“It’s perhaps not the future I would choose. I still think it’s possible to make a success of both marriage and career even though I didn’t. But it’s not a bad future. And I’m not afraid of it.”

Eyes are the greatest tool in film. Mr. Capra taught me that. Sure it’s nice to say very good dialogue, if you can get it. But great movie acting – watch the eyes!

The boy’s got a lot to learn and I’ve got a lot to teach.

I couldn’t remember my name for weeks. I’d be at the theater and hear them calling ‘Miss Stanwyck, Miss Stanwyck,’ and I’d think ‘Where is that dame? Why doesn’t she answer? By crickie, it’s me!

Attention embarrasses me. I don’t like to be on display.

Put me in the last fifteen minutes of a picture and I don’t care what happened before. I don’t even care if I was IN the rest of the damned thing – I’ll take it in those fifteen minutes.

My only problem is finding a way to play my fortieth fallen female in a different way from my thirty-ninth.

There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.

[On a dull party:] It was a fête worse than death.

I’m a tough old broad from Brooklyn. Don’t try to make me into something I’m not. If you want someone to tiptoe down the Barkley staircase in crinoline and politely ask where the cattle went, get another girl.

I’m now the Lord of the Brighton Manor.

Egotism – usually just a case of mistaken nonentity.

Just be truthful – and if you can fake that, you’ve got it made.

Sponsors obviously care more about a ninety-second commercial and want to pay you more than any guest star gets for a ninety-minute acting performance.

I’m a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I’m ninety, and they won’t need to paste my face with make-up.

Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for doing what I love doing.

A star is only as good as her last picture.

Error can point the way to truth, while empty-headedness can only lead to more empty-headedness or to a career in politics.

How could you not wanna be in Doctor Who at least once in your career?

Unfortunately, my career is increasingly leading me into rooms where everybody is funny.

I think I’m the funniest guy in a room full of unfunny people. Unfortunately, my career is increasingly leading me into rooms where everybody is funny. I’m the least funny person in a room full of funny people.

You have to transfer your success on the track to your education, because you don’t want to waste what you did athletically once your athletic career is over.

I don’t know if it’s my music, my lyrics, my sound and knowing the music business the way I do – all I can say is, my career has lasted way longer than I expected.

Looking back at his career, Mr. Rustin, a Quaker, once wrote: ‘The principal factors which influenced my life are 1) nonviolent tactics; 2) constitutional means; 3) democratic procedures; 4) respect for human personality; 5) a belief that all people are one.’

Kill time and you will kill your career.