Sir Derek Jacobi Quotes

Sir Derek Jacobi has been an inspiration to so many actors and audiences throughout his brilliant career. To see him in Shakespeare is an event in itself. ~ Kenneth Branagh

I am an actor and I live in the world of pretend in my working capacity. I live in the world of my imagination. ~ Derek Jacobi

It's too hard a life for me. I could only do it - check out in that sense - if I checked out somewhere that was luxurious and within hailing distance of civilization. ~ Derek Jacobi

Drive over a few of the little brats. That'll scare them off."
"I ... I don't think I can do that, sir ... I just don't think we're capable of going that fast, sir. ~ Derek Landy

It's often difficult to slough off all that we've acquired, all the comforts and safety nets modern life provides for us, and realize that in those days, people were living very much on the edge - life was incredibly hard! ~ Derek Jacobi

There is just one problem, Captain," the President said quietly. "I can't order you to undertake such a covert project. It's dangerous, could get you court-martialed and is probably illegal."
"But you could ask me as a favor, Mr. President," Brock replied.
FDR grinned again, his signature broad smile putting a wonderful sparkle in his eye. "Would you do this for me, as a personal favor, young man?"
Brock nodded emphatically. "Yes, sir. It would be an honor. ~ Derek Hart

There's never been any game plan or thread through my career. It's just happened that I've ricocheted from one interesting character to another. ~ Derek Jacobi

Knowing that we were doing good work and the stories were good. They were original and charming. They weren't particularly violent or sexy or any of that. They were just unique and that had a good feel to it. ~ Derek Jacobi

I never lose that terror of 'this is my last job, I'll never work again.' You can never relax and rely on whatever reputation you've built. ~ Derek Jacobi

You have to get through the Hamlet hoop as a young actor. Your classical qualifications are based on the quality of your Hamlet. And then, as an older actor, you have to get through the Lear hoop. And I'm approaching the Lear hoop. ~ Derek Jacobi

I would like to be as fit as I've always been. I've been blessed with good health, I've been blessed with stamina. Particularly for those great classical roles, you need an Olympian stamina. I, fortunately, have that. ~ Derek Jacobi

I saw Derek Jacobi play Hamlet when I was 17, and he directed me as Hamlet when I was 27, and I directed him as Claudius in 'Hamlet' when I was 35, and I'm hoping we meet again in some other production of Hamlet before we both toddle off. ~ Kenneth Branagh

I think that each character has fascinated and interested me enough to want to play him. ~ Derek Jacobi

I think actors always retain one foot in the cradle. We're switched on to our youth, to our childhood. We have to be because we're in the business of transferring emotions to other people. ~ Derek Jacobi

Originally they wanted it to be bigger, but I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded to have the smallest tonsure that they could get away with. A tonsure that could still be seen, but, I worried about my social life! ~ Derek Jacobi

If you want to be an actor, don't. If you need to be an actor, do. ~ Derek Jacobi

Real-life people are often the hardest to play, people that you recreate who have actually lived, because you have to live up to people's knowledge of those characters. ~ Derek Jacobi

I thought it was getting better and better, because the production values were increasing each time we did it. ~ Derek Jacobi

Actors, I don't think, ever really grow up. I'm hoping that that rejuvenating process applies to me, too. It has so far. I've been very lucky. ~ Derek Jacobi

Every person who is offered a knighthood has the opportunity to say yes or no. You get a letter from the Prime Minister saying you've been recommended for a knighthood and there are two little boxes, one says yes, one says no. ~ Derek Jacobi

We started filming in 1993 which was only four years after the fall of communism. The difference in Budapest over the last five years has been remarkable. ~ Derek Jacobi

I truly don't know why it was ended, though. It was suddenly decided that that would be it. They never said particularly why, because they were cut off in their prime. ~ Derek Jacobi

Where are your monuments, your battles, martyrs?
Where is your tribal memory? Sirs,
in that gray vault. The sea. The sea
has locked them up. The sea is History.

First, there was the heaving oil,
heavy as chaos;
then, likea light at the end of a tunnel,

the lantern of a caravel,
and that was Genesis.
Then there were the packed cries,
the shit, the moaning:

Exodus.
Bone soldered by coral to bone,
mosaics
mantled by the benediction of the shark's shadow,

that was the Ark of the Covenant.
Then came from the plucked wires
of sunlight on the sea floor

the plangent harp of the Babylonian bondage,
as the white cowries clustered like manacles
on the drowned women,

and those were the ivory bracelets
of the Song of Solomon,
but the ocean kept turning blank pages

looking for History.
Then came the men with eyes heavy as anchors
who sank without tombs,

brigands who barbecued cattle,
leaving their charred ribs like palm leaves on the shore,
then the foaming, rabid maw

of the tidal wave swallowing Port Royal,
and that was Jonah,
but where is your Renaissance?

