--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way you can become a legend is…" description: "\"The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin\" — Bette Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg" --- # The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin ![“The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin” quote by Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg) > “The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin” [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legendary status is earned only after death. **In simple terms:** Legends live beyond life. Key Takeaway Focus on lasting impact. Themes legacy mortality celebration memory culture Mood reflective poignant Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - biography - memorials - heritage projects - storytelling Key Concepts mythmaking historical narrative posthumous fame Questions to Reflect On - What actions today will shape how you’re remembered? - How do societies decide who becomes a legend? A Different Perspective Posthumous fame can distort true contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffin/) [Coffins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffins/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legend/) [Legend Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legend-coffin-2527961/) [Legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legends/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-legend-2527962/) ## Related quotes > [I had dropped one form and not taken on the other, and was become like Mohammed's coffin in our legend, with a resultant feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-dropped-one-form-and-not-taken-on-the-other-and-was-become-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If Marilyn Monroe was alive right now, what would she be doing?' Clawing at the roof of her coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-marilyn-monroe-was-alive-right-now-what-would-she-be-doing-clawing/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [The body of the sensualist is the coffin of a dead soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/the-body-of-the-sensualist-is-the-coffin-of-a-dead-soul/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [You should always pay attentionto quality. A coffin, for instance, should laast a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-tucholsky/you-should-always-pay-attentionto-quality-a-coffin-for-instance/) [Kurt Tucholsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-tucholsky/) > [“Perhaps because it seems so appropriate, I don't notice the rain. It falls in sheets, a blanket of silvery thread rushing to the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/perhaps-because-it-seems-so-appropriate-i-don-t-notice-the-rain-it/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [Science itself is steadily nailing the lid on atheism's coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/science-itself-is-steadily-nailing-the-lid-on-atheism-s-coffin/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [Childhood is long and narrow like a coffin, and you can't get out of it on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-ditlevsen/childhood-is-long-and-narrow-like-a-coffin-and-you-can-t-get-out-of/) [Tove Ditlevsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-ditlevsen/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [For me, curiosity is life. If you are not curious, you are in your coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-boulez/for-me-curiosity-is-life-if-you-are-not-curious-you-are-in-your-coffin/) [Pierre Boulez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-boulez/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Well, I guess I am about the livest dead man you ever saw; although I was once asked to accept a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rice/well-i-guess-i-am-about-the-livest-dead-man-you-ever-saw-although-i/) [Dan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rice/) > [At my funeral, if one said, 'Nick was a generous person,' trust me I won't be doing cartwheels in my coffin. Recognition from people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/at-my-funeral-if-one-said-nick-was-a-generous-person-trust-me-i-won-t/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [His smile is like the silver plate on a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-philpot-curran/his-smile-is-like-the-silver-plate-on-a-coffin/) [John Philpot Curran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-philpot-curran/) ## More by Bette Davis > [In this business, until you're known as a monster you're not a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/in-this-business-until-you-re-known-as-a-monster-you-re-not-a-star/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [You will never be happier than you expect. To change your happiness, change your expectation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/you-will-never-be-happier-than-you-expect-to-change-your-happiness/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [The male ego with few exceptions is elephantine to start with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-male-ego-with-few-exceptions-is-elephantine-to-start-with/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [“Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars. - Now, Voyager”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/oh-jerry-don-t-let-s-ask-for-the-moon-we-have-the-stars-now-voyager/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [Almost as many inhumanities are committed in the name of love as in the name of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/almost-as-many-inhumanities-are-committed-in-the-name-of-love-as-in/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I have eyes like a bullfrog, a neck like an ostrich and long, limp hair. You just have to be good to survive with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-have-eyes-like-a-bullfrog-a-neck-like-an-ostrich-and-long-limp-hair/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [Dramatic art in her opinion is knowing how to fill a sweater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/dramatic-art-in-her-opinion-is-knowing-how-to-fill-a-sweater/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I do not regret one professional enemy I have made. Any actor who doesn't dare to make an enemy should get out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-do-not-regret-one-professional-enemy-i-have-made-any-actor-who/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I never did pal around with actresses. Their talk usually bored me to tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-never-did-pal-around-with-actresses-their-talk-usually-bored-me-to/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [The secret of marriage is: separate bedrooms and separate bathrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-secret-of-marriage-is-separate-bedrooms-and-separate-bathrooms/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I was never very interested in boys - and there were plenty of them - vying with one another to see how many famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-was-never-very-interested-in-boys-and-there-were-plenty-of-them/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [If Hollywood didn't work out, I was prepared to be the best secretary in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/if-hollywood-didn-t-work-out-i-was-prepared-to-be-the-best-secretary/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [Everybody has a heart. Except some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/everybody-has-a-heart-except-some-people/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I've been lucky. I'll be lucky again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-ve-been-lucky-i-ll-be-lucky-again/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [From the moment I was six I felt sexy. And let me tell you it was hell, sheer hell, waiting to do something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/from-the-moment-i-was-six-i-felt-sexy-and-let-me-tell-you-it-was-hell/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) [Explore all 176 Bette Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) ## More Coffin quotes > [“I decided to get my butt up out of the coffin, just like Jesus Christ, and come and chitchat with all my beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/i-decided-to-get-my-butt-up-out-of-the-coffin-just-like-jesus-christ/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [Marriage is like a coffin and each kid is like another nail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-simpson/marriage-is-like-a-coffin-and-each-kid-is-like-another-nail/) [Homer Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-simpson/) > [“Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/like-king-we-need-to-put-on-our-cemetery-clothes-and-be-coffin-ready/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“Lies made it arduous to find a coffin that fit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carl-evans/lies-made-it-arduous-to-find-a-coffin-that-fit/) [Richard Carl Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carl-evans/) > [His smile is like the silver plate on a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-philpot-curran/his-smile-is-like-the-silver-plate-on-a-coffin/) [John Philpot Curran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-philpot-curran/) > [At my funeral, if one said, 'Nick was a generous person,' trust me I won't be doing cartwheels in my coffin. Recognition from people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/at-my-funeral-if-one-said-nick-was-a-generous-person-trust-me-i-won-t/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [Well, I guess I am about the livest dead man you ever saw; although I was once asked to accept a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rice/well-i-guess-i-am-about-the-livest-dead-man-you-ever-saw-although-i/) [Dan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rice/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Death is only attractive in a fashionable dress, with lilies and an open coffin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-l-sullivan/death-is-only-attractive-in-a-fashionable-dress-with-lilies-and-an/) [Laura L. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-l-sullivan/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I never change, I'm like a corpse in a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/i-never-change-i-m-like-a-corpse-in-a-coffin/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [“This is the most uncomfortable coffin I've ever been in. You are wasting my time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi-ed-wood/this-is-the-most-uncomfortable-coffin-i-ve-ever-been-in-you-are/) [Bela Lugosi (Ed Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi-ed-wood/) > [“It's daylight. Shouldn't you have burned to a crisp, or something? Don't you have to crawl into a coffin? Where do you keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/it-s-daylight-shouldn-t-you-have-burned-to-a-crisp-or-something-don-t/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [For me, curiosity is life. If you are not curious, you are in your coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-boulez/for-me-curiosity-is-life-if-you-are-not-curious-you-are-in-your-coffin/) [Pierre Boulez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-boulez/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 215 Coffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bette Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is-in-your-coffin/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coffin" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is-in-your-coffin/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/bette-davis-2218_coffin_the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is_255060.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin” — Bette Davis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bette Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only way you can become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is-in-your-coffin/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/the-only-way-you-can-become-a-legend-is-in-your-coffin/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```