James Dean famous quotes

I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world is discovery.
-- James Dean

#Thinking #Discovery #World

Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.
-- James Dean

#Men #Actors #Done

If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man.
-- James Dean

#Men #Bridges #Life And Death

The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.
-- James Dean

#Results #Gratification

I want to be a Texan 24 hours a day.
-- James Dean

#Want #Hours #Texan

Trust and belief are two prime considerations. You must not allow yourself to be opinionated.
-- James Dean

#Trust #Two #Belief

I have made great strides in my craft. After months of auditioning, I am very proud to announce that I am a member of the Actors Studio. The greatest school of the theater. It houses great people like Marlon Brando, Julie Harris, Arthur Kennedy, Mildred DunnockVery few get into it, and it is absolutely free. It is the best thing that can happen to an actor. I am one of the youngest to belong. If I can keep this up and nothing interferes with my progress, one of these days I might be able to contribute something to the world.
-- James Dean

#School #People #House

Only the gentle are ever really strong.
-- James Dean

#Life #Being Strong #I Hate You

I'm not going to go through life with one arm tied behind my back.
-- James Dean

#Arms #Behind My Back #Behinds

If you’re not afraid, if you take everything you are, everything worthwhile in you and direct it at one goal, one ultimate mark, you’ve got to get there.
-- James Dean

#Goal #Worthwhile #Mark

Am I in love? Absolutely. I'm in love with ancient philosophers, foreign painters, classic authors, and musicians who have died long ago. I'm a passionate lover. I fawn over these people. I have given them my heart and my soul. The trouble is, I'm unable to love anyone tangible. I have sacrificed a physical bond, for a metaphysical relationship. I am the ultimate idealistic lover.
-- James Dean

#Heart #Long #People

To grasp the full significance of life is the actor's duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication. Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have. Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.
-- James Dean

#Men #Dedication #Imagination

Studying cows, pigs and chickens can help an actor develop his character. There are a lot of things I learned from animals. One was that they couldn't hiss or boo me.
-- James Dean

#Character #Animal #Pigs

My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society.
-- James Dean

#Doe #Purpose #Purpose Of Life

To me, acting is the most logical way for people's neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves.
-- James Dean

#People #Acting #Needs

I also became close to nature, and am now able to appreciate the beauty with which this world is endowed.
-- James Dean

#Appreciate #World #Able

An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet.
-- James Dean

#Order #Feet #Acting

Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have.
-- James Dean

#Loneliness #Being Alone #Imagination

When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that.
-- James Dean

#Play #Order #Acting

The only greatness for man is immortality.
-- James Dean

#Greatness #Men #Immortality

Take it easy driving– the life you save may be mine.
-- James Dean

#Car #May #Driving

I think the one thing this picture shows that's new is the psychological disproportion of the kids' demands on the parents. Parents are often at fault, but the kids have some work to do, too.
-- James Dean

#Kids #Thinking #Parent

To my way of thinking, an actor's course is set even before he's out of the cradle.
-- James Dean

#Thinking #Actors #Way

I wouldn't like me, if I had to be around me.
-- James Dean

An hour or two of learning from the masters is usually enough to recharge my artistic batteries.
-- James Dean

#Two #Batteries #Artistic

What better way to die? It's fast and clean and you go out in a blaze of glory.
-- James Dean

#Way #Glory

At times there seems to be a million ideas worth painting. However, there are days when it's a challenge to pull any idea together. On these days I go to my studio, leaf through an art history book, and tell myself that I am part of this great tradition.
-- James Dean

#Art #Book #Ideas

I have a fairly adequate knowledge of Satanic forces.
-- James Dean

#Satanic #Adequate #Force

You are who you are meant to be. Dance as if no one's watching. Love as if it's all you know. Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-- James Dean

#Dream #Forever #Today

I didn't know what to do. How do you tell an eight-year-old boy his mother's going to die? I tried. In my own stumbling way I tried to prepare Jim for it. Nowadays, he lives in a world we don't understand too well, the actor's world. We don't see too much of him. But he's a good boy, my Jim. A good boy, and I'm very proud of him. Not easy to understand, no sir. He's not easy to understand. But he's all man, and he'll make his mark. Mind you, my boy will make his mark.
-- James Dean

#Mother #Boys #Men

Whatever’s inside making me what I am, it’s like film. Film only works in the dark. Tear it all open and let in the light and you kill it.
-- James Dean

#Dark #Light #Tears

I’m a serious-minded and intense little devil – terribly gauche and so tense that I don’t see how people can stay in the same room as me. I know I couldn’t tolerate myself.
-- James Dean

#People #Devil #Serious

When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn't acting. It's following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. So the director's task is just that – to direct, to point the way. Then the actor takes over. And he must be allowed the space, the freedom to express himself in the role. Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest-full of push-buttons.
-- James Dean

#Order #Play #Space

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-- James Dean

#Life #Change #Positive

Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse.
-- James Dean

#Looking Good #Young #Die Young

Racing is the only time I feel whole.
-- James Dean

#Racing #Feels

Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably.
-- James Dean

#Happy Life #Kissing #Laughing

I can't let in the light.It will destroy my performance like light destroys film
-- James Dean

#Light #Film #Performances

An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet. In the short span of his lifetime, an actor must learn all there is to know, experience all there is to experience, or approach that state as closely as possible. He must be superhuman in his efforts to store away in the core of his subconscious everything that he might be called upon to use in the expression of his art.
-- James Dean

#Art #Order #Feet

How can you measure acting in inches?!?
-- James Dean

#Acting #Inches

It was an accident, although I've been involved in some kind of theatrical function or other since I was a child - in school, music, athletics. To me, acting is the most logical way for people's neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves. To my way of thinking, an actor's course is set even before he's out of the cradle.
-- James Dean

#Children #School #Thinking

Remember: Life is short, break the rules (they were made to be broken) Forgive quickly, kiss slowly Love truly, laugh uncontrollably And never regret anything that makes you smile. The clouds are lined with silver and the glass is half full (though the answers won't be found at the bottom) Don't sweat the small stuff, You are who you are meant to be, Dance as if no one's watching, Love as if it's all you know, Dream as if you'll live forever, Live as if you'll die today
-- James Dean

#Dream #Regret #Life Is Short

If I had one day when I didn't have to be all confused, and didn't have to feel that I was ashamed of everything…if I felt that I belonged someplace, you know then…
-- James Dean

#Confused #One Day #Ashamed

But you can't show some far off idyllic conception of behavior if you want the kids to come and see the picture. You've got to show what it's really like, and try to reach them on their own grounds.
-- James Dean

#Kids #Trying #Idyllic

You're tearing me apart!
-- James Dean

There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are impaled on the crook of conditioning. A fish that is in the water has no choice that he is. Genius would have it that we swim in sand. We are fish and we drown.
-- James Dean

#Water #Choices #Swim

If I can keep this up and nothing interferes with my progress, one of these days I might be able to contribute something to the world.
-- James Dean

#Progress #World #Might

What do we need all that for?”If a picture is psychologically motivated, if there is truth in the relationship in it, then I think that picture will do good. I firmly believe Rebel Without A Cause is such a picture.
-- James Dean

#Believe #Thinking #Rebel

There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are all impaled on the crook of conditioning.
-- James Dean

#Crooks #World #Way

I don't have to explain anything to anybody.
-- James Dean