# Signs that your career moment has passed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696 "2011-05-12T19:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/41 "2011-05-13T21:37:04Z")
You become the moderator on The View. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/42 "2011-05-13T22:00:14Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Joe Pantoliano, best known from _Risky Business, The Sopranos_ and _The Matrix_, also claims to be the source of this showbiz lament. Herschel Bernardi also claimed this one. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/43 "2011-05-13T22:09:39Z")
And I’ve heard it about Harrison Ford. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/44 "2011-05-13T22:36:15Z")
When you’re a model in Uniqlo’s promotion material - rest in peace, Orlando Bloom. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/45 "2011-05-13T22:48:01Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You see a lot of actors who get a good role on a TV series and see it as a stepping stone to the movie career they think they deserve. So they strain to escape from the show. > > Sometimes you feel like slapping them and telling them, “You don’t get it. This TV show isn’t an obstacle in the path to your career peak. This show is your career peak. Once you leave this show you’re going to start going back down.” A lot of that has to do with the hierarchy of fame in Hollywood. No matter how popular and/or critically-praised you are for being the star of a successful TV show, TV Fame is still regarded as more fleeting, less substantial, and of overall lesser value than Movie Fame. Also, successful TV actors can see their fame and career quickly dissipate once their show goes off the air whereas a successful movie actor can be famous for decades. That’s why so many TV stars try to strike while the iron is hot and take at least one shot at being a movie star. Granted, it’s often a gamble but I think if most of us were in such a position, we’d probably take it. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/46 "2011-05-13T22:48:19Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > You become the moderator on The View. Oh, phew, I thought you were going somewhere else with this. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/47 "2011-05-13T22:54:35Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > A lot of that has to do with the hierarchy of fame in Hollywood. No matter how popular and/or critically-praised you are for being the star of a successful TV show, TV Fame is still regarded as more fleeting, less substantial, and of overall lesser value than Movie Fame. Also, successful TV actors can see their fame and career quickly dissipate once their show goes off the air whereas a successful movie actor can be famous for decades. That’s why so many TV stars try to strike while the iron is hot and take at least one shot at being a movie star. Granted, it’s often a gamble but I think if most of us were in such a position, we’d probably take it. I have no problem with those actors who try to start up a movie career while they’re hot from a TV series. Like you said, it’s a smart move. The ones who are stupid are the ones who try to get out of their TV series so they can go on to a movie career. Most of them quit their series and then find out they don’t have a real career in movies. And now they don’t have a TV series either. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/48 "2011-05-13T22:56:17Z")
Three words: Home Shopping Network ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/49 "2011-05-13T23:02:30Z")
You become a judge on Dancing With the Stars, or a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/50 "2011-05-14T00:14:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You see a lot of actors who get a good role on a TV series and see it as a stepping stone to the movie career they think they deserve. So they strain to escape from the show. > > Sometimes you feel like slapping them and telling them, “You don’t get it. This TV show isn’t an obstacle in the path to your career peak. This show is your career peak. Once you leave this show you’re going to start going back down.” To which they inevitably reply “Yeah, tell that to George Clooney.” Of course, he’s the one exception to that rule that comes to mind right off the bat. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/51 "2011-05-14T01:02:40Z")
I guess sometimes supporting actors can become big movie stars, like John Travolta on “Welcome back, Kotter” or Clint Eastwood in “Rawhide” (although Clint had the screen credit in “Francis the talking mule joins the Navy”.You probably get about one every decade versus lots of flops like David Caruso or Dick van Dyke. Probably has something to do with people won’t buy (movie tickets) what they can see for free (tv). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/52 "2011-05-14T01:23:15Z")
You’re replaced by Ashton Kutcher. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/53 "2011-05-14T01:28:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I have no problem with those actors who try to start up a movie career while they’re hot from a TV series. Like you said, it’s a smart move. > > The ones who are stupid are the ones who try to get out of their TV series so they can go on to a movie career. Most of them quit their series and then find out they don’t have a real career in movies. And now they don’t have a TV series either. Maybe, but sometimes a successful TV actor or actress who does this is in kind of a Catch-22. You’re become famous as the star of popular TV series so you start getting offers for some great movie roles. However, you have to decline the movie roles because they conflict with your TV show’s shooting schedule. So, you leave the TV series so you can accept the movie role offers only for the movie offers to dry up because you’re no longer a famous TV star. Getting back to the thread topic, I’d say your career moment has passed if you’re appearing in “male enhancement” TV infomercials. