--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And my parents knew, because Barbara…" description: "\"“And my parents knew, because Barbara [Stanwyck] called their house a few times looking for me. I finally told them we were seeing each other, although..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png" --- # And my parents knew, because Barbara \[Stanwyck\] called… ![“And my parents knew, because Barbara [Stanwyck] called their house a few times looking for me. I finally told them we were seeing each other, although I didn't give them all the details. They met her once, at a party at Clifton Webb's house, and my mother was upset that I was in love with an older…” quote by Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png) > ““And my parents knew, because Barbara \[Stanwyck\] called their house a few times looking for me. I finally told them we were seeing each other, although I didn't give them all the details. They met her once, at a party at Clifton Webb's house, and my mother was upset that I was in love with an older woman. As for my father, as with most other events in my life, he was not in my corner. And I eventually told Spencer Tracy about it. All he said was, "Wonderful! Are you happy? If you're happy, that's all that matters.”” [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic love is judged by acceptance, not conformity; true happiness comes from being genuine and supportive. **In simple terms:** Love is about acceptance, not fitting expectations. Key Takeaway Seek authentic connections. Themes love family acceptance Mood warm thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - dating - family gatherings - career mentorship Key Concepts social expectations personal authenticity generational gaps Questions to Reflect On - How do you support loved ones who differ from norms? - What does “being in your corner” mean to you? A Different Perspective Societal norms can pressure conformity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbara-stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbara-stanwyck/) [Older woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/older-woman/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“Toward the end of her life a burglar broke into her house and pistol-whipped her. She was an elderly woman by then, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/toward-the-end-of-her-life-a-burglar-broke-into-her-house-and-pistol/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “As a person, \[Barbara Stanwyck\] was a great deal like the character she played in Ball of Fire, a stripper called Sugarpuss O'Shea. She… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/as-a-person-barbara-stanwyck-was-a-great-deal-like-the-character-she/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “In most respects, Barbara \[Stanwyck\] was a man's woman, although her home was lovely. Like me, she was an animal lover—she kept poodles. Her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/in-most-respects-barbara-stanwyck-was-a-man-s-woman-although-her-home/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Because I was so involved with Barbara \[Stanwyck\], I was off-limits for other women, which was something of a problem for the studio. They… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/because-i-was-so-involved-with-barbara-stanwyck-i-was-off-limits-for/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] was the first woman I ever loved.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-was-the-first-woman-i-ever-loved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“After the picture had been shooting for a couple of weeks, Jean had a party at his house on a Saturday night. I escorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/after-the-picture-had-been-shooting-for-a-couple-of-weeks-jean-had-a/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“As Titanic began production, there was an immediate chemistry between Barbara and myself—a lot of looks across the room. At this point Barbara Stanwyck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/as-titanic-began-production-there-was-an-immediate-chemistry-between/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Barbara Stanwyck and I began our relationship on Titanic, although we had actually met years before. For a time, my father had an eight-acre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-i-began-our-relationship-on-titanic-although-we/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“She had an old friend from the vaudeville days named Buck Mack who lived with her. Buck had been part of a vaudeville team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/she-had-an-old-friend-from-the-vaudeville-days-named-buck-mack-who/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I was in love with her. She was very loving, very caring, very involved with me, and highly sexed. Making love with her was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-was-in-love-with-her-she-was-very-loving-very-caring-very-involved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] and me in our only scene alone in Titanic. It wasn't much of a scene, but it sparked one of the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-me-in-our-only-scene-alone-in-titanic-it-wasn-t/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara \[Stanwyck\] had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/spending-time-around-her-house-i-came-across-a-cache-of-16mm-movies/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“After that, things happened very quickly. She gave me a key to her house, and I gave her a key to my apartment. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/after-that-things-happened-very-quickly-she-gave-me-a-key-to-her/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [I went to Europe with Spencer Tracy. What a thrill, working with John Ford when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-went-to-europe-with-spencer-tracy-what-a-thrill-working-with-john/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Looking is an important part of Stanwyck's acting: many performers have beautiful eyes (for example, Henry Fonda), or use their eyes expressively (most remarkably,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/looking-is-an-important-part-of-stanwyck-s-acting-many-performers/) Andrew Klevan ## More by Robert Wagner > [“That era provided a profusion of wonderful actors and actresses to admire—and not always the ones remembered by posterity. Take Joel McCrea, for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/that-era-provided-a-profusion-of-wonderful-actors-and-actresses-to/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Toward the end of her life a burglar broke into her house and pistol-whipped her. She was an elderly woman by then, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/toward-the-end-of-her-life-a-burglar-broke-into-her-house-and-pistol/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“...you can never use facts or logic to argue somebody out of a position that fantasy put them into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/you-can-never-use-facts-or-logic-to-argue-somebody-out-of-a-position/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [What impresses me is the young actors with terrific talent arriving on the scene. They'd have blown us all away in the old days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/what-impresses-me-is-the-young-actors-with-terrific-talent-arriving/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [It's sensational to be a part of a series that takes on a life of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/it-s-sensational-to-be-a-part-of-a-series-that-takes-on-a-life-of-its/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara \[Stanwyck\] had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/spending-time-around-her-house-i-came-across-a-cache-of-16mm-movies/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Grief mixed with shock is such a difficult state to be in; it's hard even to describe it. On the one