Know your lines

Samuel Goldwyn:

• "Include me out."
• "Let's bring it up to date with some snappy nineteenth-century dialogue."
• "I had a great idea this morning, but I didn't like it."
• "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's printed on."

Alfred Hitchock:

• "There is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it."

Spencer Tracy's acting advice:

• "Know your lines and don't hit the furniture."

Nom de guerre

• Kirk Douglas's real name was Issur Danielovitch.
• Samuel Goldwyn, of MGM - Shmuel Gelbfisz.
• Walter Matthau? Walter Matuschanskayasky.
• Edward G. Robinson was Emanual Goldenberg.
• Michael Curtiz was Mihaly Kertesz.
• Peter Lorre was Lazlo Lowenstein.
• Harold Arlen was Hyman Arluck.
• Mel Brook is Melvin Kaminsky.