Quotes from Frank Vincent

I am a musician by rights, and I played in Asbury Park in the old African Room in the Robert Trent Hotel next to the Albion. That was in the early '60s.

As a character actor, you have to understand that it's not about you. You have to remember it's about someone else's life. And your character is just passing through.

Sometimes people start with you. Especially in local places - 'Hey, go get your shine box.' So I go out earlier. I wear sunglasses and a cap... That's the downside of being successful.

I think that all the time I lived alone changed me.

My wife and I lived in Chicago for two months, and we went to a lot of great restaurants.

New York's got a little rougher edge to it than Chicago.

'The Godfather' changed the way gangsters acted.

When I was 18 years old and playing the drums, I never thought that I would have a website and that people will be buying my autographed picture and paying money for it.

If it's Saturday night, and you're sitting on your couch watching 'Showtime at the Apollo,' then you're not a man's man.

I work on television and I work in film, and the acting is two different things.

People approach you in a different way when you're a celebrity - some are nice, some are not nice.

You establish a technique on how to develop characters. Everyone does it their own way, and that's what makes it fun.

You see mob guys when you play in nightclubs. It's part of the protocol.

People are fascinated with the fast life, the easy life. For some reason, that's an American dream, and it goes all the way back to the Edward G. Robinsons and the Cagneys.

It's very important what you say to kids. You have to walk a very fine line between talking about your life and talking about what you've done.

I never in my wildest dreams thought that I'd have merchandise selling on a web site. It's just amazing to me.

I think 'The Sopranos' probably solidifies the misconception that people have about New Jersey to begin with. Because you're from Jersey, and everybody has an accent, you are perceived a certain way. I don't know if they are jealous or in awe or look down their nose at you, but that's the way life is. If you don't like it, change the channel.

I knew so many gangsters, and I call on that experience with them for characters.

There was an article about me once, and the first line was, 'It's good to be a gangster.' Well, I'm not a gangster. I'm an actor.

David Chase is a genius.

You have got to have a good sense of humor, you have got to be tough, and you have got to know how to dress.

Bad boys are classy and refined. For example, even though Donald Trump came from money and a privileged lifestyle, he's a man's man.

My son, Tony Vincent, is a stuntman. He doubles for Jim Caviezel on 'Person of Interest.' He works really hard.

Trust is very important. In 'Goodfellas' in the 'Go home and get your shine box!' scene, we must have filmed 15 takes. If you played each take back, the timing would be exactly the same each time.