Many actors consider typecasting to be a godsend, while others seem to regard it as a bottomless pit there is no escape from. Sure, typecasting guarantees that an actor will always work, but it also limits them from ever growing beyond what an audience believes them to be.

Of course, a seasoned actor like Darren McGavin had no issue with typecasting.

During an interview with the Macon County News, McGavin revealed that he didn’t busy himself with worries about being typecast.

“It doesn’t bother me because I’ve never let them do it to me,” said McGavin. “For whatever reason, the young people go into the theaters, and basically it’s the fulfillment of some lack in their life; the goals change very rapidly. I have probably had a more productive life than 80 percent of the actors in the business.

Previously, McGavin had starred in TV films like The Night Stalker (1972), a supernatural crime story that was so well received that it gave rise to a follow-up television series. Despite the highs and lows, McGavin was pragmatic when looking back at his career.

“I’ve done some things I liked and a lot I haven’t liked,” said the actor. “Lee J. Cobb once said to me that an actor is lucky if he gets two great roles in his lifetime. Have I had mine yet? As they went by, I wasn’t aware of them. I liked The Rainmaker. That was a good part. At best, most roles are garbage and the actor’s job is to put gold on it and dress it up so the audience doesn’t notice. It can be very gratifying.”