“The truth is that there are a few stars who are just one taco short of a combo platter. The director’s job is to deal with it all.”
Garry Marshall
“On the first day of a shoot, I always let my lead actors know that they’re the only ones on the set who are allowed to whine. Their performance can make or break the film, so if they want to whine every once in a while they can. Stars can be babies and learning to pacify then is part of the job and I don’t have a problem with that. However, I believe that every star has the ability to behave like an adult for at least an hour a day. So on the first day I take my stars aside and say, ‘I’m going to treat you like a temperamental artist. But there will be a time, say when we’re behind schedule or the sun is going down, when I will ask you to be an adult.’ This reasoning has worked with every actor I’ve ever directed from big stars to up-and-coming stars to never-going-to-be stars. When it really counted, they were adults and helped me solve a problem.”
Garry Marshall
“You can’t be afraid of actors who are considered stars and you certainly can’t be afraid to give them direction…You have to risk the wrath. From an Oscar winner to a young kid making his screen debut, ever actor needs direction. Tom Hanks is a minimalist when it comes to taking direction. He likes it when a director says basic things like ‘louder.’ ‘softer,’ ‘slower,’ ‘faster,’ ‘darker,’ ‘smarter,’ ‘confused,’ ‘aware,’ or ‘not aware.’ You can do a whole movie with Tom just using those words. After we were together, Tom told me that a director on another film said to him, ‘I see this scene as chartreuse.’ And Tom said, ‘So do I.’ But he didn’t know what the hell the director was talking about. He likes it simple. Other actors require more direction.”
Garry Marshall
“Each actor works a bit differently. Some love to rehearse. Others like to tackle a scene cold. Some stay in character even off-camera while others are the characters only when you yell ‘Action!’ and still others come in and out.”
Garry Marshall
“When I direct a movie, I usually do four or five takes for each shot.”
Garry Marshall
All quotes can be found in the book, Wake Me When It’s Funny, written by producer/director/writer Garry Marshall with his daughter Lori Marshall. BTW—If you’ve never seen the film Nothing in Common (where Marshall directed Tom Hanks), check it out, it’s good stuff.
