Quotes by Peter Ustinov

“Im convinced theres a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer.”

“He shows great originality, which must be curbed at all cost”

“A diplomat these days in nothing, but a head waiter who is allowed to sit down occasionally.”

“At the age of four with paper hats and wooden swords were all Generals. Only some of us never grow out of it.”

“Men think about women. Women think about what men think about them.”

“I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me the most civilised music in the world.”

“Laughter would be bereaved if snobbery died”

“Courage is often lack of insight, whereas cowardice in many cases is based on good information.”

“I am an optimist, unrepentant and militant. After all, in order not to be a fool an optimist must know how sad a place the world can be. It is only the pessimist who finds this out anew every day.”

“Her virtue was that she said what she thought, her vice that what she thought didnt amount to much.”

“Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke”

“Comedy is the last refuge of the nonconformist mind”

“The duty of comedy is to correct men by amusing them.”

“Men wearing pants so tight that you can tell what religion they are.”

“Children are born optimists and we slowly educate them out of their heresy”

“We Americans are the best informed people on earth as to the events of the last twenty-four hours; we are the not the best informed as the events of the last sixty centuries”

“The only foes that threaten America are the enemies at home, and these are ignorance, superstition and incompetence.”

“Optimism is denial, so face the facts and move on”

“Optimism is a psychological disorder exhibited by those out of touch with reality”

“Corruption is natures way of restoring our faith in democracy.”