Sylvia Sidney Quotes

"Every young actress thinks she's a tragedian -- the more tragic roles, the more you cry, the more you suffer, the better an actress you are. But, when I got a little older, a little more mature, I wanted to get out of my image of "the victimized kid." I began to say, "Wait a minute. There's a thing called comedy that takes an even rougher intelligence and more technique and knowledge of the craft."

"I'd be the girl of the gangster...then the sister who was bringing up the gangster...then the mother of the gangster...and they always had me ironing somebody's shirt."

"What did Hitchcock teach me? To be a puppet and not try to be creative."

"Paramount paid me by the tear."

"Prima donnas in anything are bad...Having a child was a great leveling agent. Those babies couldn't care less that their parents were famous."

"Women who try to hide their age just call attention to it. Why lie about it? I don't feel any younger...I don't look any younger. Somebody finds out about your real age eventually. It's easier to be frank about it...I've enjoyed every age in my life. I've never wanted to go back."

"What's the use of talking about a favorite role if you can't get it...The role you're doing ought to be your favorite. If you don't like a part it's probably because you've a feeling of inadequacy about it."

"Hollywood! It's like an old chair - if it's useful, keep it; if not, give it to Goodwill."

"Fredric March had the reputation of being a ladies man. We made two pictures together,
Merrily We Go to Hell and
Good Dame. But he never laid a hand on me, never made a pass at me! Freddie was happily married. He'd tease me by saying, 'Look at those boobs!' or 'Look at that toosh!'. But it was all in fun."