Scott on Some Aspects of Acting

George C. Scott has never had a formal acting lesson in his life, but he comments on his craft with clarity and authority:

ON AWARDS: Actors are the world's oldest underprivileged minority. For centuries we've been looked upon as nothing but buffoons, one step above thieves and charlatans. Those awards ceremonies simply compound the image for me. A lot of people sitting around making an exhibition of themselves. What I hate is that whole superstructure and the phony suspense and the crying actor clutching the statue to his bosom and all of that crap. It's all such a bloody bore.

ON METHOD ACTING: Even a natural actor has to set about the business of learning how to act. Much of the learning process is finding out what not to do, like indulging in excesses. I've seen more talent ruined by what I call indulgence --Method acting where they all get together and act for each other in a test-tube atmosphere. Many people work marvelously that way--Gerry Page, Gazzara, Brando--but it's not for me.

ON THE AUDIENCE: One of the most important attributes for an actor to cultivate is a sense of analysis of himself and his audience. The audience is a dark thing, a peculiar animal, an enemy that must be assaulted and won. That's the big competition right there --not between you and the other actors but you and the audience. The only measurement of fine acting is so simple, yet so many actors get fouled up about it. It's this: Does the audience feel it? It doesn't matter a damn what the actor does or does not feel--it's what the lady with the blue hat down there is feeling. You as an actor can suffer the agonies of the damned, but unless that's communicated to the people who paid $9.90 to see it, you've failed. ON TECHNIQUE: This business is all make-believe. Technique is making what is absolutely false appear to be totally true in a manner that is not recognizable. The moment you can see how it's being done, it's no good. The illusion is when you've been had and don't realize it. That's technique. ON INFLUENCES: I think I learned to act from people like James Cagney and Paul Muni. And I'm sure I learned more from Bette Davis than anyone. She has enormous presence, a sense of surprise. She sets you up like a great boxer and BAM! she gives you something else. She does have a certain consistent style, but when you examine her work you find enormous variety of color and intelligence.

ON DIRECTING: I want to phase out acting completely after a while and get into directing, because it would ease a lot of tensions for me. The important thing about directing--which Mike Nichols does so beautifully--is creating an atmosphere in which people work well together. That's what it's all about. You must allow people to do what they do best. Actors are always in trouble. A director who isn't a help is a drag. ON FIRST NIGHTS: The tensions in this business are acute. I defy any normal human being to live through an opening night on Broadway. It's a life-and-death situation, public exposure of the most profoundly damaging kind--like going to the guillotine. That's why actors are very cooperative people. They cannot function singly.

ON BASICS: Look, acting is just a matter of observation, imitation and communication. That's what it's all about.

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