A biography for Van Heflinhasn’t been written yet.
“I always like to get back to the stage when I find something I want to do.”
“I went on tour in the 1952-53 season for producer Kermit Bloomgarden when he took over 'The Shrike' and sent it on the road.”
“The stage is where I started, and there is a tremendous satisfaction in doing a good play.”
“I'm absolutely an amoeba. It's my survival value.”
“If I pull in a fish I have no intention of eating, I release him immediately or give it away. If he's swallowed the hook and you know the fish is going to die, rather than leave him to the sharks you should bring him in for the vitamin content. Aquariums welcome fish for feeding the dolphins and whales.”
“A director in films is closer allied to the writer than anyone else.”
“I worked with Glen Ford.”
“Housework has been reduced to a minimum. Even without servants, there is scarcely enough to do to keep women occupied eight hours a day. Moreover, girls are now trained to handle jobs in high school. They graduate from school and college prepared to take over places in the business world.”
“I've never played the same part twice.”
“I don't want to fall into any single category. I don't want to be known for portraying drunks or heavies or saints.”
“People will always want to get together in groups at plays and have the contagious thing of someone laughing with them.”
“Someday, I expect to see a television version of 'Hamlet' and see Hamlet come on during the intermission and hold up his sword and say 'This is made of the same fine steel as such-and-such razor blades.'”
“There are always fresh problems for an actor to solve.”
“When I was a very young actor, I made a wise move. I invested in the stock market.”
“I'm not good-looking enough, and I don't have the personality it takes to play myself like the big box-office stars.”
“Being under contract gives you financial and emotional security. But you lose the sense of accomplishment that goes hand in hand with being a free agent.”
“In Hollywood I ask Peter Lawford to help me shop.”
“Acting is wonderful. I love it.”
“Acting is a creative business.”
“Nothing creative functions well when fenced in or leaning on a prop. A contract is a fence and a prop.”