Act Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/10

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Act Quotes

"Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason."

"Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason."

Orson Welles, American Actor

Act, Man, Reason, Temper

43

"We've all got to look at ourselves, start with yourself, that's all you can do. I believe that we can act responsibly as a group, it's just that there are vested interests telling us not to bother."

"We've all got to look at ourselves, start with yourself, that's all you can do. I believe that we can act responsibly as a group, it's just that there are vested interests telling us not to bother."

Ben Elton, British Comedian

43

"The catch phrase for the day is 'Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.'"

"The catch phrase for the day is 'Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.'"

Harvey Ball, American Celebrity

Act, Day, Help, Kindness

43

"One is just an interpreter of what the playwright thinks, and therefore the greater the playwright, the more satisfying it is to act in the plays."

"One is just an interpreter of what the playwright thinks, and therefore the greater the playwright, the more satisfying it is to act in the plays."

Vivien Leigh, English Actress

43

"But, you know, all I can do is submit my budget and then make the case to the Legislature to act."

"But, you know, all I can do is submit my budget and then make the case to the Legislature to act."

George Pataki, American Politician

43

"To act is to anchor in the imminent future."

"To act is to anchor in the imminent future."

Emile M. Cioran, Romanian Philosopher

43

"Japan is a great nation. It should begin to act like one."

"Japan is a great nation. It should begin to act like one."

John C. Danforth, American Politician

42

"Our act started at the bottom and went downhill."

"Our act started at the bottom and went downhill."

Allan Sherman, American Musician

42

"We've talked more about civil rights after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 than we talked about it before 1964."

"We've talked more about civil rights after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 than we talked about it before 1964."

Clarence Thomas, American Judge

Act, Civil rights

42

"In the studio system, things are expected of a film. By the first, second, third act, there's a generic language that comes out of the more commercial system."

"In the studio system, things are expected of a film. By the first, second, third act, there's a generic language that comes out of the more commercial system."

Ralph Fiennes, British Actor

Act, Film, First, Language

42

"I'm getting to the point where they see me as a good actor, rather than just a good guy who can act."

"I'm getting to the point where they see me as a good actor, rather than just a good guy who can act."

Morris Chestnut, American Actor

42

"While we have entertained the contention that a deed may make more propaganda than hundreds of speeches, thousands of articles, and tens of thousands of pamphlets, we have held that an arbitrary act of violence will not necessarily have such an effect."

"While we have entertained the contention that a deed may make more propaganda than hundreds of speeches, thousands of articles, and tens of thousands of pamphlets, we have held that an arbitrary act of violence will not necessarily have such an effect."

Johann Most, German Revolutionary

Act, Contention, Deed, Effect

42

"I think the point to be understood is that we're all different. I've never been a fan of theories of acting. I didn't go to drama school, so I was never put through a training that was limited by someone saying, 'This is the way you should act.'"

"I think the point to be understood is that we're all different. I've never been a fan of theories of acting. I didn't go to drama school, so I was never put through a training that was limited by someone saying, 'This is the way you should act.'"

Ian Mckellen, English Actor

Act, Acting, Drama, Saying

42

"I cannot consistently, with self respect, do other than I have, namely, to deliberately violate an act which seems to me to be a denial of everything which ideally and in practice I hold sacred."

"I cannot consistently, with self respect, do other than I have, namely, to deliberately violate an act which seems to me to be a denial of everything which ideally and in practice I hold sacred."

Roger Nash Baldwin, American Activist

Act, Denial, Practice, Respect

42

"I am inspired by human sexuality. The act itself is mechanical and holds little interest to me."

"I am inspired by human sexuality. The act itself is mechanical and holds little interest to me."

Jerzy Kosinski, Polish Novelist

Act, Interest, Sexuality

42

"The free man must be born before freedom can be won, and the brotherly man must be born before full brotherhood can be won. It will come into being only if we build it out of our very muscle and bone - by trying to act it out."

