- Charles K. Leonard: You'll be a success in whatever you do, Helen, because you're all woman, and there's nothing finer than that. You know, that's where your mother's suffragettes are all wrong. They're going to get equal rights ultimately, and the chance to act like men, maybe. But they're going to lose a lot of femininity. And when they do, something tells me that they're going to lose more power than they'll ever get back by voting. Uh, honey, you needn't tell your mother that I said that.
- Charles K. Leonard: They tell me that when you're a hit at Tony Pastor's, you're a star from then on.
- Lillian Russell: [On a long distance phone call with Pres. Grover Cleveland] Yes, Mr. President.
- President Cleveland: [On the telephone] Miss Russell, accept our compliments. This has been a great privilege and we deeply appreciate the honor having been the first to hear your voice over the long-distance telephone. We Americans are very proud of you, Miss Russell, and I sincerely hope that life will always treat you kindly.
- Lillian Russell: Thank you, Mr. President.
- Cynthia Leonard: And when women vote, there will be no more dishonesty in politics; no more graft in our civic offices; and above all else, there will be no more wars in the world, because women will never endorse murder of any description.
- The Famous J.L.: [Jesse Lewisohn, industrialist] She's going to sing over the long-distance telephone for President Cleveland during the intermission.
- Diamond Jim Brady: You mean she's going to sing here, and the president's going to listen in Washington?
- The Famous J.L.: That's exactly what I mean. They're connecting the wires back stage right now, and the telephone company claim they can actually do it
- Diamond Jim Brady: Nooo?
- The Famous J.L.: Yes!
- Alexander Moore: That depends on what she calls success.
- Lillian Russell: What do you call it?
- Alexander Moore: Happiness.
- Lillian Russell: Oh, well, that's just a state of mind. It isn't always success.
- Soldier: We know what's happening all right. But we just ain't got time to wait till it happens. I love babies, but I ain't aimin' to face no firing squad on account of one.
- Lillian Russell: [aka, Helen Leonard] I'm not going to leave you, mother.
- Cynthia Leonard: But you've already left yourself. You're Lillian Russell now, and pretty soon you'll forget you ever knew Helen Leonard. And millions of new faces will take the place of the few old ones left behind. Men will... men will offer fortunes just to stand in the shadow of her glamourous career. And women will envy, but copy her. And perhaps - yes, even kings may applaud her.
- Tony Pastor: What's the matter? Don't you like "Lillian Russell"?
- Lillian Russell: [as Helen Leonard] Ohm, yes. Yes, of course I do, Mr. Pastor. But somehow I'm already a little lonesome for Helen Leonard.
- Cynthia Leonard: We bear the first burden of humanity. We suffer to produce life. Therefore, we should have a voice in the conduct of it.
- Hank: Gosh, I don't see why Doc Dobbins had to go and be a major. Shall I go after Doc Bradley?
- Charles K. Leonard: No. I don't figure you'll have to, Hank. Somehow or other, I don't think the major would ever leave town without taking care of Cynthia first, even if he has to court-martial himself afterwards.
- Diamond Jim Brady: And, Jesse, just to show my appreciation, I'm going to let you dance with Edna. Edna, go on, dance with Mr. Lewisohn. Go on.
- The Famous J.L.: [Jesse Lewisohn] I'd like to. May I, Miss McCauley?
- Edna McCauley: Yes, of course. Only, I wish you'd thought of it yourself.
- The Famous J.L.: I did, but I was afraid of Jim.
- Diamond Jim Brady: Huh, huh, huh, huh. Imagine, anyone being afraid of me.
- Charles K. Leonard: Oh, Doc, you brought all our other children into this world and to Cynthia, there's no other doctor in all Iowa.
- Leopold Damrosch: Well, I'm sorry for you.
- Lillian Russell: Why, Mr. Damrosch?
- Leopold Damrosch: Because you're, you're beautiful.
- Lillian Russell: But if that were true, why should it make you feel sorry for me?
- Leopold Damrosch: Ach! Listen - even if you have great success, you most likely will be very, very unhappy. Beautiful women generally are.
- Lillian Russell: Why?
- Leopold Damrosch: Well, so many men will fall in love with your beauty, and you may never know which one really loves you for yourself.
- Lillian Russell: [as Helen Leonard] Father, why couldn't you say something to her?
- Charles K. Leonard: Well, I tried to, Helen, but I, I just couldn't talk. I guess I've sort of gotten out of practice around here.
- Lillian Russell: [as Helen Leonard] Dad, mother's just been nominated for the mayor of New York.
- Charles K. Leonard: Well, if your mother runs New York as well as she's run me, the city is in for it.
- Lillian Russell: Huh, dad, you're terrible.
- Dr' Dobbins: Everything's all right, Charlie. It's a girl.
- Charles K. Leonard: Are you sure, Doc?
- Dr' Dobbins: Hmm?
- Charles K. Leonard: I mean, would you mind looking again?
- Charles K. Leonard: You know, sweetheart, this may be the last performance of our make-believe theater.
- Chauffeur: What's the matter? Don't you wanna go?
- President Cleveland: Yes, sir, of course. It's just - I wish you'd thought of all this before she got married.
- Alexander Moore: Why, I remember taking all kinds of chances, just so someone could rescue me. Once I tried to swim across the Mississippi. I did, really. I knew I couldn't make it. But I saw the riverboat coming and I was hoping that when I called out for help, the right man would leap overboard and swim me to shore.
- President Cleveland: And, did he?
- Alexander Moore: No. They fished me up with a net.
- Alexander Moore: Do I know you?
- President Cleveland: Well, we never were properly introduced, but we have met before.
- Alexander Moore: Don't tell me I flirted with you.
- President Cleveland: Well, you sort of smiled at me a little. I guess maybe you didn't mean to flirt really.
- Alexander Moore: Did I wink at you?
- President Cleveland: No, I don't remember your winking any.
- Alexander Moore: Then I wasn't really flirting.
- Alexander Moore: My eyes aren't what they used to be. Nothing's like it used to be. My legs are crippled with rheumatism. My heart flutters like a jumping jack most of the time. I've lost every tooth in my head. Plates. Upper and lower. My left ear's stone deaf. And if I didn't feel so good, I'd think that old age was coming on me.
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