Michael Caine - Nobody's Fool

February 5, 2008 7:53 PM

Help me track down this Michael Caine quote about sexual tactics and high school theater.

I'm convinced I recall seeing Michael Caine on some program talking about his early days, and he told a little story about how, when he was in whatever passes for High School in the UK, the other guys used to tease him about being queer because he was in the theater group while they all played manly sports out on the field.

And he tags it with a quote that goes vaguely like, "Well I was nobody's fool. They were a bunch of sweaty guys all tackling each other and taking showers together and slapping each other on the butt, and I was on the stage kissing girls."

Anybody else remember this, just so I know I'm not making it up? More to the point, can anyone point me to the correct quote in print or YouTube or whatever? I'd like to pass it along to someone who I think will find it useful.

posted by Naberius to society & culture (5 comments total)

In this Daily Mail interview he makes the following quote:

I only became an actor to meet girls. At a youth club once I was playing basketball in the gym with the boys when I noticed all the pretty girls were in the amateur dramatics society. I thought, "What the hell am I doing here?" So I joined the society – and then all the blokes snubbed me because they thought I was gay.

posted by jedicus at 8:35 PM on February 5, 2008

I read his autobiography, What's it All About?, some years ago, and that anecdote sounds familiar. It looks like it's gone out of print, but you might check your local library for it. Lots of stories of his youth and early days as an actor in there.
posted by mumkin at 8:49 PM on February 5, 2008

jedicus's quote is clearly the same story, just with different language. I gather it's one of those tales that comes up in interviews a lot. I'll have to check out What's it All About? Thanks!
posted by Naberius at 8:56 PM on February 5, 2008

I remember hearing that too (and with that exact last line). Perhaps David Letterman, 5-10 years ago? I can't find it online, though.

He has told variations of the story over the years:

Q: How did you decide to go into acting?

MC: I became an actor in order to kiss a girl named Amy Hood when I was 14. Most actors you find became actors in order to meet attractive people of some sex or another. Mine was girls. I was in a youth club and on the basketball team, as I was always very tall for my age. Amy was in the dramatic society. All the guys were so butch, we thought it would be sissy to join the drama society with all that kissing. But all the prettiest girls were in drama because they all thought they were going to become actresses and movie stars. Young girls like that. I was lurking at a door, watching Amy through a round window. I did not know it was a swinging door and it fell in and I came stumbling in the room and the woman in charge said, "Oh good, we need men!" I was so nervous and could not say, "I was only looking in and was on my way to play basketball." And then I saw Amy standing there. And I thought, "If I get in a love story, I'll get to kiss her." I was a dirty little sod. -- Reel.com

MC: I only came into this business to meet pretty girls anyway. I first joined the amateur dramatic society because of a girl. I was only 12 and I just wanted to kiss her. But I never did, they kept making me the policeman instead of the romantic lead... -- Sunday Mirror

There are more on Google News Archive if you search for "michael.caine youth.club girls".
posted by dhartung at 10:25 PM on February 5, 2008

Yeah, the boys club angle may be why I was having trouble finding any of these. I assumed it was in school. Thanks for the help everyone!
posted by Naberius at 11:08 PM on February 5, 2008