his biography Best OF
page 52
Spencer Tracy gave me some advice.. It's a great profession, as long as nobody catches you at it
page 77
John Boorman is the best director I've ever worked with but i felt something amiss at the Deliverance reunion. John wanted me to come to ireland in 1973 to play the lead in zardoz. i wasn't crazy about the script so i didnt go. i think he felt i let him down. if i could do it over i would
page 83
Bill McKinney was one strange dude. Early mornings You'd see him running nude through the sprinklers on golf course
One night myself and Ned Beatty had a few drinks and he confessed he regretted ever doing the movie
Ned's performance in that scene is devastating. He should have won the oscar
page 84
Deliverance was a rough shoot, an adventure. It was the most fun I've ever had
when i asked John (Boorman) why we were shooting in sequence he said in case one of you drowns
page 88
it isn't clear whether Drew is shot or commits suicide. Ronny told me he'd decided for his own purposes that Drew was neither shot nor suicide but the victim of some kind of accident
page 89
Barbra Streisand called Boorman and asked to see a rough cut because she said i want to see a man raped for a change
if i had to put one of my movies in a time capsule it would be deliverance
page 92
The catholic church condemned me. It was a total fiasco. It was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made and it cost deliverance the oscar recognition it deserved
page 99
Lee Marvin hated senseless violence. If the violence looked too easy he believed it becomes an invitation to try it
Deep down and he'd probably slug me for saying it Lee was a gentle man
page 128
Sinatra once told Shirley MacLaine i wish someone would hurt you so i could kill them for you
i knew the guys who kidnapped Frank's son. I met them through Ryan O'Neal
page 151
Clint and i both went to italy to make spaghetti westerns in the 60s he got sergio leone and i got navajo joe
Dino De Laurentis had the most dangerous eyes i ever saw
I've played every indian but pochahontas
page 154
Sergio Corbucci was all about body count. He figured that if he killed more people than clint then Navajo joe would make more money
page 156
clint is so relaxed on set people think he's about to doze off but that's just a game he plays
Clint has a temper. we were in a bar one time a woman came in and said something to him that he didn't like. She poured a beer over his head. he didn't say anything he just stood up picked up a beer and poured it over her head. Then he picked up another and another. He poured four maybe five beers all over her. The he walked away.
page 160
Dick Benjamin couldn't direct clint because he was scared to death of him
page 161
a rumor started that i had AIDS my makeup man and dentist refused to touch me
i have never been suicidal in my life but had i died at that time it would have been okay with me
So many friends deserted me but some stayed Dom Deluise Ann Margret Charles Nelson Reilly Charley Durning Angie Dickinson Jon Voight Hal Needham Clint Johnny Crason Liz taylor and about five hundred stuntmen
page 190
when Sally won her oscar for places in the heart she said you like me you really like me!! she was making a reference to a scene in norma rae but nobody got the joke. Sally got slammed for it. That line has been dogging her ever since
page 192
when people thought i had AIDS sally did a playboy interview. When asked whether or not i had AIDS she said "There's always been something going on about Burt" what the hell did she mean? she sent me a note of apology saying she's been flippant . We haven't been in touch since i wish i could turn back the clock. i lover her but we couldn't make it work. It's the biggest regret of my life
page 195
i like Donald (Trump) but i hold onto my wallet when we shake hands.
He was interested in only two things: making money and publicity.
i pray he never gets the chance to do to the USA what he did to the USFL
page 205
Ann Margret looks fragile like a porcelain doll but she's tough as nails
page 209
i had a crush on Ruby Dee
page 216
i didn't like the character (Jack Horner)
i can't respect a man who doesn't respect women
page 218
the first shot in boogie nights in one of the longest in movie history
Have you timed this? i asked Paul its longer than citizen kane!!! its three seconds longer he said
page 219
off camera Julianne moore is exactly what she seems.. bambi's mother
page 220
i got along with the cast except Thomas Jane. he was getting physical with people. when he put his martial arts moves on me i said "Don't push me because i push back"