Mr. Holland's Opus Quotes

Mr. Holland's Opus is a TV show that debuted in 1970 . Mr. Holland's Opus ended its run in 1970.

It features Ted Field as producer, Michael Kamen in charge of musical score, and Oliver Wood (cinematographer) as head of cinematography.

Mr. Holland's Opus is recorded in English and originally aired in United States. Each episode of Mr. Holland's Opus is 143 minutes long. Mr. Holland's Opus is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The cast includes: Richard Dreyfuss as Glenn Holland, William H. Macy as Principal Jacobs, William H. Macy as Vice Principal Gene Wolters, William H. Macy as Vice Principal Wolters, Glenne Headly as Iris Holland, Richard Dreyfuss as Mr. Glenn Holland, Joanna Gleason as Gertrude Lang, Jay Thomas as Bill Meister, Balthazar Getty as Stadler, Terrence Howard as Louis Russ, and Jean Louisa Kelly as Rowena Morgan.

Mr. Holland's Opus Quotes

Terrence Howard as Louis Russ

(We don't have any quotes for this character)

Richard Dreyfuss as Glenn Holland

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Which instrument do you think you'd like to play?"
• (Terrence Howard) "Well, I was kinda thinkin' like -- How about electric guitar?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Well, this is a marching band. The extension cord will kill us."

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Give it up miss Lang."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "I meant for today --"

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Playing music is supposed to be fun. It's about heart, it's about feelings, moving people, and something beautiful, and it's not about notes on a page. I can teach you notes on a page, I can't teach you that other stuff."

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "I'm 60 years old, Gene. What are you going to do: write me a recommendation for the morgue?"

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "You alright?"
• (Jay Thomas) "Yeah. We know too many of these kids --"

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "These tests are pathetic. "Name an American composer." Miss Swedlin, your answer was?"
• (Ms. Swedlin) "Bach?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Johann Sebastian Bach. Oh, this -- this is my favorite one. "How do you know what key a concerto is in?" Mr. Mims, your answer was "Look on the front page", question mark. Now, this question mark. Was that because you weren't sure or because your English skills are on the same level as your musical theory?"

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "The day they cut the football budget in this state, that will be the end of Western Civilization as we know it."

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "The only ingenue we seem to have so far is Todd Markam. I really don't think that Todd Markam, or his parents, are-"
• (Jay Thomas) "Maybe it's just me, but I think she's better than Todd Markam."

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Play the sunset."

• (Richard Dreyfuss) "You work for 30 years because you think that what you do makes a difference, you think it matters to people, but then you wake up one morning and find out, well no, you've made a little error there, you're expendable. I should be laughing."

Glenne Headly as Iris Holland

• (Glenne Headly) "Why is everyone else's child more important than yours?"

• (Glenne Headly) "Why do you assume that John Lennon's death would mean nothing to me? Do you think I'm stupid? I know who John Lennon is."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "I never said that he --"
• (Glenne Headly) "I cant read your lips if you don't look at me."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "I never said you were stupid"
• (Glenne Headly) "You must think so. If you think I don't know who The Beatles are or any music at all. You think I don't care about what it is you do or what you love? You're my father. I know what music is. You could help me to know it better, but; no. You care more about teaching other people than you do about me."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Iris -- What does this mean"
• (Glenne Headly) "That means "asshole"."

• (Glenne Headly) "When you were in high school, did you ever wonder if your teachers went home and got it on at night?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "When I was in high school, my teachers were all priests and nuns."
• (Glenne Headly) "I had such a crush on Mr. Griffith, he could've taken me home any time."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Really?"
• (Glenne Headly) "Mhm."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "And who was this Mr. Griffith?"
• (Glenne Headly) "Oh, he was my music teacher."

Jay Thomas as Bill Meister

• (Jay Thomas) "Teachers don't wait."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Pardon me?"
• (Jay Thomas) "High school is not a democracy. Teachers don't wait. Bill Meister, phys ed."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Glenn Holland. Music teacher."
• (Jay Thomas) "Hi."
• (Jay Thomas) "There you go."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Oh, my God. What is this?"
• (Jay Thomas) "It's Monday. It's turkey Spam surprise. You could mortar walls with it. Word of advice: always bring a bag lunch."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Where's yours?"
• (Jay Thomas) "I ate it in second period."

William H. Macy as Vice Principal Wolters

• (William H. Macy) "Mr. Holland. Just the man I was looking for. We're forming a textbook committee for next year's curriculum. And I would like to have your ideas and suggestions. We meet next Tuesday night in the library."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Jacobs. I'm -- I'm very busy on Tuesday night."
• (William H. Macy) "Uh-huh. You know, for a good four or five months now, I've been watching you, Mr. Holland. I've never seen a teacher sprint for the parking lot after last period with more speed and enthusiasm than his students. Perhaps you should be our track coach."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Mrs. Jacobs, I get here on time every morning, don't I? I'm doing my job the best I can."
• (William H. Macy) "A teacher is two jobs. Fill young minds with knowledge, yes. But more important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn't go to waste. Now, I don't know what you're doing with the knowledge, Mr. Holland, but as a compass, you're stuck."

• (William H. Macy) "Mr. Holland, it has come to my attention that you are teaching the students rock and roll."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Is this a problem?"
• (William H. Macy) "Is this a problem? Yes, I think so. Our only job is to teach. We cannot teach and the students cannot learn if there is no discipline."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Uh -- I'm sorry, uh, what exactly is your point, Gene?"
• (William H. Macy) "My point is rock and roll, by its very nature, leads to a breakdown in discipline."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Well, what would you like me to do? Deny that rock and roll exists?"
• (William H. Macy) "What I am -- What we are saying is that you should be pushing the classics. Brahms, Mozart, Stravinsky."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Stravinsky was the music of the Russian Revolution, if you want to talk about a breakdown in discipline."
• (William H. Macy) "You are deliberately exaggerating."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "How about the Kingston Trio, Gene? How about Sing Along with Mitch?"
• (William H. Macy) "Oh, please."
• (William H. Macy) "Just a minute, gentlemen. Mr. Holland, I do not want to interfere in the curriculum of any teacher. But next week, I have a meeting with the school board. And there are people in this community who believe that rock and roll is a message sent from the devil himself. Now when that issue comes up, what can I tell them?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Mrs. Jacobs, you tell them that I am teaching music, and that I will use anything from Beethoven to Billie Holiday to rock and roll, if I think it'll help me teach a student to love music."

• (William H. Macy) "Have you been to any of the football games this season, Mr. Holland?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "I can't say that I have, no."
• (William H. Macy) "Well, Mrs. Jacobs and I feel that there's something missing."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Touchdowns."

• (William H. Macy) "Corvair?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Yeah."
• (William H. Macy) "I take it you didn't read Ralph Nader's book."
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Well, unless Ralph is willing to buy me a new car, I'm going to have to stick with this one until the wheels fall off."
• (William H. Macy) "Well, you might not have to wait that long. Heh, heh. Have a nice day."

Jean Louisa Kelly as Rowena Morgan

• (Jean Louisa Kelly) "You love music and you made the kids love it with you."

Balthazar Getty as Stadler

• (Balthazar Getty) "Who's that in the box?"
• (Richard Dreyfuss) "Just some kid I taught to beat a drum."

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