# Actors Signature Lines **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547 "2009-08-06T17:18:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/1 "2009-08-06T17:18:53Z")
What are some signature lines by some actors, i.e. what lines do you think of first when you think of an actor. Not necessarily his or her best role, but the line you would guess they get quoted back to them the most. For example, I recall reading Paul Giamatti constantly getting people telling him, “I will NOT drink fucking Merlot!” I am not sure about Tom Hanks. It’s either “Life is like a box of chocolates.” or “Houston, we have a problem”. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/2 "2009-08-06T17:21:40Z")
Keanu Reeves: “Whoa” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/3 "2009-08-06T17:28:59Z")
“You Dirty Rat” “Judy Judy Judy”\* “Say the secret word.” \ “Give me the letter.” “Play it again, Sam” or “Here’s looking at you, kid.” \*Though the line as quoted was not in any movie, in **Only Angels Have Wings** , he did call the female character by her name – Judy – a lot. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/4 "2009-08-06T17:30:25Z")
I think the most famous is Arnold’s “I’ll be back.” They even made fun of it in Last Action Hero “That’s your trademark line…you say it in all of your movies!” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/5 "2009-08-06T17:31:47Z")
I know “Do you feel lucky?” and “Make my day” get a lot more play, but “A man’s got to know his limitations” will always be Clint Eastwood’s signature line for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/6 "2009-08-06T17:37:01Z")
I recall reading somewhere that Ian McShane from _Deadwood_ was _constantly_ being asked to call people “Cocksucker!!”, as it seemed to be his character’s favorite word. When he was a guest on Bill Maher’s show, Bill leaned over and said, “Ian, call me a cocksucker!” ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/7 "2009-08-06T18:02:55Z")
“We’re gonna need a bigger boat…” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/8 "2009-08-06T18:13:55Z")
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” – Clark Gable “Bond. James Bond” – Sean Connery ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/9 "2009-08-06T18:17:41Z")
Bruce Willis (as John McClane): “Yippie ki yay, motherfucker!” ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/10 "2009-08-06T18:28:31Z")
I’m sure Scott Bakula isn’t happy to say “oh boy” to everyone he meets. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/11 "2009-08-06T19:24:04Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Keanu Reeves: “Whoa” Joey Lawrence: “Whoa” ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/12 "2009-08-06T19:52:17Z")
Isiah Whitlock, Jr: [“Sheeeit”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ehWPCI3E_s&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/13 "2009-08-06T19:58:08Z")
Robert DeNiro: _“You talkin’ to ME?”_ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/14 "2009-08-06T20:01:36Z")
Alec Baldwin: _ **"Put that coffee down- coffee is for CLOSERS!"** _ Joe Pesci: **"_What do mean I’m funny?"_** Christopher Guest: _ **"This one goes to eleven."** _ Marlon Brando: (tie) \*\*\*“Stellaaaaaaaaaa!” \*\*\*or _ **"I could’ve been a contender."** _ ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/15 "2009-08-06T20:23:32Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > “Judy Judy Judy”\* > > “Say the secret word.” > > \ > > “Give me the letter.” > > “Play it again, Sam” > \*Though the line as quoted was not in any movie, in **Only Angels Have Wings** , he did call the female character by her name – Judy – a lot. “Play it again, Sam” was never in a Humphrey Bogart movie either, although he certainly is associated with the phrase. It’s a distillation of a longer piece of dialogue. Bette Davis: “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” Lauren Bacall: “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow.” “Get Smart” was loaded with catchphrases - “Sorry about that, Chief,” “Missed it by that much,” etc. - but at least one originally belonged to the actor Don Adams. From a routine on his first comedy LP: Faversham: You think you’ve got me, but I have you surrounded by the entire mounted 17th Bengal Lancers. Khan: I don’t believe you. Faversham: **Would you believe** the First Bengal Lancers? Khan: No Faversham: How about Gunga Din on a donkey? ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_Easter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8c91f0/32.png) [@Easy\_Easter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Easy_Easter)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/16 "2009-08-06T20:26:23Z")
Love the Spinal Tap reference! And from “Highlander”…“There can be only ONE!” --Kurgen ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/17 "2009-08-06T20:37:40Z")
Greta Garbo’s is “I vant to be alone” (but she claimed it was “I want to be let alone”). Mae West – “Come up and see me sometime”, plus a few others. W.C.Fields – “My little chickadee” Oliver Hardy – “This is another fine mess you’ve gotten me into, Stanley” Lou Costello – “AAAAAABBOTTTTTT!!!” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/18 "2009-08-06T21:19:58Z")
Sylvester Stallone: _ **"Yo, Adrian!"** _ Jim Carrey:\*\*\* “Allrighty, then!”\*\*\* Clark Gable: _ **"Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn."** _ ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/19 "2009-08-06T21:34:57Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I think the most famous is Arnold’s “I’ll be back.” And “Hasta la vista, baby”. Ned Beatty: “Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547/20 "2009-08-06T22:05:18Z")
Strother Martin, in _Cool Hand Luke_: “What we’ve got here is…failure to communicate.” (Later in the fim, Paul Newman slightly rephrases the line as “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.” [More info here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_we've_got_here_is_(a)_failure_to_communicate)) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-signature-lines/505547.md?page=2)