This is what Sergeant Joe Friday, played by Jack Webb on the TV series Dragnet, used to say to witness’s when they strayed from the facts.

Getting the facts clear in a scene is half the battle.

Learn the plot line, sequence of events, key characters, location, time of day, good …

Don’t start until you’re ready.

After ‘Action!’ you need time between their order and your beginning.

It doesn’t have to be much time, but not jumping when the gun is fired is critical. 

Always try to be on top of your work. To put ...

Does your character help or hinder the lead?

If a character played by a leading actor such as Harrison Ford is seeking to get on a plane so he can rescue his daughter from threatened death then the character playing the ticket agent must either be helping the Ford character get on the plane or blocking him from …

You often have to stand with both arms by your sides. Not holding on to anything.

It’s just you in space. At first it can seem awkward. 

Learn to do it by standing well and easy, with your feet really on the ground, breathing regularly, arms hanging heavy, shoulders down, ribcage holding …

I often act with food in my teeth. 

No, not big pieces of green spinach in my front teeth that we all check for before our close-up.

Just some food that’s left there because I didn’t brush my teeth. I like it. I like it because it’s a …

When you’re playing a scene consider if you want to lead (drive the scene), or stay with your partner (equal), or follow.

To follow is to be very active. But you lay back. Like a lion.

Very quick of mind but following. It’s deceptive. It’s lighter. 

It’s not slow and heavy, no – it’s a different ...

You’ll find threes in the scenes you learn, the movies you act in and life around you.

As an actor working in film and television, your interest in three can be both specific and broad. 

Specifically, as you examine the script you may notice parts of the writing are in groups of three. A speech giving the character’s position could ...

For many years I have characterized my training work as Proper Practice. 

Some of the ideas in my practice come from Geoff Colvin’s book Talent Is Overrated where he cites Anders Ericsson’s idea of ‘deliberate practice’ which is …

The phrase ‘Dear dirty Dublin’ comes from James Joyce’ novel Ulysses.  

An actor from Cork taught me the trigger phrase of ‘Dear ol’ dirty Dublin, da mess on da doorstep’. He said if I got that right I’d be off to the races with the Dub accent.

When learning an accent ...

When playing these iconic roles some guidelines might be useful.

A useful start to playing any role is to ask, ‘How would I act in a situation like this.’

First and foremost, all of these roles are people at work, doing their jobs. They’re good at them, they like them, it’s always just another day at work, they don’t have …