The office of drama is to exercise, possibly to exhaust, human emotions. The purpose of comedy is to tickle those emotions into an expression of light relief; of tragedy, to wound them and bring the relief of tears. Disgust and terror are the other points of the compass.

Don't be afraid to be outrageous; the critics will shoot you down anyway.

What is acting but lying and what is good lying but convincing lying?

Autograph-hunting is the most unattractive manifestation of sex-starved curiosity.

The humility to prepare and the self-confidence to bring it off.

There is a spirit in us that makes our brass to blare and our cymbals crash-all, of course, supported by the practicalities of trained lung power, throat, heart, guts.

I don't know what is better than the work that is given to the actor-to teach the human heart the knowledge of itself.