Richard Harris was born in Limerick with seven brothers and sisters. He learnt from an early age that he had to shout and ‘create’ to get attention.
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He was well known as a fast-living, fun-loving man who loved his drink. This started in his teenage years. These are some of his best and most controversial quotes.
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I came to England first in 1954 looking for a bedsit, a room to sleep in while going to my academy. And outside the Earl’s Court tube station there was a little tobacco-list and paper shop and they had a board. A glass-filled in board with rooms for rent.
And I saw one for thirteen shillings a week and it said, “No Irishmen or black need apply” and I took my jersey and I put it down over my hand and I put my hand right through the glass and I took it out and I kept it for the rest of my life. That’s how we were treated here in 1954. That would cause me grievance. That would cause me anger.
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What I hate about our business today is the elitism. So-called stars ride in private jets and have bodyguards and dietitians and beauticians. Tom Cruise is a midget and he has eight bodyguards all 6 feet 10, which makes him even more diminutive. It’s an absolute joke.
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Someone asked me once: “What is the difference between Tom Cruise now and you when you were a major star?” I said there is a great difference. Look at a photograph of me from the old days and I’m going to one of my film premieres with a bottle of vodka in my hand. Tom Cruise has a bottle of Evian water. That’s the difference – a bottle of Evian water.
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I have no friends in this business. I don’t go to their clubs, don’t go to their hangouts and don’t mix at all. I am part of the business but I am apart from it. If anyone ever asks my advice, I tell them, ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously.
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I can see the difficulties of making a movie. Directors and producers have to put up with a lot of rubbish from temperamental actors.
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No one trusts me any more. I spent half the movie of Maigret arguing with people and I was accused of causing big on-set rows. But what they won’t tell you is I fought for the author, Georges Simenon. I fought for the maintenance of quality.
I don’t believe in lying down on the job. I’ve seen these so-called “nice” actors. Very able fellows like Ian McKellen and Kenneth Branagh. But they’re like bank managers. So sweet and careful. Who needs them?
We are suffering a plague of good taste. Give me Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke any day. They project danger. That’s what makes acting – and life – interesting.
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I’m not interested in reputation or immortality or things like that…I don’t care what I’m remembered for. I don’t care if I’m remembered. I don’t care if I’m not remembered. I don’t care why I’m remembered. I genuinely don’t care.
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No one gave me anything. I fought TB, I fought the devil. But I made people laugh. I don’t want immortality. I’ve lived it all. I’ve done it all.
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I would give up all the accolades – people have occasionally written and said nice things – of my showbiz career to play just once for the senior Munster team. I will never win an Oscar now, but even if I did I would swap it instantly for one sip of champagne from the Heineken Cup.
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Read more on Richard Harris’ life and watch full film of This Sporting Life
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