August 23: Notable Births, with Quotes
Explore memorable and revealing quotes from public figures, past and present, who were born on August 23.
Kobe Bryant, basketball player (August 23, 1978–January 26, 2020)
“I love telling stories. I love inspiring kids or providing them with tools that are going to help them.” —Kobe Bryant
Medina, Mark. “Final interview with Kobe Bryant offered window into NBA legend’s motivation to be memorable.” USA Today, January 27, 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/columnist/mark-medina/2020/01/27/kobe-bryants-final-interview-window-into-what-coming-next/4586327002/
“You should be happy for the person that comes after you to be able to surpass things that you’ve done. It’s kind of juvenile to think or to behave any other way.” —Kobe Bryant
Medina, Mark. “Highlights of Kobe Bryant’s final sit-down interview, with USA TODAY Sports.” USA Today, January 29, 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2020/01/29/kobe-bryant-highlights-final-sit-down-interview-before-death/4604373002/
Shelley Long, actor (August 23, 1949–present)
“There just aren’t a lot of roles in general, roles for someone more specific to my age. I’m kind of in the middle, I don’t exactly look like a grandmother, but I don’t look like a leading lady in the more traditional sense.” —Shelley Long
Rothman, Michael. “Shelley Long talks new film, reflects back on ‘Cheers’ 35 years later.” ABC News, September 30, 2017, https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/shelley-long-talks-film-reflects-back-cheers-35/story?id=50185076
“I don’t think anybody on the ‘Cheers’ cast would want to do that again. We were blessed enough to have each other and to have those writers, and Jimmy Burrows, who produced and directed.” —Shelley Long
Rothman, Michael. “Shelley Long talks new film, reflects back on ‘Cheers’ 35 years later.” ABC News, September 30, 2017, https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/shelley-long-talks-film-reflects-back-cheers-35/story?id=50185076
Rick Springfield, singer and actor (August 23, 1949–present)
“One of my favorite phrases was ‘Dammit, I just know it,’ and it ended up in ‘Jessie’s Girl.’ It was a very, very, very personal record. I felt free writing it, which is one of the reasons why it worked.” —Rick Springfield
Newman, Melinda. “Rick Springfield on Creating ‘Working Class Dog’ 40 Years Ago: ‘It Was a Lot of Lust.’” Billboard, February 24, 2021, https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/rick-springfield-working-class-dog-interview-9530567/
“This part for ‘General Hospital’ came up, and I only took it because I needed the money. I didn’t think it was any kind of career move… I thought, ‘Nobody watches these shows except blue-haired old ladies ironing.’ But it just happened to become the popular TV show among college kids that summer. It was serendipitous.” —Rick Springfield
Newman, Melinda. “Rick Springfield on Creating ‘Working Class Dog’ 40 Years Ago: ‘It Was a Lot of Lust.’” Billboard, February 24, 2021, https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/rick-springfield-working-class-dog-interview-9530567/
Gene Kelly, actor and dancer (August 23, 1912–February 2, 1996)
“In the 1930s there was this tendency in Hollywood to portray everyone as rich. Even if they were doing a poor man’s dance, they were all so nicely clothed, gowned, coiffured. That’s why I decided to wear white socks, loafers, T-shirts, and blue jeans.” —Gene Kelly
Rochlin, Margy and Lieb, Lauren. “New Again: Gene Kelly.” Interview, June 26, 2013, https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-gene-kelly
“I studied dancing from the time I was a kid, but I was pushed into it by my mother. My brothers and I had to fight our way to and from dancing school.” —Gene Kelly
Rochlin, Margy and Lieb, Lauren. “New Again: Gene Kelly.” Interview, June 26, 2013, https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-gene-kelly
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