hand, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/grief-mixed-with-shock-is-such-a-difficult-state-to-be-in-it-s-hard/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [Pets have more love and compassion in them than most humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/pets-have-more-love-and-compassion-in-them-than-most-humans/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [Jimmy Stewart was a very sincere, honest and straightforward man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/jimmy-stewart-was-a-very-sincere-honest-and-straightforward-man/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [I had lived a charmed life, and then I lost a beautiful woman I loved with all my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-had-lived-a-charmed-life-and-then-i-lost-a-beautiful-woman-i-loved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won't be too bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/a-dog-will-teach-you-unconditional-love-if-you-can-have-that-in-your/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [I liked working in a series, going to work every day and not having to leave town for long locations. I was producing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-liked-working-in-a-series-going-to-work-every-day-and-not-having-to/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [In the contract days, the big studios groomed us to play particular roles and we would stay with the image they gave us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/in-the-contract-days-the-big-studios-groomed-us-to-play-particular/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [Anytime anybody impersonates you, it's a great compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/anytime-anybody-impersonates-you-it-s-a-great-compliment/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] and me in our only scene alone in Titanic. It wasn't much of a scene, but it sparked one of the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-me-in-our-only-scene-alone-in-titanic-it-wasn-t/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) [Explore all 48 Robert Wagner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) ## More Barbara-stanwyck quotes > [“Toward the end of her life a burglar broke into her house and pistol-whipped her. She was an elderly woman by then, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/toward-the-end-of-her-life-a-burglar-broke-into-her-house-and-pistol/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara \[Stanwyck\] had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/spending-time-around-her-house-i-came-across-a-cache-of-16mm-movies/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Looking is an important part of Stanwyck's acting: many performers have beautiful eyes (for example, Henry Fonda), or use their eyes expressively (most remarkably,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/looking-is-an-important-part-of-stanwyck-s-acting-many-performers/) Andrew Klevan > [“Barbara and I had arrived early, so I got to admire everyone’s entrance. We were seated at tables around a dance floor that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/barbara-and-i-had-arrived-early-so-i-got-to-admire-everyone-s/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] and me in our only scene alone in Titanic. It wasn't much of a scene, but it sparked one of the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-me-in-our-only-scene-alone-in-titanic-it-wasn-t/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I was in love with her. She was very loving, very caring, very involved with me, and highly sexed. Making love with her was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-was-in-love-with-her-she-was-very-loving-very-caring-very-involved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“She had an old friend from the vaudeville days named Buck Mack who lived with her. Buck had been part of a vaudeville team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/she-had-an-old-friend-from-the-vaudeville-days-named-buck-mack-who/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Barbara Stanwyck and I began our relationship on Titanic, although we had actually met years before. For a time, my father had an eight-acre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-i-began-our-relationship-on-titanic-although-we/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“As Titanic began production, there was an immediate chemistry between Barbara and myself—a lot of looks across the room. At this point Barbara Stanwyck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/as-titanic-began-production-there-was-an-immediate-chemistry-between/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“With William Wyler off in the Army, the fact that the Goldwyn Studio flourished during the war years was an accomplishment for which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/with-william-wyler-off-in-the-army-the-fact-that-the-goldwyn-studio/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“Stanwyck was slim, and remained so over her career. Regardless of the obligations and pressures regarding size and shape for women in Hollywood, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/stanwyck-was-slim-and-remained-so-over-her-career-regardless-of-the/) Andrew Klevan > [“After the picture had been shooting for a couple of weeks, Jean had a party at his house on a Saturday night. I escorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/after-the-picture-had-been-shooting-for-a-couple-of-weeks-jean-had-a/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] was the first woman I ever loved.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-was-the-first-woman-i-ever-loved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I took Miss Stanwyck home and had a great time listening to her dish the party and everyone there. We went in for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/i-took-miss-stanwyck-home-and-had-a-great-time-listening-to-her-dish/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [ “Because I was so involved with Barbara \[Stanwyck\], I was off-limits for other women, which was something of a problem for the studio. They… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/because-i-was-so-involved-with-barbara-stanwyck-i-was-off-limits-for/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) [Browse all 20 Barbara-stanwyck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbara-stanwyck/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And my parents knew, because Barbara [Stanwyck] called their house a few times looking for me. I finally told them we were seeing each other, although I didn't give them all the details. They met her once, at a party at Clifton Webb's house, and my mother was upset that I was in love with an older woman. As for my father, as with most other events in my life, he was not in my corner. And I eventually told Spencer Tracy about it. All he said was, \"Wonderful! Are you happy? If you're happy, that's all that matters.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Wagner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stanwyck-called-their-house-a-few/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barbara-stanwyck" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stanwyck-called-their-house-a-few/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/robert-wagner-13959_barbara-stanwyck_and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stan_3156636.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And my parents knew, because Barbara [Stanwyck] called their house a few times looking for me. I finally…” — Robert Wagner", "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": "Robert Wagner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And my parents knew, because Barbara...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stanwyck-called-their-house-a-few/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/and-my-parents-knew-because-barbara-stanwyck-called-their-house-a-few/#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 } } ] } ```