I got tired of my taxes paying for exciting little wars around the world. Then I discovered that when I died, my wife would probably have to sell our house to pay for the taxes in America.

I was born in 1940 in Minnesota and grew up in the country... dirt roads, swamps, lakes, woods.

I've given up asking questions. l merely float on a tsunami of acceptance of anything life throws at me ... and marvel stupidly.

I just like the fact I can make a film which might give comfort to some people who think they are the only crazy person in the world and suddenly they see there are two crazy people in the world.

I was doing political cartoons and getting angry to the point where I felt I was going to have to start making and throwing bombs. I thought I was probably a better cartoonist than a bomb maker.

John Cleese was with a group called Cambridge Circus, who had come to New York, and we became friends. Years later that produced a certain team effort.

I don't think you ever learn just one thing. At some point you start unlearning things. I have been working hard to unlearn everything I know.

You get trapped by stories. Though I've got this reputation for being out of control, it's not true, it just happens to be a more interesting story than the truth.

I was an incredible Anglophile. I found people who shared the same sense of humor and attitude toward the world.

Literally overnight, I became an animator... and one that was well-known.

Because I dislike being quoted I lie almost constantly when talking about my work.

But the required survey of English literature troubled and disquieted him in a way nothing had ever done before.

Life is hard. Not great. Kind of tragic.

We should learn to accept that change is truly the only thing that's going on always, and learn to ride with it and enjoy it.

Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.

Those disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them.

I kind of did this thing in high school, a spoof of 'Sweeney Todd' called 'Shirley Todd,' and I had a great time doing that.

I rely on regular chiropractic care to keep in shape for my strenuous type of acting and singing.

Some asked me where the rubies grew, And nothing I did say; But with my finger pointed to The lips of Julia.

Pain. I seem to have an affection, a kind of sweettooth for it. Bolts of lightning, little rivulets of thunder. And I the eye of the storm.