Elaine Stritch Quotes

The terrifying thing in my life is that I am just an actress. And I have to keep pushing it and getting approval, approval, approval or I don’t think I’m worth two cents. And I am starting to get over it, thank God. And I’m just sad because I don’t have many years left and I wish I had a longer space of time to think that Elaine Stritch is okay.

There will always be ladies who lunch. Always. And apparently they live a long time.

Fear is the base of what everybody does wrong in their lives.

I find it easier to abstain than do a little bit of anything. I'm not a 'little bit' kind of dame. I want it all, whatever I do.

It gets tiring being a smartass.

I don't think there's any thrill in the world like doing work you're good at.

This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.

I am not influenced by other human beings. But I am inspired.

Everybody's got a sack of rocks.

If somebody doesn't have any talent, get off the stage! You're wasting my time.

I love holidays in New York. I love `em. I want to celebrate something all the time and New York has holidays for every day of the week, practically. I like holidays in New York City.

As a diabetic, I'm a walking picnic. I have to eat measured amounts of food at certain times.

You cannot tell an audience a lie. They know it before you do; before it's out of your mouth, they know it's a lie.

New York is like a disco, but without the music

I’d like to discover life. Quite frankly I don’t know how to be happy. I have not a clue. I only serve — and I don’t say that with any grandeur. I just serve others through entertaining. That’s when I am happy. I’m not just delighted with myself when I’m entertaining, but I’m happier than when I’m not.

I love audiences. My God, the best friends in the world!

I have not had any of that surgical stuff. I am too curious to find out exactly how I progress every day of my life naturally. That is what fascinates me.

And why not do something new every day of your life? Change! Change!

I want to settle down this last time. I say last, because I don't think I'm in any condition to live a long time from now. The bell's gonna ring pretty soon.

There's something exciting about being afraid.

Bette Davis taught Hollywood to follow an actress instead of the actress following the camera, and she's probably the best movie actress there's ever been.

I felt that I committed myself too much. I promised too much. But that way it's exciting.

I can't explain chemistry. I really can't. I haven't got a clue what it's all about. It just happens. It's like falling in love. You can't explain why you fall in love or explain why it's this particular person.

I don't know what to do with Warren Beatty. All I know is that he wasn't attracted to me. That's all right.

You can't be funny unless you're tragic, and you can't be tragic unless you're funny.

I certainly was not the romantic lead. I couldn't be that, because I was not that good looking. And that is something about Hollywood that I do not like at all. Why can't a woman who is just normally good looking fall in love? I mean, everybody in the movies is so good looking.

I think it's the wrong way around to say when you get older move to the country. I think when you get older you move to New York. If you're a nice broad they'll look after you.

People will always be around to tell you you're no good or you're wrong or unwise to keep doing what you want to do. They're wrong. They're always wrong. Keep going.

Audiences are not strangers to me. They're the best friends I've got in my life.

I don't know what should have happened in my life, but I do know that I'm dancing as fast as I can.

I don't dislike the way I look. I think I look fine. I think I look extraordinary for 88. And I've got energy. Out of my way.

Onstage, nothing is as important as truth, nothing. As soon as you lie, they know it.

I think the most interesting New Yorkers are the people who were not born here.

There's nothing attractive about doing a documentary. Nothing. It's hard, hard work, and I find having all the attention of the day on me a very unattractive proposition.

It's a pain in the ass, show business. And the only time that I really enjoy it is when I'm in front of an audience and they're reacting to me.

I compare Stephen Sondheim with humor, because humor is unanalyzable. You can't analyze humor. You just have to get through it.

Certain type of actresses get younger instead of older. I always say, 'Only ingenues age.'

For me, going to London is like coming home. In fact, I've often entertained the idea of ending my days there.

Betty White is probably a very nice woman.

All you have to do is say, 'I'm going home,' and you're the most popular girl at the party.

All of the writing on '30 Rock' is a joy to go into. It's pretty hot stuff.

Woody Allen is a better actor than anybody from the Actors Studio, and he can be anybody he says he is.

Tony Bennett said to me, "Wow, your talent is amazing." Maybe he's a bore, maybe he's a jerk, but when he said that to me, I didn't need anything more than that.

You have to be very, very good looking to get ahead in motion pictures.

I do believe in the infallibility of the Pope, because I think we have to believe in something.

This age thing is all up to you. It's like happiness is up to you. You just have to understand what it is before you get it.

I like to keep active. I've got too much energy not to.

I love reviews. Anybody who tells you they don't read reviews is a liar.

Easy does it is what I'm looking for.

I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.