Quotes from Ed Asner

I pray that this council, which will probably be too late to save Iraq, will do what it can, which will be immeasurably strong in what it does in trying to save our democracy.

I regard myself as a beautiful musical instrument, and my role is to contribute that instrument to scripts worthy of it.

The older I've gotten, the more the need to exert comedy no matter how tragic a character I may be portraying because they are essentials for presenting truth.

My first job was with an auto plant, Kansas City - they treated you like slaves. From there I went back to Chicago, worked in steel mills, drove a cab, stuff like that.

A lot of people don't want to feel anti-black by being opposed to Obama.

Never stand still. Only stand still enough to learn, and once you stop learning in that stance, move off. Always keep yourself engaged, in theater, in whatever job you can get. If you can't get an acting job, then go backstage. Or take tickets. But be around actors because that is where you will primarily learn.

I was a newspaper editor in high school, and I truly thought of journalism as a career. I loved it.

As they used to say 'What if they gave a war and nobody came?' How worthwhile if they declared a day of peace and everybody came.

Some of my earliest political feelings were based on the anti-Japanese bubblegum cards I got. There were also Spanish Civil War bubblegum cards. Awful.

I can do lovers. I can do Sir Galahad types. I'm not going to limit myself in voice-overs to irascible old men.

I'm not sought after. I never get enough work. It's the history of my career. There just isn't anything to turn down, let me put it that way.

I've never stopped loving cartoons. I loved cartoons as a kid. I can still look at them and enjoy them.

I got some news for you. One, there is no Jesus. Two, there is no God. Three, mind your own business and everything works out.

Where the work goes, I go. Wherever adulation occurs, that's where you'll find me.

It's like an athlete. He has a string of hot years, and then he fades into nothingness. The actor doesn't necessarily fade into nothingness. After his hot years, he fades into a different category.

I love acting.

Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.