That Actor Whose Name You Don’t Know: Jack Gilpin

So just in case anyone that happens to still think that going to Harvard and learning how to act is a sure way into fame and fortune, the career of Jack Gilpin is a good example of how it can happen, but also how one can become a celebrity that few people remember by name. There’s no insult intended to the man since he’s been around for a while and has been quite effective in the roles he’s been given, but quite often in the beginning he was selected for smaller roles that didn’t involve a lot of screen time. He was either an extra or a supporting actor at best in many ways, and yet Gilpin has been a face that many might remember over the years as he’s kept showing up. Some might remember him from Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise or they might remember him from various other performances that he’s put in over the years, but the fact is that he does have one of those faces that is easy to recall and will tend to make people think that they’ve seen him somewhere before. Unlike so many extras that come and go over the years, Jack does have a good amount of talent that’s been utilized in very effective ways as he’s been able to show in his many performances. He’s still active to date in his late 60s, and whether or not he’ll continue to act in the coming years is hard to say. But it does stand to reason that if he’s been in the game this long that he might want to keep going until he’s satisfied or can’t do it any longer.

That would appear to be the case with many actors that have been around for a couple of decades or more, as some either have nothing else to turn to, or perhaps they simply love what they do so much that they can’t imagine what they would with retirement. One has to admit that it’s kind of tough to think outside the box at times in order to realize what else they might have to turn to, but sometimes the adherence to what we love to do is just too great to think about anything else. To be honest though, that’s not the case with Jack since he’s an ordained priest and does have something else to go to, so the idea that he loves what he’s been doing all these years is pretty strong. The fact that he’s appeared in so many different TV shows and movies shows that he’s fully ready to go when someone calls on him and, provided he likes what he sees, will step onto the set to do his best. Some folks might look at this as another older, faded actor that never managed to headline anything on his own in a significant way taking the time to be a part of something great, but the respect due to those that have hung around so long should easily prevent such a dismissive thought. It might be wise to instead think of what it actually takes to stick with a profession for so long that it becomes what a person is known for, since like it or not, there are plenty of people that are always looking for the bigger, better deal that will bring them more of what they don’t have and grant them a better lifestyle, or a way to continue the lifestyle they enjoy.

Those that stick with the same profession over the years aren’t immune to this, but at least have the distinction of stating that they’ve stuck with what they know, what they care about, and what they enjoy for so long while evolving and adapting to the changes that come with it. Over the course of his career, it feels fair to say that Jack has been seen and that he’s gained enough attention to be valuable to those that want to use him for one project or another, but it’s also easy to think that without being a continual fixture that people see and admire as much as the A-listers, he’s not exactly known by name to a lot of people. Sometimes that’s the side effect of being there but not entirely known to the fans, who will seek the brightest and most well-known actors on the screen that have been celebrated time and time again. But the upside is that Jack still gets to work, he still gets to do what he enjoys, and he does have a life outside of the screen like so many others that he obviously enjoys. It’d be nice to think that every name in Hollywood will carry as much weight, but obviously, that’s not the case. But hey, he’s where he wants to be.