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We have all, at one time or another, been performers, and many of us still are - politicians, playboys, cardinals and kings.

Laurence Olivier

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Laurence Olivier
Age: 82 †
Born: 1907
Born: May 22
Died: 1989
Died: July 11
Actor
Character Actor
Director
Dramaturge
Film Actor
Film Director
Film Producer
Politician
Screenwriter
Stage Actor
Television Actor
Dorking
Surrey
Baron Olivier of Brighton
The Lord Olivier
Politician
Another
Stills
Still
Cardinals
Many
Playboy
Time
Performers
Politicians
Kings

More quotes by Laurence Olivier

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You think you're an artist prove it
Laurence Olivier
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There is a spirit in us that makes our brass to blare and our cymbals crash-all, of course, supported by the practicalities of trained lung power, throat, heart, guts.
Laurence Olivier
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Art is a little bit larger than life - it's an exhalation of life and I think you probably need a little touch of madness.
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Scratch an actor and you'll find an actor.
Laurence Olivier
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[May 1958, on playing Macbeth at age 30 and age 48] When you're a young man, Macbeth is a character part. When you're older, it's a straight part.
Laurence Olivier
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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
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Life is enthusiasm, zest.
Laurence Olivier
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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
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Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is. You'll be afraid you can't achieve it. It's your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best.
Laurence Olivier
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Without acting, I cannot breathe.
Laurence Olivier
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Don't be afraid to be outrageous the critics will shoot you down anyway.
Laurence Olivier
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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
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Of all the things I've done in life, directing a motion picture is the most beautiful. It's the most exciting and the nearest than an interpretive craftsman, such as an actor can possibly get to being a creator.
Laurence Olivier
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The art of persuasion. The actor persuades himself, first, and through himself, the audience.
Laurence Olivier
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Lead the audience by the nose to the thought.
Laurence Olivier
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What is acting but lying and what is good lying but convincing lying?
Laurence Olivier
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If he was lost for a moment, he would dive straight back into its honey.
Laurence Olivier
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Shakespeare - The nearest thing in incarnation to the eye of God.
Laurence Olivier
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In spite of a heavy disguise, a few days' growth on my face, dark glasses, a beret and one of William's jackets that fitted me not at all, as I emerged from a hotel in Lecce, a young fisherman pointed me out to his friends and said Lavrenche Olivaire. It was not all that amazing if you're not known in Italy, you're not known anywhere.
Laurence Olivier
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No matter how well you perform, there's always somebody of intelligent opinion who thinks it's lousy.
Laurence Olivier