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William Powell

William Powell Quotes

Actor

William Powell, born on July 29, 1892, in New York, was a distinguished American actor. He achieved great success in both film and theater, particularly renowned for his work in the 1930s and 1940s. Powell was celebrated for his elegance and acting prowess, winning an Academy Award for Best Actor.

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Famous William Powell Quotes

“Nanotechnology is manufacturing with atoms." William Powell, lead nanotechnologist at the Goddard Flight Centre”

Author:William Powell

“If I could come out in this book and advocate complete revolution and the violent overthrow of the United States of America, without being thrown in jail, I would not have written The Anarchist Cookbook, and there would be no need for it.”

Ifs Needs Book States Would Be America United United States Written Revolution Violent If I Could Thrown Jail United States Of America Anarchist Cookbook

Author:William Powell

“Believe it or not, bananas do contain a small quantity of Musa Sapientum bananadine, which is a mild, short-lasting psychedelic.”

Believe Lasting Quantity Psychedelic Bananas

Author:William Powell

“Treat any and all drugs with respect, for most of the time they are stronger than you are.”

Drug Treats Stronger

Author:William Powell

“It seems acceptable today to scream for revolution, without any concept of what will follow it. This is just what the forces at large want, for who will follow a man who doesn't know where he's going?”

Knows Men Want Seems Today Force Revolution Concepts Scream Acceptable

Author:William Powell

“Never before have self-suffiency and education been so important, and they are virtually inseparable from survival.”

Important Self Survival Inseparable

Author:William Powell

“Unity is the only way in which the people of this country can overthrow the fascists, communists, capitalists, and all the other assholes who claim running a representative government is so difficult. The emphasis has been taken from the Bill of Rights and placed on the type of interpretation of the Constitution that best suits the people in power.”

“There is only one purpose in hand-to-hand combat, and that is to kill. Never face an enemy with the idea of knocking him out. The chances are extremely good that he will kill you.”

Ideas Hands Faces Purpose Chance Enemy Combat Chances Are Knocking

Author:William Powell

“I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.”

Needs Failing Draws Devices

Author:William Powell

“If a man is to be a man, a free spirit unto himself, he must arm himself not only with weapons but with ideals and concepts he is willing to die for.”

Ifs Men Spirit Dies Willing Arms Weapons Concepts Ideals Be A Man Free Spirit Willing To Die

Author:William Powell

“Every person, whether in wartime or not, should keep a pistol and rifle in his house at all times. If a person is not going to protect himself, and wishes the government to do it for him, how can he complain when the government decides to protect itself against him, and executes him?”

Ifs Should Persons Government House Wish Protect Complaining All Time Rifles Pistols Wartime

Author:William Powell

“One of the greatest myths of all time is that so-called civilized man is no longer an animal, and for that reason can strive to disarm himself and grow fat with false concepts.”

Men Reason Grows Animal Concepts Strive Myth Fats All Time Civilized

Author:William Powell

“It has got to the point in this country where men believe they are men, just because that is their birthright. If that is true, then, by the same logic, an animal held captive in a zoo is still a free wild beast.”

Ifs Men Believe Stills Country Animal Logic Beast Zoos Captives Birthright Wild Beasts

Author:William Powell

“Have you noticed that the people who actually make the laws, the people in power, never make laws for themselves?”

Author:William Powell

“Prison does strange things to men. Although its purpose is to break the free spirit of a man, in many cases it just adds fuel to the fire that has never been and will never be extinguished.”

Men Doe Spirit Purpose Break Cases Fire Strange Prison Add Fuel Strange Things Free Spirit

Author:William Powell

“I can fully appreciate the fury and anger that a person can feel when put through a humiliating experience by a cop, but I would recommend strongly that a person maintain his cool, and in no circumstances lose his temper. If you lose your temper, you are playing right into the cop's hands.”

