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A few thoughts from Gregory Peck

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April 5 marks the centennial of Academy Award-winning actor Gregory Peck’s birth. On-screen, he was known for portraying men of conviction such as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Off-screen, Peck was a crusader as well. He served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was an outspoken supporter of liberal and civil rights causes.

Below are some of our favorite Peck quotes from the pages of The Times.

On storytelling

“Telling a good story and having people laugh if it’s funny or gasp if it’s suspenseful or just express enjoyment when the story has been told. Even if the story has been told on film and shipped around in tin cans, it creates a bond between a performer and an audience. It is life’s blood to a storyteller, an entertainer like me, to achieve a response from the audience.”

On directors

“There are some who direct out loud for the benefit of 40 or 50 people standing around the set. They all become instant critics to see whether or not you do exactly what the director wants you to do. But the directors I’ve always admired are those who do the job quietly. They talk only for the actor’s ears.” (1974)

“I must say I’m getting a little bit sick about questions about Hitchcock … People kind of get hung up on Hitchcock. I loved Hitch … How about some of the actors? Let’s concentrate on the actors …” (1999)

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