February 3: Notable Births and Deaths, with Quotes

Let’s explore notable birth and death anniversaries for February 3.

Nathan Lane, actor and writer (February 3, 1956–present)

“I always felt that the place to really learn how to be an actor is in the theater.” —Nathan Lane
Wilstein, Matt. “Nathan Lane Wishes He’d Been ‘Brave’ Enough to Come Out to Oprah After ‘The Birdcage.’” Daily Beast, March 2, 2021, https://www.thedailybeast.com/nathan-lane-wishes-hed-been-brave-enough-to-come-out-to-oprah-after-the-birdcage.

“After ‘The Birdcage,’ I was offered two roles. I thought, for sure, wow, maybe some really good things might come from this. And then I was offered a film of ‘Mr. Magoo.’ And there was a lot of money. I mean, a lot of money that I turned down. And then the other job was ‘Mouse Hunt,’ which ended up being sort of this subversive Coen brothers movie for kids. And that was it. It wasn’t like there were a whole bunch of offers, not even offers to play other flamboyant gay men.” —Nathan Lane
Wilstein, Matt. “Nathan Lane Wishes He’d Been ‘Brave’ Enough to Come Out to Oprah After ‘The Birdcage.’” Daily Beast, March 2, 2021, https://www.thedailybeast.com/nathan-lane-wishes-hed-been-brave-enough-to-come-out-to-oprah-after-the-birdcage.

“I did make a joke to some magazine where they asked if I was gay and I said, ‘I’m 40, single and I work a lot in the musical theater, you do the math. What do you need, flashcards?’ I thought that it answered the question, but unfortunately not enough.” —Nathan Lane
Wilstein, Matt. “Nathan Lane Wishes He’d Been ‘Brave’ Enough to Come Out to Oprah After ‘The Birdcage.’” Daily Beast, March 2, 2021, https://www.thedailybeast.com/nathan-lane-wishes-hed-been-brave-enough-to-come-out-to-oprah-after-the-birdcage.

Fran Tarkenton, football player (February 3, 1940–present)

“You look at your great players, they have to be leaders in the clubhouse and off the field. They don’t have to be churchgoers. But they have to have character.” —Fran Tarkenton
Fitzgerald, Matt. “Fran Tarkenton Compares Himself to Johnny Manziel in Recent Interview.” Bleacher Report, March 11, 2014, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1989439-fran-tarkenton-compares-himself-to-johnny-manziel-in-recent-interview.

“I started seeing more of my teammates. … demented and that are living half a life, don’t know where they are. They’re in institutions and forgotten. And I see these bright, young kids out there, playing their hearts out, and it’s euphoric and they’re making huge money and, bam, I see a hit and I say, ‘Oh, God.’ And we’re in denial, absolute denial.” —Fran Tarkenton
Peter, Josh. “Fran Tarkenton speaks his mind on doping, anthem protests and Tom Brady.” USA Today, January 29, 2018, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/01/29/fran-tarkenton-speaks-his-mind-doping-anthem-protests-and-tom-brady/1074005001/.

“All the geniuses and draft gurus who think they know everything about football know nothing about quarterbacks.” —Fran Tarkenton
Peter, Josh. “Fran Tarkenton speaks his mind on doping, anthem protests and Tom Brady.” USA Today, January 29, 2018, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/01/29/fran-tarkenton-speaks-his-mind-doping-anthem-protests-and-tom-brady/1074005001/.

Buddy Holly, musician (September 7, 1936–February 3, 1959)

“We’ve always made it a point to more or less not like jazz, actually. It’s kinda been in conjunction with rock and roll in one way and then it’s kind of against it in a way.” —Buddy Holly
Brown, Charlie. “Buddy Holly backstage interview 1958.” YouTube, June 26, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DJjzSwjzo.

“It feels good to play to an audience that’s watching instead of an audience that’s either interested in something else, like in nightclubs, there’s a lot going on and sometimes they’re interested in something besides the act onstage. And then in your dances, well, they’re more interested in their dancing, of course.” —Buddy Holly
Brown, Charlie. “Buddy Holly backstage interview 1958.” YouTube, June 26, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DJjzSwjzo.

Woodrow Wilson, former U.S. president (December 28, 1856–February 3, 1924)

“We entered this war because violations of right had occurred which touched us to the quick and made the life of our own people impossible unless they were corrected and the world secured once for all against their recurrence.” —Woodrow Wilson
Wilson, Woodrow. “January 8, 1918: Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points.’” UVA, Miller Center, January 8, 1918, https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-8-1918-wilsons-fourteen-points.

“A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.” —Woodrow Wilson
Wilson, Woodrow. “January 8, 1918: Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points.’” UVA, Miller Center, January 8, 1918, https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-8-1918-wilsons-fourteen-points.

*

Enjoy daily quotes and inspiration wherever you are! Download our Brilliant Quotes app for Apple or Android. Browse by author or category, read our quote of the day, vote for your favorite quotes, and share inspirational quotes on social media.