THE FUSE

In 1983, Morgan Freeman was 45 years old, had won two Obie Awards, received a Tony nomination, spent years on daytime soap operas and a PBS children's show, and was seriously considering becoming a taxi driver. He had been at this for two decades. He was broke enough to consider quitting and proud enough to have lasted this long without doing so. As late as that year, with two Obie Awards, a Clarence Derwent Award, a Drama Desk Award and a Tony nomination to his name, he almost walked away from acting entirely. The breakthrough, when it came, was still four years away.