Customer Reviews

Working Actor's Guide to Los Angeles: The Complete Resource for Performers & Other Entertainment Industry Professionals (Working Actor's Guide, Los ... for Performers & Other Entertainment ...)

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As a working actor for most of my life, I can attest to the fact that of all the "how to" books on the market this book is truly a must have, especially if you are new to the LA market. Here you will find the best/cheapest/chicest etc place to (fill in the blank) get your nails done, get your photos copied, find a computer etc. It won't make you a better actor but it can help you survive in a tough city so that you can spend your energies improving your craft. I offer this advice as someone who recurred on 11 series including Seinfeld and Home Improvement and what is very nice now is that this book used to cost upwards of 125 new (I never owned a new copy but always one two years out of date! <g>) and now is just the price of a regular book. Combine this book with Judy Kerr's Acting is Everything and you are ready to begin to ask the eternal question "How do I get an agent"?

Patrick Cronin, AEA, SAG, AFTRA
Chair Department of Theatre
East Tennessee State University

The Working Actor's Guide is, by far, the most comprehensive guide to acting in Los Angeles ever created. Nothing comes close to this directory. It has useful blurbs, detailed contact information, and various other handy resources that any actor (whether newcomer or well established) could use. As a young acting student myself and having purchased this guide for the past six years, I highly recommend it.

The 18th edition is hopelessly out of date. I bought it because I saw it shrink wrapped, behind the counter at B&N, so I assumed it was current. After copying addresses from this book and sending headshots and résumés out to over 100 talent agents and casting directors for my client, more than 20% of them (so far) have come back as undeliverable, addressee unknown. Yup, I checked the returned ones for typos.

Don't waste your money. Breakdown Services sells guides and address labels and guarantees they're up to date. I didn't think they'd be worth the money, but they are. (No, I don't work for BDS.)

Also, the text of this book is available online if you search. No idea why -- maybe they're not publishing another edition.

Best of luck in Los Angeles!