"At one time I thought he wanted to be an actor. He had certain qualifications, including no money and a total lack of responsibility"

Hedda Hopper’s observation offers a biting and humorous commentary on both the theater world and the kind of individual it often attracts or is perceived to attract. With her trademark wit, Hopper remarks on someone who “wanted to be an actor” and humorously lists their “qualifications” as having “no money and a total lack of responsibility.” This remark is layered with social critique and irony.

First, the reference to “no money” taps into a long-standing stereotype about the financially precarious lives of aspiring actors. The stage and screen are realms where wealth may be an occasional reward but is almost never guaranteed, especially for those just beginning. Many people drawn to acting are thought to chase dreams in spite of , or perhaps because of , their lack of material security, persisting through hardship in hopes of a breakthrough. Hopper’s jab acknowledges this reality, implying that being penniless is almost a prerequisite rather than a disadvantage in this chosen field.

The mention of a “total lack of responsibility” works both as an insult and as an ironic observation about the bohemian lifestyle associated with actors. There is an implication that to desire a career in acting, one must either not care about or not feel bound by conventional responsibilities , things like financial security, stable employment, or societal expectations. In Hopper’s portrayal, would-be actors live impulsively, perhaps recklessly, in pursuit of art and fame, possessing traits that might be criticized in other walks of life but are seen as ring familiar and even necessary in their field.

Taken together, Hopper’s witticism underlines a broader, sometimes critical, sometimes affectionate cultural view of actors before they “make it”: dreamers, rebels, risk-takers, and misfits, whose lack of money and disregard for commonplace responsibility paradoxically qualifies them for their turbulent chosen calling.