Piper Laurie Quotes

If you can see what the outside is like, it stimulates the imagination, it frees you in a way, to think and feel the way a character might.

Believe me, when an actress is told that her very name is synonymous with bad acting, she`s had it.

It took a long time, but I have learned that you just can`t take anything you want out of life without putting something back in exchange.

One thing is certain. The old Piper Laurie is no more.

I would love to still be using my name.

I dropped the script in the fireplace, called my agent and said, they can jail me, sue me, but I`m never acting again, unless I can do something worthwhile.

The fact is, I never wanted to be a movie star.

If I had stayed in Hollywood, I would have killed myself. Or someone would have done it for me.

I was so flattered to be asked to be in the movies - the idea of being paid to act was heady stuff.

I never forget, remember that. Not an action, not a name, not a face.

I`ve always felt robbed of something by people not knowing I was a Jew.

Nobody thought of me as an actress. They just remembered that publicity story about my munching flower petals for breakfast. I even thought of giving up the name `Piper Laurie` because I felt there was a stigma attached to it. I never could figure out just how many parts I lost and how many parts I won because of this name. I know some producers and directors said, `Well, maybe she can act even if her name is Piper Laurie!`

Back then, everyone was Lana and Rock. No one had ethnic names.

I`m one of those people who has always been a bridesmaid.

But then I became so disillusioned... I had very little life experience and certainly no technique to deal with comedy with any flair.

And if real life was like the movies, I should have lived happily ever after.

And even then when you take it, you`ve got to take it with your whole heart.