Erland Josephson's Quotes

A man obsessed with failure has succeeded better than others in portraying it.

Acting has a strong sensual quality that I get such a... you say 'kick' in America? It's a fantastic profession in that way.

I am of the international upper class, the Swedish petit bourgeoisie of Jewish extraction with poor language skills, a conveyor of a few expressions and faces, with some intonation that combines ancient human experience with timely coquetry.

I can remember the moment when I suddenly felt that the camera was a living partner. I suddenly felt this is art, and the camera is a co-operative living person. After that I was extremely happy to act in films.

I very often get that question: 'What is your real profession?' That's because in Sweden, it is 'not allowed' to have more than one profession - there's something suspicious about it! But nowadays it's more accepted that one can do a lot of things.

I was mainly a stage actor. I found film acting mechanical, because it was so technical - there was so much technique with the lamps and the movements of the camera.

I'm too impatient to wait for things to happen to me. If I should be out of work for two months I would go crazy. So as soon as I'm free, I start writing. While it is necessary for me to write, I know that if I go too long without acting on the stage I don't feel well.

Stage acting is for me the basic form of acting. If you make films all the time, you have so few possibilities to rehearse. And it's important to rehearse, because it gives you the possibility to try things which are not good!

If you don't appreciate it, you don't deserve it.

No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head.

Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.

Never let inexperience get in the way of ambition.

I am not God, but I am my creator.

Now Herod was an active man, and soon found proper materials for his active spirit to work upon.

Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called Dionysius, become an origin of troubles again.

I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias, for he was my own brother, by both father and mother; and I made mighty proficiency in the improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both a great memory and understanding.

Now, my father Matthias was not only eminent on account of is nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his righteousness, and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the greatest city we have.