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/54 "2011-05-14T02:01:44Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Maybe, but sometimes a successful TV actor or actress who does this is in kind of a Catch-22. You’re become famous as the star of popular TV series so you start getting offers for some great movie roles. However, you have to decline the movie roles because they conflict with your TV show’s shooting schedule. So, you leave the TV series so you can accept the movie role offers only for the movie offers to dry up because you’re no longer a famous TV star. To which I say Michael J. Fox - the man made nine feature movies during the seven years he was doing _Family Ties_. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/55 "2011-05-14T02:08:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > You become a judge on Dancing With the Stars, or a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. The judges on DWTS are the same every season; they’re all dancers who became household names when they got the DWTS gig. Your latter point, however, is legitimate. > [@NDP](#): > > Maybe, but sometimes a successful TV actor or actress who does this is in kind of a Catch-22. You’re become famous as the star of popular TV series so you start getting offers for some great movie roles. However, you have to decline the movie roles because they conflict with your TV show’s shooting schedule. So, you leave the TV series so you can accept the movie role offers only for the movie offers to dry up because you’re no longer a famous TV star. I’m reminded of Pierce Brosnan, who they wanted for James Bond in the early '80s but who couldn’t get out of his _Remington Steele_ contract to do it. He stayed for the run of that show, and after that managed to have a pretty good film career. Well, other than _Mamma Mia_, but that was a weird byway in a lot of people’s careers. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/56 "2011-05-14T16:20:32Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > The judges on DWTS are the same every season; they’re all dancers who became household names when they got the DWTS gig. Your latter point, however, is legitimate. Thanks. I don’t watch either program, just see commercials for them. Perhaps I was thinking of has-been celebrity contestants on the DWTS show. You become a cameo appearance for a car commercial (Eric Estrada and Fabio, anybody?). ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/57 "2011-05-14T16:59:01Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > So explain Shatner then… I…can’t…explainShatner… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/58 "2011-05-14T18:30:20Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > The judges on DWTS are the same every season; they’re all dancers who became household names when they got the DWTS gig. Your latter point, however, is legitimate. Maybe that should read, “you become a CONTESTANT on DWTS?” > [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > I guess sometimes supporting actors can become big movie stars, like John Travolta on “Welcome back, Kotter” or Clint Eastwood in “Rawhide” (although Clint had the screen credit in “Francis the talking mule joins the Navy”.You probably get about one every decade versus lots of flops like David Caruso or Dick van Dyke. Though, to be fair, Travolta had a LOT of flops between periods of respectability. Right off the top of my head, _Shout_, _Perfect_, _Blowout_, _Look Who’s Talking Now_, and _Battlefield Earth_ were all major flops. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/59 "2011-05-14T21:26:12Z")
[QUOTE=NDP] Maybe, but sometimes a successful TV actor or actress who does this is in kind of a Catch-22. You’re become famous as the star of popular TV series so you start getting offers for some great movie roles. However, you have to decline the movie roles because they conflict with your TV show’s shooting schedule. So, you leave the TV series so you can accept the movie role offers only for the movie offers to dry up because you’re no longer a famous TV star. [/QUOTE] > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > To which I say Michael J. Fox - the man made nine feature movies during the seven years he was doing _Family Ties_. True, but it was luck (and good scheduling) that the shootings for the \*\*Back to the Future \*\*films didn’t conflict with those for “Family Ties.” A good example of the TV/movie Catch-22 is what happened to Kate Jackson. Her career was riding high on the success of “Charlies Angels” when she was cast to play Dustin Hoffman’s estranged wife in **Kramer v. Kramer**. Unfortunately for her, by the time production on the movie began, it came into direct conflict with her shooting schedule for “Charlie’s Angels” so Jackson had to drop out and the part instead went to an up-and-coming actress named Meryl Streep. Of course, **Kramer v. Kramer** is a big hit that ends up winning Oscars for Best Picture and Streep as Best Supporting Actress and launching her career as the pre-eminent actress of the last 30 years. Jackson does one more season of “Charles Angels” and then leaves the series presumeably so her schedule would be open to accept movie offers that, for the most part, never materialize. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696/60 "2011-05-14T23:46:09Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > I guess sometimes supporting actors can become big movie stars, like John Travolta on “Welcome back, Kotter” or Clint Eastwood in “Rawhide” (although Clint had the screen credit in “Francis the talking mule joins the Navy”. It’ll be interesting to see if Steve Carell manages to keep the movies coming now that he’s left THE OFFICE. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-your-career-moment-has-passed/581696.md?page=4)