Quotes

I am interviewed a lot about 'Body and Soul'...and these klutzes say, 'Tell me, when you were writing 'Body and Soul' did you know that you were writing a classic?' I say, 'A classic? What are you talking about? I knew I was writing it for Wednesday.'

[on Frank Sinatra] I ran the gamut with Sinatra from where pictures were concerned he wouldn't work without me to where I got dumped. A hundred percent pro, but he is so mercurial that even a great pro can have trouble with him.

[on Howard Keel] A very special guy. Practically seven feet tall! A virile, manly, western voice. He used to have his voice teacher in at five in the morning when he had an eleven o'clock recording! A frightened guy, but in his way a good performer.

[on Judy Garland] Could there be a better actress than Judy was? She was a real honest to God musical theater performer. Sang like an angel. A great showman. Hell of a dancer and a heart-rending actress!

[on Deanna Durbin] I loved working with her; she was fascinating. She was a good enough actress and still sang like an angel.

[on Julie Andrews] Julie Andrews is the best of the crop. She's got so much talent that it's just not to be believed! I'd rather work with her than almost anybody I know. She doesn't seem to me to have that "everybody's nanny" effect. I think she is very sexy.

[on Fred Astaire] When you talk about Fred Astaire, you talk about heaven! What more can I say?

Of his second marriage, during which he wrote many of his best known tunes, Green once mused: "We didn't have children...we had songs!"