--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had no idea that such a thing could…" description: "\"I had no idea that such a thing could happen. It never occurred to me.My son told me. He called me and said, \"Darling, I just wanted you to know that y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-lansbury-9722_academy_i-had-no-idea-that-such-a-thing-could-ha_985289.jpg" --- # I had no idea that such a thing could happen. It never… ![“I had no idea that such a thing could happen. It never occurred to me.My son told me. He called me and said, "Darling, I just wanted you to know that you have been chosen to receive an honorary Academy Award." I was in the back of this car, and I said, "Oh," and burst into tears, of course…” quote by Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-lansbury-9722_academy_i-had-no-idea-that-such-a-thing-could-ha_985289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-lansbury-9722_academy_i-had-no-idea-that-such-a-thing-could-ha_985289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-lansbury-9722_academy_i-had-no-idea-that-such-a-thing-could-ha_985289.jpg) > “I had no idea that such a thing could happen. It never occurred to me.My son told me. He called me and said, "Darling, I just wanted you to know that you have been chosen to receive an honorary Academy Award." I was in the back of this car, and I said, "Oh," and burst into tears, of course, because it was so unexpected and quite wonderful. I thought it's been worth hanging around all these years.” [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She expresses surprise and gratitude upon learning she received an honorary Academy Award, highlighting unexpected recognition after years of effort. **In simple terms:** Unexpected honor brings joy and validation. Key Takeaway Cherish surprise recognitions. Themes gratitude recognition career surprise emotions Mood joyful emotional reflective Type personal celebratory When to use this quote - award ceremony - career reflection - personal milestone Key Concepts celebration legacy achievement Questions to Reflect On - How does unexpected praise affect your motivation? - What does this award mean for your future work? A Different Perspective Recognition may bring pressure to live up to expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy/) [Academy award](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy-award/) [Academy awards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy-awards/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [It is a great deal of difference to receive an honorary title or a title in his profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-askin/it-is-a-great-deal-of-difference-to-receive-an-honorary-title-or-a/) [Leon Askin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-askin/) > [I was put under contract. A major studio. I got nominated for an Academy Award. Isn't that ridiculous? I mean, at the age of 18!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-was-put-under-contract-a-major-studio-i-got-nominated-for-an/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [If I want to be up for an Academy Award, I'm either going to have to play a tour de force of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/if-i-want-to-be-up-for-an-academy-award-i-m-either-going-to-have-to/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > [The (Academy Award) ceremonies are a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/the-academy-award-ceremonies-are-a-two-hour-meat-parade-a-public/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [I'm a member of BAFTA, so I vote in all the films that come up for the Academy Awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-fearon/i-m-a-member-of-bafta-so-i-vote-in-all-the-films-that-come-up-for-the/) [Ray Fearon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-fearon/) > [Going to the Academy Awards is something I remember since I was six, when I went with my mom for the first time, 14…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/going-to-the-academy-awards-is-something-i-remember-since-i-was-six/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [Success has many ways of coming to you. Sometimes it comes right away, and then the film's instantly forgotten. Sometimes you can't remember what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-lansing/success-has-many-ways-of-coming-to-you-sometimes-it-comes-right-away/) [Sherry Lansing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-lansing/) > [At the Academy Awards every year, there are best-dressed stars - and worst-dressed stars. But it's the worst-dressed that go down in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/at-the-academy-awards-every-year-there-are-best-dressed-stars-and/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [Things with my dad were pretty good until I won an Academy Award. He was really loving to me until I got more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/things-with-my-dad-were-pretty-good-until-i-won-an-academy-award-he/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [I certainly never pictured myself even attending the Academy Awards, much less winning at 56. I very, very happily settled into a theater career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-certainly-never-pictured-myself-even-attending-the-academy-awards/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [My celebrity crush is Eva Mendes. I think she is gorgeous and shes got a great personality. I also got really star-struck seeing Penelope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/my-celebrity-crush-is-eva-mendes-i-think-she-is-gorgeous-and-shes-got/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [I am an outsider looking in, absolutely. You're not going to see me at the Academy Awards 'Vanity Fair' party any time soon. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-am-an-outsider-looking-in-absolutely-you-re-not-going-to-see-me-at/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [I don't really look forward to movie stardom or doing a $200-million movie or winning an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-don-t-really-look-forward-to-movie-stardom-or-doing-a-200-million/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) > [I think that no matter whether you're Quentin Tarantino or any other kind of a rebel, or whatever, everyone who makes movies still wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-that-no-matter-whether-you-re-quentin-tarantino-or-any-other/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) ## More by Angela Lansbury > [Actually the years when I was playing totally un - well, they were just roles that just went by the board, you wouldn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/actually-the-years-when-i-was-playing-totally-un-well-they-were-just/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I'm Angie to everybody, you've got