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Knighthoods for actors, do you agree with them?

67 replies

SecondhandRose · 06/07/2005 07:39

Why do actors need to be knighted when all they are doing is earning a fortune to read a script? They may be our favourite actors like David Jason but is a knighthood really earned?

People like Elton John and Paul McCartney have the most amazing talents and have absolutely earned their knighthoods but I really do wonder about normal actors.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 06/07/2005 21:55

Well all the politians we know I don't trust

IMHO they tell more lies than is nescessary

And liars are some of the lowest of the low

His cousin DEFFO never did anything to deserve a knighthood

RTKangaMummy · 06/07/2005 21:56

Ok spider

I did wonder if it was him

Shiraz · 06/07/2005 22:01

I gather then, that in your opinion, there are no 'proper' actors in the from of celebrities at all?

Issues such as which you say, they demonstrate so brilliantly are noticed due to the amazing display and dialogue being provided for the audience.

If most people had an ounce about them, these issuea are on their own front doorstep anyway!

Sorry i am not meaning to pull down any talent, this of which should rightly be celebrated, however i do NOT think a Knighthood is at all appropriate. Awards are available in each sector, such as television, theatre, music etc and that is the way it should remain!

spidermama · 06/07/2005 22:23

Ahhhh Blu ... think I've just worked out who's been at The Bush recently. If I'm right he lives round the corner from us.

Blu · 06/07/2005 22:40

Spidermama - aha! I don't know him personally (despite my name....if that helps identify the play we both might be thinking of), but my best frind wwrote it, and i went to the press night.

Shiraz - no, obviously some great actors mighht also be celebrities, as a result of their talent.

I see Dame Kelly Holmes has just been on telly - do people who are good at sport add to our history more than peple in any other field/

Don't actually know what the criteria for knighthoods is, anyway. And am not a big fan of the honours system at all really. I'll be doing a Benjamin Zephaniah WHEN they deliver mine

spidermama · 06/07/2005 23:17

Am a big vague on the name connection but I gather the play was to do with goalkeeping.

I haven't been to the theatre for years mind. Except to see dh's shows of course.

ruty · 11/07/2005 13:07

think some actors deserve it - judi dench yes - ian mckellen yes - david jason? Er, no. Just a bit off the subject, despite having been fairly regularly working as an actress up until my pregnancy my agent just dumped me 6 months after birth of my first baby. Charming.

RTKangaMummy · 11/07/2005 13:11

I thought actors/actresses employed agents rather than the other way round

RTKangaMummy · 11/07/2005 13:11

ruty

ruty · 11/07/2005 13:19

nice way of looking at it RTK!

RTKangaMummy · 11/07/2005 13:27

seriously though

I thought that is what happened

That you choose an agent, then auditioned for them, if you then both agree that they will be able to get work for you, and you agree that you will trust their judgement in the type of work they will hunt down for you or put you in for is your kind of stuff etc.

Then that was how it worked

But I thought you paid them rather than them paying you

So that they take a % of your wages or monthly fee etc.

I obviously am completely muddled up.

Marina · 11/07/2005 13:33

Pants to your agent ruty
If you buy into the honours system at all, then actors, playwrights, directors, producers and designers are especially deserving SecondHandRose. Britain's live and recorded arts sector, including theatre, is our biggest invisible export, earning this country a huge amount of CASH - there's a concept I am sure you can understand - and kudos internationally.
David Jason may be crap but Elton John is far, far worse. And so is that trader on past glories Paul "Mull of Kintyre" McCartney, frankly.
Actors train for a minimum of three years and many directors, producers and designers for longer than that. They don't just read a script ffs. What an ignorant attitude.

ruty · 11/07/2005 14:20

RTK they take a percentage of your wages, but in today's competitive climate, most actors are seeking good agents, and agents get their pick. Only if you are big 'player' do you get to pick and choose. I did get to choose when straight out of drama school, and then i left an agent and then chose the one that dropped me! Hmm.

spidermama · 11/07/2005 14:35

I went to drama school ruty (met dh there so not a complete waste of time).

When I left I auditioned for the part of a chicken in a panto at Bolton Octagon, assumed it would be a formality to get my equity card, then didn;t get it! I was so mortified I left the business there and then.

Dh still an actor but it's so competitive it's a total nightmare. Also hard to plan anything like family holidays, as we never know when something might come up.

He's been 'pencilled for' but not actually got 5 adverts since Christmas. Grrrrrr!

RnB · 11/07/2005 14:37

Message withdrawn

spidermama · 11/07/2005 14:38

Which one Rnb?

ruty · 11/07/2005 14:40

with my old agent i got quite a few commercials, but its horrendous auditioning. And i used to go out with an actorspidermama, we could NEVER go away. I applaud your patience! Much happier now with dh who is not an actor, but i guess it is the right person, nothing to do with being an actor on not..

RnB · 11/07/2005 14:41

Message withdrawn

ruty · 11/07/2005 14:43

and love your story spidermama about Bolton. Terrible isn't it.

Lonelymum · 11/07/2005 14:45

When I think of how loved many actors are, I can't see any reason why they should not be honoured like anyone else. Knighthoods are usually given to people at the top of their profession (I know because my uncle has one) and actors are no less deserving than anyone else. I don't think many actors do earn a fortune anyway. That is mainly film stars rather than tv actors.

ruty · 11/07/2005 14:45

enjoy it RnB. I had some great times as an actress it was`worth it. Listen to me I sound like an old dame. only early thirties!

spidermama · 11/07/2005 14:46

Even worse for women ruty. They're all sooooo gorgeous. Even the plain ones are 'tv plain' which is pretty darn gorgeous to normal people.

But yes it's not an ideal industry for a parent. We've had so many near misses lately and yet the casting directors don't even bother to let you know you didn't get it. My dh is often seeing ads on telly and thinking, 'ah. Didn't get that one then.' It's so hard to work out why.

spidermama · 11/07/2005 14:48

Yes Rnb I LOVED drama school. It was well worth going to even though I didn't go into acting. The skilss are very transferable. I became a broadcast journalist then radio presenter.

RTKangaMummy · 11/07/2005 14:48

right I understand now thanks

But at yours for doing that

Lonelymum · 11/07/2005 14:49

Without naming names Spidermama, do you hobnob with the famous?