William Parrish Don't blow smoke up my ass, you'll ruin my autopsy.
2nd most-quoted character in Meet Joe Black (1998): in 18 of its 36 quotes
Most scenes with: Joe Black (8)
Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.
More lines from William Parrish
9 quotes William Parrish William Parrish When I introduce you, and I tell them who you are, I don't think anyone will stay for dinner.
William Parrish I thought I was going to sneak away tonight. What a glorious night! Every face I see is a memory. It may not be a perfectly... perfect memory. Sometimes we've had our ups and downs, but we're all together, And you're mine, for a night. And I'm going to break precedence and tell you my one candle wish: that you would have a life, as lucky as mine where you can wake up one morning and say, "I don't want anything more." 65 years, don't they go by in a blink?
William Parrish You never know, lightning could strike.
William Parrish I want you to sing with rapture and dance like a dervish.
William Parrish You're not Death. You're just a kid in a suit.
William Parrish Thank you, Drew. Yeah. I did enjoy -- or rather I was interested in meeting John Bontecou, yesterday. And -- impressive, I suppose. But... But, it did get me to thinking. See, I started in this business because this is what I wanted to do. I knew I wasn't going to write the great American novel, but I also knew there was more to life than buying something for a dollar and selling it for two. I'd hoped to create something, something which could be held to the highest standards. And what I realized was I wanted to give the news to the world, and I wanted to give it unvarnished. The more we all know about each other, the greater the chance we will survive.
William Parrish Sure, I want to make a profit. You can't exist without one. But John Bontecou is all profit. Now if we give him license to absorb Parrish Communications, and he has his eye on a few others after us, in order to reach the world you will have to go through John Bontecou. And not only will you have to pay him to do this, far more important, you'll have to agree with him.
Reporting the news is a privilege and a responsibility, and it is not exploitable. Parrish Communications has earned this privilege. John Bontecou wants to buy it. As your Chairman, I urge you to agree this company is not for sale
William Parrish My wife turned me on to cold lamb sandwiches. Not as chewy as roast beef. Not as boring as chicken. She knew stuff like that.
Scenes with William Parrish
8 scenes William Parrish Hello? Is anyone here? [Louder] I said is anyone here?
Quiet down
William Parrish Where are you?
I'm here
William Parrish What is this a joke, right? Some kind of elaborate practical joke? Heh, at my fortieth reunion we delivered a casket to the class presidents hotel room and uh--
Quiet
William Parrish [backing out of library]
Where are you going Bill?
William Parrish I uh...
The great Bill Parrish at a loss of words? The man from whose lips fall "rapture" and "passion" and "obsession"? All those admonitions about being "deliriously happy, that there is no sense in living your life without" all the sparks and energy you give off, the rosy advice you dispense in round pear shaped tones.
William Parrish What the hell is this? [Creaking, Joe Black appears in faded window] Who are you?
Just think of millenniums multiplied by eons compounded by time without end. I've been around that long. But it's only recently your affairs here have piqued my interest. Call it boredom. The natural curiosity of me the most lasting and significant element in existence has come to see you.
William Parrish About what?
I want to have a look around before I take you.
William Parrish Take me where?
It requires competence wisdom and experience, all those things they say about you in testimonials. And you're the one.
William Parrish The one to do what?
Show me around, be my guide. And in return you get...
William Parrish I get what?
Time: minutes, days, weeks, lets not get encumbered by detail, what matters is that I stay interested. [Pause] Yes...
William Parrish 'Yes' what?
'Yes' is the answer to your question.
William Parrish What question?
Oh Bill, come on. The question. The question you've been asking yourself with increased regularity, at odd moments, panting through the extra game of handball, when you ran for the plane in Delhi, when you sat up in bed last night and hit the floor in the office this morning. The question that is in the back of your throat, choking the blood to your brain, ringing in your ears over and over as you put it to yourself.
William Parrish 'The question'...
Yes Bill the question. [Moves from glass into shadowy area] The question.
William Parrish Am I going to die?
William Parrish You want me to be your guide?
You fit the bill, Bill.
William Parrish [Walking along a crowded sidewalk]
You know, I got to thinking. With you here and seemingly occupied, how's your work going, I mean, elsewhere?
While you were shaving this morning, you weren't just shaving.
William Parrish What do you mean?
You were hatching ideas, making plans, arriving at decisions, right?
William Parrish Yeah, I guess so
So you get the concept. While part of you is doing one thing, another part of you is doing another, perhaps even attending to the problems of your work. Correct?
William Parrish Of course
So you understand the idea. Congratulations, Bill. Now multiply that by infinity, take that to the depth of forever, and you still will barely have a glimpse of what I'm talking about. [Bill stops, Joe keeps walking, Bill takes Joes arm and stops him from getting hit by a car...again]
William Parrish You know about money, don't you?
It can't buy happiness?
I don't care Bill. I love her.
William Parrish How perfect for you - to take whatever you want because it pleases you. That's not love.
Then what is it?
William Parrish Some aimless infatuation which, for the moment, you feel like indulging - it's missing everything that matters.
Which is what?
William Parrish Trust, responsibility, taking the weight for your choices and feelings, and spending the rest of your life living up to them. And above all, not hurting the object of your love.
So that's what love is according to William Parrish?
William Parrish Multiply it by infinity, and take it to the depth of forever, and you will still have barely a glimpse of what I'm talking about.
Those were my words.
William Parrish They're mine now.
William Parrish You're at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong woman!
Are you threatening me?
William Parrish Yeah, I certainly hope so.
William Parrish It's hard to let go, isn't it?
Yes it is, Bill.
William Parrish Well that's life. What can I tell you?
William Parrish Should I be afraid?
A man like you?
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