History Main / FallenOnHardTimesJob

* When CutMeOwnThroatDibbler from ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' is found selling sausages, it's a sure sign that yet another get-rich-quick scheme has blown up in his face.

* When CutMeOwnThroatDibbler from ''{{Discworld}}'' is found selling sausages, it's a sure sign that yet another get-rich-quick scheme has blown up in his face.

* After their wrongful imprisonment, the paroled deputies of ''[[Series/{{Reno911}} Reno 911!]]'' have to make ends meet in various capacities, including security guard, realtor, carnie, bed & breakfast owner (in a bus), groupie and ''AmericanIdol'' hopeful.

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* In 19th- and early 20th-century Europe, the match seller was a stock "hard up" character. It was an especially popular depiction of impoverished WWI veterans, especially the wounded and disabled. Famous examples are ''TheLittleMatchGirl'' and Otto Dix's painting ''The Match Seller''.

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* Enforcer or DumbMuscle for boxers (''OnTheWaterfront'', ''Film/{{DareDevil}}'')

* In GKChesterton's ''The Tales of the Long Bow'', Elizabeth Seymour, ImpoverishedPatrician, has taken a job with better grace than most.

* In ''{{Series/Rome}}'', professional soldiers Vorenus and Pullo become thug enforcers after they are demobilized and without income. Eventually they are required to actually [[ProfessionalKiller kill people]]. Vorenus however [[HitmanWithAHeart draws the line at murder and quits]].

* In PGWodehouse's ''Jill The Reckless'', after her money was lost, Jill escapes nasty relatives and ends up resorting to work as a chorus girl.

* Before getting his big break, the failed boxer {{Rocky}} works as a debt collector for a local loan shark.

This is the job where a once famous or admired character is "reduced to this!" More dire than a DayJob, this is a stereotypical last-resort job to which has-beens or {{Fallen Hero}}es have resorted, just to pay the bills. The Fallen on Hard Times Job is often the starting point for a protagonist's RedemptionQuest (with accompanying GonnaFlyNowMontage). It can also serve as a recruiting station for a RagtagBandOfMisfits or PuttingTheBandBackTogether. Such jobs include:

* The BluesBrothers reassemble their old band from members who are currently making their ends meet as lounge musicians, a maitre d', and a short-order cook.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once. The most common FallenOnHardTimesJob for them is mafia soldier. Also compare WorthlessForeignDegree, in which highly educated immigrants end up in menial jobs. Contrast WaitingOnABreak which is about aspiring actors and film writers doing a day job whilst ''attempting'' to make it big.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once. The most common FallenOnHardTimesJob for them is mafia soldier. Also compare WorthlessForeignDegree, in which highly educated immigrants end up in menial jobs. Contrast WatingOnABreak which is about aspiring actors and film writers doing a day job whilst ''attempting'' to make it big.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once. The most common FallenOnHardTimesJob for them is mafia soldier. Also compare WorthlessForeignDegree, in which highly educated immigrants end up in menial jobs.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once. The most common FallenOnHardTimesJob for them is mafia soldier. Also compare UselessForeignDegree, in which highly educated immigrants end up in menial jobs.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once. The most common FallenOnHardTimesJob for them is mafia soldier.

Compare FormerRegimePersonnel, when a lot of secret policemen, commandos, spies and similar people end up fallen on hard times at once.

* Mall rent-a-cop for police agents (can't exactly remember an example, but seen it)

* Mall rent-a-cop for policemen (can't exactly remember an example, but seen it)

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* Personal-injury work for lawyers (''ErinBrockovich'', ''Legal Affairs'')

[[AC: Film]]

* In ''National Security'', Hank becomes a security guard after being fired from the police force.

* The protagonist of ''{{Rounders}}'' drives a delivery truck for a living whenever he busts out and loses all his money playing poker.
* In ''The Whole Ten Yards'', Bruce Willis's retired hit-man character is spending his time as the world's most trying househusband.
* When Mickey Rourke's character in ''TheWrestler'' is forced to leave the ring, he resorts to working the deli counter at a grocery store.

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[[AC: Literature]]
* When CutMeOwnThroatDibbler from ''{{Discworld}}'' is found selling sausages, it's a sure sign that yet another get-rich-quick scheme has blown up in his face.

* Enforcer or DumbMuscle for boxers (''OnTheWaterfront'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'')

This is the job where a once famous or admired character is "reduced to this!" More dire than a DayJob, this is a stereotypical last-resort job that has-beens or {{FallenHero Fallen Heroes]] have resorted to, just to pay the bills. The Fallen on Hard Times Job is often the starting point for a protagonist's RedemptionQuest (with accompanying GonnaFlyNowMontage). It can also serve as a recruiting station for a RagtagBandOfMisfits or PuttingTheBandBackTogether. Examples include:

* Personal-injury work for attorneys (''ErinBrockovich'', ''Legal Affairs'')

* Enforcer or DumbMuscle for boxers (OnTheWaterfront, DareDevil)
* Youth coach for athletes (TheBadNewsBears, etc.)

* In {{Beerfest}}, the ragtag beer-drinking team recruits from their old college buddies: one's now a carny, and another's a street hustler.
* BladesOfGlory brings us one ex-superstar skater who's a stockboy at a soprting-goods store, and one drunkenly lurching his way through a children's skating show.

* In Peter Jackson's KingKong, entertainer Ann Darrow faces the prospect of becoming a burlesque chorus girl--in that day, pretty much one step above stripping.
* In TheMuppets, Fozzie is stuck playing in a Muppets cover band.

* Several members of the 2001 OceansEleven team are recruited from jobs like these.
* In RagingBull (as well as RealLife), boxer Jake [=LaMotta=] ends up a seedy bar owner and stand-up comic.

* When TheWrestler is forced to leave the ring, he resorts to working the deli counter at a grocery store.

* On {{Cheers}}, Carla's husband got cut from the Boston Bruins, and ended up wearing a penguin suit in the Ice Capades. (Eventually, a rogue Zamboni machine killed him.)

* After their wrongful imprisonment, the paroled deputies of ''[[Series/{{Reno911}} Reno 911!]]'' have to make ends meet in various capacities, including security guard, realtor, carnie, bed & breakfast proprietress (in a bus), groupie, and AmericanIdol hopeful.
* After VeronicaMars's mom walks off with her $50,000 bounty, Veronica makes some spending money as a barista.

* When CutMeOwnThroatDibbler from {{Discworld}} is found selling sausages, it's a sure sign that yet another get-rich-quick scheme has blown up in his face.

* In 19th- and early 20th-century Europe, the match seller was a stock "hard up" character. It was an especially popular depiction of impoverished WWI veterans, especially the wounded and disabled. Famous example include TheLittleMatchGirl and Otto Dix's painting ''The Match Seller''.