- Acting is my first love.
- [in 2004, on her Gilligan's Island (1964) co-star Tina Louise] I saw Tina recently and she is so thin! I mean, I give her credit for staying in shape, but the woman needs to eat some lunch!
- Just because a woman is over 50 does not mean she no longer has anything to offer. If anything, we have so much more to offer! We have lived life, we get better with age. I do my best work now in my 60s. Sure, I could retire; but what would I do? Play Bingo? I think not!
- Mary Ann has been such a big part of my life these past 40 years, it's really impossible to get away from it. But why would I want to? Everywhere in the world that I go, I am greeted with love. Some kids who watched the show back then are still watching, but with their grandchildren now. That is a really wonderful thing! As an actress, I have succeeded, I created a character that meant something to some people and it has lasted. So I refuse to ignore it and run away from it.
- The industry has changed somewhat over the years. I think the opportunity of being who you are is a little easier. You don't have to fit into the mold of the beautiful sexpot or the beautiful leading lady. Your essence of your personality is more of a key.
- I hate to admit that because it brings false hopes to the poor kids thinking of going into the business, but I came here [Los Angeles] and got an agent within six weeks and got my first job within six weeks.
- It bothers me at times when people say, "Oh, her career went nowhere after Gilligan's Island (1964)." In actual fact, doing more film and TV was not my interest. My theater career has flourished and I cherish that. As an actor, I have always believed theater is the true art form. I have played in nearly 100 productions in my career, with roles ranging from Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" to doing "Menopause: The Musical". In film or TV, I would never have been given the opportunity to play such a range of characters.
- [on her supposed arrest for marijuana possession in 2007] I think it is so hysterical that people went nuts over it. I am what, now, 102 years old? I get booked for the first time in my life and suddenly I am a drug-using bum? I have told people the facts, but facts don't interest people or the media. They only trust headlines. The only reason I even cared was because it negatively affected my film festival and film school and my sponsors were concerned. If I did not own a not-for-profit school, I would be on Saturday Night Live (1975) making fun of it!
- [on "The Vagina Monologues"] I wrote the producers and said I'd like to do it. And they said "Are you out of your mind? Mary Ann?".
- [on the death of Jim Backus in 1989] We got letters like it was my family. Flowers were sent to our house.
- I don't think you as an actor would accept a job on a series hoping it will be a failure. If you accept that role, you accept the responsibility.
- I have been a working actress for nearly 50 years. In those 50 years, my only source of income has been from my acting career. Not many actors can say that! I feel very lucky that I have been able to earn a very comfortable living my entire adult life from this work that I love so much. But what I tell younger actors all the time is that you have to think of yourself as a brand. Much of the money that I make has been from being a spokeswoman. I have made millions of dollars by doing commercials, endorsing products and producing. If you want to be wealthy in this business, you have to do more than Shakespeare!
- [about her relationship with Alan Hale Jr.] [He] embodied the teddy-bearish Skipper, was a wonderful man. I never saw him angry.
- [in 2008] I think my biggest regret is that I didn't have children-it wasn't intentional. I think that life goes on. I don't know what's going on after me. I know my cat loves me.
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