Rick Moranis Quotes

Powerful Rick Moranis for Daily Growth

About Rick Moranis

Rick Moranis, born Frederick Henry Mark Moranis on April 18, 1953, in Toronto, Canada, is a renowned Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and musician, best known for his work in films such as "Ghostbusters," "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," and "Spaceballs." Moranis started his career in comedy with the Toronto-based improvisational troupe Second City. His success there led to a spot on the Canadian television sketch comedy series 'SCTV,' where he honed his comedic skills alongside fellow actors such as John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Dave Thomas. In 1981, Moranis transitioned to Hollywood, landing roles in films like "Meatballs" and "Strange Brew." However, it was his portrayal of Louis Tully, the possessed apartment tenant, in the 1984 film "Ghostbusters," that catapulted him to international fame. Moranis found further success with his role as Dr. Wayne Szalinski in the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" franchise (1989-1997), and as Dark Helmet in Mel Brooks' "Spaceballs" (1987). His roles were characterized by their lovable yet bumbling nature, often playing characters with a strong sense of nerdy awkwardness. In the late 1990s, Moranis decided to take a break from acting to focus on family life following the death of his wife, who passed away from breast cancer in 1991. Since then, he has made occasional appearances in films and television shows, including a cameo in the 2016 film "Ghostbusters." Despite his semi-retirement from acting, Rick Moranis remains an icon of '80s and '90s comedy, leaving a lasting impact on the world of film and entertainment. His work continues to inspire comedians today and is fondly remembered by fans worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." - Dark Helmet, Spaceballs

This quote humorously represents an ambivalence towards superstition. The character, Dark Helmet, claims he is not superstitious, yet uses the word "stitious," which seems to be a play on words combining "superstitious" and "suspicious." It suggests that while he may not fully believe in superstitions, he acknowledges they exist and might have some underlying doubt or suspicion about them. This quote is often used to describe someone who has a casual, almost mocking attitude towards superstition, but still acknowledges its presence.


"My mother always said, 'Life is a gift,' and I can't help but agree with her." - Dr. Louis Levey, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

This quote underscores the sentiment that life is a precious and valuable gift, bestowed upon us without our control or earning. Dr. Louis Levey, a character played by Rick Moranis in the movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", echoes his mother's words to convey a deep appreciation for the fact that he has been given life, which he cannot help but agree with. This viewpoint encourages us to cherish and make the most of every moment in our lives, recognizing it as a privilege rather than an entitlement.


"I was so busy trying to make my kids' lives better that I forgot to live my own life." - Wayne Szalinski, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid

The quote by Rick Moranis as Wayne Szalinski in "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" encapsulates the struggle many parents face: prioritizing their children's needs and happiness over their own. This often stems from a deep love and desire to provide the best for one's offspring, yet it can lead to neglecting personal aspirations and fulfillment. The character, by inadvertently enlarging his son, mirrors his life experience - expansion beyond personal control in pursuit of bettering his children's lives, forgetting to live his own. The quote serves as a reminder for parents to strive for balance between nurturing their family and cultivating their own personal growth and happiness.


"There are stars in the sky, and there are those who look up at them and wonder what they mean. Some dream of space, others dream of love." - Spaceballs

This quote by Rick Moranis from "Spaceballs" encourages us to appreciate the wonders of the universe and the mysteries it holds, while also emphasizing the importance of human emotions like love. It suggests that some people are inspired by the cosmos to explore its secrets (space), while others find their inspiration in the pursuit of deeper connections with other beings (love). Ultimately, it invites us to look up at life's mysteries and let our dreams guide us.


"I'm not a scientist, but I play one on TV." - Dr. Wayne Szalinski, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

This quote emphasizes the distinction between real-life expertise and the portrayal of an expert in fiction. Dr. Wayne Szalinski, played by Rick Moranis, is a fictional scientist on TV, meaning his character may possess skills or knowledge that are not necessarily reflective of the actor's personal abilities. It implies that, while he isn't actually a real-life scientist, he convincingly portrays one in his role as a scientist on TV.


Canada Day comes and goes modestly every year. Sure, there are retail sales promotions and a long weekend. But there isn't bluster or commodity in Canadian celebration. Canada isn't big on bunting. Or jet flyovers, fireworks, marching bands or military pomp.

- Rick Moranis

Big, Weekend, Year, Commodity

I think that I recall the nostalgic '50s: the start of early television and rock-and-roll, and I think everything seemed to get very generic. Not much has changed.

- Rick Moranis

Think, I Think, Very, Rock-And-Roll

The only type of music I don't like is Dixieland jazz. It's just a little too happy and noisy for me. I like intervals and spaces in my music. There's just something about Dixieland.

- Rick Moranis

Happy, Jazz, Like, Noisy

By the time I got to the point where I was 'starring' in movies, and I had executives telling me what lines to say, that wasn't for me. I'm really not an actor. I'm a guy who comes out of comedy, and my impetus was always to rewrite the line to make it funnier, not to try to make somebody's precious words work.

- Rick Moranis

Line, Telling, By The Time, Rewrite

Until 1982, Canada Day was known as Dominion Day. I always thought that had more of a ring to it. Beyond the zippy alliteration, it reminded us citizens that our domain of orderly domesticity was graced by the dominant power of our 'Dominus.'

- Rick Moranis

Thought, Ring, Dominion, Orderly

I think Alison Krauss and her band are the best today. The same goes for Rick Skaggs and his band.

