Charlotte Rae

There's nothing wrong with making people laugh. We all need to laugh. Sometimes I get all these laughs inside of me, and there's no place to let 'em out.

My family was very loving but also very superstitious. My mother was always telling us, 'Don't walk under a ladder or you'll have bad luck,' or, 'If you spill salt, be sure and toss a pinch over your shoulder, or you're in trouble.'

I always learned to be philanthropic... to give back.

You can take wonderfully talented actors, wonderfully talented writers and producers, and, uh, do a wonderful show!... but if it doesn't hit with the public in two minutes, it's bye-bye.

They very seldom let me lose my cool. They made me like I was Polly Perfect, which was ridiculous so that when I bump into kids on the street they'd say 'I wish my Mom were like you.'

Being an actor is not like any other job. It's not easy.

I saw I wasn't an ingenue like Debbie Reynolds.

Composers, artists, actors, singers - all of them, I think, unconsciously learn from others. I'm sure it's not conscious, but they can't help it.

Gee whiz, I know that some movie stars don't like to be bothered, but I don't mind. I think it's part of the package, and it's not a bother.

I want to tell everybody to celebrate every day, to savor the day and be good to yourself, love yourself, and then you can be good to others and be of service to others.

All we have is today. Just live it. We don't know about tomorrow. So, enjoy the day. Love yourself, and spread love around.

Because of the power of television, I was visible to everybody all over the world. But there are many things in the theater that are more fulfilling and that I look forward to doing more. But really, I love it all: theater, film, television.