--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and…" description: "\"I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and I fail to see how someone who can't act can teach acting.\" — Paul Henreid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/paul-henreid-110949_act_i-never-felt-lee-strasberg-could-act-and_2418686.jpg" --- # I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and I fail to see… ![“I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and I fail to see how someone who can't act can teach acting.” quote by Paul Henreid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/paul-henreid-110949_act_i-never-felt-lee-strasberg-could-act-and_2418686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/paul-henreid-110949_act_i-never-felt-lee-strasberg-could-act-and_2418686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/paul-henreid-110949_act_i-never-felt-lee-strasberg-could-act-and_2418686.jpg) > “I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and I fail to see how someone who can't act can teach acting.” [Paul Henreid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henreid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts Lee Strasberg’s acting ability and questions how a non‑actor can teach acting. **In simple terms:** Questioning Strasberg’s credibility as teacher. Key Takeaway Seek evidence of teaching competence. Themes Acting Teaching Credibility Methodology Skepticism Mood skeptical inquisitive critical Type Act:0 Acting:1 Could:0 Fail:0 Felt:0 How:0 Lee:0 Never:0 See:0 Someone:0 Teach:1 Who:0 Act Fail:0 Fail Act:0 Lee Strasberg:1 Teach Acting:1 When to use this quote - Acting workshops - Drama school curricula - Masterclass evaluations Key Concepts Pedagogy Performance art Mentorship Questions to Reflect On - What makes a good acting teacher? - Can experience replace skill? A Different Perspective Personal bias may color judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) [Act Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-fail-588497/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) [Fail Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-act-588498/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lee/) [Lee Strasberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lee-strasberg-992837/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [Someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Teach Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-acting-1081510/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [“Act and fail, but don’t fail to act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/act-and-fail-but-don-t-fail-to-act/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [As I got older, I would study privately with some coaches. Then I found Lee Strasberg, which I loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniella-alonso/as-i-got-older-i-would-study-privately-with-some-coaches-then-i-found/) [Daniella Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniella-alonso/) > [Those who act will fail. Those who seize will lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/those-who-act-will-fail-those-who-seize-will-lose/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If we fail to act, we will end up with a different planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/if-we-fail-to-act-we-will-end-up-with-a-different-planet/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Evil prevails when good men fail to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/evil-prevails-when-good-men-fail-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do believe that if we fail to act in time, it will be the single biggest regret any of us has at the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-romm/do-believe-that-if-we-fail-to-act-in-time-it-will-be-the-single/) [Joseph J. Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-romm/) > [“If we know the good we ought to do, but fail to act, we sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-we-know-the-good-we-ought-to-do-but-fail-to-act-we-sin/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-williamson/to-talk-but-fail-to-act-risks-our-nation-being-seen-as-little-more/) [Gavin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-williamson/) > [If you see what is right and you fail to act on it; you lack courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-you-see-what-is-right-and-you-fail-to-act-on-it-you-lack-courage/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Lee Strasberg taught me different ways in which a scene can be approached so that it is perfect. Acting schools also open you up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shenaz-treasury/lee-strasberg-taught-me-different-ways-in-which-a-scene-can-be/) [Shenaz Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shenaz-treasury/) > [I started teaching when I was in my 20s because Lee Strasberg asked me to, and he didn't do that with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-started-teaching-when-i-was-in-my-20s-because-lee-strasberg-asked/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I left my career in Hollywood, moved back to New York, and went to Lee Strasberg and studied with him for the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-left-my-career-in-hollywood-moved-back-to-new-york-and-went-to-lee/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I trained as an actor with Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, and Harold Clurman, and those guys set a very high bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-trained-as-an-actor-with-lee-strasberg-elia-kazan-and-harold/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [There are people whose sense of reality is very strong, who have a sense of honesty. Lee Strasberg is like that, my grandfather was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/there-are-people-whose-sense-of-reality-is-very-strong-who-have-a/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I always think upon Lee Strasberg with warmth, and reviewing his wisdom is a pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-always-think-upon-lee-strasberg-with-warmth-and-reviewing-his/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) ## More by Paul Henreid > [I hate to think of the day when nobody remembers me as an actor and I can't get good tables in restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-henreid/i-hate-to-think-of-the-day-when-nobody-remembers-me-as-an-actor-and-i/) [Paul Henreid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henreid/) [Explore all 2 Paul Henreid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-henreid/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) [Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never felt Lee Strasberg could act, and I fail to see how someone who can't act can teach acting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Henreid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": 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