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Beverly Hills 213
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There are some people who sit around waiting for things to happen. Then there are those that make things happen. It is not hard to predict which category actor, father, and husband David James Elliott falls into.
Elliott's tenacity and determination becomes very apparent as he describes his journey from a shy kid to a focused and successful adult. How you ask? Well, let's start at the beginning.
My dad always said, You used to be like a dog with a bone. I'd just go after stuff. When other guys were sitting around waiting for their agents to call, I would go to the agency every day and pester them, asking questions like, "What are you guys doing about this," or "When is this happening." Elliott says that his persistence paid off because his agents did work harder just to get him off their backs. In fact, Elliott adds, his persistent attitude toward life was also how he got himself into The Stratford Shakespearean Festival Company.
Elliott was attending Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, an acting school in Canada when he decided to audition for The Stratford. "I didn't even have an audition. I had enough money to stay there for only one week. I waited around all day. When I got the chance to talk to someone in charge, I just said "Hey, I don't have an audition, but if someone doesn't show up, I'd love an opportunity, and they gave me a chance." He got the job and toured with the company for two years. From there, Elliott's natural charisma and stage presence surged. But the road to success was harder than it sounds.
He never really dreamt of being an actor. Like many other teenagers, the future wasn't his number one concern. In fact, he didn't know what he wanted to do until one day in high school. In one of his classes, he was forced to read King Lear out loud. The teacher said to me, "David, you should be an actor, and because I didn't know what I wanted to do, I decided to give it a try," Elliott remembers. With no formal training, he decided to audition at Ryerson. To prepare, he found a book that taught him the basics of auditioning. "Thank goodness for that book," Elliott says, adding that out of 1000 people, 30 got in. "They told me later that what they liked most about me was that I didn't have any bad habits because I didn't have any habits at all."
Although Elliott never really struggled as an actor, his success didn't just pour in either. For one thing, he didn't exactly have his parents support in the beginning. His family paid for his education, but because the family business wasn't doing well at that time, he didn't have luxuries like living on campus or having extra cash to spend. When he decided to attend Ryerson, his father was adamant against it. Elliott's mind was made up and he looked into getting grants and loans. His father, who thought his son was just going through a phase, reluctantly paid the tuition. "I was starving during that time. It was definitely a lean period in my life. When the other guys were going out for beers, I couldn't go because I did't even have money for one beer," Elliot remembers. But he hung in, knowing that this was what he wanted to do. "After the first year, my father said, "Ok, you proved your point, are you done?" and I said to him, "What are you talking about, this is it."" Elliott's father had never attended any of Elliott's performances, but he did come to his last performance at the school. "After the performance, he said to me, 'You're right, you're doing exactly what you're suppose to do. Now go after it."
Elliott moved to Los Angeles and immediately hit success. He got lots and lots of jobs and then...nothing. "I lost my confidence. I didn't work for like eight months and as time went by and my finances started to dwindle, I could see my agent losing faith. So my wife, kids, and I went to the Bahamas. I have Bahamian citizenship and I love it there, and I just went to go clear my head," Elliott says. After two months, Elliott found himself and realized that he had been trying too hard to impress. He returned to Los Angeles with a new mindset and attitutde and immediately began booking work. Since then, the jobs haven't stopped rolling in. China Beach, Doogie Howser, M.D., Knots Landing, Melrose Place, Seinfeld, JAG, and now Close to Home.
For sure his job offers will just keep on rolling in.
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