---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I was ever as fascinated or…"
description: "\"I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much respect for anybody like James Cagney.\" — Milos Forman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png"
---

#  I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much…

![“I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much respect for anybody like James Cagney.” quote by Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png)

> “I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much respect for anybody like James Cagney.”

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A deep admiration for James Cagney's talent and presence is expressed, highlighting his unique impact on the speaker.

**In simple terms:** Speaker greatly respects James Cagney.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and appreciate true artistic influence.

Themes

admiration influence artistry

Mood

respectful reflective

Type

celebratory analytical

When to use this quote

- studying film history
- teaching acting
- discussing Hollywood legends

Key Concepts

cinema legacy charisma

Questions to Reflect On

- How does Cagney's work inspire you?
- What qualities make an actor unforgettable?

A Different Perspective

The quote may overstate personal feeling, not universally shared.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/)

## Related quotes

> [James Cagney as a baby is not my ideal thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/james-cagney-as-a-baby-is-not-my-ideal-thing/)

[John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/)

> [A James Cagney love scene is one where he lets the other guy live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/a-james-cagney-love-scene-is-one-where-he-lets-the-other-guy-live/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [I grew up in an Irish Catholic family, and I think they force you to watch every James Cagney movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/i-grew-up-in-an-irish-catholic-family-and-i-think-they-force-you-to/)

[Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/)

> [The old movie stars like Bogart, James Cagney, Jimmy Stewart, they weren't this gorgeous, striking six-foot man who's rippled with muscles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-huston/the-old-movie-stars-like-bogart-james-cagney-jimmy-stewart-they-weren/)

[Jack Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-huston/)

> [James Cagney, Steve McQueen, I loved all those guys. I grew up loving the movies but had no desire to be in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/james-cagney-steve-mcqueen-i-loved-all-those-guys-i-grew-up-loving/)

[Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/)

> [Follow the wisdom of the great actor, James Cagney, you hit your mark, you look the other guy in the eye, and you tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-merchant/follow-the-wisdom-of-the-great-actor-james-cagney-you-hit-your-mark/)

[Larry Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-merchant/)

> [In the movies, Bette Davis lights two cigarettes and hands the second one to James Cagney. It was just so glamorous and romantic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loni-anderson/in-the-movies-bette-davis-lights-two-cigarettes-and-hands-the-second/)

[Loni Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loni-anderson/)

> [John loved celebrity. We attended an American Film Institute dinner honoring James Cagney, and the room was filled with famous actors like Mae West,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-pang/john-loved-celebrity-we-attended-an-american-film-institute-dinner/)

[May Pang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-pang/)

> [Improv is a very big thing for me. The thing with actors is I do not understand at all how they do what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/improv-is-a-very-big-thing-for-me-the-thing-with-actors-is-i-do-not/)

[Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/)

> [I'm just like James Stewart, because I never studied to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/i-m-just-like-james-stewart-because-i-never-studied-to-be-an-actor/)

[Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/)

> [When I was younger, I wanted to be a cop. Then I watched 'The Wild Wild West,' and so I wanted to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-younger-i-wanted-to-be-a-cop-then-i-watched-the-wild-wild/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [I like James Franco. I think he's really cute. I remember a while ago there was a rumor going around that he was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-cosgrove/i-like-james-franco-i-think-he-s-really-cute-i-remember-a-while-ago/)

[Miranda Cosgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-cosgrove/)

> [It's like James Brown used to say... I don't know, but whatever I play it's got to be funky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jones/it-s-like-james-brown-used-to-say-i-don-t-know-but-whatever-i-play-it/)

[Curtis Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jones/)

> [“But he had always believed in fighting for the underdog, against the top dog. He had learned it, not from The Home, or The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/but-he-had-always-believed-in-fighting-for-the-underdog-against-the/)

[James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/)

> [I loved 'Cagney and Lacey;' they were absolutely awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-cox/i-loved-cagney-and-lacey-they-were-absolutely-awesome/)

[Sara Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-cox/)

