A biography for Elaine Stritchhasn’t been written yet.
“You cannot tell an audience a lie. They know it before you do; before it's out of your mouth, they know it's a lie.”
“I find it easier to abstain than do a little bit of anything. I'm not a 'little bit' kind of dame. I want it all, whatever I do.”
“When the hospital sends for me, when the ambulance comes and I ease my way out of the world, I'd rather be in Detroit, Michigan, than Lenox Hill.”
“My biggest dream was to get out of Michigan - to discover life beyond the Sacred Heart Convent.”
“If I see a great performance on television, onstage, in the movies, I go to work the next day with a renewed energy and less fear. These great artists take me out of my life and make me want to go there.”
“There were a lot of lyrics that I sang but didn't understand. But I had this facade in performance of looking like I wrote the book.”
“When I'm playing comedy, it is such a crap shoot of what will work and what won't.”
“I think taking care of yourself, health-wise, in every way, is a 100 percent winner.”
“Making clever speeches takes a lot of work and a lot of time.”
“Why haven't I made more movies? Nobody asked me.”
“All of the writing on '30 Rock' is a joy to go into. It's pretty hot stuff.”
“I do believe in the infallibility of the Pope, because I think we have to believe in something.”
“I'm loaded with talent.”
“When I want to do something badly enough, I do it, but there is a practical side of me that thinks I should be paid fairly.”
“I love holidays in New York. I love 'em. I want to celebrate something all the time, and New York has holidays for every day of the week, practically. I like holidays in New York City.”
“What I want to understand is what I am talking about on the stage. What I don't want to understand is what the government is talking about when the government tells me about taxes.”
“I like glasses so I can go out without my makeup. Just grab your coat and get your hat and go.”
“I'm a good acting partner for me... when I don't have anyone else, I do really well!”
“Audiences are not strangers to me. They're the best friends I've got in my life.”
“I love Birmingham, Michigan. It's lovely - you know, it's very similar to the Hamptons.”