Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody.

[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.

Anytime you see me with my arms around an old man, I'm holding him for the police.

Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody.

Honey, that Totie Fields is one well-fed white woman. When that gal sits around the house, she sits around the house!

[On old age:] You wake up one morning and you got it.

If you don't want your children to know the truth about life don't send 'em to the theater to see Moms 'cause I'm gonna tell them THE TRUTH, hear?