There are certain men and women who, from the minute they step in front of a camera, that's exactly where they belong. Connery's one.
But generally speaking, people weren't fired, art jobs were very hard to get, so something really calamitous had to happen to a person who was working there in order for you to find a space.
I was the type of guy that used to get up in the morning and go out and just out run everybody on the field without stretching or warming up or anything.