A biography for Tommy Lee Joneshasn’t been written yet.
“Partnerships are good engines for narrative.”
“I play characters, and I try to play them in a manner that's appropriate to the script. Physical movement and vitality of language is part of character.”
“I do not have a sense of humor of any recognizable sort.”
“All my life I've had the privilege to make my living with my imagination, and the most important thing has been to see my creative life grow. I was educated to do that and have lived accordingly.”
“I still think probably the only thing I'm suited for is being a boy from Texas.”
“The entire elementary school in Rotan, Texas, presented a theatrical production of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' And the part of Sneezy fell to me.”
“I've worked in the film business for 45 years, and I want to keep on growing as a filmmaker. I want to see my visual life grow and be increasingly effective in this world.”
“What appeals to me? There are things, points of view, uses of the language, habits of dress, ways of thought and believing that came to me from my grandparents and came to them from theirs. Things that are of good use in any situation, no matter what the future may hold.”
“Cormac McCarthy's language is perfect. He is in my view the greatest living American prose stylist.”
“I'm kind of pleased with myself that I've got a tailor on Savile Row. I'm 68 years old. I deserve it.”
“I have nothing against interviews. I don't pursue them. When people I work for deem it appropriate, I'm perfectly willing to serve.”
“If you don't hurt anybody or try to steal anything, you'll be fine in the South.”
“The tactic of leading people into... a war that doesn't make any sense by telling them they are under attack, and if they raise any objection they're unpatriotic, is a very old tactic. And it doesn't intimidate me.”
“I'm an introspective guy when there's money in it.”
“I want to make movies about my country from my point of view.”
“I've never really known what glamour is.”
“I've worked with more than 50 directors ,and I've paid attention since day one. That's pretty much been my education, apart from studying art history and shooting with my own cameras. I've seen 50 different sets of mistakes and 50 different ways of achieving. You just leave the bad part out.”
“I probably watch less than one hour of television a week. And when I do watch television, it's usually a football game. Sometimes I'll watch a news broadcast for a few minutes. Otherwise, I don't have time.”
“I look upon pride as a sin.”
“I personally don't live a nihilistic life, I don't have any use for it.”