ABSTRACT
Actors have been described as making a living by pretending to be someone else. However, acting is not the preserve of just actors; every one of us acts at some time or other but not necessarily on the stage. We often have to act when we are not pleased to see somebody but must give the impression we are pleased to see them. The business man doing the hard sell is acting; doctors frequently act to their patients; politicians are acting all the time, while lawyers make a very profitable living out of acting. All these people are trying to sound convincing, saying things they do not necessarily mean. Some are better than others at this. With them, though, it is not an art form, whereas to the professional actor, sounding convincing and, in fact, being convincing in the character he is playing is a major part of his skill. As for pretending to be someone else, this is not always the case. More and more, since the advent of television, actors are required to play themselves or, at least, extensions of themselves.
