John Lithgow

I'm a con artist in that I'm an actor. I make people believe something is real when they know perfectly well it isn't.

Academics tend to have wonderfully infantile senses of humor.

There's nothing like spending an evening with an audience every night.

Time sneaks up on you like a windshield on a bug.

In animation, there's this exhilarating moment of discovery when you see the film and you say, Oh THAT'S what I was doing.

It's a very tough time for the playwright. Broadway has become almost a musical comedy theme park with all these long-running shows.

For me, working on stage is much more exhausting than all the other mediums, but it's also much more thrilling.

Up there with my awards, I have a great big statue of Groucho Marx, just to put everything in perspective.

I gave up shame a long time ago.

I'm a fun father, but not a good father. The hard decisions always went to my wife.

What you aspire to on a sitcom is the feeling of live comedy.

I'm very concerned for the future of the earth and its amazing creatures. We've got to be careful and make sure we don't foul our own nest.

I find I have to walk a little faster in public these days, but it's very easy to remember when nobody had any idea who I was.

If you read in front of your kids, it's very likely that they'll become readers, too.

Look at the darkest hit musicals - Cabaret, West Side Story, Carousel - they are exuberant experiences. They send you out of the theater filled with music.

Shakespeare is like mother's milk to me.

I'd sleep under a Vermeer.

Take care, be kind, be considerate of other people and other species, and be loving.

The Broadway audience is made up of a greater percentage of tourists now. There's not nearly as much variety and danger and challenge in what's being offered.

I can't imagine doing an hour-long dramatic series because it's so much work. A sitcom is a wonderful gig. You work from 10 to 4 every day, it's fun, and you get to live at home.

Everybody's a dreamer.

In animation, there's this exhilarating moment of discovery when you see the film and you say, oh that's what I was doing.

When you end a successful sitcom, the most sensible thing to do is go back to the theater.

I keep looking for things I haven't done yet.

I consider myself a very lucky actor that, approaching 60, I'm still employed and employable.

There is less difference than you would imagine entertaining little children and entertaining adults.

Take care be kind be considerate of other people and other species and be loving.

When good things come along you end up saying yes to them. Because theyre rare.

I never get tired of hearing compliments.

The most exciting acting tends to happen in roles you never thought you could play.

If it's well written and well directed and you've got good actors to work with, acting is easy. But making sure all the ducks are in a row is the hard part. It's very rare.

I was in 20 Shakespearean plays by the time I was 20.

I have a lot of faith in people.