- Rick Moranis

Think, Goes, I Think, Rick

There's a long tradition - certainly with country, but in all kinds of genres of music - to have humorous lyrics. Certainly with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and, if you look at country, Roger Miller and Jim Stafford.

- Rick Moranis

Country, Frank, Certainly, None

There's a gray area between Conservative and Orthodox people, for whom you don't screw around with the mezuzah, you don't mess with the holy melodies.

- Rick Moranis

Conservative, Melodies, Area, Screw

Like all teenagers in the early '60s, I put down my hockey stick when the Beatles got big and picked up a guitar. We all thought we'd be rock stars. Then I got into comedy, but I'd always find a way to use my guitar, such as writing songs and doing musical parodies.

- Rick Moranis

Thought, Doing, Big, Rock Stars

This whole blogging stuff has been bugging me for years. Talk about no filter on things. People feel free to do and say whatever they want with no vetting, with no editing, with nothing.

- Rick Moranis

Want, Been, Blogging, Filter

I have forty-six cookbooks. I have sixty-eight takeout menus from four restaurants. I have one hundred and sixteen soy sauce packets. I have three hundred and eighty-two dishes, bowls, cups, saucers, mugs and glasses. I eat over the sink. I have five sinks, two with a view.

- Rick Moranis

Sauce, Bowls, Hundred, Mugs

There's a song called 'Live Blogging the Himmel Family Bris.' I kind of went for it here in terms of - it was really fun to be explaining ritual circumcision in Nashville - a lot of brises are done in hospitals, but many are done in people's homes, and there's a lot of food, and a lot of leftovers.

- Rick Moranis

Here, Nashville, Hospitals, Leftovers

I'm a single parent, and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn't miss it.

- Rick Moranis

Parent, Doing, Turned, Manage

I don't limit my taste. There's some jazz that I like and there's some opera. I've been listening to what was essentially country music, but it crossed over to rock.

- Rick Moranis

Listening, Some, Over, Crossed

I'm not good at making plans, because I never have been. I never do things with an idea of where they may wind up.

- Rick Moranis

Making, Been, May, Wind

I just love when the Internet is wrong. It's the only thing that will save journalism.

- Rick Moranis

Love, Will, The Only Thing, Journalism

I have five television sets. (I like to think of them as a set of five televisions.) I have two DVR boxes, three DVD players, two VHS machines and four stereos. I have nineteen remote controls, mostly in one drawer.

- Rick Moranis

Controls, Mostly, Remote, Drawer

Geddy Lee and I went to the same grade school. He moved away when we were still young, but I remember him like I do all my friends from back then. Then in 1982, Dave Thomas and I were approached to do a record as the McKenzie Brothers on Anthem Records, the same label that Rush was on.

- Rick Moranis

I Remember, Away, Dave, Grade School

There are fans of some of the old movies that'll mention those, and there's people that have little kids that'll look at me and say, 'Wow, I just watched 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' 35,000 times, and here you are!'

- Rick Moranis

Here, Some, Mention, Wow

Well, I took a sabbatical. I walked away from shooting movies because I couldn't handle the travel. I'm a single parent. I had young kids, and I found that keeping in touch with them from hotel rooms and airports wasn't working for me. So I stopped.

- Rick Moranis

Parent, Away, Rooms, Young Kids

What we see is what they're trying to sell us. It's not true nostalgic as much as it is repeating old material because it's less expensive than new material.

- Rick Moranis

New, Old, Nostalgic, New Material

When I got to filmmaking, the most democratic of environments where anybody could say anything, those were the best environments, but what you don't want to assume is that you know what the audience is thinking.

- Rick Moranis

Audience, Environments, Assume

When I was a little kid, it was not uncommon for a cousin or an uncle, before they would even say 'Hello,' to gush, 'You know, your mother's brisket is just incredible; it's so good.' That was an inspiration for creating a love song in that well-worn terrain of the relationship between a Jewish boy and his mother.

- Rick Moranis

Love, Kid, Before, Cousin

The decision in my case to become a stay-at-home dad, which people do all the time, I guess wouldn't have meant as much to people if I had had a very simple kind of make-a-living existence and decided I needed to spend more time at home.

- Rick Moranis

Needed, Very, Dad, Case

Well, whether it's on film or on TV, you don't want to throw too many curves at your audio and video guys.

- Rick Moranis

Want, Film, TV, Audio

For me music is pretty personal. I generally listen to it alone, and I've never been a lover of concerts. So I don't think I really bond with other people over music. That's not unique to music for me, either. I feel that way about film, television, art, everything. I read a book alone, so why wouldn't I listen to music alone?

- Rick Moranis

Book, Other, Been, Bond

I am wary of sequels. I understand them from the studio's point of view, but the audience doesn't want more, they want better, and I thought the second 'Ghostbusters' was not very effective, it did not really work, so there's no reason to believe a third would. I'm more interested in new things.

- Rick Moranis

Reason, Studio, Very, No Reason

The actual process of filmmaking, the many hours out of your life- it is very slow and boring. I'm not interested in that now unless an opportunity was provided for me.

- Rick Moranis

Process, Very, Actual, Not Interested

A few years ago, I decided I wanted to be home with my family.

- Rick Moranis

Few, Wanted, Decided, Years Ago

When you're 5 ft. 5 in., have a round Jewish face and wear glasses and refuse to wear contacts, you're going to get offered certain parts. People thought of me as the nerdy guy, even in non-nerdy parts like 'Parenthood.' I didn't feel the need to change anything I was doing - I embraced it.

- Rick Moranis

Thought, Doing, Wear, Parenthood

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