Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OMwas an English actor who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles. Late in his career, he had considerable success in television roles...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth22 May 1907
given heart human knowledge teach work
I don't know what is better than the work that is given to the actor - to teach the human heart the knowledge of itself.
success business integrity
Have a very good reason for everything you do.
sports humility self-confidence
The humility to prepare and the self-confidence to bring it off.
intuition natural-instinct instinct
Surely we have always acted; it is an instinct inherent in all of us. Some of us are better at it than others, but we all do it.
funny humorous acting
Acting is a masochistic form of exhibitionism. It is not quite the occupation of an adult.
beautiful done actors
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.
time kings politician
We have all, at one time or another, been performers, and many of us still are - politicians, playboys, cardinals and kings.
eye incarnation
Shakespeare - The nearest thing in incarnation to the eye of God.
film moments best-moments
My stage successes have provided me with the greatest moments outside myself, my film successes the best moments, professionally, within myself.
drama exercise light
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.
scratches actors
Scratch an actor and you'll find an actor.
heart cymbals spirit
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.
funny humor dark
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.
critics outrageous
Don't be afraid to be outrageous; the critics will shoot you down anyway.