--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be a legend, you've either got to be…" description: "\"To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!\" — Christopher Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg" --- # To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or… ![“To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!” quote by Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg) > “To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!” [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being legendary requires either death or extreme age, highlighting the rarity of true legend status. **In simple terms:** Legends need death or great age. Key Takeaway Embrace your unique path. Themes legend mortality age celebrity Mood wry reflective Type humorous inspirational When to use this quote - career ambition - personal branding - legacy building - public perception Key Concepts Mythology existential humor Questions to Reflect On - Do you need fame to be a legend? - How does age affect legacy? A Different Perspective Legends can be made through actions, not just age or death. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excessively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excessively/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legend/) [Legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legends/) ## Related quotes > [If I get to be a legend, I've achieved my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/if-i-get-to-be-a-legend-i-ve-achieved-my-goal/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [People always say I'm a legend, but I'm not. Not until I've defended my Olympic titles. That's when I've decided I'll be a legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/people-always-say-i-m-a-legend-but-i-m-not-not-until-i-ve-defended-my/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [At the end of the day, I wanna be a great...a legend. I've been working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gorilla-zoe/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-wanna-be-a-great-a-legend-i-ve-been-working/) [Gorilla Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gorilla-zoe/) > [“You will die.” “I guess. I don’t know.” She shook her head, trying to pick through her feelings. “I used to think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/you-will-die-i-guess-i-don-t-know-she-shook-her-head-trying-to-pick/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“I was alone in that room. Of course, there were bodies all around, but they were all dead. They were dead when I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-was-alone-in-that-room-of-course-there-were-bodies-all-around-but/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Remember, I come from such an excessively overdone, red-carpet place called Hollywood. So I'm used to people blowing up their success in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/remember-i-come-from-such-an-excessively-overdone-red-carpet-place/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [It is the nature of the artist to mind excessively what is said about him. Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-the-nature-of-the-artist-to-mind-excessively-what-is-said-about/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“But be excessively reasonable and you risk throwing out the universe with the bathwater.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/but-be-excessively-reasonable-and-you-risk-throwing-out-the-universe/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I am excessively diverted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-am-excessively-diverted/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“The "I love you"s are exchanged excessively under our roof. Cancer teaches you how important and critical that is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/the-i-love-you-s-are-exchanged-excessively-under-our-roof-cancer/) Comic Strip Mama > [The first prize for any production is, if you can find a location that means you don't have to build sets, that will serve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavid-hood/the-first-prize-for-any-production-is-if-you-can-find-a-location-that/) [Gavid Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavid-hood/) > [“I love you"s are exhanged excessively under our roof. Cancer teaches you how important and critical that is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/i-love-you-s-are-exhanged-excessively-under-our-roof-cancer-teaches/) Comic Strip Mama > [From my mother I learned just how violent and unquenchable a woman's loneliness can be. She had been sheltered excessively by her husband and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/from-my-mother-i-learned-just-how-violent-and-unquenchable-a-woman-s/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“People who newly taste freedom tend to act excessively.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/people-who-newly-taste-freedom-tend-to-act-excessively/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“All I know is that I am excessively calculating, especially when I appear not to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-covington/all-i-know-is-that-i-am-excessively-calculating-especially-when-i/) [Dennis Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-covington/) ## More by Christopher Lee > [I was once asked what I thought was the most disquieting thing you could see on the screen and I said, 'an open door.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-was-once-asked-what-i-thought-was-the-most-disquieting-thing-you/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I've been for 10 years trying to make something out of my life as an actor. I've learned a lot but I haven't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-ve-been-for-10-years-trying-to-make-something-out-of-my-life-as-an/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I stopped appearing as Dracula in 1972 because in my opinion the presentation of the character had deteriorated to such an extent, particularly bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-stopped-appearing-as-dracula-in-1972-because-in-my-opinion-the/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I haven't spent my entire career playing the guy in the bad hat, although I have to say that the bad guy is frequently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-haven-t-spent-my-entire-career-playing-the-guy-in-the-bad-hat/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [As far as I am concerned, Don Quixote is the most metal fictional character that I know. Single handed, he is trying to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-don-quixote-is-the-most-metal-fictional/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > ['The Impossible Dream' is, in my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written. Here is a man, an old man, a very old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/the-impossible-dream-is-in-my-opinion-one-of-the-greatest-songs-ever/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [Films are now made by accountants. They pick a pretty young female or male face out of the air and give them a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/films-are-now-made-by-accountants-they-pick-a-pretty-young-female-or/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I lived for 10 years in Los Angeles, and the one element that surpasses everything else - that you are very conscious of -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-lived-for-10-years-in-los-angeles-and-the-one-element-that/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I think that - apart from the fields of science and medicine - we live in an age of decline. Look at the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-think-that-apart-from-the-fields-of-science-and-medicine-we-live-in/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/every-actor-has-to-make-terrible-films-from-time-to-time-but-the/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I love Chicago. It is my new favorite city. It is the perfect place to do any kind of theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-love-chicago-it-is-my-new-favorite-city-it-is-the-perfect-place-to/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [Not every Hammer film was perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/not-every-hammer-film-was-perfect/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [When the Second World War finished, I was 23 and already I had seen enough horror to last me a lifetime. I'd seen dreadful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/when-the-second-world-war-finished-i-was-23-and-already-i-had-seen/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I associate heavy metal with fantasy because of the tremendous power that the music delivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-associate-heavy-metal-with-fantasy-because-of-the-tremendous-power/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [Someone asked me yesterday if Dracula met Saruman and there was a fight, who would win. I just looked at this man. What an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/someone-asked-me-yesterday-if-dracula-met-saruman-and-there-was-a/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) [Explore all 75 Christopher Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) ## More Dead quotes > [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/) [Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-dead-or-excessively-old/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-dead-or-excessively-old/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/christopher-lee-9093_dead_to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-d_2001754.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old!” — Christopher Lee", "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": "Christopher Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be a legend, you've either...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-dead-or-excessively-old/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/to-be-a-legend-you-ve-either-got-to-be-dead-or-excessively-old/#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 } } ] } ```