Top 25 Richard Dreyfuss Quotes

Politics has become beyond acceptable when it comes to humanity. People are just frozen in falsehood.

Civics is not only how to run the country before it’s your turn to run the country; it is, in fact, the study of power, practical political power. And you must start that process at an age level when kids‘ brains are still open and malleable.

Civility is not not saying negative or harsh things. It is not the absence of critical analysis. It is the manner in which we are sharing this territorial freedom of political discussion. If our discourse is yelled and screamed and interrupted and patronized, that’s uncivil.

In my experience, it’s usually up to the actor how a character is portrayed.

If I wasn’t an actor, I’d be a teacher, a history teacher. After all, teaching is very much like performing. A teacher is an actor, in a way. It takes a great deal to get, and hold, a class.

I think I have the finest body of work of any American actor.

The rules are all wrong today. The mandate of the media really does pre-date the founding of the United States.

I never had a role that I set out for. I always wanted to have a body of work that I’m proud of. Save for two projects, which will never pass my lips, I’m happy with what I’ve done.

There is one solution to all of our problems: Teaching our kids clarity of thought and political representation in democracy. That’s it.

I decided at age 9, but I was reinforced at age 13 when a teacher told me I had talent. I can’t say she really motivated me because I already knew. I knew I had talent. I went to the Jewish community theater and got in plays there. Then I went for the movies.’

We mistake politics for legislative debate. You can be passionate without being personal.

I took the part in ‘Mr. Holland‘s Opus’ because no one had ever asked me to play ‘a life‘ before. I get to age through 30 years. The idea really challenged me.

Trump is an intemperate, mean-spirited, lying bully. If a man like that asked you for permission to marry your daughter, what would your answer be? If it’s no, I think it’s obvious we shouldn’t give him the most powerful office on the face of the Earth.

Kerry is an adult – he thinks things through. He learns from the present as well as the past. To George Bush, thinking things through is for sissies.

I don’t know what its like for most actors, but really clearly for myself acting has always been the fulfilment of personal fantasies. It isn’t just art, its about being a person I’ve always wanted to be, or being in a situation, or being a hero.

Let’s give some substance to patriotism. It may take a generation.

In a way, J.F.K. was the high point of the American dream. In order to go to the moon and back, all we did was say we could – and we did.

The bad guy always gets the best scene and the best lines in the film, and they usually get the most days off.

You’ve got to protect the system of secular faith in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and Enlightenment values. That way, you can protect all religions.

We didn’t get along, me and Bill Murray. But I’ve got to give it to him: I don’t like him, but he makes me laugh even now. I’m also jealous that he’s a better golfer than I am.

I love the ideals of my country. But I hate that we’ve been so denied any real knowledge of the world and don’t have the education to think clearly, so we vote against our economic interest and believe in our most shallow first thoughts of fear and hatred.

John Kennedy really did extend the reach of the American people and said, like Lincoln said in a way, that our reach is farther than our grasp – and we should aim high.

I lived by the motto, ‘If you don’t flirt, you die.’ And flirt I did. I flirted with all women, be they actresses, producers, or 80-year-old grandmothers. I even flirted with those who were out of bounds, like the wives of some of my best friends, which especially revolts me.

I have withdrawn from partisan politics. I am a constitutionalist who believes that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be central and the parties must be peripheral.

The happiest I ever been was when I was a struggling actor. I’ve had big houses and small houses. I always had work available for most of my career. When I actually had to find jobs to make money, that’s when I was happy.