not listed in his bio, and I don’t recall where I heard it. I retract that one. Still, one of the more serially-successful guys out there. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/36 "2014-04-01T22:21:24Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > **George Clooney** was in 'leventy-twelve sitcoms and other shows before breaking out as Dr. Doug Ross on ER… One even, coincidentally enough, being the short-lived sitcom [E/R](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL5mmdZFrlI). ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/37 "2014-04-03T15:44:44Z")
Robert Ludlum published some 30 thriller novels, including the Bourne blockbusters, but none until he was over 40. ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/38 "2014-04-03T15:49:32Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Well, it does include some mathematicians. > > Here are some late-blooming scientists: > > [http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=700810](http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=700810) > > Here are some other late bloomers: > > [Give me hope, give me some 'late achiever' stories! - achievement | Ask MetaFilter](http://ask.metafilter.com/40502/Give-me-hope-give-me-some-late-achiever-stories) A small handful in comparison. I’m not sure if this says something about the difficulty with doing something significant in math/science as a late-bloomer, or about what we value as a culture. Probably some of both. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/39 "2014-04-03T16:21:08Z")
Nobody for Col. Sanders? > [@](#): > > [Colonel Sanders - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Sanders) > Colonel Harland David Sanders[a] (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman, best known for founding Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and later acting as the company’s goodwill ambassador and symbol. Sanders held a number of jobs in his early life, such as a fireman, insurance salesman and running filling stations. He began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky, during the Great Depression. Sanders identified the potential of the restaurant franchising concept, and the first KFC franchise opened in Utah in 1952. The company’s rapid expansion across the United States and overseas saw it overwhelm him however, and in 1964 he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown, Jr. and Jack C. Massey for $2 million. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801/40 "2014-04-03T16:32:43Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Nobody for Col. Sanders? He’s a good one. I drive by the “World’s First KFC” every day on my way home from work. I’m not sure they’ve changed the oil in all that time… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-well-known-people-who-bounced-around-for-years-until-they-found-just-the-right-fit/684801.md?page=3)