National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011

• 5 - Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
• 51 - Professional occupations in art and culture
• 513 - Creative and performing artists

5135 - Actors and comedians

Actors and comedians perform roles in motion picture, television, theatre and radio productions to entertain a variety of audiences. They are employed by motion picture, television, theatre and other production companies. This unit group includes acting teachers employed by private acting schools.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • acting teacher - private or studio
  • actor/actress
  • comedian
  • drama teacher - private or studio
  • narrator

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Announcers and other broadcasters (5231)
  • Dancers (5134)
  • Drama professors (See 4011 University professors and lecturers)
  • Musicians and singers (5133)
  • Other performers, n.e.c. (5232)

• Main duties

  Actors and comedians perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Study and rehearse lines, gestures and expressions to interpret a role
  • Portray roles in video or motion picture productions, television shows, theatre productions, radio dramas, commercials and other productions or perform the narration
  • Sing or dance as required by specific roles
  • Perform comedy acts in nightclubs alone or as members of comedy troupes
  • Improvise a role.

  Acting teachers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Train students in interpretation of scripts, speech, movement, and dramatic theory
  • Prepare acting students for specific auditions and performances.

• Employment requirements

  • Demonstrated ability, based on an audition or previous acting roles, is an important hiring criteria.
  • Acting programs are offered at universities, colleges and private acting schools.
  • Acting teachers usually require experience as actors.
  • Membership in a guild or union may be required.