Alan Thicke Quotes

Powerful Alan Thicke for Daily Growth

About Alan Thicke

Alan William Thicke, renowned Canadian-American actor, songwriter, and game show host, was born on December 1, 1947, in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. Growing up as the middle of three sons, he developed a love for entertainment early, often entertaining his family with improvised comedy routines and piano performances. Thicke moved to the United States at age 13 to pursue his dream. He attended the University of Western Ontario before transferring to California's Goodman School of Drama. There, he honed his acting skills while also writing for various television shows. In 1978, Thicke gained widespread recognition as the creator and host of "The Alan Thicke Show," a popular game show that ran for over two decades. However, it was his work on the sitcom "Growing Pains" (1985-1992) that cemented his fame. As the family patriarch, he played Jason Seaver, a role that earned him six Golden Globe nominations and solidified his position as a television icon. Thicke's influence extended beyond acting. He co-wrote numerous theme songs for shows like "The Facts of Life" and "Diff'rent Strokes." In music, he collaborated with his son, the late singer-songwriter Alan Thicke Jr., known professionally as Robin Thicke. Throughout his life, Thicke demonstrated a unique ability to adapt and thrive in various facets of the entertainment industry. His legacy continues to inspire, with fans remembering him for his wit, charm, and unforgettable performances. Alan Thicke passed away on December 13, 2016, but his impact on television and music remains significant.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Discipline is the refining fire by which talent and ability may be transformed into success and victory."

This quote by Alan Thicke emphasizes the importance of discipline in realizing one's potential. Discipline serves as a transformative process that can convert raw talent or ability into tangible achievements. Success and victory are the outcomes when talent is cultivated consistently through discipline, patience, and hard work. Essentially, Alan Thicke suggests that while talent may open doors, it's discipline that allows one to walk through them and attain success.


"The secret of a good marriage: never go to bed angry."

Alan Thicke's quote, "The secret of a good marriage: never go to bed angry," suggests that harboring unresolved conflicts or resentments before sleep can negatively impact the emotional well-being of both partners in a marriage. It encourages couples to communicate openly, express their feelings, and seek resolution in order to maintain a harmonious relationship. This statement underscores the importance of understanding, empathy, and mutual respect in a long-lasting union.


"One of the greatest challenges in life is to find somebody who will love you for what you are instead of wanting to change you into what they would like you to be."

Alan Thicke's quote emphasizes the value of finding a partner who accepts us as we are, rather than seeking to transform us into someone who aligns with their own desires or ideals. It highlights the struggle many people experience in navigating relationships where one party seeks change instead of appreciating and loving the authentic self of the other. Embracing individuality and fostering mutual growth and understanding are key aspects of a successful and fulfilling partnership.


"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You'll both get dirty, but the pig likes it."

This quote suggests that engaging in pointless arguments or conflicts with people who are argumentative by nature, or not open to reason, is often futile and only serves to waste one's own time and energy while they enjoy the disagreement. It's a metaphorical way of saying that it's best to avoid such confrontations as they're likely to end in a mess with little or no benefit for the person trying to reason.


"The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing."

This quote emphasizes the importance of action, particularly when it comes to making decisions or dealing with situations in life. It suggests that doing something, even if it's not perfect (the "wrong" thing), is better than taking no action at all ("nothing"). The ideal scenario is to do what's right, but sometimes we may find ourselves faced with difficult choices where the best course of action isn't always clear. In such cases, making a decision and taking an action, even if it's not perfect, can still lead to progress and learning opportunities. On the other hand, inaction often leads to stagnation and regret.


As a father, my first priority is to help my sons set and attain personal goals so they will develop self-confidence and individual strength. Engaging in regular fitness activities with my children helps me fulfill those responsibilities.

- Alan Thicke

Strength, Personal Goals, Engaging

If it is a first offense, you ground them and have a talk. The second offense would call for counseling.

- Alan Thicke

Call, Offense, Would, Counseling

In 'The Goods,' I'm Ed Helms' dad, and I was known all those years as Kirk Cameron's father, and now I'm known as Robin Thicke's father, so I find myself playing myself a lot and, frankly, living up to expectations of what the public's image of me is.

- Alan Thicke

Father, Dad, Goods, Kirk

Family involvement is a valuable thing and playing together actively can be the '90s version of it. Instead of just watching, you can do it together... something we don't spend enough time on. We can motivate and excite each other about fitness.

- Alan Thicke

Parenting, Other, About, Excite

I have few other characters to relate to other than myself. I have enough of a body of work now that the paternal side of Alan Thicke gets a lot of play. I do get a lot of calls to play dads.

- Alan Thicke

Play, Other, Side, Dads

If one tends to be a humorous person and you have a sense of humor the rest of your life then you can certainly lighten the load, I think, by bringing that to your trials and tribulations. It's easy to have a sense of humor when everything is going well.

- Alan Thicke

I Think, Your, Tribulations, Trials

And introduce an element of cynicism and darkness into it and just realize that we're all vulnerable. We are humans. There is a finite end to this life and we're all going to face it and a little silliness can help.

