Edward G. Robinson, portion of never-delivered acceptance speech—addressed to prospective presenter Olivier—for what eventually proved to be Robinson's posthumously awarded Honorary Oscar; All My Yesterdays: An Autobiography (1973), by Edward G. Robinson, p. 283
“

I'm breaking all the rules, but I have to say you have been my idol. I admit being jealous of an actor. How I would like to have been what you are. How I wish my career had approximated yours. You have never deserted or failed to serve our profession. Sir, to be presented an award by you gives me infinite pride. You, being a Lord, have raised me to a slightly higher position. I don't feel that I'm quite such a commoner. But, more important, I'm Eddie and you're Larry. And how much easier that is.

— Edward G. Robinson on Laurence Olivier

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I'm breaking all the rules, but I have to say you have been my idol. I admit being jealous of an actor. How I would like to have been what you are. How I wish my career had approximated yours. You have never deserted or failed to serve our profession. Sir, to be presented an award by you gives me infinite pride. You, being a Lord, have raised me to a slightly higher position. I don't feel that I'm quite such a commoner. But, more important, I'm Eddie and you're Larry. And how much easier that is." in the context of "Edward G. Robinson, portion of never-delivered acceptance speech—addressed to prospective presenter Olivier—for what eventually proved to be Robinson's posthumously awarded Honorary Oscar; All My Yesterdays: An Autobiography (1973), by Edward G. Robinson, p. 283" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Laurence Olivier" (Quotes about Olivier: In alphabetical order by author or source.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Edward G. Robinson

About Edward G. Robinson

Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893 — January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-born American actor. A star of stage and screen during "Hollywood's Golden Age", he appeared in 40 Broadway plays and more than 100 films during a 50-year career. He is best remembered for his tough-guy roles as a gangster, such as his star-making film Little Caesar and Key Largo.