Darkly Quotable - W.C. Fields

“Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.” W.C. Fields

W.C. Fields (January 29, 1880- December 25 1946)

In 1893 Fields worked at Fortescue’s Pier in Atlantic City. When business was slow one of his duties was to pretend to drown. His manager thought his fake rescue was good for business.

On the stage during his vaudeville days one of the biggest laughs W.C. Fields ever received was when his monologue was interrupted by a loud crash backstage. After the long noise subsided and the audience was silent, Fields gave a one-word comment in a stage whisper: "Mice!"

Late in his career Fields turned down the role of the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz.

“Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.” W.C. Fields

This doesn’t sound like a Fields quote because W.C. Fields, like many comedians, had a stage persona that contrasted his life.

“I like children - fried.” W.C. Fields

He is remembered for hating children yet he admired children and had great affection for his daughter.

Fields was devastated when Christopher Quinn, son of Anthony Quinn and his wife (Katherine DeMille) drowned in a lily pond behind Field’s home.

“What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?” W.C. Fields

“I’ve been asked if I ever get the DT’s; I don’t know it’s hard to tell where Hollywood ends and the DT’s begin.” W.C. Fields

“The cost of living has gone up another dollar a quart.” W.C. Fields

During his early career Fields was a juggler and could balance anything he could lift. He avoided drink as it affected his juggling. We associate him with heavy drinking but he was in his thirties before he started to drink.

Fields would unnerve a mother-in-law he didn’t like by balancing a smoking cigar, a lit candle in its holder, or a beer bottle on his head during meals never seeming to notice their presence.

“Women are like elephants to me – I like to look at ‘em but I wouldn’t want to own one.” W.C. Fields

Fields was married multiple times but in the end proved capable of enduring love. As Fields lay dying in a sanatorium bungalow in Pasadena his final love, Carlotta Monti, went outside and ran a hose on the roof to allow him to hear one last time his favorite sound – falling rain.