Lucille Ball Quotes

I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done

For there's a lot of masochism in the acting profession. We're willing to take a lot of punishment, but the minute we hit a little bit of success we are liable to run from it. We're frightened of it and develop all kinds of phobias as a consequence. Outsiders who don't understand think we have a chip on our shoulder, but it's not that at all. We're so used to failure, to being hurt and rebuffed, that we can easily come unhinged by success.

Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.

My ideal of womanhood has always been the pioneer woman who fought and worked at her husband's side. She bore the children, kept the home fires burning; she was the hub of the family, the planner and the dreamer.

When you're too mad and too rattled to see straight, you're bound to make mistakes. You can't go on and on for years being miserable about a situation and not have it change you. You get so you can't stand yourself.

I'd rather regret the things I have done than the things I have not.

The way to stay young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age.

This producer’s temporary interest in me caused a big roadblock in my career for a while. But I was convinced that eventually I would get going again. In the meantime, I had to give Hollywood a rest and look around for other showcases for my talent. I wound up trying radio. This turned out to be one of the smartest things I ever did. Early in 1938, I appeared on Jack Haley’s weekly radio program, The Wonder Show. This led to a featured spot on Phil Baker’s Hollywood radio show. I worked with some wonderful comics, Jack Carson and Al Pierce, as well as Jack Haley and Phil Baker. This gave me a name in the trade as a good feminine foil. I could flip a comedy line, which a lot of actresses couldn’t do. In radio I couldn’t depend upon props or costumes or makeup;

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore you faith in yourself.

People either have comedy or they don't. You can't teach it to them.

it’s hard to develop a real sense of values growing up next to a commercial carnival. But apparently I profited from the experience. I am not easily taken in by anyone.

I have a theory about the assists we get in life. Only rarely can we repay those people who helped us, but we can pass that help along to others.

It doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optismism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself

I closed my eyes, put blinders on, and ignored what was too painful to think about. I tried to view my troubles less seriously, and worry less. I tried to curb my temper. Things said in embarrassment and anger are seldom the truth, but are said to hurt and wound the other person. Once said, they can never be taken back.

I cured myself of shyness when it finally occurred to me that people didn't think about me half as much as I gave them credit for. The truth was, nobody gave a damn. Like most teenagers, I was far too self-centered. When I stopped being prisoner to what I worried was others’ opinions of me, I became more confident and free.