Ethel Barrymore

The best time to make friends is before you need them.

I never let them cough. They wouldn't dare.

For an actress to be a success, she must have the face of a Venus, the brains of a Minerva, the grace of Terpsichore, the memory of a MaCaulay, the figure of Juno, and the hide of a rhinoceros.

I think for any actor, for the roles they deeply, truly want? They always have to audition for them.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.

As a child I wanted to be a ballerina, ice-cream van owner, wife of George Michael, a nun, and a music conductor.