quote of the day today: Quote of the Day by Anthony Quinn: ‘A big talent steals, a small talent borrows. I steal.’—Inspiring quotes by the famous actor
Why is a Quote of the Day important? Because certain statements linger. They spark debate. They push readers to reconsider comfortable ideas. Quinn’s remark challenges polite notions about originality and artistic purity. It suggests that greatness is not timid. It absorbs, transforms, and claims influence without apology.
Quote of the Day Today February 24
The Quote of the Day today by Anthony Quinn is:
“A big talent steals, a small talent borrows. I steal.”
Anthony Quinn was born Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (some sources indicate Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca) on April 21, 1915, in Chihuahua, Mexico. He died on June 3, 2001, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 86. A Mexican-born American actor, Quinn appeared in more than 150 films across a career that spanned decades. Yet he became universally identified with one role above all—the earthy, exuberant title character in Zorba the Greek (1964). He inhabited Zorba so completely that many of his later roles seemed infused with that same spirit of appetite for life.
Quinn’s early years were shaped by modest circumstances. His family moved to Los Angeles, where he grew up in Boyle Heights and Echo Park. As a youth, he played in the band of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson and even served as a deputy preacher. He attended Polytechnic High School and later Belmont High but eventually dropped out. Before acting defined him, he boxed, painted, worked as a musician, and even studied architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin in Arizona. It was Wright who encouraged him to improve his speech—advice that led Quinn to acting lessons and, eventually, the stage, as per information sourced from IMDb and Britannica.
His return to Hollywood brought greater recognition. Quinn won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Viva Zapata! (1952), becoming the first Mexican to win an Oscar. He claimed a second Oscar for his portrayal of Paul Gauguin in Lust for Life (1956). Over the years, he delivered memorable performances in La Strada, The Guns of Navarone, and Lawrence of Arabia, as per information sourced from IMDb and Britannica.
In addition to his film work, Quinn returned to the stage in 1982 to appear in a revival of the musical version of Zorba. He also became a successful artist and sculptor, holding exhibitions in cities including Vienna, Paris, and Seoul. His final movie role was in Avenging Angelo. Offscreen, he embraced life fully—evidenced by the fact that his 13th child was born when he was in his 80s, as per information sourced from IMDb and Britannica.
The Meaning Behind the Quote
“A big talent steals, a small talent borrows. I steal.”
At first glance, the line sounds almost scandalous. But Quinn’s meaning is less about theft and more about transformation. Borrowing suggests imitation without depth. Stealing, in the artistic sense, implies taking inspiration and making it entirely your own.
Quinn built a career on powerful, lived-in performances. Whether portraying revolutionaries, artists, patriarchs, or outsiders, he absorbed cultures, accents, and emotions with total commitment. His Zorba was not a polite interpretation—it was a full-bodied embodiment. When Quinn says, “I steal,” he speaks with confidence about drawing from life, experience, and influence without hesitation.
The quote also reflects his refusal to be confined by typecasting. Throughout the 1960s, he expressed a desire to fight against narrow expectations, though he often returned to ethnic roles. Even so, he infused those characters with force and individuality. For Quinn, greatness required boldness. Talent was not about cautious borrowing but fearless claiming.
Other Iconic Quotes by Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn’s words offscreen were as vivid as his performances. Among his notable quotes are:
“I can’t retire. I mean, I started working when I was a year and a half old, and I worked all my life.”
“I never satisfied that kid [referring to himself], but I think he and I have made a deal now. It’s like climbing a mountain. I didn’t take him up Mount Everest, but I took him up Mount Whitney. And I think that’s not bad.”
“I have lived in a flurry of images, but I will go out in a freeze frame.”
As a Quote of the Day, Quinn’s declaration about stealing rather than borrowing continues to provoke conversation. It challenges conventional thinking about creativity and originality. More than a century after his birth, Anthony Quinn remains remembered not only for the roles he played but for the force with which he played them. His career—spanning stage, screen, and studio—was built not on hesitation, but on bold appropriation, transformation, and fearless presence.
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