Esther Williams quotes

Esther Williams was an American actress and competitive swimmer, renowned for her roles in Hollywood "aqua musicals." Her performances combined swimming, dancing, and acting, captivating audiences with synchronized water ballet. She became a pop culture icon and inspired generations with her talent and athleticism. Here are 39 of her quotes:

What the public expects and what is healthy for an individual are two very different things. (Esther Williams)
Somehow I kept my head above water. I relied on the discipline, character, and strength that I had started to develop as that little girl in her first swimming pool. View quote
Esther Williams
Clark Gable was the first to have called me a mermaid. View quote
Esther Williams
Traveling to swimming meets took me beyond my small-town existence, gave me a hint of the exciting world outside of my own home. View quote
Esther Williams
It appeared as if I had invited the audience into the water with me, and it conveyed the sensation that being in there was absolutely delicious. View quote
Esther Williams
The wisdom acquired with the passage of time is a useless gift unless you share it. View quote
Esther Williams
My training in Science of Mind had begun with my mother. She took me to a different church every Sunday, and she encouraged me to question the minister afterward. View quote
Esther Williams
Even though I had a lucrative contract with MGM, I had a husband who was drinking and gambling our money away faster than I could make it. View quote
Esther Williams
I always felt that if I made a movie, it would be one movie; I didn't see how they could make 26 swimming movies. View quote
Esther Williams
I always took it for granted that there would be life after Hollywood. View quote
Esther Williams
I was all in gold sequins for Million Dollar Mermaid, 50 feet in the air. (Esther Williams)
I remember when I first walked into Mayer's cavernous office. You had to walk 50 yards to get to him, and in that time he could really study everything about you. View quote
Esther Williams
I ended up buying a restaurant. Already we had invested in a gas station and a metal products plant. View quote
Esther Williams
I took a job at the pool in order to earn the five cents a day it cost to swim. I counted wet towels. As a bonus, I was allowed to swim during lunchtime. View quote
Esther Williams
Life magazine ran a page featuring me and three other girls that was clearly the precursor of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. View quote
Esther Williams
I never walked the streets of New York hoping to be a musical comedy star. For one thing, they would have thought I was too tall, because l was five feet eight and a half, and they were all little bitty things running around in the studio at that time. View quote
Esther Williams
I was 15, and the years of hard swimming had packed muscle on my frame and made me very strong. Not as strong as a football player, but strong enough to inflict heavy damage. View quote
Esther Williams
By the time I got home at night, my eyes were so chlorinated I saw rings around every light. View quote
Esther Williams
The newspapers loved pinup pictures of pretty young swimmers, and as a national champion, I got more than my share of space in the sports pages. View quote
Esther Williams
Three events. Three gold medals. I was news, big news, in the sports world. View quote
Esther Williams
Howard Hughes himself was a regular at the restaurant, and in a way it became his headquarters, too. Howard had recently relocated to Las Vegas, so when he wanted to do business in Los Angeles, he went into the back of our restaurant to use the telephone. (Esther Williams)
Victor Mature was a big man; he had a great swagger. I liked him and I knew we'd be good together on screen. View quote
Esther Williams
I gave my eardrums to MGM. And it's true: I really did. View quote
Esther Williams
Everything about my teenage life was almost ideal. View quote
Esther Williams
When you're out of sight for as long as I was, there's a funny feeling of betrayal that comes over people when they see you again. View quote
Esther Williams

Esther Williams

Esther Williams - Image
Photo: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0
Occupation: American Actress
Born: August 8, 1921
Died: June 6, 2013
Quotes count: 39

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