[on making the transition from the comedy "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970) to its dramatic spin-off series "Lou Grant" (1977)] We were really worried about changing over from a three-camera, half-hour comedy to a one-camera, full-hour drama. The audience wasn't ready for the switch - even CBS billed us in their promos as a comedy. In fact, the whole thing was impossible. But we didn't know that.

Ed Asner

Categorized in : Drama Cameras Transition

A lot of people don't want to feel anti-black by being opposed to... by Ed Asner

A lot of people don't want to feel anti-black by being opposed to Obama.

black want people

Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare. by Ed Asner

Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare.

thank-you funny kids

There are genuinely sufficient resources in the world to ensure that no one, nowhere, at no time, should go hungry.

ending-hunger food-banks world

We all moan and groan about the loss of the quality of life through the destruction of our ecology, and yet every one of us, in our own little comfortable ways, contributes daily to that destruction. It's time now to awaken in each one of us the respect and attention our beloved Mother deserves.

quality mother loss

All capitalists should be like Warren Buffett, and he says he sho... by Ed Asner

All capitalists should be like Warren Buffett, and he says he should be taxed more.

buffett warren-buffet should

The free access to information is not a privilege, but a necessity for any free society. One of my favorite things to do as a young man was wander through the stacks of my hometown library. I'd just browse until I found something interesting. Libraries have definitely changed my life.

library men interesting

As they used to say 'What if they gave a war and nobody came?' How worthwhile if they declared a day of peace and everybody came.

what-if war peace

My first job was with an auto plant, Kansas City - they treated you like slaves. From there I went back to Chicago, worked in steel mills, drove a cab, stuff like that.

kansas-city cities jobs

I loved journalism until the day my journalism teacher, a man I revered, came by my desk and said, 'Are you planning on going into journalism?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'I wouldn't.' I said, 'Well, why not?' He said, 'You can't make a living.'

why-not teacher men

I also think that there is a strong streak of racism, and whenever we engage in foreign adventures. Our whole history in regime change has been of people of different color.

strong adventure thinking

Never stand still. Only stand still enough to learn, and once you stop learning in that stance, move off. Always keep yourself engaged, in theater, in whatever job you can get. If you can't get an acting job, then go backstage. Or take tickets. But be around actors because that is where you will primarily learn.

acting jobs moving

Some of my earliest political feelings were based on the anti-Japanese bubblegum cards I got. There were also Spanish Civil War bubblegum cards. Awful.

political feelings war

I regard myself as a beautiful musical instrument, and my role is to contribute that instrument to scripts worthy of it.

musical roles beautiful

The treasure shouldn't do the hunting, and you're a treasure. by Ed Asner

The treasure shouldn't do the hunting, and you're a treasure.

dating hunting treasure

I'm not sought after. I never get enough work. It's the history of my career. There just isn't anything to turn down, let me put it that way.

careers enough way

I will always have enough money to last the rest of my life...as... by Ed Asner

I will always have enough money to last the rest of my life...as long as I don't buy anything.

economic-inequality lasts long

I can do lovers. I can do Sir Galahad types. I'm not going to limit myself in voice-overs to irascible old men.

voice limits men

The older I've gotten, the more the need to exert comedy no matter how tragic a character I may be portraying because they are essentials for presenting truth.

essentials character needs

They say making laws is like making sausages. You shouldn't watch. It's the same for acting, especially for the actor who works unconsciously.

acting law watches

I am not a method actor, though I studied for a year with Lee Str... by Ed Asner

I am not a method actor, though I studied for a year with Lee Strasburg.

method actors years