Glynis Johns

"Relatives cannot help you in the studios. You stand or fall by your own efforts. My father and I have only ever worked in one picture together – that was Halfway House – and the producer was casting a father and daughter. Perhaps it was natural that he chose us, but my father did not get me that job, neither did I get him his."

"Acting is my highest form of intelligence, the time when I use the best part of my brain. I was always told, by my married friends, for example, that I could apply that intelligence to something else, some other aspect of living, but I cant. I dont have the same flair in other things."

"For me, most relationships with men have been like pregnancies – they last only nine months. One of my marriages lated only three months. It wasnt a marriage at all but a serious mistake."

"I would sooner play in a good British picture than in the majority of American pictures I have seen."

"Id tread very softly in that area. Very softly. I certainly wouldnt rush into anything again, and Id have to have an awful lot in common with anyone Id consider marrying next time. Why so many marriages? It was absolute conservatism on my part. I was brought up to feel that if you wanted to have an affair with a man, well, you married him. I have friends who, if theyd followed that rule, would have collected an awful lot of pieces of paper by now."

"I always said that Send In The Clowns was the best gift I was ever given. But Ive always thought before I decide I dont want to do theater anymore, Id like to have a vehicle that gave me the scope to do something beautiful. Maybe this is it."

"I like being a woman, and it may be small‐minded of me, but I also like being given flowers, having the door opened for me, being cherished by a man. And a woman should look after a man, mother him. Its give and take. It evens out. Im a complete romantic – and very happy to be one."

"In classical theatre in Europe, everybody plays all kinds of parts. Juliets go on to play the Nurses; they dont want to play Juliet again. I think weve got to remember to grab onto our perks, whatever is the good thing about each age. Each stage of life should be a progression."

"I was quite an athlete, my muscles were strong from dancing, so the tail was just fine. I swam like a porpoise."

"Glynis Johns is already a professional actress. She got her chance two years ago when the child principal of a childrens play fell ill and she took over the part without a rehearsal. Last year she made a hit in the emotional childs part in Elmer Rices "Judgement Day," and her naturalness in putting over the temperamental storms of Midge Carne puts her high up in rank of child character actresses. Several London critics have compared her to Bonita Granville. She has an intelligent little face which has character without prettiness and, properly handled, should do interesting work."

"Of course, she came across as supremely confident, but in private she suffered quite crippling stage fright that she never really got over – only managed – so that makes her career even more remarkable."

"Glynis’s CV stands up strongly when compared to fellow actors of her generation and younger like Angela Lansbury, Judi Dench, Joan Collins and Maggie Smith, who all received Damehoods – so it would be nice if the government could make the same gesture for her as she turns 100."