--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started improvising the Cliff…" description: "\"I started improvising the Cliff character, based on someone I grew up with.\" — John Ratzenberger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/john-ratzenberger-11869_based_i-started-improvising-the-cliff-characte_1927849.jpg" --- # I started improvising the Cliff character, based on… ![“I started improvising the Cliff character, based on someone I grew up with.” quote by John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/john-ratzenberger-11869_based_i-started-improvising-the-cliff-characte_1927849.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/john-ratzenberger-11869_based_i-started-improvising-the-cliff-characte_1927849.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/john-ratzenberger-11869_based_i-started-improvising-the-cliff-characte_1927849.jpg) > “I started improvising the Cliff character, based on someone I grew up with.” [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He developed a spontaneous character inspired by a familiar person, adding authenticity. **In simple terms:** Created a character from personal memory. Key Takeaway Use personal experiences to enrich performance. Themes creativity character development authenticity Mood playful reflective Type inspirational creative When to use this quote - acting - voice work - character creation Key Concepts improvisation inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How can personal inspiration be balanced with originality? - What risks arise from modeling characters on real people? A Different Perspective May limit originality if over‑relied on personal models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/based/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliff/) [Cliff Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliff-character-2999069/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Improvising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvising/) [Improvising Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvising-cliff-2999070/) [Someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Improvising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-improvising-2999071/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [Very early on, I started improvising. I was more interested in the music that came out of me than any music I heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-johannsson/very-early-on-i-started-improvising-i-was-more-interested-in-the/) [Johann Johannsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-johannsson/) > [It was a shock to my system leaving 'The West Wing' and going to 'Psych.' I remember being like, 'What are you doing?' when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dule-hill/it-was-a-shock-to-my-system-leaving-the-west-wing-and-going-to-psych/) [Dule Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dule-hill/) > [Two days later I got a call that they wanted to try out the character for seven episodes. Eleven years and 22 Emmys later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/two-days-later-i-got-a-call-that-they-wanted-to-try-out-the-character/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [I always likened retirement to falling off a cliff, and then you have to kind of brush yourself off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/i-always-likened-retirement-to-falling-off-a-cliff-and-then-you-have/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [“Feeling the Wind in Your Hair The peak of the cliff sits tantalizingly close. Your hands rest on your knees as you gasp, willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-kieran/feeling-the-wind-in-your-hair-the-peak-of-the-cliff-sits/) [Dan Kieran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-kieran/) > [Don't make me hang on to long I have the grip but this cliff is really steep but for you ill be like spiderman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mcglory/don-t-make-me-hang-on-to-long-i-have-the-grip-but-this-cliff-is/) [Greg Mcglory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mcglory/) > [People with high levels of wellbeing have been careful to work out early in the morning and not to have heavy meals throughout the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/people-with-high-levels-of-wellbeing-have-been-careful-to-work-out/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [I've now met, I would say, almost every single one of my rock idols. 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I mean, yeah technically he fell off a cliff but, we still won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/po-the-dragon-warrior/wow-we-beat-him-i-mean-yeah-technically-he-fell-off-a-cliff-but-we/) [Po - The Dragon Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/po-the-dragon-warrior/) > [I'm not a lemming about to run off the end of a cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-roeder/i-m-not-a-lemming-about-to-run-off-the-end-of-a-cliff/) [Glenn Roeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-roeder/) > [“She had what I'd call a lemming ass - that is, an ass that you would follow right over the edge of the cliff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/she-had-what-i-d-call-a-lemming-ass-that-is-an-ass-that-you-would/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [Let's push the Pentagon off the fiscal cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/let-s-push-the-pentagon-off-the-fiscal-cliff/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [Sometimes I think my past life was unrealized. I met a tragic end - it might have been a car over a cliff. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ebersole/sometimes-i-think-my-past-life-was-unrealized-i-met-a-tragic-end-it/) [Christine Ebersole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-ebersole/) > [“Cliff took his arm from my shoulder and raised both hands high. "Go. Be gone!" All of the birds stopped shrieking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-claflin/cliff-took-his-arm-from-my-shoulder-and-raised-both-hands-high-go-be/) [Stacy Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-claflin/) > [The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-unemployed-in-greece-can-get-a-voucher-and-choose-a-training/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) ## More by John Ratzenberger > [ It was when Boston invited us to do a parade one November, and I was the only \[Star Wars\] cast member skeptical of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/it-was-when-boston-invited-us-to-do-a-parade-one-november-and-i-was/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [Sure, the comedians who swear or use scatological humor can get laughs, but they're uncomfortable laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/sure-the-comedians-who-swear-or-use-scatological-humor-can-get-laughs/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [ Maybe, I got a sense when \[Star Wars\] came out, and there were always these lines around the block. We didn't understand the popularity… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/maybe-i-got-a-sense-when-star-wars-came-out-and-there-were-always/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [A farce, or slapstick humor, does well universally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/a-farce-or-slapstick-humor-does-well-universally/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [ It was the last generation of writers \[ the Cheers\] that had grown up reading books instead of watching TV. 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No residuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/before-1972-no-actors-got-residuals-they-just-got-paid-no-residuals/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [I come from Bridgeport, Connecticut and have friends I grew up with there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-come-from-bridgeport-connecticut-and-have-friends-i-grew-up-with/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [I was a carpenter in Northern Vermont and got this tax refund check that just about covered a one-way airfare to London. So this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-was-a-carpenter-in-northern-vermont-and-got-this-tax-refund-check/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [From what I can see, too many kids don't learn pride in their country anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/from-what-i-can-see-too-many-kids-don-t-learn-pride-in-their-country/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [But from what I can see all around me today, that America is fading fast, if it's not already gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/but-from-what-i-can-see-all-around-me-today-that-america-is-fading/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [You've got to write for your audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/you-ve-got-to-write-for-your-audience/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [In fact, my son learned his first swear word from E.T. at age five. 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