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The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honour. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved. Samuel Smiles		Friday Jun 12, 2026
		Quotes: 53419 Authors: 9969

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The actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand. Sir Laurence Kerr, Baron Olivier of Brighton

Quote Author: Sir Laurence Kerr, Baron Olivier of Brighton

	Sir Laurence Kerr, Baron Olivier of Brighton
	(1907-1989) Interview at age 72; in New York Times, 27 Feb 1980 - English film & stage actor, director, producer, one of finest of century, Oscars.

Other Sir Laurence Kerr, Baron Olivier of Brighton Quotes

I'm rather bored by the subject meaning me. It's a sort of a yoke, but at times you know, a yoke is a kind of comfort. And it's always there.

Surely we have always acted; it is an instinct inherent in all of us. Some of us are better at it than others, but we all do it.

We ape, we mimic, we mock. We act.

The actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand.

On resentment at his forced retirement from the stage after he was fired by Britains National Theater, I should be soaring away with my head tilted slightly toward the gods, feeding on the caviar of Shakespeare. An actor must act.

On resentment at his forced retirement from the stage after he was fired by Britains National Theater, My stage successes have provided me with the greatest moments outside myself, my film successes the best moments, professionally, within myself.

I often think that could we creep behind the actors eyes, we would find an attic of forgotten toys and a copy of the Domesday Book.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Robert Brustein on Laurence Olivier as Hamlet in a 1948 film: Olivier's idea of introspection was to hood his eyes, dentalize his consonants and let the camera circle his blondined head like a sparrow looking for a place to deposit its droppings.

On belief that John Gielgud was infatuated with his own voice: If he was lost for a moment, he would dive straight back into its honey.

Lead the audience by the nose to the thought.

I take a simple view of life: keep your eyes open and get on with it.

Living is strife and torment, disappointment and love and sacrifice, golden sunsets and black storms. I said that some time ago, and today I do not think I would add one word.

I don't know what is better than the work that is given to the actor to teach the human heart the knowledge of itself.

We have all, at one time or another, been performers, and many of us still arepoliticians, playboys, cardinals and kings.