## More by Milos Forman

> [When I came for the first time to the United States, visiting, I was absolutely fascinated by New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/when-i-came-for-the-first-time-to-the-united-states-visiting-i-was/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [I am absolutely against any violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-am-absolutely-against-any-violence/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [You think you can do anything, and then you slowly learn how wrong you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/you-think-you-can-do-anything-and-then-you-slowly-learn-how-wrong-you/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [You know what happened, you know, in 1938: France, England, you know, just sold out Czechoslovakia to Hitler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/you-know-what-happened-you-know-in-1938-france-england-you-know-just/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [First of all, to defend my work, I had to believe that I am doing a totally silly, stupid, innocent comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/first-of-all-to-defend-my-work-i-had-to-believe-that-i-am-doing-a/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [You know, 20 years... the films of television when it started, the literature, radio in communist countries, they're clean as a whistle; there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/you-know-20-years-the-films-of-television-when-it-started-the/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [For me, speaking is work. It's not like when you breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/for-me-speaking-is-work-it-s-not-like-when-you-breathe/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [So, thanks God, our films, our first films were suddenly being appreciated by the Western media; especially France was very good, and Switzerland was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/so-thanks-god-our-films-our-first-films-were-suddenly-being/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [I get out of the taxi and it's probably the only city which in reality looks better than on the postcards, New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-get-out-of-the-taxi-and-it-s-probably-the-only-city-which-in/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [I lived long enough in a society where freedom of speech was nonexistent, and I know what kind of misery that creates - starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-lived-long-enough-in-a-society-where-freedom-of-speech-was/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [Milan Kundera was my literature professor. He's a Francophile, so he made us read French novels like 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' which I made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/milan-kundera-was-my-literature-professor-he-s-a-francophile-so-he/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [Holocaust films will be made and should be made as long as we can't understand what makes people so cruel to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/holocaust-films-will-be-made-and-should-be-made-as-long-as-we-can-t/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [The worst evil is - and that's the product of censorship - is the self-censorship, because that twists spines, that destroys my character because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/the-worst-evil-is-and-that-s-the-product-of-censorship-is-the-self/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [Technically, you can learn everything on the set as an assistant director, and rather quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/technically-you-can-learn-everything-on-the-set-as-an-assistant/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

> [And also they were absolutely brilliant in one way, you know: they knew how effective is not to punish somebody who is guilty; what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/and-also-they-were-absolutely-brilliant-in-one-way-you-know-they-knew/)

[Milos Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

[Explore all 58 Milos Forman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/)

## More Fascinated quotes

> [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/)

[Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/)

> [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/)

[Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/)

> [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/)

[Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/)

> [I've always been fascinated by physics and cosmology. It gets more and more scary the older you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-physics-and-cosmology-it-gets-more-and/)

[John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/)

> [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/)

[Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/)

> [My personal interest in ordinary people is unlimited, but I am fascinated by the challenge of portraying true greatness adequately with my camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/my-personal-interest-in-ordinary-people-is-unlimited-but-i-am/)

[Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/)

> [ Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… \[The anthropologist\] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-an-intense-fascinated/)

[Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/)

> [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. It's a greater responsibility than most people give it credit for because you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/as-far-as-being-a-coach-it-s-always-fascinated-me-it-s-a-greater/)

[Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/)

> [I've always had a fascination with vampires. It's not that I'm exactly fascinated with the dark side. It's the human struggle with it. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-lee/i-ve-always-had-a-fascination-with-vampires-it-s-not-that-i-m-exactly/)

[Sheryl Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-lee/)

> [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/)

[Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/)

> [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/)

[Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/)

> [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/)

[James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/)

> [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/)

[John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/)

> [As I lounged in the Park, or strolled down Piccadilly, I used to look at everyone who passed me, and wonder, with mad curiosity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/as-i-lounged-in-the-park-or-strolled-down-piccadilly-i-used-to-look/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

Browse all 1,171 Fascinated quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much respect for anybody like James Cagney.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Milos Forman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-or-have-had-so-much-respect/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fascinated"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-or-have-had-so-much-respect/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/milos-forman-11744_fascinated_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-o_2451424.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't think I was ever as fascinated or have had so much respect for anybody like James Cagney.” — Milos Forman",
                "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": "Milos Forman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milos-forman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't think I was ever...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-or-have-had-so-much-respect/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milos-forman/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-as-fascinated-or-have-had-so-much-respect/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
