I don't like losing the words, as you have to, when I'm asked to turn a play into a movie. It's not a matter of ego . . . I'm just better able to create the character for an audience through words rather than through actions.

I never write a play with an eye to film.

He's too nervous to kill himself. He wears his seat belt in a drive-in movie.

There's no such thing as a sure thing. That's why they call it gambling.

Once you've opened yourself up, it's best to go all the way.

Sudden money is going from zero to two hundred dollars a week. The rest doesn't count.

A lot of your personality is formed before you're 12, obviously, but only a few of my plays use characters from my childhood. The more mature plays are affected only by my adult experiences.