40 Quotes by David L. Wolper

Sometimes if you tell me what a story is about in just a few sentences, I can tell you if it's going to be a success.

Some psychiatrist told me I was interested in sculpture because I dealt in flat surfaces and needed something with dimension.

Why is it that if you hit a shot to within a tenth of an inch of the hole, it's a great shot, but if it goes in, it's luck?

Somebody said something funny to me the other day. They said, 'Wolper, until two weeks ago, your tombstone was going to say, 'David Wolper, the man who produced 'Roots.' I think the tombstone now has a new inscription. It's going to be 'David Wolper, the man who produced the opening ceremony of the 1984 Olympics.'

I'm not a kid trying to make an impression in the business. I do have 600 films out there that are playing constantly.

I have to do popcorn for movies. I can do more important things for television. You're going down when you're making a movie, not going up.

My main contribution has been that I have educated and entertained people at the same time.

You need an actor who can maintain a character over a long period of time. If you have a weak actor, it won't be obvious in two hours, but you'll begin to see his weaknesses over four or five days.

For a two-hour movie on a 20-day shooting schedule, it's O.K. to have an actor who's a pain in the neck.