to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-m-angie-to-everybody-you-ve-got-to-learn/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I've worked with the greatest actors, and they're all gone. This is what's so desperate to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-ve-worked-with-the-greatest-actors-and-they-re-all-gone-this-is/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I think of myself as a journeyman actress. I will attempt almost anything that I think that I can bring off. It could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-think-of-myself-as-a-journeyman-actress-i-will-attempt-almost/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [Believe me, it jabs you. When you're on the side of buses and New York loves you, you love to go out there every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/believe-me-it-jabs-you-when-you-re-on-the-side-of-buses-and-new-york/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [Clint Eastwood is an extraordinary director because he knows the value of a buck. He knows where it will show on the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/clint-eastwood-is-an-extraordinary-director-because-he-knows-the/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I don't care whether it's a chance meeting or playing a role that you thought was totally wrong but you did it anyway. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-don-t-care-whether-it-s-a-chance-meeting-or-playing-a-role-that-you/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [... because lifestyles are changing constantly the rules of etiquette are changing too -- a little slower than lifestyles perhaps, but still changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/because-lifestyles-are-changing-constantly-the-rules-of-etiquette-are/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [The thing I always say is that I wasn't going out reaching for roles, I wasn't fighting for roles - people came to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/the-thing-i-always-say-is-that-i-wasn-t-going-out-reaching-for-roles/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I have heard Mr. Romney's speech's many times on television and the radio and I have even read his book No Apology: The Case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-have-heard-mr-romney-s-speech-s-many-times-on-television-and-the/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [Mystery is something that appeals to most everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/mystery-is-something-that-appeals-to-most-everybody/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I can't say that I pursued a career. I really didn't, it just sort of happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-can-t-say-that-i-pursued-a-career-i-really-didn-t-it-just-sort-of/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [The theater is magical and addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/the-theater-is-magical-and-addictive/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [They're great devotees of Noel Coward in England, of course, he's a favorite son, and so to play Coward in London is such fun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/they-re-great-devotees-of-noel-coward-in-england-of-course-he-s-a/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [I made about 56 movies, I think. Not that many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-made-about-56-movies-i-think-not-that-many/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) [Explore all 70 Angela Lansbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) ## More Academy quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“Step Up Academy offers a conducive, encouraging, comfortable environment for children to step up their learning and achieve success. Our students progress within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerthiga-manokumar/step-up-academy-offers-a-conducive-encouraging-comfortable/) Kerthiga Manokumar > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [Few years ago, I said something about the Academy being very white male, which is the reality, and I was slashed to pieces by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/few-years-ago-i-said-something-about-the-academy-being-very-white/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [I think that no matter whether you're Quentin Tarantino or any other kind of a rebel, or whatever, everyone who makes movies still wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-that-no-matter-whether-you-re-quentin-tarantino-or-any-other/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [“Fuck Briarcrest Academy, and fuck you all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilsa-madden-mills/fuck-briarcrest-academy-and-fuck-you-all/) [Ilsa Madden-Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilsa-madden-mills/) > [I don't really look forward to movie stardom or doing a $200-million movie or winning an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-don-t-really-look-forward-to-movie-stardom-or-doing-a-200-million/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) > [I am an outsider looking in, absolutely. You're not going to see me at the Academy Awards 'Vanity Fair' party any time soon. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-am-an-outsider-looking-in-absolutely-you-re-not-going-to-see-me-at/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [In all our academies we attempt far too much. ... In earlier times lectures were delivered upon chemistry and botany as branches of medicine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-all-our-academies-we-attempt-far-too-much-in-earlier-times/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The 'Police Academy' stuff was all hyper-slapsticky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-police-academy-stuff-was-all-hyper-slapsticky/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The Academies of Art are nothing but great painting factories - those with talent are fed in at one end, and they come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/the-academies-of-art-are-nothing-but-great-painting-factories-those/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [Furnished as all Europe now is with Academies of Science, with nice instruments and the spirit of experiment, the progress of human knowledge will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/furnished-as-all-europe-now-is-with-academies-of-science-with-nice/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 557 Academy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had no idea that such a thing could happen. It never occurred to me.My son told me. He called me and said, \"Darling, I just wanted you to know that you have been chosen to receive an honorary Academy Award.\" I was in the back of this car, and I said, \"Oh,\" and burst into tears, of course, because it was so unexpected and quite wonderful. 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