The reward of becoming a television star is not the stature you earn. Rather, the true reward is the knowledge of a role well-played. This is one of the most important lessons a performer can learn.

Wild Wild West star Robert Conrad understood that reputation wasn’t the only thing that mattered in an actor’s life. During an interview with the Whitehorse Daily Star, the actor acknowledged that he’d never truly fit the mold of a traditional Hollywood performer. But while many actors may have taken the revelation as a slight, Conrad took it as a point of pride. Rather than focusing on his own status, Conrad dedicated a majority of his time and energy toward becoming a better performer. Instead of working on a bland Hollywood set, Conrad preferred to film many of his scenes on location,

“I haven’t considered myself a Hollywood actor for years,” Conrad said. “There’s an old saying: ‘Go where the action is,’” said Conrad. “And that’s what I like to do. I feel the audience gets a better sense of what the film or series is about when you’re actually there, where your story is set. This allows you to reach your audience in a way that would be impossible if you had to be restricted to some place that has nothing to do with the story you’re telling. I feel when you get out into the real place, it’s so much easier to fall into character.”

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