Richard Masur Quotes

I'm not a role model, nor have I ever tried to be a role model. The only thing about me as a role model is I've managed to stay here and be working and survive. For 40 years.

Am I a star? That's a different thing. I mean no, I'm not in People magazine. But I must be doing something right, because I've done it for 50 years! And I like doing what I do.

I just want to keep working. Longevity is really important. I am extremely passionate about what I do and the happiest I am is when I'm on set working. I suppose longevity and respect. It takes longevity to earn respect.

To have survived in radio for 30 years is pretty remarkable. Even more remarkable is to have been able to do it in the same market I've lived in my whole life.

Most people are fortunate enough to stay two, three years in this game. I've been in it for seven years, and I feel like now, I'm just beginning.

Persistence is a pretty important part of making it in this business, which, in retrospect, is the easy part. Maintaining a profile is the difficult part of the job. Somehow or another, I muddled through that system and somehow am around to still enjoy playing for people.

Trust me: all of us walk around and look at each other, and without saying it, we all know we're thinking, 'Really dude? Were still here!' and pinch ourselves. Typically, careers have short life span, 10 years if you're lucky, so what we've done is amazing.

This is my 25th year of being on stage. A lot of people who I kind of toed up to the starting line with are no longer in this position. I feel very, very lucky.

You know, it's a long season and hopefully a long career.

There's a lot of guys that are able to perform for a short period of time. It could be a week, it could be a month, it could be two months, it could be one season. It's doing it over and over. And being consistent was something that watching Patrick Roy all these years, that's what he was. He never had down years.

To me, you get into this business to make money and to make a name for yourself. And the fact that you're on the indies for 15 years is not a badge of honor.

I think the movie industry is a hard industry, but it is not that hard to be allowed to do what you want if you work hard.

I wasn't about one season, but career and longevity.

I'm fortunate in one way and I can take pride from the fact that I've consistently performed for 10 years, which is something that not many people can do. I've consistently stayed near the top for 10 years which is maybe something that is overlooked and taken for granted.

In show business, it takes 10 years to create an overnight success. You've heard that, right? But what you don't hear is that that's the exact same amount of time it takes to create a bitter failure.

I don't see myself as successful because I've worked on only a handful of films. The way I look at it, if you're really, really lucky, if you consistently work hard over the course of ten years, if you refuse to take no for an answer, if you surround yourself with great mentors and are a sponge, willing to learn, then you're bound for something to happen.

Millions of filmmakers would love to be in my position right now. If you are honest it makes the world a better place. I created the room with my passion and after all these years it finally worked out.

I didn't get playing professional golf until I was 25 years old. And I always said that if I could make it work, I would play as long as I could walk.

Perseverance has kept me going over the years. Things rarely happen overnight. Filmmakers should be prepared for many years of hard work. The sheer toil can be healthy and exhilarating.

Making the majors is not as hard as staying there, staying interested day after day. It's like being married. The hardest part is to stay married.

Retire? I'm going to stay in show business until I'm the only one left

When you are a filmmaker, you need to be rooted, because committing yourself to producing or directing a film is a good three-year process.

There are grand rewards for those who pick the high hard roads, but those rewards are hidden by years.

I had a good, sound upbringing with sensible people around me. I was brought up by intelligent parents. My mother always said to me, "You've got to work at your career and you've got to be good at it. Okay, you've had a bit of success but that's not longevity. You've got to really work for a long time."

I think for any director, male or female, it would be just to be prepared, work hard, and not give up! As my agent once told me, it's all about stamina before you ever end up on set!