For an actress to be a success, she must have the face of a Venus, the brains of a Minerva, the grace of Terpsichore, the memory of a MaCaulay, the figure of Juno, and the hide of a rhinoceros.
Fundamentally I feel that there is as much difference between the stage and the films as between a piano and a violin. Normally you can't become a virtuoso in both.
I never let them cough. They wouldn't dare.
Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements and doubts. We tend to forget the past difficulties, the many false starts, and the painful groping.
That's all there is; there isn't any more.
The arts are not just instantaneous pleasure - if you don't like it, the artist is wrong. I belong to the generation which says if you don't like it, you don't understand and you ought to find out.
The best time to make friends is before you need them.
The face of Garbo is an Idea, that of Hepburn an Event.
The great actors are the luminous ones. They are the great conductors of the stage.
When life knocks you to your knees, and it will, why, get up! If it knocks you to your knees again, as it will, well, isn't that the best position from which to pray?
You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself.
You grow up the day you have your first real laugh - at yourself.
You must learn day by day, year by year to broaden your horizon. The more things you love, the more you are interested in, the more you enjoy, the more you are indignant about, the more you have left when anything happens.
Ethel was a strong supporter of the Actors' Equity Association, having a high profile role in their 1919 strike.
Ethel earned $15,000 for her first film role.
Ethel made her screen debut in The Nightingale.
Ethel's nephew is John Drew Barrymore.
Ethel appeared in Young At Heart with Frank Sinatra and Doris Day
Ethel is buried in Calvary Cemetary in Los Angeles.
During the 1920's, Ethel co-starred with Walter Hampden on Broadway as Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Her brother John had earlier played the role of Hamlet to great acclaim.
Ethel was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award in 1948 for The Paradine Case but didn't win.
Ethel has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 7001 Hollywood Boulevard.
Ethel once appeared as the Mystery Guest on an episode of What's My Line?
Ethel frequently played ailing old women in her screen roles.
Ethel published her memoir entitled Memories in 1955.
Ethel appeared in the 1932 film Rasputin and the Empress with siblings John and Lionel. It was the only time all three appeared together.
Ethel is the great aunt of actress Drew Barrymore.
Ethel won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award in 1944 for her performance as Cary Grant's mother in None But the Lonely Heart.
Ethel was married to stockbroker Russell Colt from 1909 to 1923. The couple had three children.
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