Quotes from Fred Willard

I like to play the guy that has no self-awareness.

I had just done a movie called 'How to Beat the High Cost of Living,' and it didn't get a good review. And the same people sent me the script for 'Airplane!' for the Robert Hays part. I read it, and there were a lot of plays on words, and I said, 'I don't like this kind of comedy.'

Suddenly you're like a pirate, you're 65 years old and you've got an earring.

When I started, there was a phase where I wanted to be a cowboy star. I didn't want to do deep, serious parts.

I think my wife saw a picture of the rock group Journey, and they're kind of aging, and the one guy had dyed blonde hair with black roots, and... my idea was to get a little earring, I wanted to have a dangling earring.

Martin Landau in 'Crimes and Misdemeanors' - he gave me chills.

In most cities, it doesn't cost much to put your own show on a local access channel, so you get all sorts of strange stuff on the air.

I did a show called 'Lois & Clark' - it was about Superman - years ago. They wanted someone to play the president of the United States. The plot was the president got kidnapped by a group, and they made a clone of him, who was very irresponsible and silly.

Cleveland is my hometown, and the Indians have a narrow but rich history.

After working with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum, I said, 'I am never going to talk about improv again.'

I just love everything that Disney and Pixar do. Not only do they do beautiful films, but they have great messages for kids.

I think if you have a funny thought, and you want to get off a funny point, try to do it as realistically as you can. If you try to act it funny and accent the funny points, or do it in a funny style, you kind of lose it.

If you're going to take a risk as a comic, make sure it's surrounded by other things that you're certain are funny.

I love sketch; it's my favorite form. But if it's all improv, they're either very good, and it's annoying how good they are, and it makes you feel bad, or they're not too good; then you're sweating for them.

I've never crossed over to be a big star. I'd like to be in a big $100 million movie, though. 'Cause I was in an 'Austin Powers,' I think I had two lines, and every once in a while, I get a check, a really nice check, for that movie.

My father passed away when I was 12, so it was very difficult. But I was always the class clown. I don't know why - maybe as an escape. But then I was sent away to military prep school.

It's more fun in a way to do ensemble scenes, where you know your background, you know the scene, but you can't prepare because someone else is going to say something that is going to lead you off.

I always loved comedy growing up - Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Danny Kaye.

I've been in a lot of shows, I will say that. Every once in a while, I'll look at a tape of something I've done, and I won't even remember having done it.

Comedy is harder, because if there's no laughs, it's pretty bad. But drama, if there's no reaction, you can say, 'Well, it's not their cup of tea. Maybe it's too heavy for the audience.'

I try to shy away from playing cranky people, but if it's just a funny next-door neighbor or business man, I'll say, 'Sure, why not?'

I loved Bob Hope and the way he would turn to the camera and break the fourth wall.

Tobe Hooper - he did my favorite horror movie, 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre.' It's still one of my favorite horror films.

People still quote my lines from 'Best in Show.'