James Dean

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My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society.
- James Dean
Collection: Society
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To grasp the full significance of life is the actor's duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication.
- James Dean
Collection: Movies
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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
Collection: Death
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Trust and belief are two prime considerations. You must not allow yourself to be opinionated.
- James Dean
Collection: Trust
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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
Collection: Imagination
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Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
- James Dean
Collection: Dreams
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Only the gentle are ever really strong.
- James Dean
Collection: Strength
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The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.
- James Dean
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Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done.
- James Dean
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There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are all impaled on the crook of conditioning.
- James Dean
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I don't want anything seventy-thirty. Fifty-fifty's always good enough for me. I don't want to have to give anybody seventy; I don't want anybody to give me seventy. I want fifty.
- James Dean
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I want to be a Texan 24 hours a day.
- James Dean
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The only way to make a scene realistic is to do it the way you know it would really happen.
- James Dean
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You try to be yourself, do only what you've always done and like to do, and right away, you're tagged as an oddball.
- James Dean
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To my way of thinking, an actor's course is set even before he's out of the cradle.
- James Dean
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I used to fly around quite a bit, you know? I took a lot of unnecessary chances on the highways. And I started racing, and now I drive on the highways, I'm extra cautious because no one knows what they're doing half the time. You don't know what this guy is going to do or that one.
- James Dean
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The only greatness for man is immortality.
- James Dean
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Death can't be considered because, if you're afraid to die, there's no room in your life to make discoveries.
- James Dean
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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
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I'm a serious-minded and intense little devil, terribly gauche and so tense I don't see how people stay in the same room with me. I know I wouldn't tolerate myself.
- James Dean
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You can do 'Hamlet' while performing cartwheels... as long as the audience sees your eyes - you can make the performance real.
- James Dean
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The cinema is a very truthful medium because the camera doesn't let you get away with anything. On stage, you can even loaf a little, if you're so inclined.
- James Dean
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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
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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
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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
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Racing is the only time I feel whole.
- James Dean
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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
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I also became close to nature, and am now able to appreciate the beauty with which this world is endowed.
- James Dean
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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
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An actor should be judged by his performance only.
- James Dean
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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
Collection: Dream
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I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world is discovery.
- James Dean
Collection: Thinking
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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
Collection: Heart
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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
Collection: Dream
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Remember: Life is short, break the rules
- James Dean
Collection: Life Is Too Short
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Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse.
- James Dean
Collection: Looking Good
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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
Collection: Goal
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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
Collection: People
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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
Collection: Art
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I'm not going to go through life with one arm tied behind my back.
- James Dean
Collection: Arms
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Take it easy driving– the life you save may be mine.
- James Dean
Collection: Car
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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?
- James Dean
Collection: Confused
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I wouldn't like me, if I had to be around me.
- James Dean
Collection: Like Me
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Reality doesn't have any preconceived ideas. You've got to learn how to smoke the cigarette, not act smoking the cigarette. You need to drink the drink, not act drinking the drink. You've got to do things and not show them.
- James Dean
Collection: Drinking
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What better way to die? It's fast and clean and you go out in a blaze of glory!
- James Dean
Collection: Way
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I have a fairly adequate knowledge of Satanic forces.
- James Dean
Collection: Adequate Knowledge
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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
Collection: Dark
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An hour or two of learning from the masters is usually enough to recharge my artistic batteries.
- James Dean
Collection: Two
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Being a senior in high school means you're not only getting closer to adulthood, but also ready to start thinking about your dreams and aspirations, whether that's applying for college, joining the military, or seeing the world. It's never too early to start thinking of your future, so use these high school senior year quotes about following dreams to inspire yourself and those around. Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
- James Dean
Collection: Senior
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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
Collection: Progress