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16 Dec 2025 8:57
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Jeff Goldblum has only ever had one regular job - working in telesales in a "boiler room operation"

    The 72-year-old Hollywood legend - who was most recently seen playing the Wizard of Oz in 'Wicked' - found himself as a struggling out-of-work actor when he first moved to Los Angeles and needed money to pay his rent


    Goldblum answered a job advert which was specifically asking for out-of-work actors and started selling office supplies under dubious pretences.

    Appearing on the 'Smartless' - hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes - he said: "When I came to California, there was a moment when I was paying rent, my money was getting low and I thought, 'Geez.' I looked in the trade papers and they said, 'Are you an out-of-work actor? Do you want to make a little money? Come and do this thing.'

    "I joined this boiler room operation, which I guess is illegal. At 6:00 in the morning, you go to Hollywood and call correction institutions on the East Coast. You'd say, 'Hi, a government program just went bust and we have a surplus of magic markers, pens and pencils. Do you use green, red or blue? Can I send to you?'

    "And you'd get them to commit to that. It was my least favourite thing."

    Goldblum admits hammering the phones for just one week affected his health and he ended up in hospital.

    That experience proved to Jeff that he wasn't cut out for a "straight job" and after making his film debut in 1974 Charles Bronson film 'Death Wish' his acting career went from strength-to-strength.

    He added: "It was my only 'straight' job ever.

    "Maybe not coincidentally, after a week of that, I got this illness [and] wound up in the hospital. I'm just too sensitive for that kind of regular work. After that, I went back to supporting myself, luckily and ever since, with acting."

    Goldblum has starred in some of most acclaimed and popular movies of all-time, including 'The Fly', 'Jurassic Park', 'Independence Day' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'.

    As well as the 'Jurassic Park' franchise, Jeff is also a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Grandmaster in the MCU films such as 2017's 'Thor: Ragnarok'.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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