I have ten commandments. The first nine are, thou shalt not bore. The tenth is, thou shalt have right of final cut.

[on pop idol Donny Osmond] He has Van Gogh's ear for music.

Ah, Marilyn, Hollywood's Joan of Arc, our Ultimate Sacrificial Lamb. Well, let me tell you, she was mean, terribly mean. The meanest woman I have ever known in this town. I am appalled by this Marilyn Monroe cult. Perhaps it's getting to be an act of courage to say the truth about her. Well, let me be courageous. I have never met anyone as utterly mean as Marilyn Monroe. Nor as utterly fabulous on the screen, and that includes Garbo.

Develop a clean line of action for your leading character

God save me from myself.

When Chaplin found a voice to say what was on his mind, he was like a child of eight writing lyrics for Beethoven's Ninth.

Don't be too clever for an audience. Make it obvious. Make the subtleties obvious also.