Gene Hackman Quotes

In my opinion, there's nothing new in the theatre, ever. Theatre-makers are thieves, in the honourable tradition of charlatans. They fake it very, very well indeed for the entertainment of everybody else.

Most people don't care if you're telling them the truth or if you're telling them a lie, as long as they're entertained by it.

I think I'm just a comedian who's a pretty good con man, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

I have no interest in playing 'perfect.' To me, it's more about being an entertainer. Having a connection with the audience.

When the fans were watching my dad, you could never tell if this was real or is this fake, and that's what made him so special. Every ounce of energy went to being The Nature Boy.

I always kept the fans happy. They always saw a different Rey, whether it was a mask, a design, a color. I never gave them the same thing twice and always kept them on their feet. They were always excited to see what Rey was going to bring to the table.

It's not enough just to be real; you have to try to make it interesting or entertaining.

I want people to come to the game to see what I will do next.

I don't think you can say something is or isn't magic. That's what was cool about Houdini, because he was a magician who had a magic show, but he was also an escape artist, and they kind of, over time, blended together. They both kind of enhance each other, I think.

Here's the mark that a lot of people miss nowadays. Producers missed. They leave out the heart and soul. And that's what I learned from Sammy Davis, Jr., from Frank Sinatra, is when you went to go see those shows, you got to know them.

Well, you know what they say in Hollywood - the most important thing is being sincere, even if you have to fake it.

I think energy is the most important thing that we can give to people as performers. Anything else is a little bit pretentious. But energy is not.

I'm motivated by entertaining people.

You have to keep surprising your audience.

One thing changes every evening: It's the audience, and I'm working my magic. I'm always learning from it.

Sometimes it is hard to sing and dance at the same time, but I would rather be off and be real and genuine about it to my fans.

I do feel it's important to entertain people. I try to.

I never tell an audience what they can expect. I never have and I never will. I'm an entertainer for 75 years.

If you are who you are on stage, people pay attention.

That's what show business is, sincere insincerity.

You're going to be entertained. But when you finish hearing me singing, you're going to want to keep going, and you're going to keep believing and that's the kind of artist I am.

People want a little excitement. I tell the truth, but I do it theatrically.

A great gimmick is a great gimmick, but on a dud, it just doesn't work. It comes down to talent.

As an athlete or an entertainer, you don't want to be in a boring spot. You want to be in a spot where you're doing your thing to the best of your ability, and you know that you'll get a reaction.

We're not telling you we're out there fighting each other. We're going out there to entertain you.