Quotes from Fred Willard

My first improv was Second City in Chicago. Before that, I worked at - with a partner, doing comedy sketches.

Bob Balaban is so perfect that the first movie I did with him, I couldn't talk to him because I was so intimidated by him.

One of the great things about kids is they haven't heard a lot of the old jokes. You can get away with the corny ones.

To a New Yorker, a 1948 Indians World Series baseball signed by the whole team might be worth only $200 to $300, but to a Clevelander like myself, it might be, like, $1,000 to $2,000.

One of the first shows I ever did was 'Laverne & Shirley.' I played this sleazy guy that came into town with a friend and was going to date Laverne and Shirley, but we really wanted to get into the bowling alley because it was next to the bank we wanted to rob.

There's different kinds of improv. There's Second City improv where you try to slowly build a nice sketch. There's stuff you do in college coffee houses where you just go joke, joke, joke. Bring another funny character with a funny hat on his head. Christopher Guest is more the line of trying to get a story out.

All America is familiar with the Yankee-Dodger-Giant trivia, but so many other teams had great moments.

I've always wanted to be on a soap opera.

When you think about accountants, who would want to be an accountant? But, what would we do without accountants? Whether it's soldiers or garbage men or doctors, everyone has the thing that they love.

With improv or a full length play - you know how you go to a theater, and after 10 minutes you say, 'Oh, I don't like this thing,' but you don't want to get up and leave? At a sketch show, it's always something new every few minutes.

It's not a bad typecast: the goofy guy.

'Field of Dreams.' Definitely one of the best baseball films of all time. When Kevin Costner spoke to his dad, and his dad answered, I, um, I mean a lot of guys I know couldn't help crying.

A great director is someone who makes you feel like you're moving forward.

There's this whole underground world of amateur television production.

My stepfather was a military man: he was in the Air Force. Reserve. You thought he'd seen front-line action, but he was stationed in Cleveland.

If I like a movie, I see no reason not to go back for Parts 2, 3, 4, etc.

I have a guy who does my hair. He's a car nut. And he was taking motorcycle lessons. And, what was my point?

If I have to play an obnoxious character, try to find a redeeming feature of him. The most obnoxious people in the world were people, and they had had a reason for doing what they did. So you try to find that and let the obnoxiousness come out.

I used to collect autographs outside of the old Cleveland Stadium. I can still remember everyone who took the time and spent a few minutes to make your day. That sticks with you.

Comedy relieves you. A lot of times, we think we're the only people bothered by certain things. Then you hear a comic say, 'Don't you hate it when...' And it's, 'Oh, my God! Of course!'

I never think I'm old enough to play someone's dad, even though I have a daughter of my own and a grandson.

It's such a pleasure to work in these movies, it's almost like it's not really happening.

Looking back, I was a very good kid, very studious and all. But I would always come out with a quip - and I was sent to the principal's office several times.

Someone I've always admired is Catherine O'Hara... I think she's one of the best actresses in the country, not only comedy. I just think she's just a step aside from everybody, she's just wonderful.