"I was initially a leading man, but only on television"

Gary Cole's quote, "I was initially a leading guy, however only on television", shows both his profession trajectory and more comprehensive market characteristics. When Cole refers to being a "prominent guy", he is acknowledging that he was typically cast in main, main roles, which generally suggests playing characters vital to the storyline who drive much of the narrative's psychological or plot-based weight. Nevertheless, he includes the qualifier "but just on television", highlighting the distinction between television and film in the entertainment industry. This suggests a limit he encountered-- being pigeonholed or limited in opportunities as a leading actor in movies.

Cole's career began with significant television roles, most notably in "Midnight Caller", where he depicted Jack 'Nighthawk' Killian, a function that defined his early work in the eyes of both audiences and industry executives. Tv at the time was typically seen as a separate world from movie, with its own hierarchy-- movie was thought about more distinguished or gratifying, both artistically and economically. Cole's usage of "just on tv" might communicate a sense of limitation or a yearning for more varied and expansive functions in movie theater that maybe, during that era, he didn't have as much access to despite being a familiar and highly regarded face on television.

This statement might also show the more comprehensive shift television stars have historically dealt with when trying to break into films. In earlier decades, moving from television to movie was less common and often more challenging. Only in recent years has this barrier diminished substantially, with the explosion of quality scripted tv supplying actors equivalent, if not elevated, recognition as their film counterparts.

By revealing this sentiment, Gary Cole not just explains his personal experiences within these dynamics however also through his ongoing successful profession in both television and film, echoes the industry's progressing understandings and opportunities connected with television stars' capabilities to shine as leading talents across mediums.