Sir, it is locked in them sea sands
out there past the reef's moiling shelf,
where the men-o'-war floated down;

strop on these goggles, I'll guide you there myself.
It's all subtle and sub ~ Derek Walcott

I'd gone into that restaurant and sat down and the waitress had taken my order and everybody else had seen me with this what must have looked like this creature, this animal, sitting on the top of my head! ~ Derek Jacobi

Are there children out there?
Um, yes sir, they're all children.
Run a few down.
Sir?
Drive over a few of the little brats. That'll scare 'em off. ~ Derek Landy

He was living in an age much more dangerous, more painful, much more on the edge than our own particular age. ~ Derek Jacobi

It was doing very well; it was doing particularly well outside of England. It was a very big seller for Carlton Television. But it was getting more and more expensive to do. ~ Derek Jacobi

No tugs, Number One?" the Captain inquired with a definite inflection to his voice. "You're well aware that I shall receive a complaint upon our return?"
Drake shook his head. "I think not, sir. Even the Port Authority will have to admit that Princess Carla was merely showing her best. She has a fine backside and we owe it to her to show it off, now and again. ~ Derek Hart

I'm always conscious of the fact that I am part of a profession that is 80% permanently unemployed. So, to be working in any sense is to be privileged. ~ Derek Jacobi

I really love the Olympics: Daley Thompson's back-flip, Derek Redmond's father helping him finish the 400m after his hamstring snapped at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Sir Steve Redgrave - childhood memories are flooded with these moments and idols. ~ Giles Duley

Reputation is fine but you have to keep justifying it. In a sense, it makes it harder because people's expectations of you are higher. So, you have to fulfill those expectations. Or, try to exceed those expectations. But, it becomes more difficult as time goes on. ~ Derek Jacobi

I love the acting community at Cambridge. It's really quite committed and serious, since the days of Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen right through to Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie. ~ Tom Hiddleston

One of the last episodes was all about a flood. We were working in the rain till all hours, and it was muddy and it was cold and it was damp, and it was hours under the hoses. That was not pleasant. That was not pleasant. ~ Derek Jacobi

They were totally supportive, always saw everything I did. One of the thrills of my life was when they went to the theater to see something that I wasn't in. It opened doors for them that otherwise would have been totally closed. ~ Derek Jacobi

I was an engineer with Fairbanks Morse, Mr. President. I helped design some of the engines in their locomotives before the war, but then transferred my knowledge to the engines used in the Grant and Lee tanks, many of which were sent to the British."
FDR was once again intrigued by what he heard. "The engine that pulls my train is a Fairbanks Morse locomotive."
Brock beamed. "Yes it is, sir. Engine 978. ~ Derek Hart

I think my parents were happy that I'd gone to university and gotten a degree in history so they thought, 'Well if acting doesn't work for him, he can always become a history teacher or something.' Fortunately, the acting worked out. ~ Derek Jacobi

It was never physically dangerous except when I nearly fell off a horse, but it was physically arduous - especially when you were working late at night. ~ Derek Jacobi

To be with Derek Jacobi and Stellan Skarsgard, it's a master class in acting every day. ~ Richard Madden

I totally geeked when I discovered (while in college) that Tolkien had a published version of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', so that's my favorite version. I think I have 3 or 4 copies on my bookshelf ~ Virginia Chandler

Yes," said Cooley. "That is the question, as the Bard might say." "The Bard?" "What's so funny?" said Cooley. "Nothing, sir," I said. "I just didn't know people still used that term." "Well, I'm a people, Burke. Am I not?" "Of course." "If you prick me, do I not bleed, you scat-gobbling, mother-rimming prick?" Occasionally Dean Cooley reverted to a vocabulary more suited to his marine years, but some maintained it was only when he felt threatened, or stretched for time. "Yes, sir," I said. ~ Sam Lipsyte

Every body has a tickle spot, somtimes you just have to find it. ~ Derek Jeter

You've been reading Gordan's book again, haven't you?"
"It's a white-knuckle roller-coaster ride," she mumbled. ~ Derek Landy

The law hath so many contradictions and varyings from itself, that the law may not improperly be called a law-breaker. It is become too changeable a thing to be defined: it is made little less a Mystery than the Gospel. The clergy and the lawyers, like the Freemasons, may be supposed to take an oath not to tell the secret. ~ Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet

Serpine: You have caused me so much trouble over the years detective. It's almost a shame to end it
Skulduggery: You're surrendering? ~ Derek Landy

Sir Walter, being strangely surprised and put out of his countenance at so great a table, gives his son a damned blow over the face. His son, as rude as he was, would not strike his father, but strikes over the face the gentleman that sat next to him and said, "Box about: twill come to my father anon." ~ John Aubrey

And I won't be needing a sword to kill you." He strode towards Skulduggery, who raised his hand. "Um, since you're not going to be using it, can I? ~ Derek Landy

I'd love to do more theatre and acting. I attended a performing arts high school in London, and it would be great to be able to put all of that training to use again. ~ Derek Hough

I am the King. I tell. I am not told. I am the verb, sir. I am not the object. (King George III) ~ Alan Bennett