Actors on Acting #3

Cary Grant for me is one of those actors who appears natural and effortless on screen. You don't even think he is acting. He is. It's the kind of acting I feel certain actors do instinctively. Unfortunately, they can be overlooked for their craft. Cary could go from screwball comedy to drama without batting an eyelid. Now that's acting.

Here are quotes by Cary about acting and being Cary Grant.

"I've often been accused by critics of being myself on-screen. But being oneself is more difficult than you'd suppose."



"I can't portray Bing Crosby, I'm Cary Grant. I'm myself in that role. The most difficult thing is to be yourself - especially when you know it's going to be seen immediately by 300 million people."

"The secret of comedy is doing it naturally under the most difficult circumstances. And film comedy is the most difficult of all. At least on stage you know right away if you're getting laughs or not. But making a movie, you have no way of knowing. So you try to time the thing for space and length and can only hope when it plays in the movie theaters months later that you have timed the thing right. It's difficult and it takes experience. I'll always remember the great actor, A.E. Matthews, who said on his death bed, "Dying's tough--but not as tough as comedy".



"I tell you, in films, one doesn't really meet the audience. You don't get the impact or spirit of your audience, whereas when you are out in the public, you do."



I think one of my most favorite things about Cary Grant is the love for his daughter. Once his fourth wife, actress Dyan Cannon, gave birth to their daughter ,Jennifer,he retired from films. He often said raising his daughter was one of the great pleasures of his life. That melts my heart.