Actors who leave 'the business' and change careers- Page 2

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 6:15pm

Dottie: I'm talking about Jane Seaman. She was in the original productions of Secret Garden and Big River, as well. I don't believe she ever went on for LuPone.

[amoni2]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 6:41pm

David Burtka Bernadette Peter's Tulsa quit to go to cooking school and is now a a Chef and runs a catering business.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 6:48pm

David Burtka is also a host on E! News now.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 7:09pm

But most of these people have left acting to go into teaching drama or music or something connected to the arts (producing, agent, etc.) - None of them seem to have gone into any major career change, e.g .teaching high school (not drama) or elementary school teaching, nursing, real estate, significant profession changes

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 7:22pm

To be honest, most working actors often have a side career. It might not be a 9-5 thing, but once acting become their full time gig, they often do something on the side that fulfills them in different ways. Several actors I know are painters, photographers, bodyworkers, real estate, teaching.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 7:28pm

that's interesting

[mmh1019]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 8:11pm

my cousin is from Colorado & did productions with David Ayers's company. She's now studying musical theatre at CCM. he & his wife (Angela Gaylor, Anne to Gavin Creel's Jean-Michel in '04 La Cage) have really built a successful studio, it's pretty awesome

[HorseTears]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 9:27pm

There are a lot of "showbiz" types in the restaurant industry. I was offered a job at the HQ of a large national chain of restaurants last year. I didn't take the job, but I interviewed with just about every Sr. Dir and VP. No household names, but two of the VPs had appeared on Broadawy, one Sr. Dir. had done tons of regional theatre work in So Cal (Center Theatre Group, Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse etc) and another had worked regularly Off Broadway.

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 9:48pm

There are also a lot of actors who keep up with part time work even as they perform in shows. I know NY actors who are currently appearing or recently appeared in shows who do part time work in Real Estate, Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, Graphic Design, and other industries. It's mostly free lance, but it beats the hell out of catering, or being a bartender.

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 9:50pm

None of them seem to have gone into any major career change, e.g .teaching high school (not drama) or elementary school teaching, nursing, real estate, significant profession changes


Several people mentioned on this thread have undergone significant career changes, including several of the professions you cite (teaching a non-arts subject, real estate). But it shouldn't be a surprise that most people will go into teaching a subject that they're trained in, have experience doing, have specific degrees towards, etc.

[Hiram]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 10:08pm

John Kerr, who played Tom in the stage and film versions of TEA AND SYMPATHY and Lieutenant Cable in the movie version of SOUTH PACIFIC, pretty much left the business to become an attorney.

[matineeidol2013]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 10:11pm

Don Corriea (husband of Sandy Duncan, and who appeared in "A Chorus Line" and "My One and Only", among others, before originating Don Lockwood in Twyla Tharp's "Singin in the Rain") left the business to become a Real Estate agent. I had a conversation with him before in regards to his leaving, he claimed that he disliked where Broadway was headed, ie. too commercial. I'm sure we all recognize Mr. Corriea from his charming appearance as Theodore Whitman in the most recent "Follies" revival!

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 10:17pm

Funny that I immediately thought of Michael Maguire when I read the title of this thread.

He does still perform... just saw him in February as a guest vocalist with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in Youngstown, Ohio.

Very entertaining guy... he did bring up the fact that he's also a lawyer now.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 6/4/12 at 3:17am

Former stage star Patti LuPone is the produce manager at the Queens Trader Joe's.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 6/4/12 at 4:51am

That explains why she asked me to put away my phone while I was perusing the cantaloupes.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/4/12 at 7:31am

Some leave the business and then come back. I first met Sammy Williams when we were both working for I. Magnin. He was in charge of all the floral arrangements at the fashion events for the stores in Los Angeles. He was quite talented in his second career as well!

He has since returned to performing, at least occasionally, and is now in Follies in L.A.