Without acting, I cannot breathe. Laurence Olivier More Quotes by Laurence Olivier More Quotes From Laurence Olivier I'd like people to remember me for a diligent expert workman. I think a poet is a workman. I think Shakespeare was a workman. And God's a workman. I don't think there's anything better than a workman. Laurence Olivier wisdom life thinking I am far from sure when I am acting and when I am not or, should I more frankly put it, when I am lying and when I am not. For what is acting but lying and what is good acting but convincing lying? Laurence Olivier humorous funny lying Work is life for me, it is the only point of life - and with it there is almost religious belief that service is everything. Laurence Olivier religious-belief belief religious You must have - besides intuition and sensitivity - a cutting edge that allows you to reach what you need. Also, you have to know life - bastards included - and it takes a bit of one to know one, don't you think? Laurence Olivier intuition cutting thinking 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. Laurence Olivier light exercise drama I have to act to live. Laurence Olivier theatre [on whether he harbored any resentment at his forced retirement from the stage after he was fired by Britain's National Theater] I should be soaring away with my head tilted slightly toward the gods, feeding on the caviar of Shakespeare... An actor must act. Laurence Olivier caviar feeding actors A sexual athlete is not likely to find sufficient energy for work of another athletic kind, and the acting of great parts most definitely was and always will be athletic, depending on inner if not on visible energy. Members of other professions that depend on the expenditure of physical energy must, I believe, find similar difficulties when attempting to double up on their energies. One has often heard that the most magnificent specimens of boxers, wrestlers and champions in almost every branch of athletic sport prove to be disappointing upon the removal of that revered jockstrap. Laurence Olivier sports believe sex Scratch an actor and you'll find an actor. Laurence Olivier scratches actors I take a simple view of life: keep your eyes open and get on with it. Laurence Olivier eyes view simple life I suppose, unconsciously, I used all my wives to further my journey up the ladder. Laurence Olivier ladder up my-journey journey It took me two years to walk around a chair with ease; it took me another two years to learn how to laugh onstage - and I had to learn everything. Laurence Olivier chair laugh walk me The actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand. Laurence Olivier palm actor create universe A man's prime interest in life must be his work. Laurence Olivier man interest work life Nine books have been written about me, and there's not a word of truth in any of them. Laurence Olivier books about me truth Nobody is going to pretend that I am younger than I am. Apart from anything else, it is in the papers all the damn time - every time I have a birthday. Laurence Olivier nobody i-am time birthday I can't think I've ever loved anybody quite as much... My mother was my life, really; she was my entire world. Laurence Olivier my-life mother life world 'Richard III' is a really difficult play to film - it's involved, often obscure. I felt it absolutely necessary to do more simplification than I've ever done before. Laurence Olivier more difficult done play
