James Cagney

“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”

“I'm a song and dance man.”

“You know, the nice thing about being an actor is that you can get to be a lot of things you're not.”

“I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy, A Yankee Doodle, do or die; A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam, Born on the Fourth of July.”

“There's not much to say about acting but this. Never settle for second when first is available.”

“Perhaps I'm not a good actor, but I would be even worse at doing anything else.”

“I never had a fight in my life. I had that reputation, I guess. I looked like a tough guy, so I got tough-guy roles.”

“Every time I started a picture, I'd say to myself, 'This one I'll do with my right hand.' But I never could. I always wound up using both hands and the feet.”

“The public is never wrong.”

“Sticking to my own business is the best thing a man can do.”

“Learn your lines, find your mark, look 'em in the eye and tell 'em the truth.”

“The professional learns to do his work even when he doesn't feel like it.”

“My mother was a Norwegian, and I have the same stubbornness as that race.”