Quotes

Only the gentle are ever really strong.

Gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.

An actor must interpret life and, in order to do so, must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet. In the short span of his lifetime, an actor must learn all there is to know, experience all there is to experience, or approach that state as closely as possible. He must be superhuman in his efforts to store away in the core of his subconscious everything that he might be called upon to use in the expression of his art.

It was an accident, although I've been involved in some kind of theatrical function or other since I was a child: in school, music, athletics. To me, acting is the most logical way for people's neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves. To my way of thinking, an actor's course is set even before he's out of the cradle.

To grasp the full significance of life is the actor's duty; to interpret it his problem and to express it his dedication. Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have. Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.

Studying cows, pigs and chickens can help an actor develop his character. There are a lot of things I learned from animals. One was that they couldn't hiss or boo me. I also became close to nature and am now able to appreciate the beauty with which this world is endowed.

[when told he was too short to be an actor] How can you measure acting in inches?

[to Hedda Hopper] Trust and belief are two prime considerations. You must not allow yourself to be opinionated. You must say, "Wait. Let me see". And above all, you must be honest with yourself.

When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. So the director's task is just that to direct, to point the way. Then the actor takes over. And he must be allowed the space, the freedom to express himself in the role. Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest-full of push-buttons.

If a man can bridge the gap between life and death... I mean, if he can live on after his death, then maybe he was a great man.

[on acting] You can do "Hamlet" while performing cartwheels... as long as the audience sees your eyes - you can make the performance real.

(When speaking to a friend) Death can't be considered, because if you're afraid to die there's no room in your life to make discoveries.

I think I am going to make it because on one hand I am like Clift saying help me and of the other hand I am Brando saying, "Screw you!", and somewhere in between is "James Dean".

I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world, is discovery.

Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have.

My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society.

The cinema is a very truthful medium because the camera doesn't let you get away with anything. On stage you can even loaf a little, if you're so inclined.

To me, acting is the most logical way for people's neuroses to manifest themselves.

[Being asked about his sexual orientation] No, I am not a homosexual. But, I'm also not going to go through life with one hand tied behind my back.

[on the risk of racing cars] What better way to die? It's fast and clean and you go out in a blaze of glory!

The only greatness for man is immortality.

There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are all impaled on the crook of conditioning.

You can't show some far off idyllic conception of behavior if you want the kids to come and see the picture. You've got to show what it's really like, and try to reach them on their own grounds.

[on raising children and teenagers] I think the one thing this picture shows that's new is the psychological disproportion of the kids' demands on the parents. Parents are often at fault, but the kids have some work to do, too.

Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.