Laurence Olivier

“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.”

“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.”

“Acting is a masochistic form of exhibitionism. It is not quite the occupation of an adult.”

“Acting is illusion, as much illusion as magic is, and not so much a matter of being real.”

“[the only acting advice he would give] What is acting but lying and what is good lying but convincing lying?”

“[in 1979] 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?”