Sam Elliott Quotes

(quoted in the December 1976 issue of "Playgirl") I don`t want to be known as a sex symbol. There`s a great stigma that goes with that tag. I want to be a Sam Elliott.

I`ve spent my entire career on horseback or on a motorcycle. It boxes you in, the way people perceive you. I read a lot of scripts. Most of `em go to other actors.

I think I might have been a more interesting actor, had more of a career earlier on, if I had more formal preparation. When I see something ten years later that I was in I think, "Boy, would I love to do that over."

I was really happy that Ang Lee won the Best Director award, I got to know him very well on Hulk (2003). But I`m not the Brokeback Mountain (2005) crowd, what can I tell ya. I`m more of a purist. But at the same time, it`s a new day.

I`m picky, very picky. I wanted to be an actor since I was nine years old and I figured that was only one way to ever have any longevity and that`s to be careful about what kind of work you do. You can work for money, do a lot of whatever comes your way and not have any kind of a yardstick to measure quality by, and people, you know you`ll make a lot of money if you`re lucky, and people will get fed up and sick of seeing you and that`s it onto the next one. - On his career choices.

I`ve spent my entire career on horseback or on a motorcycle. It boxes you in, the way people perceive you.

I think anytime you can affect people in general, in a positive way, then you`re a lucky individual.

The opportunity, number one, to work with Ang Lee is an amazing thing for me.

Any of these Vietnam vets that have been there and know the deal, they don`t feel that any Hollywood endeavor about the Vietnam era has ever gotten it right yet.

I was single-minded on what I wanted to do since I was like nine or ten.

I`m a four star general in this thing, and you don`t rise to the ranks of a four star general by hanging about the house being the perfect dad.

I read a lot of scripts. Most of `em go to other actors.

I just went to see too many movies and I sat in too many dark matinees watching those old serials.

I don`t want to be known as a sex symbol. There`s a great stigma that goes with that tag. I want to be a Sam Elliott.