Fate cast me to play the role of an ugly duckling with no promise of swanning. . . . I have played my life as a comedy rather than the tragedy many would have made of it.

Never one thing and seldom one person can make for a success. It takes a number of them merging into one perfect whole.

That's the unfortunate thing about death. It's so terribly final.

I never weep over lost money, for I figure I'd rather go to the poorhouse once than go there every day.

I enjoy reading biographies because I want to know about the people who messed up the world.

the human heart clings - even to its pain.

There are very few persons who would think of inquiring into the private life of the newspaper dealer at the corner, or the druggist, or the doctor, or even a Mah Jong partner, but the moment one belongs to the theatrical profession, the public usually feels cheated unless it knows one's inmost thoughts of love.

Now I know that lawyers must live, but I've never been able to understand why they have to live so blamed well!

You're only as good as your last picture.

We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.

To know that one has never really tried - that is the only death

I never ride horseback now because my sympathy with the under-dog is too keen. After we have a gone a few blocks, I always dismount and say to the horse: 'We'll walk it together, old dear.

I was born serious and I have earned my bread making other people laugh.

In order to represent life on the stage, we must rub elbows with life, live ourselves

Only a few things are really important.

If ants are such busy workers, how come they find time to go to all the picnics?