Ifs Feels Persons I Can Hands Loses Circumstances Appreciate Temper Cop Fury Humiliating

Author:William Powell

“A word of advice: If you get the choice between the upper and lower bunks in a cell, choose the lower. Prisons do not turn off their lights at night, and I spent a sleepless night, without a mattress, with a five-hundred-watt bulb shining directly into my eyes.”

Ifs Light Eye Night Turns Choices Five Advice Hundred Prison Shining Cells Turn Off Bulbs Mattresses Sleepless Nights Bunk Words Of Advice

Author:William Powell

“Why did God make so many dumb fools and Democrats?”

Fool Democrat Dumb

Author:William Powell

“The only laws a man can truly respect are the ones he makes for himself.”

Author:William Powell

“Cultivate solitude and quiet and a few sincere friends, rather than mob merriment, noise and thousands of nodding acquaintances.”

Inspirational Friendship Solitude Quiet Math Noise Sincere Real Friends Acquaintance Loneliness And Solitude Nodding Merriment Loyal Friend Faithful Friends Sincere Friends

Author:William Powell

“I highly recommend worrying. It is much more effective than dieting.”

Worry Diets Dieting

Author:William Powell

“Unfortunately, or perhaps it is fortunate that I have always been forced to stand on my acting ability. I haven't a personality such as Jack Gilbert's, for instance, that attracts women and makes them like me for myself. When I am on the screen I must make them forget me entirely and think only of my acting.”

Thinking Ability Forget Acting Havens Personality Screens Like Me Instance Fortunate Forget Me

Author:William Powell

“Power is not a material possession that can be given, it is the ability to act. Power must be taken, it is never given.”

Given Ability Taken Materials Possession Material Possessions

Author:William Powell

“I detest symbolic protest, as it is an outcry of weak, middle-of-the-road, liberal eunuchs. If an individual feels strongly enough about something to do something about it, then he shouldn't prostitute himself by doing something symbolic. He should get out and do something real.”

Ifs Feels Should Real Enough Individual Middle Weak Protest Symbolic Detest Something Real Middle Of The Road Eunuchs

Author:William Powell

“A revolution was never fought, throughout history, for ideals. Revolutions were fought for much more concrete things: food, clothes, housing, and to relieve intolerable oppression. … I know of no one, outside of Patrick Henry, willing to die for an abstraction.”

Knows Dies Willing Revolution Clothes Ideals Oppression Concrete Abstraction Housing Willing To Die

Author:William Powell

“A government creates its own revolution. There can be no revolt without it.”

Government Revolution Revolt

Author:William Powell

“Since shotguns are not military weapons, your local sporting goods dealer will have good information about them, as long as you aren't black, Spanish, or a white freak.”

Long Black White Military Information Weapons Locals Goods Freak Dealer Shotguns Good Information Military Weapons

Author:William Powell

“I have never gone into a picture without first studying my characterization from all angles. I make a study of the fellow's life and try to learn everything about him, including the conditions under which he came into this world, his parentage, his environment, his social status, and the things in which he is interested. Then I attempt to get his mental attitude as much as possible.”

World Trying Firsts Social Attitude Gone Study Environment Conditions This World Fellows Including Angle Mental Attitude Characterization Social Status

Author:William Powell

“I do not hold that because the author did a bad job of writing the player need trump it with the same kind of acting. When I go into a picture I have only one character to look after. If the author didn't do him justice, I try to add whatever the creator of the part overlooked.”

Ifs Needs Writing Trying Looks Kind Character Jobs Justice Acting Player Trump Add Creator Overlooked Bad Jobs

Author:William Powell

“My friends have stood by me marvelously in the ups and downs of my career. I don't believe there is anything more worthwhile in life than friendship. Friendship is a far better thing than love, as it is commonly accepted.”

Believe Careers My Friends Don't Believe Accepted Worthwhile Ups & Downs

Author:William Powell

“Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.”

Important Lasts Remember Stage Tables Meals Guests Dessert House Guests

Author:William Powell

About the Author

Born: July 29, 1892
Died: March 5, 1984
Known for: Actor
Quotes: 31

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