I've made a wonderful living playing that theatrical character - the professional brassy dame

Now what kind of an attitude is that, 'These things happen?' They only happen because this whole country is just full of people who, when these things happen, they just say, 'These things happen,' and that's why they happen! We gotta have control of what happens to us.

I was lucky enough to have the songs in my first show written by George and Ira Gershwin. Then Cole Porter wrote five shows for me

Mom and Pop were proud of my popularity, but from their point of view, show business was no way to make a living.

Cole Porter wrote Anything Goes and four more hits for me

I've never suffered stage fright. That fascinates people.

I was born in my parents' bedroom on January 16. The World Almanac says it was 1909. I say it was 1912. But what difference does it make as long as I feel 33?