A biography for Van Heflinhasn’t been written yet.
“You must remember that I won an Oscar for my role Johnny Eager. Then I went into the Army. But before I did, I was rushed into three other pictures to capitalize on the first.”
“I can sit on a boat or a river bank and problems that seemed insurmountable just don't seem that important anymore.”
“Acting is a full-time job for me.”
“Yellow fin or albacore are excellent tasting, or the dolphin fish but I don't mean the mammal variety. They call It mahimahi in Hawaii.”
“A contract player has to do what he's told, and play the parts others pick out for him. As far as the studio is concerned he's just part of the stable.”
“A doctor or lawyer who has reached the top can stay there or move on to higher prestige positions. But an actor of comparable competence and success and age has little or no control over his career.”
“Working in Europe has been very good for me - I've become an international favorite.”
“Take these actors who adhere to a rigid schedule. They will say they are going to do two pictures a year or three or one. Now any actor who does that is in business, not in art.”
“I don't want to work too hard any more.”
“I've never been strong enough to stand out on my own. I've had to develop versatility to make up for my lack of an impressive stage and screen personality.”
“I started out in Hollywood and I owe a certain amount of loyalty to both the American movie industry and this country.”
“I don't want to be painted any one color and that can happen to you in Hollywood if you make a hit in a particular role.”
“I often come across a script I would like to do, but when it comes down to brass tacks I find the producer won't allow enough practice time.”
“Sometimes I wish I had remained in little theater.”
“I think it's all right for an actor to appear on television as a guest maybe three or four times a year. Perhaps to preview a future movie or a play.”
“I'm a character actor, always have been.”
“I owe a great debt to what we call the amateur theater.”
“I have enough money for myself and my children.”
“When a man has a wife and three youngsters he's not going to give up a well-paying job.”
“You have to be careful of the pictures you make. You should ask, Will it have universal appeal, will it have an appeal at home?”