Top 15 quotes by John Gielgud

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Acting is half shame, half glory. Shame at exhibiting yourself, glory when you can forget yourself.
John Gielgud

I am all in favour of spontaneity, providing it is carefully planned and ruthlessly controlled.
John Gielgud

One's self-image is very important because if that's in good shape, then you can do anything, or practically anything.
John Gielgud

Self , Important , Confidence

I never accept lengthy film roles nowadays, because I am always so afraid I will die in the middle of shooting and cause such awful problems.
John Gielgud

Causes , Age , Roles

Ingrid Bergman speaks five languages and can’t act in any of them.
John Gielgud

Speak , Language , Bergman

You can be good in a good movie, you can be good in a bad movie, you can be bad in a bad movie, but never, ever, be bad in a good movie.
John Gielgud

Film , Good Movie , Hollywood

Being another character is more interesting than being yourself.
John Gielgud

Interesting , Character , Being Yourself

I'm sure there isn't an after-life. If there were, Ivor Novello would have got a message to us.
John Gielgud

Ifs , Messages

When I first went to America in 1928, there were spittoons everywhere. I remember avoiding spit as it flew past me in Times Square. Very unattractive.
John Gielgud

America , Past , Squares

Usually one must go to a bowling alley to meet a woman of your stature.
John Gielgud

Bowling , Alleys , Bowling Alleys

Most of my friends seem to be either dead, extremely deaf or living on the wrong side of Kent.
John Gielgud

Sides , Luck , Deaf

I think the young actor who really wants to act will find a way ... to keep at it and seize every opportunity that comes along.
John Gielgud

Thinking , Actors , Opportunity

Your English style will no doubt put all the other gentlemen to bed. I speak figuratively, of course.
John Gielgud

John Gielgud (2005). “Sir John Gielgud: A Life in Letters”, p.92, Arcade Publishing

Style , Doubt , Gentleman

One mustn't allow acting to be like stoc kbroker - you must not take it just as a means of earning a living, to go down every day to do a job of work. The big thing is to combine punctuality, efficiency, good nature, obedience, intelligence, and concentration with an unawareness of what is going to happen next, thus keeping yourself available for excitement.
John Gielgud

Business , Jobs , Mean