Sometimes I only succeed in beating myself to death.

[on Kirk Douglas] We both came from, sort of, well, shall we say, humble beginnings. We were both young, brash, cocky, arrogant. We knew everything, were highly opinionated. We were invincible. Nobody liked us.

Sell yourself first, if you want to sell anything.

I walked out of class one day and I never went back.

Take the feeling of hunger out of your gut, and you`re no longer a champion.

Obviously I am not the young man who came to Hollywood in 1946.

I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.

My former wife is a truly wonderful person.

[on working with Montgomery Clift on "From Here to Eternity"] The only time I was ever really afraid as an actor was that first scene with Clift. It was my scene, understand: I was the sergeant, I gave the orders, he was just a private under me. Well, when we started, I couldn`t stop my knees from shaking. I thought they might have to stop because my trembling would show. I was afraid he was going to blow me right off the screen.

I judge a restaurant by the bread and by the coffee.

My brother never had me to dinner in his life.

A circus is like a mother in whom one can confide and who rewards and punishes.

I feel that I am a good actor.

I have turned down a lot of garbage lately.

I found marriage somewhat stifling. I don`t know that I am the kind of man who ought to be married.

They were fun days, and we set the town on fire with every movie we did.

I believe we should appeal to people at the higher levels.

You have to fight against being an antique.

[upon being offered Ben-Hur (1959)] I don`t want to make this film. It`s a piece of crap.

In my opinion, Shirley Booth is the finest actress I have ever worked with.

I always try to improve, to find new ways of expressing myself, to keep looking for truth and originality.

Mother beat the hell out of us. She`d have wild outbursts.

I`ve always wanted to get an education, and tonight`s as good a time as any.

I am interested in being in pictures that I would like to see.

[in 1976] Whether you like it or not, when you`re 62 you are fulfilled.

[advice to actor Bruce Davison, on the set of Ulzana`s Raid (1972)] You try to please the director, and the cameraman and the soundman, and you`re acting and acting and acting and by the time you come to your close-up, you`ve shot your wad. It`s like making love to a woman: you can`t try to come all at once, son. A bit of a tit here, a bit of an inner thigh there, and you have a performance!

I had the luck of having an obedient body.

[in 1985] If anyone should have gotten AIDS from an active sex life, it is me.

Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?

I am reasonably happy, providing I keep busy.

[on Montgomery Clift] He had so much power, so much concentration. Clift was a complicated man, there`s no question about it. He was a very sweet man, Monty, very emotional.

[on Kirk Douglas] Kirk would be the first to admit that he`s difficult to work with - and I would be the second.

If I`m working with frightened people, I do tend to dominate them. I`m no doll, that`s for sure.

I woke up one day a star. It was terrifying. Then I worked hard toward becoming a good actor.

We`re all forgotten sooner or later. But not films. That`s all the memorial we should need or hope for.

I don`t know why Airport (1970) was nominated for any Oscars - it`s the biggest piece of junk ever.

[speaking in 1983] Tits and sand - that`s what we used to call sex and violence in Hollywood.

Life is to be lived within the limits of your knowledge and within the concept of what you would like to see yourself to be.

[on being a director] It`s the best job in the picture business because when you`re a director, you`re God. And you know that`s the best job in town.

Most people seem to think I`m the kind of guy who shaves with a blowtorch. Actually I`m bookish and worrisome.