James Cagney
6 quotes
Biography
James Francis Cagney Jr. was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing.
"I never actually said "Ooh, you dirty rat.""
"You don't psych yourself up for these things, you do them... I'm acting for the audience, not for myself, and I do it as directly as I can."
"He can do nothing which is not worth watching. On his light hoofer's feet, with his quick nervous hands and his magnificent unconsciousness of the camera, he can pluck distinction from the least promising part."
"He can't even put a telephone receiver back on the hook without giving the action some special spark of life."
"Perhaps people, and kids especially, are spoiled today, because all the kids today have cars, it seems. When I was young you were lucky to have a bike."
"You know, the period of World War I and the Roaring Twenties were really just about the same as today. You worked, and you made a living if you could, and you tired to make the best of things. For an actor or a dancer, it was no different then than today. It was a struggle."