"The free man must be born before freedom can be won, and the brotherly man must be born before full brotherhood can be won. It will come into being only if we build it out of our very muscle and bone - by trying to act it out."

Barbara Deming, American Author

Act, Being, Brotherhood, Freedom

42

"I don't know, in view of the situation and the act going where it was going, I don't know, the rage did go all over the place. It went to everybody in the room."

"I don't know, in view of the situation and the act going where it was going, I don't know, the rage did go all over the place. It went to everybody in the room."

Michael Richards, American Actor

42

"Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don't have to do anything else. We don't have to advise, or coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen."

"Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don't have to do anything else. We don't have to advise, or coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen."

Margaret J. Wheatley, American Writer

Act, Coach, Listening, Practice

42

"Christ in this country would quite likely have been arrested under the Suppression of Communism act."

"Christ in this country would quite likely have been arrested under the Suppression of Communism act."

Joost de Blank, Dutch Bishop

Act, Christ, Communism, Country

42

"On March 10, 1764, preliminary resolutions passed the House of Commons looking towards the Stamp Act."

"On March 10, 1764, preliminary resolutions passed the House of Commons looking towards the Stamp Act."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

41

"If you live among wolves you have to act like a wolf."

"If you live among wolves you have to act like a wolf."

Nikita Khrushchev, Russian Statesman

41

"Being sorry is the highest act of selfishness, seeing value only after discarding it."

"Being sorry is the highest act of selfishness, seeing value only after discarding it."

Douglas Horton, American Clergyman

Act, Being, Selfishness, Value

41

"Among other things, the Real ID Act sets minimum security criteria that states would have to meet to have their driver's licenses accepted as identification to board a commercial flight or enter federal facilities."

"Among other things, the Real ID Act sets minimum security criteria that states would have to meet to have their driver's licenses accepted as identification to board a commercial flight or enter federal facilities."

Elton Gallegly, American Politician

Act, Security, States

41

"To act coolly, intelligently and prudently in perilous circumstances is the test of a man - and also a nation."

"To act coolly, intelligently and prudently in perilous circumstances is the test of a man - and also a nation."

Adlai E. Stevenson, American Politician

Act, Circumstances, Man, Nation

41

"When you act, you're always playing a version of yourself. You can't bring more to the role than what you are."

"When you act, you're always playing a version of yourself. You can't bring more to the role than what you are."

Bradley Whitford, American Actor

41

"I can relax in L.A. I think I'm the only person in that town who doesn't want to act. I was an OK singer. I was an OK dancer. But acting? Never could do it."

"I can relax in L.A. I think I'm the only person in that town who doesn't want to act. I was an OK singer. I was an OK dancer. But acting? Never could do it."

Victoria Beckham, English Musician

Act, Acting, Relax, Want

41

"There are three rape scenes that I've had to act in, and none of them have gotten to film. I don't think it's something that should be promoted in any way."

"There are three rape scenes that I've had to act in, and none of them have gotten to film. I don't think it's something that should be promoted in any way."

Joan Severance, American Actress

41

"My whole act is confession."

"My whole act is confession."

Shelley Berman, American Comedian

Act, Confession

41

"The person we believe ourselves to be will always act in a manner consistent with our self-image."

"The person we believe ourselves to be will always act in a manner consistent with our self-image."

Brian Tracy, American Author

Act, Self, Will

41

"Don't know about a cabaret act right now, would actually prefer a role in a broadway musical."

"Don't know about a cabaret act right now, would actually prefer a role in a broadway musical."

Julia Barr, American Actress

Act, Now, Right

41

"For me, an area of moral clarity is: you're in front of someone who's suffering and you have the tools at your disposal to alleviate that suffering or even eradicate it, and you act."

"For me, an area of moral clarity is: you're in front of someone who's suffering and you have the tools at your disposal to alleviate that suffering or even eradicate it, and you act."

Paul Farmer, American Educator

Act, Clarity, Suffering, Tools

40

"It's curious how we act in moments of personal despair."

"It's curious how we act in moments of personal despair."