- Alan Thicke

Cynicism, Going, Finite, Introduce

My kids are all pretty big and tough and strong, and I don't worry about them being bullied - the reverse, be kind to people and don't ever be a bully yourself, and I think they've followed that.

- Alan Thicke

Strong, Big, I Think, Bully

So there was a constant flow and a thin line there between reality and television and yes, much of what I was experiencing in my real life was also what was going on in the television show to the extent that I had to take writers' advice and from the counselors around.

- Alan Thicke

Line, Constant, Extent, Counselors

So we had psychiatrists and counselors and therapists around the set regularly, especially for those scenes in which Jason would be dealing with a patient to make sure we were doing it all appropriately.

- Alan Thicke

Doing, Set, Which, Counselors

About 100 things that your kid will do that will surprise you and break your heart and it will be a combination of fact based therapy, medically advised kinds of passages accompanied by celebrity anecdotes and just some funny stuff to lighten the load.

- Alan Thicke

Celebrity, Fact, Some, Medically

Part of the mystique of shows like 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' is the idea that they begin with a couple of plot lines, and then a bunch of geniuses improvise dialogue. It's not quite that unstructured and loose. It makes for a good urban myth, but everything's a little more tightly scripted and programmed than that.

- Alan Thicke

Idea, Couple, Mystique, Tightly

I was discovered, or mentored, by Norman Lear, who plucked me from the grinder of relative obscurity.

- Alan Thicke

Discovered, Plucked, Grinder, Obscurity

I'm a big proponent of having a mental health component go along with whatever the physical realities are.

- Alan Thicke

Big, Go, Having, Proponent

I'm not doing anything Jack Nicholson turned down. Any part that required a character distanced from myself would have been a reach. But the one thing I've always done well at, and I'm most devoted to, is my children.

- Alan Thicke

Doing, Been, Turned, Jack

There is no doubt in my mind Bill Cosby was a bad boy.

- Alan Thicke

Mind, Bad, Bad Boy, Cosby

The way I was parented did affect my parenting - probably in the reverse. My dad was pretty strict, and the next generation probably wants to be less strict.

- Alan Thicke

Generation, Next, Pretty, Strict

In terms of social media, I try to have my voice heard loudly in the cacophony of other influences whether from television and the Internet or social media... I want my voice to be heard in terms of the standards and values that I try to pass on to my kids.

- Alan Thicke

Voice, Other, Loudly, Social Media

We look for opportunities to play together including basketball, tennis, swimming, riding bikes and touch football. I try to provide a loving environment where we can play. I think that's good on so many levels - emotionally, for family interactions and, of course, physically.

- Alan Thicke

Play, I Think, Many Levels, Levels

The two things I hear wherever I go, literally walking down the street, through airports, or in restaurants - it is either 'You raised me,' or 'Fellow Canadian.' Not even a paraphrase - those are the exact remarks.

- Alan Thicke

Two, Through, Paraphrase, Wherever

There are psychological repercussions to illness and we need a little more help to get through the effects not only on the afflicted but on the family. And I think there's even a place for humor in that.

- Alan Thicke

Think, Through, I Think, Illness

I wouldn't call myself a standup in the presence of Jerry Seinfeld or Chris Rock, but I do my share of it and it has been and remains part of my activity and I like it.

- Alan Thicke

Activity, Like, Been, Presence

My priority is to turn people - especially kids - on to sports and being active so they don't even have to think about it being good for their health. If people participate for the fun of it, and believe me - it is fun, then fitness programs will be much more successful.

- Alan Thicke

Believe, Turn, About, Priority

People talk about, 'Well, why don't they bring 'Growing Pains' back?' No, it belongs in the time capsule exactly where it was. It would probably look corny and dated if they tried to redo that. But I think, for its time, it was meaningful.

- Alan Thicke

Bring, I Think, About, Dated

I've always felt that improv looks and feels more clever when you're there to experience it live than when you have the degree of separation that television creates. Television raises expectations.

- Alan Thicke

More, Always, Feels, Raises

If I could have grown up to be Robin Thicke, I would have. But I'm glad somebody in the family did.

- Alan Thicke

Could, Somebody, Robin, If I Could

My advice to Robin is listen to your heart, do what you feel. Follow your heart in love and marriage as you would in careers, and you'll be fine. Robin has a great heart. He's a fabulous father.

- Alan Thicke

Love, Follow Your Heart, Fabulous

I have some realistic humility which comes from my first career as a writer. I wrote for other people for ten years. I saw some incredible egos not based on any reality. They were great when they were on top and awful when they weren't. I learned a lot about how to treat people.

- Alan Thicke

Career, Some, Other, Egos

I'll be on my third honeymoon, so I'm more of an authority than I care to be.

- Alan Thicke

More, Authority, Third, I Care

I'm not able to go in with an act that I use month to month year to year all the time. It's constantly evolving and changing and that keeps me on my toes but certainly adds to the challenge.

- Alan Thicke

Year, Use, Certainly, Keeps

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