Lawrence Welk, American Musician

Act, Despair, Moments

40

"I've worked with some actors who can't act."

"I've worked with some actors who can't act."

Anthony Anderson, American Actor

40

"You can't take back an act you were able to think."

"You can't take back an act you were able to think."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

40

"I have long observed that the act of writing is viewed, by some, as an elite and otherworldly act, all the more so if a person isn't paid for what she writes."

"I have long observed that the act of writing is viewed, by some, as an elite and otherworldly act, all the more so if a person isn't paid for what she writes."

Joyce Maynard, American Writer

40

"We need to strengthen and save Social Security for today's workers. If we don't act now, this system, born out of the New Deal, will become a bad deal."

"We need to strengthen and save Social Security for today's workers. If we don't act now, this system, born out of the New Deal, will become a bad deal."

Mitch McConnell, American Politician

Act, Now, Security, Today

40

"It is wrong to expect a reward for your struggles. The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win."

"It is wrong to expect a reward for your struggles. The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win."

Phil Ochs, American Musician

Act, Reward, Struggle, Wrong

40

"If you want to make someone feel emotion, you have to make them let go. Listening to something is an act of surrender."

"If you want to make someone feel emotion, you have to make them let go. Listening to something is an act of surrender."

Brian Eno, British Musician

Act, Emotion, Listening, Surrender

40

"I saw Ronnie Hawkins play near my hometown, Port Dover, Ontario, and I saw him play there on New Year's Eve and the following spring I booked myself to be his opening act on maybe five shows, and he hired me after the first night."

"I saw Ronnie Hawkins play near my hometown, Port Dover, Ontario, and I saw him play there on New Year's Eve and the following spring I booked myself to be his opening act on maybe five shows, and he hired me after the first night."

Rick Danko, Canadian Musician

Act, First, New year, Night

40

"Farming as we do it is hunting, and in the sea we act like barbarians."

"Farming as we do it is hunting, and in the sea we act like barbarians."

Jacques Yves Cousteau, French Explorer

Act, Hunting, Sea

40

"It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches."

"It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches."

Frederick The Great, German Royalty

Act, Man, Principles

40

"Choosing what you want to do, and when to do it, is an act of creation."

"Choosing what you want to do, and when to do it, is an act of creation."

Peter McWilliams, American Writer

Act, Creation, Want

40

"When you're in Los Angeles, nobody bats an eye, they're so used to seeing actors, they just act really cool."

"When you're in Los Angeles, nobody bats an eye, they're so used to seeing actors, they just act really cool."

Luke Wilson, American Actor

Act, Actors, Eye

40

"We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act."

"We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act."

Charles Darwin, English Scientist

Act, Laws, Universe

40

"It is the mystery of the creative act that something other than our conscious self takes over."

"It is the mystery of the creative act that something other than our conscious self takes over."

Arthur Erickson, Canadian Architect

Act, Mystery, Self

40

"Do theater. Because you'll develop a craft that you'll always have. It'll give you a chance to really learn how to act and you won't go into the world with a few measly tricks that will only carry you so far."

"Do theater. Because you'll develop a craft that you'll always have. It'll give you a chance to really learn how to act and you won't go into the world with a few measly tricks that will only carry you so far."

Mark Ruffalo, American Actor

Act, Chance, Theater, Will

40

"Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for reaping. Self-discipline helps you know which is which."

"Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for reaping. Self-discipline helps you know which is which."

Gary Ryan Blair, American Author

Act, Actions, Results, Self

40

"When I was five years old I knew I wanted to act."

"When I was five years old I knew I wanted to act."

Debra Wilson, American Comedian

Act, Old, Years

40

"Murder is an offensive act. The term cannot be applied legitimately to any defensive act."

"Murder is an offensive act. The term cannot be applied legitimately to any defensive act."

Benjamin Tucker, American Activist

40

"It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it."

"It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it."

Lillian Hellman, American Dramatist

Act, Confidence, Right

40

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